Charging in France

[Tslynk67]

Hey folks - I shall be going on vacation to Normandy (near Dieppe) in August and while I can get there from Brussels on a full 'tank', I will need to charge at destination and there's not a lot of public infrastructure down there...

So I'm relying on being able to plug the car into a normal power outlet at the house we've rented. The owner tells me there's one in the garage and I'm free to use it. Id it the experience of people here that in France this generally works OK? In Belgium it usually will not work as there's usually no neutral.

Tesla also informed me that it's a different plug to the one in Belgium and I'll need to buy an adaptor for the Tesla UMC.

 

[ManuVince]

Hey folks - I shall be going on vacation to Normandy (near Dieppe) in August and while I can get there from Brussels on a full 'tank', I will need to charge at destination and there's not a lot of public infrastructure down there...

So I'm relying on being able to plug the car into a normal power outlet at the house we've rented. The owner tells me there's one in the garage and I'm free to use it. Id it the experience of people here that in France this generally works OK? In Belgium it usually will not work as there's usually no neutral.

Tesla also informed me that it's a different plug to the one in Belgium and I'll need to buy an adaptor for the Tesla UMC.

I'm in Normandy now ;-)

So charging from shuko plugs in France is fine, but usually you need to invert the neutral and phase wires. The problem is that the ground in French plugs is a single pin, so you can't plug the UMC upside down.

Just buy a standard extension cable (in Belgium) that allows you to plug the UMC both ways. Buy one that is made to go outside, doesn't need to be long.

 

[Tslynk67]

Thanks ManuVince

I always thought that extension cables were a no-no... But if it's no risk using an extension then it could be an asset to reach some sockets.

What charge are getting?

Worth packing a type 3 or camping adapter?

 

[ManuVince]

Thanks ManuVince

I always thought that extension cables were a no-no... But if it's no risk using an extension then it could be an asset to reach some sockets.

What charge are getting?

Worth packing a type 3 or camping adapter?

If you want to charge out of shuko plugs in France, you have no choice. the charge will be pretty slow, 13km of range per hour of charge. Once you there if you don't need to do much more than 60/70km per day, you should be fine.

If I were you, I would definitely buy a Type 3c cable. You could, for example, make a shopping stop on your way to Dieppe in Amiens at the Leclerc Super market. There you can top up while shopping :
Leclerc - Rivery Les Amiens : borne de charge à Rivery Les Amiens

That would get you in Dieppe about half full, depending on how you drive and how long you'll charge in Leclerc. That should mitigate the slowness of the shuko charging.

You can buy a reasonably priced cable from forum member nlc :
Câble Type2-Type3c triphasé 32A

Hope it helps.

 

[dpeilow]

Do I need a card for the Auchan charge points?

 

[Tslynk67]

Thanks again, ManuVince, very helpful indeed - indeed stopping in Amiens en-route could be an option, I hadn't considered that, although with just the one Type 3 socket there's a strong risk that it could be occupied.

Charging infrastructure really is sparse in that part of the world, eh? But indeed I don't need much per day and I'm used to charging 13kmsph at home too, so it's fine. AS LONG AS IT WORKS

Do you use an extension cable for switching your neutral and live around?

 

[dpeilow]

Do I need a card for the Auchan charge points?

Found out that I do.

I've tried to contact e-totem twice now. Firstly me and then via my girlfriend who speaks/writes fluent French and we've had no reply.

Does anyone have a phone number for them?

 

[ManuVince]

Thanks again, ManuVince, very helpful indeed - indeed stopping in Amiens en-route could be an option, I hadn't considered that, although with just the one Type 3 socket there's a strong risk that it could be occupied.

It's a low risk, and as you said, you can reach Dieppe in one shot anyway. I think it's just nice to have a comfortable margin in of unforeseen contigency.

Charging infrastructure really is sparse in that part of the world, eh?

You tell me. I had to go all the way to Cherbourg from Leiden, and Rouen is equally sparse (with a damn charger at Ikea that is always broken...)

