Charge adapter overheated warning on screen today

[timk225]

I got 28.3.1 last week, and today was the first time I ever saw this warning notice. I wonder how new of a warning it is. I had my 3 charging on its usual 240 volts 32 amps, and I had it on for about 2 hours. I went out to the car to get something, and noticed on the screen that it was only charging at 16 amps and it had this on the screen. The charge plug wasn't hot at all, but the box on the charging cable was warm all over.

Maybe Tesla changed the temperature limits for considering it to be overheating? I've been using this EVSE for 15 months and it has always worked fine. I've charged in warmer weather, so that shouldn't be the cause.

 

[SSedan]

I would unplug and re-seat the adapter

 

[pdx_m3s]

Was it in direct sunlight?

 

[Big Earl]

Just because there wasn’t a problem before doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem now.

 

[timk225]

Was it in direct sunlight?

No.

With making my parking garage charging series of videos that I've linked to here on youtube, the adapter has been getting moved around, and 5-15 and 5-20 adapters changed into and out of it.

 

[640k]

had this happen to me last night. it was probably around 90°. the vehicle was inside a garage, with the door open. the box part of the charger didn't feel any warmer than usual. I ended up unplugging it and letting it cool down and plugged it back in later.

does anyone know if the wall connectors have better "temperature range" than the mobile?

 

[dtipan]

this issue is usually only from supercharging. If multiple cars have continuously charged while the cable is in the sun that happens occasionally. The wand end of the cable will be almost too hot to touch. I'd move ot another charger next time to let it cool

 

[timk225]

I was at a 150 KW supercharger yesterday while making my latest video, and when I was done the end of the SC cable was indeed hot, but I got no warnings on my in car screen. This must be something in the standard charge adapter itself.

 

[640k]

t

this issue is usually only from supercharging. If multiple cars have continuously charged while the cable is in the sun that happens occasionally. The wand end of the cable will be almost too hot to touch. I'd move ot another charger next time to let it cool

this is for the mobile charger, as posted in both images in this thread. i don't know about OP, but my charger is inside the garage, protected from the sun and not covered, etc.

 

[darth_vad3r]

had this happen to me last night. it was probably around 90°. the vehicle was inside a garage, with the door open. the box part of the charger didn't feel any warmer than usual. I ended up unplugging it and letting it cool down and plugged it back in later.

does anyone know if the wall connectors have better "temperature range" than the mobile?

What about the outlet or prongs on the plug? It said MC or adapter over temp.

There’s a temp sensor in the plug to try and detect problems in the receptacle.

 

[640k]

What about the outlet or prongs on the plug? It said MC or adapter over temp.

There’s a temp sensor in the plug to try and detect problems in the receptacle.

yeah but this isn't a case of using an adapter and I wouldn't consider the prongs or the outlet as the "adapter". If the receptacle is overheating, that's a completely different issue and the circuit isn't rated for the load.

i'm using the MC with a 14-50 plug. haven't had a problem with heat until recently.

 

[darth_vad3r]

yeah but this isn't a case of using an adapter and I wouldn't consider the prongs or the outlet as the "adapter". If the receptacle is overheating, that's a completely different issue and the circuit isn't rated for the load.

i'm using the MC with a 14-50 plug. haven't had a problem with heat until recently.

Your 14-50 receptacle, is it a cheap one? The cheap ones aren’t really designed for many plug/unplug cycles and the internal connectors may lose good contact with the Tesla NEMA ‘adapter’ prongs, causing overheating issues.

Tesla calls the “14-50 plug” you are using a NEMA 14-50 adapter:
Gen 2 NEMA Adapters

 

[640k]

i mean, it's builder's grade, but it still has to meet code. the "adapter" as you would call it, wasn't warm in the slightest. this isn't something i regularly plug and unplug and the receptacle was never used prior.

i don't mind the speculation/troubleshooting steps but i believe the issue is inherent with either the MC unit itself and the combination of ambient temperature. i was more curious if the wall connector was more robust.

frankly i'm surprised this message hasn't "plagued" more people in the southern states and i wonder if it's a new "feature" to protect the unit and the car.

