Charging Limiting To 200 Volts

[maxpower2078]

I have had my m3 for a little while now and have been charging at public stations. For example, a 6.6kw chargepoint locations but when I plugin, it maxes out at 30 amps and about 200 volts which results in 6kw, not 6.6kw and a charge rate of 22/23 mph.

I am not able to change anything but the max amps which I thought would be 32 on this configuration too but why am I not getting the full 6.6kw out of the charger?

I have also been on a destination charger rated at 16kw but again, it maxes out at 48amps and 200 volts which results in a 37mph charge rate. I am thinking this should be higher too.

Is there something I am not doing?

 

[Kirby64]

You're not doing anything wrong. Commercial stations are almost always nominal 208V. With runs to the actual charging station, you may get voltage drops to close to 200V.

Also, chargepoint stations generally are 30A, not 32A. Your destination charger is again commercial, so 208V. 200V under a 48A load would be also normal.

You can't do anything to change the voltage input into the car, that's based on the outlet. The only thing you can adjust is the amperage and you can't adjust the amperage above the max the outlet will let you go.

 

[eprosenx]

I have had my m3 for a little while now and have been charging at public stations. For example, a 6.6kw chargepoint locations but when I plugin, it maxes out at 30 amps and about 200 volts which results in 6kw, not 6.6kw and a charge rate of 22/23 mph.

I am not able to change anything but the max amps which I thought would be 32 on this configuration too but why am I not getting the full 6.6kw out of the charger?

I have also been on a destination charger rated at 16kw but again, it maxes out at 48amps and 200 volts which results in a 37mph charge rate. I am thinking this should be higher too.

Is there something I am not doing?

Most public stations are only 30 amps (not 32, don’t ask me why...)

And many (most?) are hooked to commercial three phase power which is often 208v phase to phase. It is extremely common to see long wiring runs from the building and so 200v is very typical.

The destination charger also sounds like it is working fine. It is able to max your charger (48a) but the voltage is still crummy due to what I described above.

If you look hard enough you will eventually find a public charger that is fed from 240v. But most are still going to be 30a or below.

 

[maxpower2078]

You're not doing anything wrong. Commercial stations are almost always nominal 208V. With runs to the actual charging station, you may get voltage drops to close to 200V.

Also, chargepoint stations generally are 30A, not 32A. Your destination charger is again commercial, so 208V. 200V under a 48A load would be also normal.

You can't do anything to change the voltage input into the car, that's based on the outlet. The only thing you can adjust is the amperage and you can't adjust the amperage above the max the outlet will let you go.

Ok, thank you for the info and yes, the voltage does bounce around in the low 200s like you are saying, 201-204 when I was looking at it.

so how do they get away with calling it a 16kw destination charger or a 6.6kw in the case of chargepoint.

I believe the m3 has a max of 48 amp charger on it right? So is it possible this 16kw destination charger capable of more than 48 amps?

 

[maxpower2078]

Most public stations are only 30 amps (not 32, don’t ask me why...)

And many (most?) are hooked to commercial three phase power which is often 208v phase to phase. It is extremely common to see long wiring runs from the building and so 200v is very typical.

The destination charger also sounds like it is working fine. It is able to max your charger (48a) but the voltage is still crummy due to what I described above.

If you look hard enough you will eventually find a public charger that is fed from 240v. But most are still going to be 30a or below.

ok, thanks, that is good to know

 

[eprosenx]

Ok, thank you for the info and yes, the voltage does bounce around in the low 200s like you are saying, 201-204 when I was looking at it.

so how do they get away with calling it a 16kw destination charger or a 6.6kw in the case of chargepoint.

I believe the m3 has a max of 48 amp charger on it right? So is it possible this 16kw destination charger capable of more than 48 amps?

Yes, they can take up to a 100a circuit, so an 80a charge rate (due to 125% / 80% rule).

Some other Tesla’s can make use of 72 or even 80a of capacity.

 

[Kirby64]

Ok, thank you for the info and yes, the voltage does bounce around in the low 200s like you are saying, 201-204 when I was looking at it.

so how do they get away with calling it a 16kw destination charger or a 6.6kw in the case of chargepoint.

I believe the m3 has a max of 48 amp charger on it right? So is it possible this 16kw destination charger capable of more than 48 amps?

As to your other point of how they call it a '6.6kW' charger: I don't know. I think ChargePoint (or whoever) just assumes every charger is based off 220V. That's how you get 6.6kW: 220V * 30A. I guess they figure it's simpler than having the person who installs it specify the input voltage (208 vs. 220 vs. 240), but it's a bit misleading at best.

Also, as a sidenote, 220V basically doesn't exist anymore... so it's kind of weird ChargePoint pegs their chargers based on 220V. Maybe they assume it's always 240V and the voltage droop under load drops 20V? Seems like a bad assumption if that's the case.

 

[TexasEV]

so how do they get away with calling it a 16kw destination charger or a 6.6kw in the case of chargepoint.?

If by “they” you mean Tesla, it has no way of knowing how the establishment installed the Wall Connector and lists the kW assuming a 240V circuit. The destination owns and installs the destination charging with a subsidy from Tesla.

 

[ZOMGVTEK]

The thing you plug into the car has absolutely no control over the input voltage unless it’s a supercharger. The regular J1772 or Tesla wall connectors are just safe ways to plug the car into the grid. Whatever voltage is available is what you get. The charge rates Tesla claims are based on 240V being delivered to the car. Most homes have 240V service in the US, but in some areas this can be in the 210-220v range under load and this will slow down your charge. There’s nothing you can do about it aside from minimize the length of wire from the grid to your wall connector and oversize the wire when practical. Commercial service is commonly 208V nominal, so under load it’s going to be less than this. It can be under 200V at some times, so your charge rate takes a hit. The minor change in output power from the claimed nominal rating isn’t really something to be concerned with much. There’s not much to be done about it. The long range M3 will charge at up to 48A, at whatever voltage is available. So for max charge rates you need both 48A and 240v+ at the connector under load. This tends to mean you need 245v+ coming into the building. I commonly see 230’s during peak hours and 240’s at night. Sometimes it will go as high as the low 250’s. But there’s not much the end user can practically do to ensure stable and reliable 240V at the plug unless you’re not adverse to quite considerable expense for trivial gain.

 

[yuhong]

As to your other point of how they call it a '6.6kW' charger: I don't know. I think ChargePoint (or whoever) just assumes every charger is based off 220V. That's how you get 6.6kW: 220V * 30A. I guess they figure it's simpler than having the person who installs it specify the input voltage (208 vs. 220 vs. 240), but it's a bit misleading at best.

Also, as a sidenote, 220V basically doesn't exist anymore... so it's kind of weird ChargePoint pegs their chargers based on 220V. Maybe they assume it's always 240V and the voltage droop under load drops 20V? Seems like a bad assumption if that's the case.

I think it dates all the back to the AVCON days.

 

[timk225]

I've seen anything from 181 to 207 volts at L2 chargers, be it HPWCs or generic J1772 chargers, and 30, 32, 40, or 48 amps. Any sort of commercial power supply will usually be 480 volt 3 phase, with 208 volt phases.

And there is no 110, 115, or 120 volt, or 220 or 230 volt power in the USA. 120 / 240 volt only.