Destination charger settings

[arsharpe]

Hi,

Could someone please help me understand Tesla Destination Chargers.

There are 2 Destination Chargers at Hoburne Naish Holiday Park.
Unfortunately, as a Nissan Leaf owner, I can only use one of them.

I have a special adapter cable that allows me to plug tethered Type 2 cable and I used exactly the same process on both chargers. Also, the tethered cable was the same length on both chargers.

Charger 1 seems to work ok and exactly the same on both a Model S and my Leaf (albeit at only 6A)

Charger 2

• it charges a Model S at 32A
• it does not work on my Leaf at all

I have rung Tesla support and they will not entertain discussing changing any settings on the charger if it works ok for Tesla users.

So my questions are

• is there a compatibility setting for destination chargers?
• if there is, is it a simple internal switch or does it require service software?
• is there any local engineer/person that could help?

Thanks for any help you can give,
Rob

 

[dpeilow]

Yes - there is a DIP switch inside that sets between what Tesla calls Normal mode and Legacy mode, with the latter being the standard.

I have seen the same on my Roadster and Ampera - see thread in the Roadster section.

 

[widodh]

Yes - there is a DIP switch inside that sets between what Tesla calls Normal mode and Legacy mode, with the latter being the standard.

I have seen the same on my Roadster and Ampera - see thread in the Roadster section.

Which version of HPWC is that? The Single phase version?

At our office we have two 3-phase HPWCs installed on a single 3-phase 32A circuit (Master <> Slave) and they work fine.

e-Golf, GTE, Zoe, they've all charged there without any problems.

I didn't see that DIP-switch in there not was it in the manual.

 

[dpeilow]

This is the normal EU 3 phase one.

The DIP switch isn't mentioned in the manual. It's DIP 2 which Tesla says leave in the up position, but in that position it will not work on certain cars.

The Zoe is fine with it on both settings, but takes longer to start charging if you leave it on Tesla's recommended up position. You will also see that the Zoe's ZE light by the charge port goes red for a few seconds before going back to normal blue and starting to charge.

On the Roadster it throws an error on the VDS screen with invalid pilot signal, before starting to charge after a few seconds. However if you do this three or four times the Roadster throws a different error and stops charging until you close and open the charge flap.

On the Ampera it will not charge at all in the up position but charges fine in the down position.

I am told by another owner that the Audi A3 e-tron will charge in the up position but waits ~20 seconds before it does. Once I told him about putting DIP 2 in the down position he said it starts charging right away. I expect you would see the same on the GTE.


It sounds like from @arsharpe 's original post that the Leaf is also not compatible with the charger in the up position like the Ampera. I've not got access to one to try it out.

For more details see this thread: Roadster on destination charging doesn't work outside of North America


What it looks like is happening is that with DIP 2 in the up position the HPWC is trying to communicate using some new serial mode that was incorporated into the J1772 standard last year. It's not clear if that was also adopted at IEC level as well but these EVSE's are doing something like it. When you put DIP 2 in the down position it uses the "usual" method of pilot signals and voltage changes which all cars understand. So some are ignoring the serial commands and others are completely confused by it.

Interestingly when I set up 2 units in Master / Slave mode with the DIP 2 set to legacy, it was able to control the cars but I found that it reverts back to 6 Amps for the non-charging car if you stop charging. This 6A pilot signal confuses the Roadster and it still throws a pilot signal error but by reacting to it the HPWC thinks it wants to charge again and increases the pilot signal to >6A, which causes the Roadster to charge again (Roadster has a minimum charge level of 7A). You get stuck in this loop and have to quickly unplug before the Roadster engages the contactor. So in M/S mode the only car that isn't truly compatible with the set-up is Tesla's own Roadster...

 

[arsharpe]

This is the normal EU 3 phase one.

For more details see this thread: Roadster on destination charging doesn't work outside of North America

Thanks @dpeilow, you just beat me to the link ;-)
I will try changing the setting time I go there next.

Just to clarify that the Leaf is a 2011 version, so it's not surprising it is not compatible.

It seems like a school boy error affecting a lot of people if the standards committee didn't make the new standard backwards compatible.

I wonder if there is an opportunity to develop an adapter that intelligently handles both standards and is remotely upgradeable so future proof?

 

[dpeilow]

I will try changing the setting time I go there next.

