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Australian Supercharger network
- Thread starter meloccom
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- Australia New Zealand
I have installed a Clipsal 56SO532 socket
I had to organize charging in an apartment garage so I started early and talked to local Tesla guys at the time.
The Roadster came with 2 cords a 10 Amp with AS3112 plug
and a 32 amp with the 56P532 plug that fits this socket.
So That's what I based my power sources at each of my locations on.
For the Model S I was hoping for at least a 15 Amp cable as there is a 15 Amp AS3112 with a wider Earth plug that most public of the chargers I've seen. However if they don't supply a portable charge cord I will simply buy a Menekes chord and change the supply plug to a 56P532.
I had to organize charging in an apartment garage so I started early and talked to local Tesla guys at the time.
The Roadster came with 2 cords a 10 Amp with AS3112 plug
and a 32 amp with the 56P532 plug that fits this socket.
So That's what I based my power sources at each of my locations on.
For the Model S I was hoping for at least a 15 Amp cable as there is a 15 Amp AS3112 with a wider Earth plug that most public of the chargers I've seen. However if they don't supply a portable charge cord I will simply buy a Menekes chord and change the supply plug to a 56P532.
Last edited:
Dborn
Confirmed
Are the Mennekes cords available in Australia? Or, do we need to individually import them?
With the 32 amp 5 pin socket, you can, of course tap into it for 32 amp single phase supply - one of the lines, the central neutral and the bottom earth. You can use the 56P532 plug but only wire up the single phase - that is what i have done on my boat. Same with the Mennekes. By the way, does the Mennekes come with 3 phase?
I haven't seen any but haven't been looking either, but I am expecting that I will have to order one from overseas like these.
I am not an electrical engineer but Wikipedia seems to suggest Mennekes does support 3 phase charging, but that assumes that the on board Tesla charger does as well. One of my locations is single phase and one is three phase and I have the same 56SO532 socket which supports 3 phase, but two pins are not connected at the single phase location.
What is code in Australia for continuous current draw? In USA, the ratings of sockets must be de-rated by 20% for continuous draw applications like car charging, so a 30A outlet can only draw 24A continuous. The circuit breaker, wire sizing, outlet rating all follow the 30A rating. The reason that I ask is that the Wall Connector being prepared for Hong Kong and China does not have a convenient setting if you have to de-rate the 32A Clipsal socket above.
If that Clipsal plug and socket cannot safely pass 32A continuous, you will have to drop all the way down to 16A. :crying: Or use a 40A breaker and socket to deliver 32A to the car.
Mods: maybe this line of discussion should be broken out to a separate thread...
Well, then if you're going to put a plug on the Tesla Wall Connector, you had better use a 56SO540 (40A) or 56SO550 (50A) to match the 32A or 40A settings inside the Tesla wallbox.
This is the portable Mennekes unit that was mentioned in the Hong Kong section when it was discovered that Tesla would not be supplying the Mobile Connector in HK. I've pictured the version with the IEC 60309 Blue 16A plug since it's the only one that goes up to 16A. All the others are limited to 13A or 10A due to their plug type. The plug could be replaced with the 20A socket type F shown (taken from Clipsal catalog). You could then make adapters to type A (10A) or B (15A) plugs and turn down the Mennekes unit as necessary.
The full Mennekes PDF product brochure is available here.
Edit: I was just re-reading the brochure and was reminded that the Mennekes unit has a thermal sensor in both the vehicle plug and the wall plug. So, it may not be so simple to change the plug, especially if you want to maintain that feature.
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Dborn
Confirmed
I am like MarkE and others who have a country home or distant friend to get to frequently. At this juncture I am thinking that Miimura's suggestion of using the Tesla wall box as a portable connector is possibly the best way forward for me because it is all fully electrically compliant from the house wall outward. I have 3 phase at home and single phase in the country but for now could use 32A single phase Tesla Wall unit for both houses by attaching a 40A 56SO540 Clipsal wall socket (an upgrade from Dborn's 30A already installed) to both houses wired for single phase and a matching 40A plug to the Tesla wall unit. One would have to install a hanging hook for the Tesla Wall Unit and another for its 6 m cable at each house or perhaps invent a portable stand to keep in the frunk To access 15A and 20A public and trailer park connections you would need adapters from 56SO540 to Australian Types A, B and F in the diagram as required and carry these in the car along with the Wall Unit. I don't know what exists for this.
In the future, any installed 56SO540 sockets could be rewired for 3 phase (correct me if I am wrong) if a three phase wall unit appears someday.
If MarkE and Dborn are interested in developing this option, maybe we could meet in Sydney, work this idea through and report back. Many thanks to Miimura for taking interest in our Antipodean activities.
