Did anyone upgrade from 48 to 72 Amps?

[vandacca]

Assuming that all new Model-X come with a 72A charger, I suspect that there are a myriad of reasons why Tesla may have decided to go this route:
- having 1 charger is more than twice as simple and cost-effective as having 2 charger types
- Tesla is trying to reduce the complexity of the Model X (and hence the build process) to better streamline it.
- mass-producing one 72A charger gets better costs savings building 2 separate ones at lower volume
- this reduces workload at the already strained SC for upgrading chargers
- In the end, a 72A charger is not going to be that much more expensive than a 48A charger, so it's cost effective.

 

[jelloslug]

I pulled my back seat up in my S60D with the 48 amp charger setup. At least in the Model S it's still a single/dual charger setup:

 

[jelloslug]

My car was ordered with 72amp charger but they delivered it with only the 48 I went to the service center and they plugged in a laptop and flipped a setting to allow the 72amp charging.

I can confirm its a software change, not a hardware one.

Your car was just delivered with the option off. If you had not ordered it with the 72 amp charger it would have required hardware to be installed.

 

[Ormond]

I haven't ordered yet, but was configuring my builds with the 72 upgrade.

1. Do you need it to use a supercharger?
2. Where does one use the faster charging, at home?
3. What equipment do you need to take advantage of this upgrade?

Sorry for the noob questions, but I am a noob.

 

[K-MTG]

I haven't ordered yet, but was configuring my builds with the 72 upgrade.

1. Do you need it to use a supercharger?
2. Where does one use the faster charging, at home?
3. What equipment do you need to take advantage of this upgrade?

Sorry for the noob questions, but I am a noob.

1) No, supercharger bypasses the onboard charger with pure DC voltage.

2/3) Faster at home provided you install the wall connector station for $550 and your homes electrical supply can support 72 AMPS

 

[TexasEV]

Actually the primary use for 72A charging isn't at home, it's for faster destination charging when traveling. At home, most people find 40A charging to be sufficient because it fully charges the car overnight. It's when traveling and you find a HPWC at 64 or 80A or a high amp level 2 charging station that it can save you a few hours, especially if there is competition for the charging station at your destination.

 

[Tech_Guy]

I pulled my back seat up in my S60D with the 48 amp charger setup. At least in the Model S it's still a single/dual charger setup:

Not true the 72A is a software upgrade from the 48A unit, to quote tesla, the dual charger is "NOT COMPATIBLE WITH NEW FRONT FASCIA MODEL S" No refreshed car has a dual charger just a high amp or standard and I believe this is a software change not hardware. Show us some part numbers... Id love to see some part numbers for refreshed cars showing 2 different units 48 and 72. As I've stated I'm quite sure high amp and standard are the same unit and same part number with a software limit. Tesla has done this to save production time all cars get the accessory and if someone chooses to upgrade its just a software change.

 

[Tech_Guy]

1) No, supercharger bypasses the onboard charger with pure DC voltage.

2/3) Faster at home provided you install the wall connector station for $550 and your homes electrical supply can support 72 AMPS

Agreed but to add some info, to support 72 Amp continuous charging at home you would need 90 Amp breaker / service available to the charging circuit. Same goes for a 48 Amp charger you would need a 60 Amp breaker for your HPWC.

Also worth noting if you are only using the UMC that comes with the car, the maximum charge rate of the UMC is 40 Amps.

Heres a picture from the new HPWC manual

 

[jelloslug]

Not true the 72A is a software upgrade from the 48A unit, to quote tesla, the dual charger is "NOT COMPATIBLE WITH NEW FRONT FASCIA MODEL S" No refreshed car has a dual charger just a high amp or standard and I believe this is a software change not hardware. Show us some part numbers... Id love to see some part numbers for refreshed cars showing 2 different units 48 and 72. As I've stated I'm quite sure high amp and standard are the same unit and same part number with a software limit. Tesla has done this to save production time all cars get the accessory and if someone chooses to upgrade its just a software change.

My charger said 48 amps right on the case.

 

[jelloslug]

@Tech_Guy Go pop your back seat up and see what is under it. It only takes 5 minutes. Just be sure to tuck the flaps on the sound deadening blanket between the vertical supports before you pop the seat back in.

 

[Kay Kay]

How did you order? Did you contact Tesla? Is it software?

