Charge percentage not increasing despite charging

[Joelgjr]

MS100D, hooked up to 120v 15amp via mobile charger. Plugged in two days ago at 58% with charge set to 60%. Car started charging and said 3 hours remaining.
While I was in the garage the time to charge went higher and higher until it said 24+ hours. It still said 12 amps 111v and was still set to 60%. The car started making noises like pumps were running.

24 hours later, it’s at 57% and says 4 hours remaining. In Remote S, it’s cycling between 3 hours 30 minutes remaining and 0 minutes remaining, despite staying st 57% charge, 111v and 12amps.

Just installed 2018.18. It’s a new to me car wit 4K miles but first time I’m seeing this. Am I doing something wrong? Temperature in the garage is in the 60sF

 

[TexasEV]

Why on earth would you set a charge limit to 60% when you only have 120V charging? Set the charge limit up to 90% and see if it will charge.

 

[ucmndd]

If it’s somewhat chilly and you’re pulling a “new owner” and constantly checking the state of charge via the app what you’re experiencing is entirely likely.

Set the charge limit to something more reasonable and leave the car alone.

 

[xyeahtony]

When you are inside the car, the A/C is probably running. In that case, you're not going to get any charge since it's draining all the power from the 120V outlet.

 

[Tam]

...Am I doing something wrong...

You set it at 60% and it gives you somewhere near that such as 57% and that would be fine.

Your battery might use fan, heater, A/C while charging.

120V charging doesn't give ample energy through your charging cable so when your fan/heater/A/C is on for you battery temperature management system, you hardly have any energy left to charge your battery.

Thus, don't worry about the fluctuation of time remaining 0 minutes now then suddenly 3 hours 30 minutes next second!

Your hours and minutes will work much better if you are on a 240V circuit.

Otherwise, please leave your car alone so it can do its job!

It has its own battery management system so be nice and don't try to micromanage it!

 

[Joelgjr]

Thanks for all the nice replies. Tonanswer a few questions:

I upped charge limit from 60% to 80% and in the past 24 hours it still hasn’t moved from 57%

I have not checked it other than when I plugged it in and then again 24 hours later, so not constantly checking

I have always connected off, power saving on. I literally plugged it in, walked away and walked back 24 hours later and looked in the drivers window and it said 57% 48 hours later.

Not sitting in car using AC or heat. I understand these use extra power.

If I’m not using the app, not using heat or AC, completely not querying car, and it’s 68 degrees in garage, it’s still considered normal to not be able to raise charge from 57% over 48 hours when constantly pulling 12 amps? Seriously? I was expecting at least 2mph.

 

[Joelgjr]

Update: I unplugged the charger and plugged it back in. Charged from 57% to 60% in 3 hours. Something was obviously broken.

 

[pkodali]

I know with the wall connector, it doesn't charge unless battery drops more than 3 percent from the charge limit. Ie if you leave the car at 60 percent plugged in and set the charge limit to 50, it won't start charging until the battery hits 47

 

[Snowstorm]

It is possible that the car is consuming all the energy from the 110v 12A (1kw) and have nothing left for the battery. Do as others say and leave car alone. You can check on teslafi though. In teslafi, click on charge details and see how much power it is getting and how much is going to the battery (check the graph). If it is 1 from socket and 0 to battery, then that is the problem.

When I charge from wall, I get just under per hour into the battery, like 0.8

 

[MorrisonHiker]

When plugging the car in, make sure that the ring turns green. If it flashes orange or red, disconnect it and try again.

 

[Joelgjr]

Odd. I guess 120v charging isn't going to work out. Thanks everyone.

 

[Tam]

...Odd...

120V charging in sub-freezing temperature would likely to result in zero charge or negative charging rate because all if not most energy from the wall outlet is devoted to warm the battery pack up first.

120V charging is fine (but very slow) in hot weather because the A/C that keep the battery pack cool takes less energy than the heater that keeps the battery pack from freezing.

That's why 240V charging is highly recommended.

 

[murphyS90D]

MS100D, hooked up to 120v 15amp via mobile charger. Plugged in two days ago at 58% with charge set to 60%. Car started charging and said 3 hours remaining.
While I was in the garage the time to charge went higher and higher until it said 24+ hours. It still said 12 amps 111v and was still set to 60%. The car started making noises like pumps were running.

24 hours later, it’s at 57% and says 4 hours remaining. In Remote S, it’s cycling between 3 hours 30 minutes remaining and 0 minutes remaining, despite staying st 57% charge, 111v and 12amps.