Dborn
Confirmed
With a 12m cable run, my electrician, using 6MM2 cable was quite happy to instal a 40amp breaker switch. Australian regulations state that the rated amperage must be available on continuous draw, that is this should allow 40amps. I am happy to work with you on this, and i don't really think this would be at all difficult to do in a way which complies with standards. We will need, of course all the details of the wall outlet. I have seen the one installed at the service centre. It is operational to charge the single vehicle in Australia. The unit itself is not particularly large although probably bigger that that on the UMC provided in the USA. Personal message me.
timpoo
Member
I am so lost on all of this!! Guess I will just speak to the Tesla guys and get a brochure or something to pass on to my electrician!! I will be moving into an apartment soon...I wonder how I'm going to get this through the body corporate -_-
So just to clarify, if a 56SO532 power point would be rated as 32 Amp continuous why would you need a 40 Amp if you only wanted to draw 32 Amps to charge your Tesla?
Well if your only "drawing" 32amps you wouldn't.
But the price difference between 32-40A CB and 4mm2-6mm2 cable isn't worth worrying about.
The circuit breaker is there to protect the cable not the outlet. The outlet is protected by appliance being rated for that plug size.
If the tesla charger comes with a 32A 3phase plug that fits into a 56SO532, then you will only need a 32amp circuit breaker on that circuit. BUT!!! If the charger does not come with a lead/plug and needs to be hardwired, then you need to follow teslas instructions as they have most likely allowed for something.
I think I read somewhere that in America they have an 80% load rule (could be wrong about that) but it would explain why they want a 40a breaker for 32amp load.
I can answer questions about the charger back to your house a possible switchboard upgrades that some people may have to do and the AUS/NZ regulations. But I can't give you information on a charger I've never seen or a car I've never charged. And I'm not an electrical engineer (not yet anyway) so I'm not going to try and be something I'm not.
Hope that helped.
Dborn
Confirmed
You don't. The standard wall charger that they are going to supply with the car can be set to supply 10, 20, 32, or 40 amps. This is set by onboard switches in the unit. That info comes direct from Stone. However, the standard formula is amps x volts = watts.
So at 32 amps you would be charging at 7680 watts per hour. At 40 amps, 9600 watts. So, the speed at which you replenish your battery is affected this way. (You also have to take into consideration that the process is not 100% efficient and there are some losses, due to length of cable run, charger inefficiencies, etc. You use approx 1kwh per 5 km. So, depending on your commute/usage/ desired usage, you can do the math to work out what works for you. If you use 9 or 10 kWh per day, then with a 40amp supply, you will fully replenish your battery in about 1.5 hours, say 2, to accommodate losses. With off-peak electricity, you can see where this is going. If you can't fully "fill the tank" during the off peak hours because of a low charging rate, you want a higher amperage supply.
The wall charger is HARD WIRED and does not plug into a power point.
DavidRM is talking about a hack to make the unit into a de facto mobile charger. A totally different ball game. One i am sure that Tesla will never directly approve, but which nevertheless is safe.
Thanks guys 32 Amps will be enough for me plus it was all I could negotiate from the Owners Corporation @ my Apartment block.
I'll be interested in your progress with a portable charger as i want to go to a wedding in Mudgee in December and was hoping to take the Tesla.
I'll be interested in your progress with a portable charger as i want to go to a wedding in Mudgee in December and was hoping to take the Tesla.
You'll need to check with your electricity provider if they allow you to put car chargers on off-peak as it is designed for heating.
Here in Tassie any outlets we find on off-peak we are suppose to remove them or Hardwire the heater in.
And no you won't get away with it, the amount of extra kW/h on your bill won't go unnoticed.
(This wasn't directed at you Dborn, just adding to your comment)
TesAus
Member
There is a difference between controlled loads which have a separate circuit as you described and people having time of use metering. With time of use metering there is only meter and main incoming circuit, but the meter records against one of three different tariffs depending upon the time of day. In NSW peak electricity would be charged at about 40c per kWh (afternoon and evening), off peak is charged at about 12c per kWh (late night through to morning) and the remaining shoulder period is charged at something around 27c per kWh. If you are not on time of use metering then everything costs about 27c per kWh.
If you are on time of use metering you therefore just need to wait until the witching hour and can plug in to any circuit in the house and pay off peak rates.
Oh true, every energy provider is different. In tassie auroras rates are based on tariffs.
http://m.auroraenergy.com.au/mt/www.auroraenergy.com.au/your-home/electricity/rates-and-charges/standard-electricity-rates-and-charges
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