 

[darth_vad3r]

i mean, it's builder's grade, but it still has to meet code. the "adapter" as you would call it, wasn't warm in the slightest. this isn't something i regularly plug and unplug and the receptacle was never used prior.

i don't mind the speculation/troubleshooting steps but i believe the issue is inherent with either the MC unit itself and the combination of ambient temperature. i was more curious if the wall connector was more robust.

frankly i'm surprised this message hasn't "plagued" more people in the southern states and i wonder if it's a new "feature" to protect the unit and the car.

All I’m saying is that the warning posted is saying the MC “brick” or the “plug” are hot. By the time you check it, if the car dialed down the amps long before, the temp could be back to normal (on either or both of the brick and the plug).

If it’s a new (as in new feature) warning on-screen, maybe that’s why nobody’s noticed it yet. They may have all previously been asking “why is my car charging at 16 or 8 A instead of what I set it to?” and missed some possibly temporary coloured LED flashing code on the MC brick.

 

[darth_vad3r]

i believe the issue is inherent with either the MC unit itself and the combination of ambient temperature.

Anyone with this warning might want to inspect their 14-50 (or other) receptacle.

Lots of threads about bad receptacles, even good ones could be wired poorly with insulation trapped in the connections.


See just one example:

NEMA 14-50 Meltdown

I sent these photos to Tesla Charging and they said that maybe it was caused by not using an industrial strength receptical and that maybe the one used was a Levitron.

If two smoke detectors went off I’d check for evidence of fire near both of them, not just one.

 

[Fossil Fool]

Happens to mine all the time when I charge on a NEMA in Phoenix. The box is outside and I have to expose the cable to the sun to get it inside the garage. It resumes charging when it cools down.

 

[St☰v☰]

Frankly i'm surprised this message hasn't "plagued" more people in the southern states and i wonder if it's a new "feature" to protect the unit and the car.

Maybe others are and just don't know it's happening. My M3 is scheduled to begin charging at 9:30pm and completes ... whenever ... so I'm not out there watching it to see if it gets too hot and reduces the charging load. Did an error message also appear on your phone or watch?

 

[640k]

no i didn't get a notification. i just happened to open the app and it was at 16 mi/hr and i thought that was weird. so opened up the car to check to make sure the kids didn't mess with it and saw the error. then i was really confused. nothing seemed hot to the touch, just normal.

if anything, it's a good PSA. i'll think twice about charging in a hot garage if this is the norm.

 

[Rocky_H]

nothing seemed hot to the touch, just normal.

Yes, because...

By the time you check it, if the car dialed down the amps long before, the temp could be back to normal

When it has been running at the lowered 16A level, that would let it cool down pretty quickly. But it probably was getting hot at the outlet during the 32A charging and had to back off.

I've seen reports on this a few times before. Very frequently it is something at the outlet with a wire being not tightened in enough or a little bit of the wire insulation pinched under the lugs or something like that making a weak, resistive connection, so it heats up more than it should. If you get that warning, you should probably pull that outlet to check on it and make sure all of the wires are in tight.

 

[darth_vad3r]

Yes, because...

When it has been running at the lowered 16A level, that would let it cool down pretty quickly. But it probably was getting hot at the outlet during the 32A charging and had to back off.

I've seen reports on this a few times before. Very frequently it is something at the outlet with a wire being not tightened in enough or a little bit of the wire insulation pinched under the lugs or something like that making a weak, resistive connection, so it heats up more than it should. If you get that warning, you should probably pull that outlet to check on it and make sure all of the wires are in tight.

Yeah, you should be able to tap the warning, and get a popup with more info.

"At 9:15pm A or B got too hot and max rate was reduced."
You check this at 10:30pm and realize, well ... it's been over an hour so anything hot has already cooled down.