"Charge Connector Update in Progress..."

[kmob07]

Another cold morning in the northeast - when I went into my Tesla phone app it was unable to connect. For reference, I leave the car plugged into an HPWC outside my garage overnights.

Out at the car, it was responsive to the key fob to unlock, but the interior of the car was dead. Pushing on the brake yielded the following message - "Charge Connector Update in Progress" at the bottom of the driver's side console screen. (image attached).

Has anyone ever seen this message or know its significance?

I was able to get the car to recover only by unplugging the HPWC and force rebooting the center console which wouldn't otherwise activate. Car seems OK now, heating up.

 

[BerTX]

I have never heard of this message. What could be updated? Is there even a data connection between the car and WC capable of any kind of firmware update? Not that I'm aware of. Strange.

 

[boaterva]

I have never heard of this message. What could be updated? Is there even a data connection between the car and WC capable of any kind of firmware update? Not that I'm aware of. Strange.

Never seen this before, ever. I would say this is April Fools, but it's not. WTF.... And there is no connection from the HPWC to anything else, either.

I mean, there is no software, per se, *in* the HPWC.... the handle tells it to disconnect, and that's about it. The car tells the port to unlock or lock.

Hm, I'm wondering if it's two messages: 'Charge Connector [Issue]' 'Update in Progress' that ran over each other?

 

[DOCAL]

I mean, there is no software, per se, *in* the HPWC.... the handle tells it to disconnect, and that's about it. The car tells the port to unlock or lock.

There is some software in there. When 2 HPWCs are linked together they have a communications channel and split up the available voltage. I have no idea if it's possible to update from the car though, pretty cool if it is.

Hm, I'm wondering if it's two messages: 'Charge Connector [Issue]' 'Update in Progress' that ran over each other?

Good point. If it was written "Charge connector issue" and "Update in progress" or "Charge connector update in progress" it would be easier to tell. I Don't Know Why Some People Feel The Need To Use A Capital Letter At The Start Of Every Word.

 

[apacheguy]

The newer HPWCs definitely have a communication line to the vehicle. The protocol is called SWCAN and is the same protocol used by superchargers. I had no idea that it performs firmware updates, though.

 

[AWDtsla]

I was able to get the car to recover only by unplugging the HPWC and force rebooting the center console which wouldn't otherwise activate. Car seems OK now, heating up.

Car may seem fine but I wonder if the HPWC is now bricked. It was probably a good idea to wait instead of trying to interrupt it in the middle of firmware updates.

 

[AWDtsla]

I mean, there is no software, per se, *in* the HPWC....

Almost every modern device has software in it. Yes, your toaster is spying on you.

 

[Darmie]

Any update on this? I have one of the new chargers that I have been using for a few months myself.

 

[DOCAL]

Almost every modern device has software in it. Yes, your toaster is spying on you.

I knew I shouldn't have gotten one of those talking ones...

 

[boaterva]

If there is software in the HPWC (which has been out for two years, the Gen 2), why has this never been noticed or discussed before? Seriously, I can't remember any discussion of 'software' in the HPWC besides at the lowest level.

Any sourcing on this as to what it does? I thought the HPWC was mostly a relay (turn on the contactor) for the power and the car took what it wanted...

 

[scaesare]

It may be one of the threads that are attempting to decode the charge-sharing protocol implemented on the new TWC's, but there was some discussion of the car being able to push a firmware update to the TWC. Not sure if it was observed actually occurring, or the facility to do so was uncovered as part of the reverse-engineering....

 

[boaterva]

Hm, thanks.... I have two of them, and have never seen any messages or 'updates', and they are in 'load balancing (sharing)' mode.

Wonder what happened in OP's case!

 

[Rocky_H]

For the ones in Europe that use the Type 2 connector, this is relevant. There is a mode/setting inside that can be set to communicate to detect whether it is a Tesla connected to it or a different kind of electric car and block other cars from using them. Some of the official Destination Charger units use that setting. So that probably also has some software to it. And that part with the software code may be one common piece for the North American version and the European ones.

 

[brkaus]

Any sourcing on this as to what it does? I thought the HPWC was mostly a relay (turn on the contactor) for the power and the car took what it wanted...

The firmware talks to the car to let it know how much power is available. It also turns off the relays if something bad happens.

In load sharing mode, it calculates and lets the vehicles know how much power each is allowed to take.

 

[boaterva]

The firmware talks to the car to let it know how much power is available. It also turns off the relays if something bad happens.

In load sharing mode, it calculates and lets the vehicles know how much power each is allowed to take.

Thanks, I thought the cars did most of the work. Interesting. And I had forgot about the European model with the option to lock out 'other' cars.

Still curious about why we'd never seen this issue over the two years it's been out. Wonder if a re-cycle would have helped the original issue here?

 

[Tozz]

I mean, there is no software, per se, *in* the HPWC.... the handle tells it to disconnect, and that's about it. The car tells the port to unlock or lock.

A "normal" car with a CAN bus has almost everything connected to the CAN network. Such as airconditioning, lights, seat adjustment, automatic mirrors, you name it. All those devices have some amount of software to communicate with the onboard computer.

I'm not surprised there is a controller in the charge port device that is responsible for eg. the charging LED ring, the charge port door, the connector lock actuator. The charge port will at the very least have to inform and/or relay to/from the car about the cable inserted (eg, max amps, ac/dc, relay the VIN to eg. superchargers)

The HPWC in particular has software for a couple of things:

- Measure connection. eg, is voltage okay, is ground okay, etc, etc.
- It needs to inform the car about the max. amps
- It needs to start/stop the charging (switch the relays to 'on') when the car and charger agree about everything (post-handshake)
- It needs to talk to the car when loadbalancing
- It needs to measure the load drawn and relay it using serial protocol to other HPWC's (if any)
- It needs to disconnect the load if the load is higher than the max. setting in the HPWC (max. amps exceeded)

 

[MP3Mike]

I have never heard of this message. What could be updated? Is there even a data connection between the car and WC capable of any kind of firmware update? Not that I'm aware of. Strange.

@wk057 has said that the car is capable of updating the firmware on the WC via the charging cord. This is the first evidence of that actually happening that I have seen.

 

[Zarwin]

Interesting! This could possibly explain the very small change in behavior I've recently seen with my wall connectors. They are linked together (via signal cable) and share a 100A circuit. Until recently if the S is plugged in, the 3 will never use the full current, even if the S is done charging. They both show 40A as available (advertised from wall connector I assume). If I unplug the S, the 3 jumps to 48A available and charge rate increases. Recently I noticed the 3 now gets 48A even if the S is connected to the other connector.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

2018.16 mentions an update to the Mobile Connector. Perhaps the code was actually in an earlier version but just not mentioned in the release notes until 2018.16.

 

[Asterix187]

I knew I shouldn't have gotten one of those talking ones...

Kryten drives a Tesla