I ordered it when I ordered my MX and paid $1500 extra for this upgrade.

 

[goneskiian]

My charger said 48 amps right on the case.

And if it was a single vs. dual charger set up, that most likely would have read 40A.

When did you take delivery of your S60D?

 

[jelloslug]

And if it was a single vs. dual charger set up, that most likely would have read 40A.

When did you take delivery of your S60D?

About 3 weeks ago. The 40/80 amp charger(s) were phased out in the Model S a few months ago. You can see the 48A sticker in the other pic I posted.

 

[goneskiian]

About 3 weeks ago. The 40/80 amp charger(s) were phased out in the Model S a few months ago. You can see the 48A sticker in the other pic I posted.

Exactly. Now it's a 48/72 single charger. From your pictures, it doesn't look like there's enough room there for another one of those. I would wager it's got a 48 sticker on it so the assembly line knows it's got the 48amp firmware installed vs. the other bin full of the same chargers with the 72amp versions. If they weren't labelled, you couldn't tell the difference.

 

[aesculus]

Not true the 72A is a software upgrade from the 48A unit

That may be true, but not for me. I had ordered the 72 amp charger but only got 48 amps. I contacted Tesla and they ordered a new charger. I repeatedly, and to numerous groups, stated I heard that it was SW upgradeable and they all told me I had to have the charger exchanged. It was an overnight fix because my service center had never done one before.

Note my car was an late March issue. Perhaps now there is just one charger type that is sw controlled.

 

[jelloslug]

Exactly. Now it's a 48/72 single charger. From your pictures, it doesn't look like there's enough room there for another one of those. I would wager it's got a 48 sticker on it so the assembly line knows it's got the 48amp firmware installed vs. the other bin full of the same chargers with the 72amp versions. If they weren't labelled, you couldn't tell the difference.

That makes no sense at all. The firmware is installed after the car is assembled so no one would see the sticker at that point. That would also mean that Tesla would have to stock two different part numbers for the same part just because of a sticker. On the old cars there was one or two 40 amp chargers so they were the same size. On the new cars you will have one large 48 amp charger and one smaller 24 amp charger if you have the 72 amp option. Like I said before, all someone with the 72 amp option needs to do is pull up the back seat and look at what is under it.

 

[Ingineer]

I haven't proved it yet, but I think there are actually 2 different chargers, each with a different capacity. They don't seem to do dual chargers anymore on either S or X. On the refresh S, there is no place to install a second unit as there was on the older cars.

 

[goneskiian]

That makes no sense at all. The firmware is installed after the car is assembled so no one would see the sticker at that point. That would also mean that Tesla would have to stock two different part numbers for the same part just because of a sticker. On the old cars there was one or two 40 amp chargers so they were the same size. On the new cars you will have one large 48 amp charger and one smaller 24 amp charger if you have the 72 amp option.

You make a great point. How then do you reconcile the many conflicting reports of what some folks have experienced, been told, and the language used (primarily the word "enable") on the S and X order page?

Like I said before, all someone with the 72 amp option needs to do is pull up the back seat and look at what is under it.

Which I would happily do but the charger isn't under the rear seats in the X, it's in the side of the vehicle. See page 9...

http://assets.teslastatic.com/2016_Model_X_Emergency_Response_Guide.pdf

 

[jelloslug]

You make a great point. How then do you reconcile the many conflicting reports of what some folks have experienced, been told, and the language used (primarily the word "enable") on the S and X order page?

That is simple: the car was ordered with the 72 amp charger, it was built with the 72 amp charger, but only the 48 amp charger was enabled at the factory. There are several other instances of similar things like that having to be enabled at or after delivery.

 

[andrewket]

So, it appears we were only partially correct.

1. All sig X came standard with 72A charging.
2. Production X cars built before mid Feb 2016 also had a 72A charger installed, but are firmware (config) limited to 48A if the high amperage charger option was not selected.
3. Post mid feb, there are two different part numbers, one for 48A and one for 72A. The 48 part has 2x24A boards, whereas the 72 has 3x24A.

The 72A/single phase charger is part 1035647-00-E. The 48A/single phase charger is part 1035647-02-A.

Cars before mid feb can be software upgraded. Since then it requires a hardware swap.

The Model S is now using the same part. The refreshed S can only accept one charger, either the 2x24 or the 3x24. A second charger is no longer supported.