Joe's Edwards from the local Toronto recommended Electrician "JML Electric" did an outstanding professional installation of my new HPWC in my garage. Have the juice, now just need the P85D to test it out. I am also waiting on an auto retractor that will attach to the cable to prevent it from falling off the hook and cracking the plug. Apparently this happens frequently and the only fix is a new Wall Charger.
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@ PlanB
The automatic retractor is on order from the Electrician. From what he told me it is similar to the cable that attaches to gas hoses at gas stations that also auto retract the hose. The unit mounts above the Wall Charger and the cable hooks onto the connector end allowing you to pull it out to connect to the car, then when finished it will retract the cable and connector back to the wall this preventing it from ever falling off the small hook and hitting the floor and damaging it.
I will post a picture when I get it installed and also will provide the details on where to order it from.
The automatic retractor is on order from the Electrician. From what he told me it is similar to the cable that attaches to gas hoses at gas stations that also auto retract the hose. The unit mounts above the Wall Charger and the cable hooks onto the connector end allowing you to pull it out to connect to the car, then when finished it will retract the cable and connector back to the wall this preventing it from ever falling off the small hook and hitting the floor and damaging it.
I will post a picture when I get it installed and also will provide the details on where to order it from.
Tracking P85D delivery thread
There are pictures on the forum of one or two installations of a retractor, including one installed in the ceiling above the car. A very "deluxe" installation.
There are pictures on the forum of one or two installations of a retractor, including one installed in the ceiling above the car. A very "deluxe" installation.
NigelM
Recovering Member
Couple of notes:
- Beware of the radius of the retractor wheel, you don't want excessive curvature pressure on the HPWC cable
- Beware of heat build up inside the retractor if the cable is not fully extended. The HPWC cable can get pretty warm at 80A during charging.
- Any engineers here got a view on the repetitive strain pulling the cable out of an auto retractor every day?
I suspect there's difference between a cable "reel", as has been previously posted on this forum, which winds the cable around the reel like a an air hose, and the retractor GetAmped is describing which simply sounds like a tensioned cable that simply attaches to the cable and prevents it from free-falling... much like a gas pump hose.
The full cable reel is very cool, also likely quite expensive, and would likely have the design considerations regarding cable bend radius, heat build up, "rotating contact" rating, etc... that the simpler cable retractor likely would not have...
The full cable reel is very cool, also likely quite expensive, and would likely have the design considerations regarding cable bend radius, heat build up, "rotating contact" rating, etc... that the simpler cable retractor likely would not have...
@ scaesare & @ NigelM
This is not a full cable reel (like a garden hose reel), and in looking at the cable tension it is not practical IMHO as the cable is heavy and not very flexible. I am waiting on pictures and specs from JML Electric (Authorized Tesla HPWC Installer) for the retractor which I will post here when I get them. In answer to your questions, the way it is described is the same as what you would see on the Gas Station Hoses to keep the hose off of the ground. A unit gets installed above the HPWC with a retractable cable in it, the cable end gets attached near the HPWC car connector and simply allows you to pull the connector and hose out to the car then when finished it will retract to keep the connector end from every falling off of the flimsy hook and potentially cracking when hitting the floor. They (JML Electric) have replaced quite a few HPWC due to the connector end getting run over, falling off the hook and cracking etc. Apparently if there is the slightest crack or chip in the end, the Model S will sense a problem when it is attached to the car and will either not work at all or will cause intermittent issues. So again IMHO this unit for keeping the end of the ground really makes sense.
This is not a full cable reel (like a garden hose reel), and in looking at the cable tension it is not practical IMHO as the cable is heavy and not very flexible. I am waiting on pictures and specs from JML Electric (Authorized Tesla HPWC Installer) for the retractor which I will post here when I get them. In answer to your questions, the way it is described is the same as what you would see on the Gas Station Hoses to keep the hose off of the ground. A unit gets installed above the HPWC with a retractable cable in it, the cable end gets attached near the HPWC car connector and simply allows you to pull the connector and hose out to the car then when finished it will retract to keep the connector end from every falling off of the flimsy hook and potentially cracking when hitting the floor. They (JML Electric) have replaced quite a few HPWC due to the connector end getting run over, falling off the hook and cracking etc. Apparently if there is the slightest crack or chip in the end, the Model S will sense a problem when it is attached to the car and will either not work at all or will cause intermittent issues. So again IMHO this unit for keeping the end of the ground really makes sense.
