Any Interest in JdeMo Bulk Buy?

[IslandRoadster]

I am sorry, I understand the differences between the standards and their availability, but I meant specifically for the roadster with JdeMO will there be any difference between the two plugs? Is 50kw still going to be the max for both plugs? I am assuming for battery health since the roadster wasn't designed for DC fast charging 50 kW is probably the max you would want to use?

Sorry I misunderstood the question. I reached out to Tony at QC charge to inquire about charging maximum. At this point, I don’t have an answer. Since the system uses the regen braking cycle, it should be able to handle more than 50 kW. I think I’ve seen 150 kW on my Roadster during regen. But I’m no electrical engineer, so we’ll see what Tony says.

 

[IslandRoadster]

@Sbax Heard back from Tony. He’s very concerned about damaging the batteries at a high charge rate. He said:

How much do you guys like you batteries?

Max rate will be 200 amps / about 80kW.
​

 

[ViperDoc]

Hi!

As someone who already has the original Jdemo installed but who would be interested in an upgrade to allow you to use the CSS connector (having options is good), I was interested in the comment I saw that the new kit would start as Chademo only but a later upgrade would allow for the CSS standard. Is Tony planning on a path for original Jdemo installs to get the upgrade too? I might be interested in that.

Thanks.

 

[IslandRoadster]

HAs someone who already has the original Jdemo installed but who would be interested in an upgrade to allow you to use the CSS connector (having options is good), I was interested in the comment I saw that the new kit would start as Chademo only but a later upgrade would allow for the CSS standard. Is Tony planning on a path for original Jdemo installs to get the upgrade too? I might be interested in that.

I do not know the answer to that. Right now everything is in the engineering and planning phase. I recommend that as we get closer to production, that you reach out to QC to discuss an upgrade path.

One would assume that if the internals are the same in your build and the upcoming build that you would also have a path to switch connectors. But we don’t currently know whether there are internal differences between the upcoming and prior builds.

 

[gregd]

In the U.S., I continue to see CHAdeMO and CCS connectors together, so I am personally not worries about having CHAdeMO. But knowing they are working on adding CCS should that change, gives me a bit of comfort.

Side note to a news report that Nissan has dropped CHAdeMO from their next generation cars, keeping it only for the Japanese market. New cars will be CCS.

Nissan’s move to CCS fast-charging makes CHAdeMO a legacy standard

That, of course, does not spell immediate doom for CHAdeMO outside of Japan, but I think it's a sign of a general trend. Comforting indeed that Tony will support CCS for the Roadster.

 

[IslandRoadster]

So far we only have two deposits. Hopefully a few more folks will step up since we had such large interest. I’m sure there’s a minimum quantity Tony wants to see before moving forward, so the faster we can get deposits the faster they can begin building them!

 

[X.l.r.8]

I’m still deciding, the lack of regen for 60+ km and the loss of my tow hitch has me hesitant. And having to wait a year to fit it seems like a huge anti climax.

 

[IslandRoadster]

I’m still deciding, the lack of regen for 60+ km and the loss of my tow hitch has me hesitant. And having to wait a year to fit it seems like a huge anti climax.

Won't be a year. Should be delivered around the end of this year. But I understand the hitch. Perhaps there will be a way to mount it to have both?

As for the 60 km lack of regen, not sure I understand that one. Can you elaborate?

 

[Logticom]

lack of regen for 60+ km

@X.l.r.8 You can fix this in the diagnostic menu with pressing a reset button.

For more info see post:

JdeMO for the Roadster?

 

[X.l.r.8]

Come December it’s going to be -20degrees and snowing. Not a hope of getting under the car in that weather. The hitch I use almost weekly weather picking up large items or moving my race car around. I’m not ready to part with it as it’s my daily driver. Im looking at installs to see what my options are.
If you charge fully (which I do) regen is unavailable as if you range charged, the site says 40-60km if I remember correctly. Not an issue if you are on a long run and won’t be using the regen but drivers are unpredictable and assuming you have regen when it’s not there is a recipe for disaster.
After my last drive to Miami I realize the obvious benefits but I also like my rest stops that allow me to drive continuously. If it were an add on it’s a no brainer but for me it’s going to be a compromise. We all use our cars differently and that’s the challenge of adding something in kit form.

 

[IslandRoadster]

Come December it’s going to be -20degrees and snowing. Not a hope of getting under the car in that weather. The hitch I use almost weekly weather picking up large items or moving my race car around. I’m not ready to part with it as it’s my daily driver. Im looking at installs to see what my options are.
If you charge fully (which I do) regen is unavailable as if you range charged, the site says 40-60km if I remember correctly. Not an issue if you are on a long run and won’t be using the regen but drivers are unpredictable and assuming you have regen when it’s not there is a recipe for disaster.
After my last drive to Miami I realize the obvious benefits but I also like my rest stops that allow me to drive continuously. If it were an add on it’s a no brainer but for me it’s going to be a compromise. We all use our cars differently and that’s the challenge of adding something in kit form.

Thanks for that. Didn’t realize you were referring to the range charge lack of regen. Am familiar with that when the battery is full. Same on more modern Teslas as well. I have found, however, that I get a small amount of regen back very quickly as I draw down the battery. It slowly increases rather than being a binary of off and on. At least on #609.

