72Amp onboard charger for current models

[dabbler]

Recent discussions with our new SC in Toledo Ohio I was told that the 72 amp charger is no longer available and the SC's are not permitted to upgrade an older car with a 40 amp to add an another 40 amp. I did just that back in 2015 when I took deliver of my car. The Range came out to the house, with a loaner, and installed the additional charger in about 4 hours. Cost was $2500. I would really miss the ability to charge at 58mph on my 80 amp HPWC. One of the main reasons I purchased the dual charger and the HPWC.

 

[appleguru]

Did they change the chargers on the new raven cars? I’d think the 72 amp 1035647-00-E charger should be compatible if not; they quoted me $2k (parts + labor) for the upgrade last I checked.

Even if they did change it, since they still have to accommodate “Europe” 3 phase charging, it should be possible to do the upgrade...

 

[BigNick]

Recent discussions with our new SC in Toledo Ohio I was told that the 72 amp charger is no longer available and the SC's are not permitted to upgrade an older car with a 40 amp to add an another 40 amp. I did just that back in 2015 when I took deliver of my car. The Range came out to the house, with a loaner, and installed the additional charger in about 4 hours. Cost was $2500. I would really miss the ability to charge at 58mph on my 80 amp HPWC. One of the main reasons I purchased the dual charger and the HPWC.

This sucks, as about the only thing I can upgrade on my current car would be the 40A single => 80A dual charger.
I'm assuming it's due to potential overheating/fire issues with poorly-installed home wiring? Similar to how the new-generation UMC was dropped to 32A max from 40A max?

 

[dabbler]

I was told that the when they changed to offering the 72 amp. charger that there were not enough orders to justify the option, so it was discontinued.

 

[commasign]

I’m horrified that it’s not available. I have a 2015 S with the 80 amp dual charger that i use at full current at home. It’s very convenient to recharge quickly during the day between morning and afternoon trips (I live in the country where all trips are pretty long). This has allowed me to run up 50k miles without ever having used a supercharger. Nearly doubling home charge time is such a big deal for me that it would flatly disqualify the Model S as a replacement for my current Model S. I would just keep mine until its reliability fell apart. Very disappointing.

Edit - my attitude would change for the better if there was a way to implement some kind of fast DC charging at home. My house has 600 amp service.

There is a way. You could install a CHAdeMO Charger. Something like this:

Delta EV Wallbox Level 3 DC Quick Charger Charging Station

 

[GHammer]

I was told that the when they changed to offering the 72 amp. charger that there were not enough orders to justify the option, so it was discontinued.

This doesn't make sense as the 72A amp came standard on all 100's just prior to it's discontinuation. This is a common excuse used by employees when Tesla does an option change when they really don't know.

 

[TMeister]

The current charger consists of up to three 24 amp modules. That's where 48 and 72 come from. It's a cost and regional accommodation so that three phase power can be used in Europe. Current US production eliminates one of these modules. There is only one box. You could swap in another 24 amp module from a loaner car. Or get an older 72 amp charger from a loaner car. Then you'd have to get the car to recognize it but it may be as simple as a forced update to all the car modules. The service center for instance does that on the interior ultrasonic alarm install. This process queries all the car modules and updates them from the current build.

 

[boaterva]

The current charger consists of up to three 24 amp modules. That's where 48 and 72 come from. It's a cost and regional accommodation so that three phase power can be used in Europe. Current US production eliminates one of these modules. There is only one box. You could swap in another 24 amp module from a loaner car. Or get an older 72 amp charger from a loaner car. Then you'd have to get the car to recognize it but it may be as simple as a forced update to all the car modules. The service center for instance does that on the interior ultrasonic alarm install. This process queries all the car modules and updates them from the current build.

Interesting that it's just another addition of the same thing, since you'd think that would be easy to add one (of the spares kept to fix a normal broken one). WTF is all i have to say about that.

It was almost impossible to get this from the SC at one time. I can see the reduction in overhead for the factory assembly line, but you'd think using the same part as repair, it would be a good add-on part for the SC when something else is being done.

And I've definitely been told it was a different complete charger, lol. (I definitely believe this story about 2 and 3 modules since it makes so much more sense...)

 

[Saxgod]

My office!

