Charging our new Model 3?

[RiknChar]

My wife just upgraded her Chevy Bolt (leased) to a new 2020 Tesla Model 3, and is loving her new baby!

We had previously had a 220v car charger installed in our garage to quickly charge the Bolt, and with the new Tesla, I have been simply using the adapter provided to plug the Tesla into our existing charger. However, this means the nice built-in features on the OEM Tesla Charge cord aren't available (the button on the Tesla charge connector to open the charge port and to unlock the charge port), so we have to dig our cell phone out to unlock the charge port every time, which is somewhat annoying.

I sense there is a way to wire the Tesla charger directly to a 220v outlet, but am too much of a "Tesla Noob" to know how to do that.

What do I need to do (buy) in order to allow me to make use of the nice Tesla charge cable to directly plug my wife's M3 into our existing 220v connection?

Thanks!

 

[jmaddr]

Need a little more information on your existing equipment. You mention a "220v car charger"...do you mean an outlet or some piece of electronic equipment?

If it's an outlet like a 14-50, that is perfect. You will just need a new 14-50 cord for your Tesla Mobile charger (UMC), plug it in and go. Here are all the adapters available:
Gen 2 NEMA Adapters

If it's some piece of electronic equipment, you will likely need to remove that equipment and change to a 14-50 or other 240v plug and get an adapter as above to use your included Tesla charger.

But the best (of course most expensive) route is to add a Tesla HPWC (high powered wall charger) and leave your UMC in the car. It's debatable and a personal decision if the extra cost is worth it.
Wall Connector

 

[Knightshade]

Eh- if they already have a 220/240 wall socket, it's $35 plus the kit that came with the car already and they're good to go.

Even if you commonly need to keep a UMC in the car, getting a second at $275 (or $310 with a wall adapter I guess) that still seems like a better route than the wall charger.

Yeah the wall charger is faster, but in most cases you're talking like "Does it charge for 4 hours while I sleep, or for 6 while I sleep"

Might be relevant if you either use a LOT of charge daily (like 220+ miles a day) or if you have a very narrow time-of-use billing window though.

 

[smatthew]

My wife just upgraded her Chevy Bolt (leased) to a new 2020 Tesla Model 3, and is loving her new baby!

We had previously had a 220v car charger installed in our garage to quickly charge the Bolt, and with the new Tesla, I have been simply using the adapter provided to plug the Tesla into our existing charger. However, this means the nice built-in features on the OEM Tesla Charge cord aren't available (the button on the Tesla charge connector to open the charge port and to unlock the charge port), so we have to dig our cell phone out to unlock the charge port every time, which is somewhat annoying.

I sense there is a way to wire the Tesla charger directly to a 220v outlet, but am too much of a "Tesla Noob" to know how to do that.

What do I need to do (buy) in order to allow me to make use of the nice Tesla charge cable to directly plug my wife's M3 into our existing 220v connection?

Thanks!

Wait wait wait. Why do you need to use your cell phone to unlock the charge port every time?
1) When you walk up, just tap the charge port cover and it will open.
2) When you're done charging, just press the release button on the J1772 handle and the charge port should unlock.

For both of these events, the car needs to be at least semi-awake. You can wake it by depressing the rear door handle slightly. Not enough to trigger the door, but it will wake the car.

 

[Wennfred]

With the phone in your pocket you can half open the rear door by pulling on the door handle to wake the car then push in on the lower right corner of the charge port door with your finger and it will open.

Fred

 

[SlimJim]

Get the hardwired non Tesla charger off the line and get nema 14-50 outlet installed professionally. You can claim that on tax return for like 20% refund.

 

[JBT66]

I open the drivers door first since I’m likely about to drive away anyhow.
Then the adapter comes out easypezy .

 

[RiknChar]

Thanks for all the responses! We do have two actual electronic wall chargers installed in our garage. One is a "Juice-Box" and is a plug-in unit. I just ordered the appropriate NEMA Adapter from the Tesla site to enable me to plug into this existing 220v outlet (it's a NEMA 14-50 plug for those who know what that means). Our other charger was hard-wired into a 220v line (it's 7 years old). I'll need to have a plug outlet installed in place of that charger in order to plug in the appropriate NEMA adapter to use that one with our Tesla cords. I think that one is only rated at 30 amps, so it will take longer to charge using that line (but we plug in at night and our cars are always fully charged by morning anyway).

If we do ever go on a trip in one of the Teslas (I have a 2020 Model S Long Range and my wife has a 2020 Model 3 Long Range), I'll just unplug the Tesla adapter and bring the cord with me.

I can always get my charge port to open by pushing on one side of it, but I can't get the cord to unlock so I can pull it out without using my phone (or actually getting in the car and hitting the "Unlock Charge Port" option from the screen. Very annoying!

 

[RB88]

I can't get the cord to unlock so I can pull it out without using my phone (or actually getting in the car and hitting the "Unlock Charge Port" option from the screen. Very annoying!

You need to pull out the J1772 adapter while holding down the release button on the J1772 plug (the release button triggers the car to unlock the port). Basically grip them both and pull them both out at once.

 

[smatthew]

You need to pull out the J1772 adapter while holding down the release button on the J1772 plug (the release button triggers the car to unlock the port). Basically grip them both and pull them both out at once.

I like to press the release button to signal unlock, then let go of the button so when I pull the adapter comes with it. Then press the button again and remove the adapter from the J1772 head.

Next time it doesn't unlock when you press the button, depress the rear door handle just a little. Then try again.

 

[hmmwv]

Yeah as soon as you disengage the J1772 plug by pressing on the J1772 trigger the power is cut and Tesla charging port will unlock, then you can pull the adapter out.

 

[Mrcarcrazy]

If you have an iPhone and watch (watch isn’t necessary, but it makes things better) you can use the shortcuts app to build a “hey Siri” command that opens your charge port (At least if you have the stats app...I think it’s routed through stats. Sounds like others have provided the answer to your actual question.

I really like the “wall connector” from Tesla, it’s a bit pricey but since you have the 220V already. It’s worthwhile IMO. My factory charge cord has never been used. It lives in the frunk.

 

[OCR1]

The wall connector comes in handy for me because I have two Model 3’s and only one charger. So I charge one car at night and the second one I plug in when I wake up at 6am. My cheap electricity ends at 8am so I like being able to charge 45 miles/hr on the wall connector versus 30 mph on the UMC.

Of course at present neither of us are driving anywhere so none of that really matters. And the wall connector only charges at the higher speeds on the LR models, so if you have an SR/SR+ ignore everything I just said.

 

[Punjabi510]

Get the hardwired non Tesla charger off the line and get nema 14-50 outlet installed professionally. You can claim that on tax return for like 20% refund.

Even better, 30% up to $1000.