 

[ViperDoc]

To all of you looking to get a Jdemo. Just a heads up. I just had a problem with my car where the fan stopped working so the PEM is overheating after < 5 miles gentle driving. Maybe a bad fan. Maybe a bad connector. Maybe something more. I had the car towed to Tesla SC in Watertown, MA. They will not look at it or do any diagnosis or repair due to an aftermarket product attached to the HV system. I had the Jdemo installed after the warranty ran out, so I was not worried about the warranty, but I had no idea they might choose not to touch the car. I think Tony at QC had told me that if Tesla ever had a problem, it could be "easily disconnected." I had assumed that meant Tesla would just disconnect something and be good. I didn't think to investigate disconnecting before flatbedding the car over 200 miles away.

Just a warning of this headache you might have to deal with...

Now I will get to re-flatbed it to the Electrified Garage, where perhaps I should simply have sent it to originally. At least you can easily get hold of them on the telephone.

 

[Roadster]

I had a similar encounter at the Torrance SC when I first got mine installed back in 2017. I contacted @TonyWilliams and he kindly offered to speak with Anthony, the lead Roadster tech at the time (he's since moved to a different department). After a brief chat, there were no concerns and my car got serviced accordingly. I had Anthony add a note in my file mentioning that it was fine to work on it and had no issues after that.

However, now that bonafide Roadster techs are even more scarce than our cars, I suspect what @ViperDoc experienced may be the new normal. I'd recommend giving Tony a heads up that you need him for a quick chat with the Service Manager to talk it through. Sadly, I think most of us know how that discussion will go but you won't know until you ask.

 

[ra88it]

Sadly, I think most of us know how that discussion will go but you won't know until you ask.

You mean they're not going to offer a new model at a ~10-15k discount and pay full private party, just to make the problem go away? //sarcasm wrapped in truth//

 

[IslandRoadster]

I had a similar encounter at the Torrance SC when I first got mine installed back in 2017. I contacted @TonyWilliams and he kindly offered to speak with Anthony, the lead Roadster tech at the time (he's since moved to a different department). After a brief chat, there were no concerns and my car got serviced accordingly. I had Anthony add a note in my file mentioning that it was fine to work on it and had no issues after that.

However, now that bonafide Roadster techs are even more scarce than our cars, I suspect what @ViperDoc experienced may be the new normal. I'd recommend giving Tony a heads up that you need him for a quick chat with the Service Manager to talk it through. Sadly, I think most of us know how that discussion will go but you won't know until you ask.

As has been discussed in various forums, Tesla can stop working on Roadsters when out of warranty. Always a risk we run. There may be state consumer protection laws one could avail themselves of to get a problem like @ViperDoc mentioned resolved. Also, if one disconnects the aftermarket device before visiting the service center, I would find it difficult for Tesla to refuse to work on the car.

 

[ViperDoc]

However, now that bonafide Roadster techs are even more scarce than our cars, I suspect what @ViperDoc experienced may be the new normal. I'd recommend giving Tony a heads up that you need him for a quick chat with the Service Manager to talk it through. Sadly, I think most of us know how that discussion will go but you won't know until you ask.

After you PM'ed me, I related your experience and that some other SC will work on a Jdemo-upgraded Roadster to Watertown, and they agreed to run it up the chain. I also emailed Tony asking if he'd talk with them and copied that email to Tesla, pointing out the irony that I had the Jdemo installed at a shop Tesla Watertown had celebrated by sending an official delegation to the grand opening and noting that the installers were former Roadster techs. We will see what comes of this.

As has been discussed in various forums, Tesla can stop working on Roadsters when out of warranty.

Of course, since I have pre-paid for my first replacement battery, they need to work on mine were I to remove the Jdemo, at least for that install...

 

[Roadster]

Great to hear and wishing you the best. There are still some legit folks out there so hopefully Watertown doesn't disappoint.

 

[ViperDoc]

Well, it's official. After further consideration, Tesla Watertown has declined to work on the vehicle citing the safety of their technicians. That is not surprising at face value, but I was disappointed they were unwilling to consider talking to Tony at QC Charge. I guess it also means that the Tesla SC in Torrance, CA cares less about the safety of their employees...or maybe simply that they were willing to speak to the manufacturer of the kit to understand it and better evaluate the level of risk it actually entails. Off to the Electrified Garage we go!

 

[IslandRoadster]

Well, it's official. After further consideration, Tesla Watertown has declined to work on the vehicle citing the safety of their technicians. That is not surprising at face value, but I was disappointed they were unwilling to consider talking to Tony at QC Charge. I guess it also means that the Tesla SC in Torrance, CA cares less about the safety of their employees...or maybe simply that they were willing to speak to the manufacturer of the kit to understand it and better evaluate the level of risk it actually entails. Off to the Electrified Garage we go!

I am skeptical about their stated reason. Given the shortage of Roadster techs, and the increasing volume of work that each service center has with Y and 3, I’ll bet money it has as much to do with that they don’t want to hassle with it from a human resource standpoint as safety. They can probably do several 3s and Ys in the time it would take that same tech to do one Roadster. Just my two pennies....

 

[gregd]

I believe it's just company policy, and "the company" is not giving the SCs any flexibility. Nor do the SCs have any incentive to push back on that.

The first annual maintenance visit after getting the Titanium Dave rotors they refused to check the thickness of the rotors (standard wear check) because they weren't OEM. Sheesh. Last time at least they complimented me on how nice they look.