I've put the special Tesla torx bit into my toolkit so that I can change other ones in the field if I ever get stuck somewhere on an allegedly open to all EVs unit. I've already seen one at a hotel that would not charge the Ampera even though it should have.

I have to ask exactly what this update to the J1772 standard is supposed to achieve. Clearly the cars must support the older standard because there are many thousands of EVSEs out there that use it. I don't see it providing any additional functionality so why bother?

 

[arsharpe]

Yes - I have the Torx bits in my toolkit for resetting other EVSEs, but didn't want to open this one until I new what I was doing.

I assume the new standard allows higher powers or similar.

 

[arsharpe]

Well, I have managed to change the "Normal/Legacy" setting. Unfortunately, it still does not seem to work for my Leaf..

Is there another setting that also needs to be set correctly.

@dpeilow any chance of sharing the other settings that worked?

 

[Jobbeke]

Well, I have managed to change the "Normal/Legacy" setting. Unfortunately, it still does not seem to work for my Leaf..

Is there another setting that also needs to be set correctly.

@dpeilow any chance of sharing the other settings that worked?

It works for my leaf 30 kwh with.second switch down (legacy)

 

[JonG]

Bit of a thread revival but did anyone work out if the home charger can be set to Tesla only and if so which DIP switch is it?

 

[WannabeOwner]

Tangentially: Tesla seem to have started offering some subsidised? destination chargers for Workplace and Housing estate type locations. I've applied for Work ... we'll see what happens.

Charging Partners | Tesla UK

 

[maserati]

Not sure whats going on here, all I know I will be totally pissed off if I find any other car apart from a Tesla charging at any Tesla Superchargers.

 

[DJP31]

Not sure whats going on here, all I know I will be totally pissed off if I find any other car apart from a Tesla charging at any Tesla Superchargers.

Nothing apart from a Tesla can charge at a Supercharger, this thread is talking about Destination Chargers. Typically Tesla will supply 2 wall chargers to a destination, eg hotel, restaurant, spa retreat (where my Mrs is right now ). One of those is dedicated to a Tesla nad the other for any other EV that can use a Type 2.

 

[Shallowal]

The DIP switch isn't mentioned in the manual. It's DIP 2 which Tesla says leave in the up position, but in that position it will not work on certain cars.


What it looks like is happening is that with DIP 2 in the up position the HPWC is trying to communicate using some new serial mode that was incorporated into the J1772 standard last year. It's not clear if that was also adopted at IEC level as well but these EVSE's are doing something like it. When you put DIP 2 in the down position it uses the "usual" method of pilot signals and voltage changes which all cars understand. So some are ignoring the serial commands and others are completely confused by it.
..

Is this 'standard' alluded to by DPeilow related to the Powerline communications standard P1901?.
It seems very odd that Tesla would introduce the option without providing any info on its purpose and locking out most other EV's. I've tried to research for the answer but cant find anything definitive about it.

 

[Rustybkts]

Regarding the Tesla chargers, there are unused positions on the rotary switch that selects the current. I have always wondered if the standard charger can be set to only operate for Tesla's and if it is one of the spare rotary switch positions.
BTW I'm not being awkward by blocking non Tesla's from mine (my daughters Zoe uses it), just interested as it would just make sense.

 

[franck.picard]

Does not anyone have clear instructions on how set my Tesla wall connector to legacy mode?
so that I can charge my BMW i3 as well

 

[Rustybkts]

If it is a standard one then it should be happy with your i3. Both my Tesla chargers charge my daughters Zoe although the Zoe can be temperamental and need the odd prompt/unplug to start which isn't uncommon with the Zoe.

 

[franck.picard]

you have a photo pf your DIP switch setting?

you installed it as triple phase or single?

 

[Rustybkts]

Page 19 of the wall connector handbook describes the DIP Sw settings.
Sw 1 is down for TN or TT grounding system (default) and set up or On if the grounding is set to IT.

DIP Sw 2 is always set up or On according to the manual although reading earlier posts it would seem that down would be a more sensible setting.

The rotary switch is used to choose the maximum rating of the supply and a 32A supply will be set to 8.

My wall connector is single phase but this is not a DIP Sw selection.

 

[Roy W.]

Does not anyone have clear instructions on how set my Tesla wall connector to legacy mode?
so that I can charge my BMW i3 as well

Have you tried the i3? It might well work. I had the TWC before I got the Model 3, and used it to charge a Hyundai Kona quite happily.