Google Maps

Love the white model s in the street view

 

[DoubleE]

Where on the road is 72A charging available. Most places are often lucky to get 16A charging.

Destination chargers with HPWCs installed.

 

[Lloyd]

Love the white model s in the street view

What about the pretty blue one on the side????

The white one belongs to a nice lady that does her yoga at a studio two doors down.

 

[Webeevdrivers]

There is a way. You could install a CHAdeMO Charger. Something like this:

Delta EV Wallbox Level 3 DC Quick Charger Charging Station

Hard to get three phase in North American houses.

 

[W0QR]

One place we visit is Harrahs Murphy NC where they have ~32 80Amp chargers:

View attachment 417487
View attachment 417488

Wait a minute. You're charging at 197 volts? Why? Have you no Superchargers. You do indicate you're in the boonedocks. But SCs are 440 volts. It's better to have higher voltage than higher current. Is this a very special case? Why so weird a voltage..should at least be 240 at 40 amps. Then you're at 9.6kva. 150kva (150kw) is typical for a supercharger. You're only charging at 14kW. 1/10th a supercharger.

 

[GHammer]

Wait a minute. You're charging at 197 volts? Why? Have you no Superchargers. You do indicate you're in the boonedocks. But SCs are 440 volts. It's better to have higher voltage than higher current. Is this a very special case? Why so weird a voltage..should at least be 240 at 40 amps. Then you're at 9.6kva. 150kva (150kw) is typical for a supercharger. You're only charging at 14kW. 1/10th a supercharger.

It's not a supercharger, It's an L2 charger using two legs of a commercial 3 phase system which puts out a nominal 208V. The long wire run is dropping the voltage to 197. As stated above, this is not a problem. Also, it doesn't matter if voltage or current is higher. The onboard charger sets the voltage for what the battery needs.

 

[GHammer]

Hard to get three phase in North American houses.

They do offer single phase versions, it's the 12K price tag that I find hard to swallow.

 

[SSonnentag]

We thoroughly enjoy the quick home charging we get from our 72A onboard chargers. I'm disappointed to hear that the chargers in the new cars have been downgraded. The hotel in Arkansas that we stayed at had two 80A HPWC available, just like we have at home. It was convenient to be able to charge up quickly and then get the car moved before bed so that someone else could charge up if necessary.

 

[appleguru]

The current charger consists of up to three 24 amp modules. That's where 48 and 72 come from. It's a cost and regional accommodation so that three phase power can be used in Europe. Current US production eliminates one of these modules. There is only one box. You could swap in another 24 amp module from a loaner car. Or get an older 72 amp charger from a loaner car. Then you'd have to get the car to recognize it but it may be as simple as a forced update to all the car modules. The service center for instance does that on the interior ultrasonic alarm install. This process queries all the car modules and updates them from the current build.

Correct, though I don't think I've heard of anyone successfully "upgrading" a 48A charger to a 72A charger by just adding the missing module. You would likely need to manually reflash some onboard firmware too.

If you do swap out the whole thing with a proper 72A charger though, yes, the change is as "simple" as updating the chargertype entry in your gateway config from singleLimited to single and running a service-redeploy

Without Tesla Toolbox access though, changing the gateway config on an MCU2 car is not as easy as it is on an MCU1 car unfortunately though...

 

[commasign]

Hard to get three phase in North American houses.

Look again, you can select single phase 240v for $500 more.

 

[Magellan55]

I'm sure it's useful in some circumstances, but in my first year of ownership I've only needed 72A once. 48A seems fine for overnight charging - fills up a 100D in maybe 5 hours. Though that one time I needed it, I got home from work ready to plug in but the family decided to take a small road trip for dinner. I had just enough time to fuel up to make it and back.

At least for me, this wouldn't be a deal breaker. Though I really am curious why they discontinued it.

 

[SSedan]

Wait a minute. You're charging at 197 volts? Why? Have you no Superchargers. You do indicate you're in the boonedocks. But SCs are 440 volts. It's better to have higher voltage than higher current. Is this a very special case? Why so weird a voltage..should at least be 240 at 40 amps. Then you're at 9.6kva. 150kva (150kw) is typical for a supercharger. You're only charging at 14kW. 1/10th a supercharger.

Adding to what Hammer said.
The HCWC are AC current delivered to the car, superchargers deliver DC to the car.