But indeed I don't need much per day and I'm used to charging 13kmsph at home too, so it's fine. AS LONG AS IT WORKS

Do you use an extension cable for switching your neutral and live around?

Yes exactly, for most appliance it doesn't matter, but the UMC tries to detect the ground using the phase. It could be fine as it seems that all plugs almost are always cabled the same way around, but unfortunately Tesla got that wrong.

- - - Updated - - -

Found out that I do.

I've tried to contact e-totem twice now. Firstly me and then via my girlfriend who speaks/writes fluent French and we've had no reply.

Does anyone have a phone number for them?

David,
I don't think the charger in Auchan is open yet anyway. Comments on Chargemap indicate that it will not be the case until July time frame.

 

[Tslynk67]

Thanks ManuVince!

I was also wondering about the Auchan chargers in Dieppe - they seem to have the whacky camping plug thing...

 

[Tslynk67]

Ok, I'm off to Normandy on 16th August and am still stressed about my charging.

I have ordered a Type 3 cable from Cyril - even if I don't get to use it this time, it's a good investment to have in the trunk. I shall, as suggested, stop in Amiens to try at Leclerc. I also see that in Rouen there are many Leclerc charge points...

Now, does one need any type of card or account to use them??

 

[ManuVince]

Ok, I'm off to Normandy on 16th August and am still stressed about my charging.

I have ordered a Type 3 cable from Cyril - even if I don't get to use it this time, it's a good investment to have in the trunk. I shall, as suggested, stop in Amiens to try at Leclerc. I also see that in Rouen there are many Leclerc charge points...

Now, does one need any type of card or account to use them??

At the Leclerc of Amiens, you don't need anything, free access 24/7.

For the one in Rouen, you will to go at opening hours to the Supermarket info desk to get a key to open the charger port. they take you driving license in exchange. They give it to you back when you bring back the key.

 

[Tslynk67]

At the Leclerc of Amiens, you don't need anything, free access 24/7.

For the one in Rouen, you will to go at opening hours to the Supermarket info desk to get a key to open the charger port. they take you driving license in exchange. They give it to you back when you bring back the key.

Thanks ManuVince!!

I just hope that Amiens point is free on the Saturday morning, if so then we will go and eat somewhere and shop a bit, hopefully add 100kms charge (I only have a single charger = me idiot when ordering!!)

Then if I can't charge when I get to destination I can perhaps have still 120kms spare to get me to Rouen.

Now if Tesla just put that SuC north of Paris in the meantime...

 

[J-Philipp]

For those traveling in France, Gennevelliers Service Center staff just told me that type 3 cables are now available from them at €340 IIRC.

 

[Tslynk67]

Hi Folks - for charging at Renault, chargemap.com is saying that you need a card to activate - "Un badge est nécessaire pour activer la recharge. Ce badge est payant pour les personnes qui ne sont pas clientes de la concession (coût : quelques euros)"

Any ideas where one can obtain such a card?

Cheers, Dave

- - - Updated - - -

And these chargers at Auchan - http://chargemap.com/points/details/parking-auchan - does the Tesla blue UMC adaptor fit in these? Thanks!!

Adaptateur de recharge bleu

Équipez votre connecteur mobile universel d’un adaptateur de recharge CEI 60309.

• Monophasé
• 230 volts
• 32 ampères
• Jusqu’à 36 kilomètres d’autonomie par heure de recharge

 

[J-Philipp]

Hi Folks - for charging at Renault, chargemap.com is saying that you need a card to activate - "Un badge est nécessaire pour activer la recharge. Ce badge est payant pour les personnes qui ne sont pas clientes de la concession (coût : quelques euros)"

Any ideas where one can obtain such a card?

Cheers, Dave

You won't get a card for yourself. Just go to the welcome desk at the Renault dealer and ask for someone to unlock the charge point for you. Of course you need to be there during opening hours, and you may want to call in advance to be sure that this spot will be available for you. Beside this, these Renault dealers are known to be friendly with the Model S owners, but you never know.
- - - Updated - - -

And these chargers at Auchan - Auchan Dieppe: charge point in Dieppe - does the Tesla blue UMC adaptor fit in these? Thanks!!

