Angry about HPWC replacement cost

[Jess]

I had a certified electrician take it from my old location & install in new. It was working fine at old location. He could not get it to work upon installation. So Tesla sent out service ranger who installed new one for & $750, plus labor cost of $335. I paid the electrician to uninstall & reinstall as well.

I'm not merely venting. It is not unreasonable to expect people who own Teslas to move locations within the lifetime of the car. I feel a HPWC should last longer than a year. Tesla is all about qaulity, bragging they don't wat to make money off service, like traditional car companies. Then your quality of parts should reflect that. I feel the chargers are an extension of the car since most of us daily commuters need the HPWC to get from A to B.

 

[efusco]

I had a certified electrician take it from my old location & install in new. It was working fine at old location. He could not get it to work upon installation. So Tesla sent out service ranger who installed new one for & $750, plus labor cost of $335. I paid the electrician to uninstall & reinstall as well.

I'm not merely venting. It is not unreasonable to expect people who own Teslas to move locations within the lifetime of the car. I feel a HPWC should last longer than a year. Tesla is all about qaulity, bragging they don't wat to make money off service, like traditional car companies. Then your quality of parts should reflect that. I feel the chargers are an extension of the car since most of us daily commuters need the HPWC to get from A to B.

Did you purchase with the car?
Did Tesla tell you what was wrong with the charger that caused it to fail?
And whether they're designed to last more than a year or not seems somewhat irrelevant. If you were covered under the one year warranty, that would extend only from date of purchase of the original, not the replacement (replacements are usually warrantied only 30-90 days).

 

[omarsultan]

I am so glad I setup my HPWC to just plug into my 14/50 outlet at 40amp instead of hard wiring for 80amp. I figured that if the HPWC ever broke I would have a backup by using the UMC and plugging it into the outlet.

Is that to code--I thought the HPWC had to be hard-wired?

O

 

[Jess]

I purchased it with the car.

 

[dhanson865]

Is that to code--I thought the HPWC had to be hard-wired?

O

has to be hard wired if operating above 50 amps as there is not common 70 amp, 80 amp, or 90 amp wall socket. If you are willing to limit it to 50 amps you can use a 14-60 socket and if you limit it to 40 amps you can use a 14-50 socket.

 

[Thud]

If you bought it with Amex, you probably have an additional year of warranty (by Amex). Other credit cards might have the same benefit.

 

[Zythryn]

I purchased it with the car.

Thanks.
And the question about what was wrong with the original?

 

[Thud]

I purchased it with the car.

Meaning it was included in your final purchase price of your car?

 

[Jess]

The service tech said he didn't know why it stopped working. He confirmed wiring was correct by electrician and that the problem was the wall connector. Possibly something in the circuit board, but there were no parts. Getting new HPWC was only choice.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks everyone. I contacted my Tesla service dept. about the 4 yr warranty and they said they would investigate. I didn't purchase with a credit card separately so that extended cc coverage won't apply, but I really appreciate the idea. I forgot cc companies do that.

 

[efusco]

The service tech said he didn't know why it stopped working. He confirmed wiring was correct by electrician and that the problem was the wall connector. Possibly something in the circuit board, but there were no parts. Getting new HPWC was only choice.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks everyone. I contacted my Tesla service dept. about the 4 yr warranty and they said they would investigate. I didn't purchase with a credit card separately so that extended cc coverage won't apply, but I really appreciate the idea. I forgot cc companies do that.

It sounds like this should be covered under the 4 year warranty to me, assuming all you say is accurate. I think that working through the right channels will get this worked out to your satisfaction...I certainly hope so.

 

[ecarfan]

I am so glad I setup my HPWC to just plug into my 14/50 outlet at 40amp instead of hard wiring for 80amp. I figured that if the HPWC ever broke I would have a backup by using the UMC and plugging it into the outlet.

In November 2013, just before taking delivery of my S, I had the HPWC hard wired into a 100A circuit. At the same time I had a new 240V/40A NEMA 14-50 installed as a back up against the HPWC failing.