Just installed 2018.18. It’s a new to me car wit 4K miles but first time I’m seeing this. Am I doing something wrong? Temperature in the garage is in the 60sF

It still said 12 amps 111v

That is way too much voltage drop from 120 volts. A 15 amp outlet is usually wired with 14 gauge wire. How long is the run from your power panel? Are the screws on the outlet and the circuit breaker tight? Was the outlet wired using those damn push in holes? Those work great for a table lamp but are bad for a maximum continuous load. The wires need to be clamped under the screws.

I have charged my car from 50 miles to 90% in November and December in Charlottesville, VA, before they built the supercharger there, in 2.5 days using a 20 amp outlet. That was also using a 50 foot 10 gauge extension cord.

How did you read the dash with the doors closed? It is supposed to time out and turn off.

 

[Joelgjr]

When plugging the car in, make sure that the ring turns green. If it flashes orange or red, disconnect it and try again.

yes - it is green. To emphasize, the car is pulling 12 amps

 

[Joelgjr]

Murphy - thank you for not immediately assuming I was an idiot. I responded to each of your questions:

It still said 12 amps 111v

How long is the run from your power panel?

I am plugging into a 15a outlet in my free standing garage, which is on a 20a circuit from my main panel. It's about 60 feet from panel to outlet. However, the garage was built in 1950 and the underground portion of the cable is old fashioned cloth cable.

Are the screws on the outlet and the circuit breaker tight?

N/A - push in wires to outlet. Everything is tight in the panel

Was the outlet wired using those damn push in holes?

Yes - the portion from the panel to the wall of the house is new romex cable, then the underground portion from house to garage is old cloth cable, and then the portion from the floor of the garage to the outlet is new romex cabling.

Those work great for a table lamp but are bad for a maximum continuous load. The wires need to be clamped under the screws.

I was not aware of this - I can try this weekend to attach them with the screws.

I have charged my car from 50 miles to 90% in November and December in Charlottesville, VA, before they built the supercharger there, in 2.5 days using a 20 amp outlet. That was also using a 50 foot 10 gauge extension cord.

Yes, the first few weeks I had the car I was using 120v and it worked fine. This not charging is a new issue that's cropped up over the past 48 hours.

How did you read the dash with the doors closed? It is supposed to time out and turn off.

my dash screen never times out - the screen stays on as long as its plugged in. I should add that I do not lock my car in the garage - it's always unlocked.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Update: I unplugged the charger and plugged it back in. Charged from 57% to 60% in 3 hours. Something was obviously broken.

either it was broken, or, in the case of my car out here in the suburbs of Boston, it got pretty close to the temperature the battery heater normally kicks in (~45F)

When I went out this morning, I had limited pack use (the dashed lines) because it had cold soaked overnight.

It's quite possible your issue was due to the pack being cold. the pack heater draws too much power for 110v to do much of anything. If the pack heater was on, I'm surprised you didn't actually lose any charge.

 

[cmaster]

So the math for power is 120v * 15 which is a 2kw. If the coolant pump runs , your charge time will increase significantly.

There will be parasitic drains from time to time so 2kw charging is probably enough to sustain a charge rather recharging.

Even a Chevy volt and Leaf recommends 3.3 kw.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

So the math for power is 120v * 15 which is a 2kw. If the coolant pump runs , your charge time will increase significantly.

There will be parasitic drains from time to time so 2kw charging is probably enough to sustain a charge rather recharging.

Even a Chevy volt and Leaf recommends 3.3 kw.

the pack heater draws 6kw on the Model S and X. if it's cold and you're on 110v, you might be out of luck.

 

[JSergeant]

my dash screen never times out - the screen stays on as long as its plugged in. I should add that I do not lock my car in the garage - it's always unlocked.

That might be the root of your problem. See this thread:
Car not turning off when exiting the vehicle

 

[MarcusMaximus]

It still said 12 amps 111v

That is way too much voltage drop from 120 volts. A 15 amp outlet is usually wired with 14 gauge wire. How long is the run from your power panel? Are the screws on the outlet and the circuit breaker tight? Was the outlet wired using those damn push in holes? Those work great for a table lamp but are bad for a maximum continuous load. The wires need to be clamped under the screws.

I have charged my car from 50 miles to 90% in November and December in Charlottesville, VA, before they built the supercharger there, in 2.5 days using a 20 amp outlet. That was also using a 50 foot 10 gauge extension cord.

How did you read the dash with the doors closed? It is supposed to time out and turn off.

I've used the 120V mobile charger a few times and it always indicates that same level(12A@111V), even across different outlets at different places(I've tried this at my parents' house, at a KOA and outside a hotel). I think it's a limitation of the mobile charger.