Adaptateur de recharge bleu

Équipez votre connecteur mobile universel d’un adaptateur de recharge CEI 60309.

• Monophasé
• 230 volts
• 32 ampères
• Jusqu’à 36 kilomètres d’autonomie par heure de recharge

No, it won't fit. You need an adaptor. And this is NOT approved by Tesla. However, if you want to go this way and can read French :
Brancher la Model S en France et en Europe (Document de synthèse en PDF).

 

[Tslynk67]

No, it won't fit. You need an adaptor. And this is NOT approved by Tesla. However, if you want to go this way and can read French :
Brancher la Model S en France et en Europe (Document de synthèse en PDF).

Thanks @J-Philipp - I did actually print-out your excellent PDF, but the printing crashes after Page 4, so I missed the bit about the adaptor being required...

For final clarification, in order to charge from these plugs I will need the blue Tesla UNC adapter and another adapter, but of course that will then cover me for both the camping plug sizes, so a useful adaptor to carry.

Did I understand it correctly?

Then, where to buy such an adapter? I can find ones for the red plugs, but not the blue...??

Thank you for all your help :smile:

Dave

Update: This would do the trick, no?

Legrand LEG90040 Adaptateur camping en prolongateur FR: Amazon.fr: Bricolage

 

[J-Philipp]

From your question I can see that you can't read French

So you have two possibilities :
- you may use the adapter you've just found on Amazon. This is the most secure way, because you'll use the Schuko adapter of the UMC with it. This way, maximum intensity will automatically be limited to 13A by the UMC, which is less than the maximum allowed by this P17 16A blue socket.
- you might want to use the P17 32A mounted on the UMC, and then have a licensed professional electrician build an P17 32A female to P17 16A adapter for you. This way is much less secure, because you have to manually decrease the current from 32 to 16A from the touchscreen. Not doing so will cause damage. But you may prefer this solution because you can take advantage of the 16 amps available in the blue socket.

Both ways are NOT approved by Tesla and may be against national regulations. You are liable.

 

[Tslynk67]

From your question I can see that you can't read French

So you have two possibilities :
- you may use the adapter you've just found on Amazon. This is the most secure way, because you'll use the Schuko adapter of the UMC with it. This way, maximum intensity will automatically be limited to 13A by the UMC, which is less than the maximum allowed by this P17 16A blue socket.
- you might want to use the P17 32A mounted on the UMC, and then have a licensed professional electrician build an P17 32A female to P17 16A adapter for you. This way is much less secure, because you have to manually decrease the current from 32 to 16A from the touchscreen. Not doing so will cause damage. But you may prefer this solution because you can take advantage of the 16 amps available in the blue socket.

Both ways are NOT approved by Tesla and may be against national regulations. You are liable.

You're right! My dear wife is fluent in French, but not in electrics

I have ordered that Schuko adapter, I prefer to play it a little safe. Thanks for your advice and happy driving.

Thanks, Dave

 

[Ipm]

Two new SuCs in France: near Dijon:
Nuits-Saint-Georges Supercharger | Tesla Motors

and you can reach Barcelona via:
Narbonne Supercharger | Tesla Motors

 

[Tslynk67]

Hi folks... So have been in Normandy for a week now. We hit the Nivelles SuC on the way down - only 30kms from home in Brussels, but it gave me some comfort to top the car up to maximum.

I then drove at a very steady 105kmph for the remaining 330kms. Yes, I realise I could have gone faster than this, but I wanted some juice left in the tank in case we had problems charging at destination. Anyway, wifey was very happy with the sedate pace...

Fortunately charging at the house is fine and We're getting 10kmph at 13A from a Shucko and UMC (with FR adaptor) plug in the garage - this is just fine as we're only doing max 100kms per day.

With reference to the above discussion, I went to try the public charging at Auchan in Dieppe today - they worked without any key or card, but despite it showing 13A charge I was only getting 5-6kmph charge.

Nivelles

Destination Charging

Auchan Dieppe