So I had the opportunity to perform some experiments yesterday with a Sig 100 Roaster. I was charging at 120 V through an autotransformer with variable output to see how the power draw was affected by voltage variations. I've done similar experiments with the company LEAF and observed the following:
- The Roadster is much more finicky than the LEAF when charging. The LEAF doesn't care about big voltage swings from the autotransformer or being plugged in at 140 V whereas the Roadster goes red and says a fault has occurred with a voltage swing and doesn't like to plug into 130+ V at all. When plugged in at voltages above 130V, the charge port would flash blue and then white, and then blue repeatedly. Sometimes it would start charging, immediately stop, then start again over and over. I would have to drop the voltage near 120V, then restart the whole procedure, even closing the charge port to reset it. My friend said he had never seen it do that. The Roadster also would complain about the extension cord repeatedly while the LEAF didn't care.
- The Roadster pulls more current than the LEAF at 120 V. It pulls 15 A compared to the LEAF's 12 A so the Roaster's nominal power is 1.8 kW to the LEAF's 1.4 kW
- The Roadster is a lot noisier at rest while charging. Lots of fans and pumps and things which are expected with the active management of the battery pack.