Andyw2100
Well-Known Member
Any chance you could provide some of the information now, before you have it installed? I ask because I'm having the first of my two HPWCs installed this week, and the second probably the following week, so the sooner I could get an idea of what you're talking about, the better. I did a quick search just now via Google, but couldn't easily find anything that looked appropriate.
Thanks!
NigelM
Recovering Member
Thanks for the clarification. I had to look that up as I've never seen what you described but we do have some places round here (mostly marine installations) where the whole fuel hose gets rolled up.
I don't recall reading of any cases where the plug had cracked after being dropped....maybe they have but just noting here that the guy telling you that is the one selling you the auto-retractor thingy.
Bill D
Member
I've hung my HPWC cable straight down from the overhead door track. Plugging in or out is a one-hand operation in about one second.
I tuck it behind a hook and let it hang loose safely between the door rails. It can't hit the floor, doesn't reach.
I tuck it behind a hook and let it hang loose safely between the door rails. It can't hit the floor, doesn't reach.
Andyw2100
Well-Known Member
It looks like you are using some sort of metal clips. Can you please.tell us what kind of clips they are, where to get them, and how to attach them? (It's hard to see a lot of detail in the pictures.) Thanks!
Bill D
Member
Home depot has a wide assortment of various sizes of conduit clamps, pipe clamps and hanger hooks. Here's some closeups of my installation. I used some old hanger hooks that I had laying around and a standard screw-type pipe clamp (I put a wing-screw on it for ease of removal) and mounted it to an existing screw and bolt.
I pop-riveted the hook in the overhead rail to avoid adding a bolt that might interfere with the door rollers. The galvanized channel on the wall above the door, that the cable snaps into, is "High-hat furring channel" by Gibraltar. It's hat-shaped, but you can squeeze it together by hand and the cable snaps in very nicely. I've used it to dress the cable all the way to my HPWC.
The lower hook (photo on right) uses a carriage bolt through an existing square hole in the rail.
Andyw2100
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the detailed explanation and pictures. I'm having two HPWCs installed in the next couple of weeks. In both garages I think I'd like to be able to charge in either parking spot, so I'm not sure how much "cable securing" like you've done I'll be able to do, but I may be able to do some. Thanks again!
Bill D
Member
Yes, the convenience of my solution requires some effort to reroute the cable for a different car location. However, the same problem will exist for the OP with his "Auto Retractor for Charging Cable", which is what led me to comment about my solution.
I've been thinking about getting a second Tesla and there's a another thread where FlasherZ comments that two hard-wired HPWCs in parallel running to a single 100A breaker would comply with code. The user would simply be responsible for not having the total simultaneous draw from both HPWCs exceed 80A. This is the same responsibility users have with any branch circuit, like common wall outlets.
This parallel setup would provide the best of both worlds. Regular daily charging at 40A simultaneously and 80A available to either car when really needed (which occurs very infrequently).
Everyone,
Have my cable retractor installed (pictures following) and it works as advertised. The unit is commercial quality and is easy to pull out from the wall to connect to the car (I rented one and had it in my garage) so I am speaking from experience.
Costs are as follows from JML Electric (Toronto Area Authorized Tesla Charger Installer):
Order from JML wall mount retractor and shipping included to anywhere in Ontario $380.00.
Supply and install retractor at a existing installation in GTA $ 475.00.
Installation at same time as a Tesla Wall Connector $370.00 additional over cost of charger installation.
Have my cable retractor installed (pictures following) and it works as advertised. The unit is commercial quality and is easy to pull out from the wall to connect to the car (I rented one and had it in my garage) so I am speaking from experience.
Costs are as follows from JML Electric (Toronto Area Authorized Tesla Charger Installer):
Order from JML wall mount retractor and shipping included to anywhere in Ontario $380.00.
Supply and install retractor at a existing installation in GTA $ 475.00.
Installation at same time as a Tesla Wall Connector $370.00 additional over cost of charger installation.
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McMaster Carr sells tool counterbalancers that might work for the HPWC cable http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-spring-tool-balancers/=v0ea99 I especially like the ratchet type.
As soon as I get my P85D and get to try out the new HPWC I will be looking into this. Great idea.
As soon as I get my P85D and get to try out the new HPWC I will be looking into this. Great idea.
Andyw2100
Well-Known Member
At the link you provided, isn't the covered bracket mount spring powered retractor pretty similar to the product pictured in the install above, but being sold at roughly 1/3 the price? The product from JML looks really nice, but seems, at least to my uninformed mind, somewhat pricey for what it does. I'd be interested in adding something like this, but not at those prices.
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