Calling All Model 3 charging Experts

[pianomankd]

Hi guys,

Quick question; I'm picking up my first Tesla Model 3 2020 LR in Blue in a week (!!!!) and I'm getting myself situated with all the necessary accessories beforehand.

Here at home, the previous homeowners had a 120/240 volt charger outside of the house to charge up their RV. Just curious if this charger/input will work with the car? Also, any adapter I need to purchase ahead of time?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

- Kyle

 

[Sophias_dad]

Yes, that's a 14-50 outlet, you need the appropriate adapter for the charging cord included with your car.

Long ago it was included by default, now its a $35 item..

Gen 2 NEMA Adapters

Make sure you pick the right adapter from that page.

 

[pianomankd]

Great! thanks!

 

[TheRFMan]

That would work with the 14-50 adapter. The charger that comes with the car is not weatherproof however, so you will need a way to protect it from the elements when connected to that outlet (or only charge when it’s not raining or snowing).

 

[GtiMart]

IF you want to use that directly and keep the car-provided charger in the car, you could buy a charger that plugs in a 14-50 plug. There are many options available, as you could see here. Otherwise you could get an electrician to install a Tesla HPWC using the wire you already have, removing that 14-50 plug. Your choice. As TheRFMap says, the charger you have in the car is not weatherproof, I wouldn't use that regularly outside.

 

[user212_nr]

It will work, but since it is on the outside of the house, what you want to do install the wall connector.

Also, you need to think about how far it is from your car. 50A extension cords are expensive, so you may want the electrician to move it.

 

[Sophias_dad]

As far as the UMC not being weatherproof, its cheaper and easier to get a weatherproof box for your UMC than to get and have an HPWC installed in the same spot. An additional reason for a box is that depending on where OP is(within Massachusetts), (s)he might want to make the UMC more protected from being stolen. The siding of the OP's house suggests there's probably no real good place to install such a box, except perhaps directly over the current panel/outlet, which would serve to protect the plug/outlet from weather as well.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

I was under the impression the UMC IS water/rain proof. is that not accurate?

 

[Gasaraki]

I was under the impression the UMC IS water/rain proof. is that not accurate?

It is. Don't worry about it. It's just prolonged exposure that people are afraid that some water might touch something.

 

[user212_nr]

I was under the impression the UMC IS water/rain proof. is that not accurate?

It is debatable, but it is not officially "rated for outdoor use". If it breaks it only has 1 year warranty. I wouldn't hesitate to use it in the rain, but not at home, at a house that you own.

I had mine break in the bad weather even though it was not directly exposed to rain. They replaced it, but if that had occurred 1 year later I'd be 50% of the way to buying a wall connector. Then you have year 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, etc could easily spend more.

Plus, you have no backup supply and you can't just buy them on Amazon or Home Depot. You'll need to buy a J1772 charger off Amazon (for their quick delivery) or go 1-2 weeks without any charging in the event that it breaks. I was able to borrow one.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Anything that 'comes with the car' must have the same warranty as the car... only ones purchased separately should have a 1 year warranty.

 

[user212_nr]

Wall Connector vs Mobile Connector (UMC) - Tesla Info Wiki

 

[DaveRZ]

You might want to verify what size circuit breakers the previous homeowner used (should be tandem 50Amp). It might also be a good idea to verify the wire size used to make sure its adequate. If the homeowner was a DIY'er, you simply don't know what they did or didn't do correctly.

Otherwise, that's exactly the plug that you want to find when buying an EV (or RV for that matter). So congrats on the car, and on having the right plug already!

The only small concern I would have would be if that outlet has any corrosion on its contacts (note the screws look rusty). Charging an EV will likely pull more load than ever before from that outlet (7700-9600 watts). RV with both A/C units cranking is about 4800 watts. It might be a good idea to have someone knowledgeable about electricity verify all the connections are tight and the outlet is in good shape. It's probably all fine and ready to go, but a good idea to check nonetheless.

Enjoy the new car! I'm almost exactly at my 1 year mark (16K miles) and mine still smells new.

 

[Sophias_dad]

The only small concern I would have would be if that outlet has any corrosion on its contacts (note the screws look rusty). Charging an EV will likely pull more load than ever before from that outlet (7700-9600 watts). RV with both A/C units cranking is about 4800 watts. It might be a good idea to have someone knowledgeable about electricity verify all the connections are tight and the outlet is in good shape. It's probably all fine and ready to go, but a good idea to check nonetheless.

Ya.. I was gonna mention that as well. At least its a Cooper outlet!