@FlasherZ - You make some very good points. And you seem to have greater than average knowledge and understanding of electrical systems. Maybe 2% to 3% of Tesla's current customers have a similar understanding of electrical systems. As Tesla sells many more cars that will change to 1%, 0.5%, and finally when Model E arrives and Tesla is shipping >250,000 vehicles per year, maybe only 0.05% of their customers will have any knowledge of electrical systems whatsoever. They will expect to plug it in and have it work without an issue (after the electrician adds the circuit). Their expectation will be "if it has a plug, you plug it in, and it just works". No additional fussing should be necessary. If they discover that is not the case, no amount of "rational" explaining will adequately satisfy the customer.
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Just like any other product out there, there are infrastructure requirements. For 95% of homes, a Tesla will provide the largest electrical load in the household (in terms of kWh consumed over a given period of time - day, week, year). We're used to just "plugging in" most appliances, because individually they're rated at 15 amps / 120V or less and as a percentage of typical service, it's a small demand. But as anyone who's ever hosted a party where 10-15 crock-pots and roasters show up, it doesn't "just work" without some level of planning for the requirements (and I'm tired of having to run to the breaker box!)
Under most conditions, the Tesla will "just work" when an RV outlet has been installed, the power company checks its infrastructure, and a load calculation for the home is performed -- especially in newer homes like Model S drivers typically have. Even if the car has to back down its charging rate because of questionable infrastructure, the car will still charge overnight, albeit perhaps taking longer than expected. But if someone is seeing that the car is regularly dropping its charge rate, time should be invested to investigate why that happens as it is pointing to a potentially unsafe condition (or maybe just slightly overloaded infrastructure).
I am concerned about the older infrastructure out there. My parents have a 100A service in a 130 year old home (formerly a 60A main+range+4branch fuse box), and no room load-wise for a Tesla charging load beyond a 15A 120V circuit. Tesla will have to help customers get that type of situation fixed as the model E comes into focus.
You can't blame this on Tesla... anyone who would buy a model E, plug it in, then complain at Tesla when it senses abnormal voltage fluctuation ("because everything else in the house works fine") is not seeing the entire big picture.
Under most conditions, the Tesla will "just work" when an RV outlet has been installed, the power company checks its infrastructure, and a load calculation for the home is performed -- especially in newer homes like Model S drivers typically have. Even if the car has to back down its charging rate because of questionable infrastructure, the car will still charge overnight, albeit perhaps taking longer than expected. But if someone is seeing that the car is regularly dropping its charge rate, time should be invested to investigate why that happens as it is pointing to a potentially unsafe condition (or maybe just slightly overloaded infrastructure).
I am concerned about the older infrastructure out there. My parents have a 100A service in a 130 year old home (formerly a 60A main+range+4branch fuse box), and no room load-wise for a Tesla charging load beyond a 15A 120V circuit. Tesla will have to help customers get that type of situation fixed as the model E comes into focus.
You can't blame this on Tesla... anyone who would buy a model E, plug it in, then complain at Tesla when it senses abnormal voltage fluctuation ("because everything else in the house works fine") is not seeing the entire big picture.
The Watertown, MA service center started its service cable on fire one evening. Apparently the fireworks were pretty good after the insulation burned off. The fire dept extinguished it immediately and the power co installed a new service cable in a couple hours. They opened the shop early the next morning on schedule.
djp
Model 3 Performance
Try installing a TED monitoring system to troubleshoot it.
TED The Energy Detective Electricity Monitor
With two sets of probes you can leave one on the Tesla and move the other between different circuits (or the mains) to isolate the voltage fluctuations. The logs will show you exactly what the voltage and power were doing at the time charging backed down.
I installed a TED about six months ago - it's a great tool. As a side benefit it helped me identify and eliminate enough vampire draw in my house to more than pay for itself, and completely offset the cost of charging my car!
TED The Energy Detective Electricity Monitor
With two sets of probes you can leave one on the Tesla and move the other between different circuits (or the mains) to isolate the voltage fluctuations. The logs will show you exactly what the voltage and power were doing at the time charging backed down.
I installed a TED about six months ago - it's a great tool. As a side benefit it helped me identify and eliminate enough vampire draw in my house to more than pay for itself, and completely offset the cost of charging my car!
@djp - Thanks for the information. The TED Monitor looks like a great tool for troubleshooting voltage fluctuations. I do have a slightly greater than average understanding about Residential electric circuitry, however, (like most homeowners) I'm certain I don't have the expertise to use this product and troubleshoot my own circuits, appliances, (or service panel). Right now the FPL (utility) service tech is stumped. His assessment (all is well). Electrician is also stumped as to why the car thinks the service panel voltage fluctuations are out of tolerance. So far, Tesla service can't figure it out either (with the info received from the FPL 5 day report), but they are coming out to inspect everything today. We'll see if they can figure it out. When they are done here, there will still be thousands of other owners who will also need a resolution (if you believe the survey).
I have the exact same frustration with Sony with regard to my laptop. Awesome machine for many months. Then I received an automatic Sony Vaio update (presumably also for my "benefit and protection"). Since then things aren't working so well. I can't easily roll back the update. So now I have to spend time and money to have other people troubleshoot it, because I'm not trained as a computer service technician. But the difference here is for $1,200 I can buy a new laptop and make the problem go away.
*UPDATE, this just in - Uh oh, I have a pending software download for the car (newer than 5.8.7). I wonder what new and exciting changes are waiting for me to discover.
I have the exact same frustration with Sony with regard to my laptop. Awesome machine for many months. Then I received an automatic Sony Vaio update (presumably also for my "benefit and protection"). Since then things aren't working so well. I can't easily roll back the update. So now I have to spend time and money to have other people troubleshoot it, because I'm not trained as a computer service technician. But the difference here is for $1,200 I can buy a new laptop and make the problem go away.
*UPDATE, this just in - Uh oh, I have a pending software download for the car (newer than 5.8.7). I wonder what new and exciting changes are waiting for me to discover.
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This is not a problem for me at home, but would have stranded me in Flint Michigan on my road trip.
Just after an *ice storm* I charged at a 30amp charger which was provided by the local electricity utility, on the side of their main building. Half the town had their power out, but of course being right next to the utility company's building I had power. The voltage was fluctuating like mad, however -- possibly because of the situation with lots of lines out, lines being restored, lots of work being done, you know. Of course, there was nothing wrong with the charger and no risk of fires or anything like that.
I needed to charge, and dialing back to less than 30 amps would have been horrendously slow.
You cannot say that there was no "risk of fires or anything like that". If the voltage is fluctuating "like mad", then there is obviously something very seriously wrong, something that should be addressed. Voltage fluctuations are a sign that something is wrong, and with electricity that can mean death or property destruction.
I get that you want to charge your car at the fastest rate possible, I do too. However, the other side of the coin is safety - and having seen and experienced what electrical failures can do to personal property and personal safety, I'd never sacrifice the latter for the former. I'm sure the homeowner in Irvine whose garage and home burned due to the high-resistance connection in the receptacle would support me on this, too.
It is better that the Tesla detects the fluctuations that would be indicative of a high-resistance point somewhere in the electrical infrastructure and backs its charging current off than pressing forward, full-speed-ahead, damn the safety.