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Charging error: "cycle wall power"

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MikeC

Active Member
Supporting Member
Jul 9, 2012
3,912
15,758
Los Angeles
Hoping someone can help me with this. I've been charging off a 110V while I wait for my NEMA 14-50. Today the electrician came and will finish installing it tomorrow.

After he left, I noticed my car was not charging through the 110V outlet like it has been for the past week. I don't think he disconnected anything because other appliances work when plugged into the same outlets I'm attempting to use. The error message on the car's dash tells me to "cycle wall power". I tried turning off the circuit breaker and turning it back on but no change. Any suggestions?
 
This happened to me when the hot and neutral were reversed (polarity wrong) as I was testing UMC behavior. You'll likely see a red LED on the UMC, yes?

Ask your electrician to check the polarity of your 120V outlet, and check to see if anything is strange (for example, a neutral-to-ground voltage, etc.)
 
This happened to me when the hot and neutral were reversed (polarity wrong) as I was testing UMC behavior. You'll likely see a red LED on the UMC, yes?

Ask your electrician to check the polarity of your 120V outlet, and check to see if anything is strange (for example, a neutral-to-ground voltage, etc.)

Yes, LED on UMC is red. Thank you!
 
Yes, LED on UMC is red. Thank you!

If your electrician comes back with "all is well" from your receptacle, you may have a bad UMC. Perhaps plug it into another receptacle around the house (car not needed) to see if it lights up green. Or when you plug it into the new 14-50, make sure it's green (it shouldn't turn red there because the UMC will find 120V to each hot pin). If it remains red, then you've got a bad UMC.
 
Yes, I plugged it into two different working outlets and same thing. I don't think it would be the UMC because it worked fine until the electrician came yesterday. Will update after talking to him later today.
 
Yes, I plugged it into two different working outlets and same thing. I don't think it would be the UMC because it worked fine until the electrician came yesterday. Will update after talking to him later today.

Ok... let us know how it goes. I'd say try another 120V outlet somewhere else in your house (you don't have to have the car end connected).
 
My charger is flaky.
If you wiggle it one way, it will be green. Wiggle it the other way, it will turn red.
My issue is somewhere in the two feet between the wall adaptor and that light bar thingy.
Try wiggling that section of cable.
On mine, it helps if I try rotating everything counterclockwise when it's plugged in (so the plug comes out of the wall at maybe a 5° angle from vertical), and then putting a slow bend in the cable so that the light bar thingy is about 5° from vertical in the other direction.
 
This is strange. Electrician is here now and just finished the 14-50. Works beautifully, ~233V at 40A when I checked.

But when plugged into the 110, I still get the red LED. Brought it into the kitchen and plugged it in, still red LED. Electrician is working on something else right now, but I will talk with him about it. Problem is his English isn't the best.

-------------

Update:

Ok, he said something like "the grounds weren't connected" and made a touching motion with his hands. He fiddled with one of the outlets and that fixed all of them. Clearly, I know nothing about this stuff.

The NEMA 14-50 feels like a supercharger to me after being on 110V for the past week. Thanks to everyone for your help.
 
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MikeC. Thanks for initiating this thread. Took delivery of my vehicle this evening and had the same issue. I found this thread, plugged into a different receptacle and it works!! Will be a slow charge @ 110V but the green light is glowing beautifully!!
 
MikeC. Thanks for initiating this thread. Took delivery of my vehicle this evening and had the same issue. I found this thread, plugged into a different receptacle and it works!! Will be a slow charge @ 110V but the green light is glowing beautifully!!

This means you either have a bad ground, or your neutral and hot are reversed. You want to have that bad receptacle tested and repaired.
 
MikeC. Thanks for initiating this thread. Took delivery of my vehicle this evening and had the same issue. I found this thread, plugged into a different receptacle and it works!! Will be a slow charge @ 110V but the green light is glowing beautifully!!

Glad it could help someone else out. 110V is painfully slow, but the important thing is you got your car, congratulations!
 
This means you either have a bad ground, or your neutral and hot are reversed. You want to have that bad receptacle tested and repaired.
Thanks for the information. The receptable works with tools, lights, radios, etc. Interestinly, when I looked at the charging yesterday morning it did not charge because some breakers went out. I have well water and when the pump pulls water in the lights dim. This may have taken out the breakers - several of them.

Glad it could help someone else out. 110V is painfully slow, but the important thing is you got your car, congratulations!
Thanks. "painfully slow" is correct! This afternoon it had 69 miles range remaining and after 4+ hours on 110V it was up to 86 miles.
 
Thanks for the information. The receptable works with tools, lights, radios, etc. Interestinly, when I looked at the charging yesterday morning it did not charge because some breakers went out. I have well water and when the pump pulls water in the lights dim. This may have taken out the breakers - several of them.

These devices won't check the ground on that outlet, and they'll likely work. Some older appliances will have a shock hazard if polarity is reversed. Either way, you should have the outlet checked to find out whether it's a bad ground or reversed.
 
These devices won't check the ground on that outlet, and they'll likely work. Some older appliances will have a shock hazard if polarity is reversed. Either way, you should have the outlet checked to find out whether it's a bad ground or reversed.

Or at least pick up a receptacle checker. It won't verify loose connections but will at least show you whether the outlet is wired correctly.