In mid 2014 Tesla replaced the HPWC cable because it failed. They came to my house late on the same day I called about the problem.

Have yet to use my NEMA 14-50 but I like having it there.

 

[ecarfan]

I purchased it with the car.

So, in your OP you said you have owned your S for "almost two years now". It seems to me that since you purchased the HPWC "with the car" it should be covered by the same 4-year / 50,000 mile warranty as the car has.

How many miles on your car?

Maybe your Service Center simply does not understand that your HPWC is still under warranty, assuming your mileage is less than 50K.

I think if you pursue this with Tesla and press the issue up the chain of command they will make it right.

 

[evme]

I don't see any reason to accuse Tesla on trying to make a profit off the wall connector. Is there any other wall connector that can deliver 80A for even 2X the price? A Clipper Creek connector 80A costs $2200.

It would not be uncommon for Tesla to run into quality issues here and there as their goal is to lower prices while pushing the limit. As they sort through suppliers, quality issues will happen. Now obviously Tesla needs to handle these issues more appropriately. Such as maybe take people's old connector for refurbishment and offer a discount on a new one or etc.

Though speaking of the 4 year warranty with the car or 1 year warranty over the counter and the 80A stuff. I wonder if Tesla's decision to not bundle the connector with the car and make the 80A purchase optional have something to do with this.

 

[linkster]

I had a certified electrician take it from my old location & install in new. It was working fine at old location. He could not get it to work upon installation

I have only performed an 'install' of my HPWC. I was wondering if one needs to (again) follow the proper dip switch "test" and "reset" procedures for proper booting upon a removal/re-install installation.

bluetinc? Cott?

 

[Racerx22b]

Is that to code--I thought the HPWC had to be hard-wired?

O

I just bought a standard oven range plug at Home Depot and did the wiring inside the HPWC myself then set the dip switches to 40amps. Easy Peasy! I liked the look of the HPWC and got the impression from some veteran posters on this forum that the HPWC was "beefier" than the UMC. Considering that and the fact that I had a built in backup by having the option of using the UMC it seemed like a no brainer. My daily mileage requirements don't require 80amp charging so that wasn't an issue. I think it's to code. Don't really care, it works.

 

[scruzloose33]

To clarify earlier posts, it is no longer possible to buy the HPWC with the car, right? I am awaiting the delivery of my 85D, but it is a little disheartening to hear all these stories of HPWC failures. A 4-year warranty would be great, but I am likely stuck with the 1-year warranty since the only option is to buy it separately.

 

[FlasherZ]

Technically, it's unclear whether you could consider it violating code or not. Tesla's instructions make reference to it being hardwired, and art 110 requires you follow manufacturer's instructions. However, call it a disconnect and you're good.

(Seriously, I don't think you'd get an inspector to reject it. Even then, call it an appliance.)

 

[brucet999]

I just bought a standard oven range plug at Home Depot and did the wiring inside the HPWC myself then set the dip switches to 40amps. Easy Peasy! I liked the look of the HPWC and got the impression from some veteran posters on this forum that the HPWC was "beefier" than the UMC. Considering that and the fact that I had a built in backup by having the option of using the UMC it seemed like a no brainer.

Looks like you have backup transportation there too, for a worst-case situation, of course.

 

[radrick]

Would a surge protector at the 240 volt outlet help to prolong the life of the UMC or HPWC ?

 

[ohmman]

I had an issue with my HPWC where it would flick the charge relay on the car when I plugged it in (back and forth, not just the engaging "clunk", but "clunk-clunk-clunk..."), and I bought mine with a CC outside of the car purchase. I decided the issue was the car's charge port based on a thread I posted on this forum, so I figured I'd wait until my one year anniversary. See where this is going?

My charge handle was bad. The HPWC was the issue, not my car. Thankfully, Tesla checked their logs and saw issues charging at home starting from the time I got the HPWC. They were kind enough to replace the cable on it with a ranger visit, all under warranty/goodwill.

Good luck to OP with their issue.