Did anyone upgrade from 48 to 72 Amps?

[ohmman]

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.

Look at you, with all your facts and data! That explains at least some of the confusion. Glad we have something concrete now. Thanks for the research.

 

[Mayhemm]

For those of you with the 72A charger (and with it enabled), what are you seeing for Level 2 charging rates? For example, on my classic S with dual chargers, if I plugged into a 90A EVSE, CEC only allows a 72A draw. Connecting to a 100A EVSE would allow 80A. What does the 72A charger require to get its maximum rate? A 90 amp EVSE?

Also, just let me say that I am not a fan of this new charger design. Not only because of the reduction in maximum AC charging rate (every last Wh matters out on the road) but because of the loss of redundancy. In 2014, one of my 40A chargers failed while on a cross-country trip. I was thousands of kilometers from home and my maximum charging speed suddenly dropped to 26A (presumably, only one charger was operating at this point). If I had a refreshed S with the new single-unit chargers, would I have been able to charge AT ALL, or would I have been stranded?

 

[andrewket]

1. Yes, a 90A EVSE will supply 72A.
2. On your failure example, you got lucky. On the old S, one charger is a master and the other is a slave. Had the master failed you would have been SOL. There are also failure modes of the slave that will cause the master to refuse to charge. But to answer your question, yes, with the new single charger design, if it fails, you're SOL. Depending on how it fails, supercharging may still work.

 

[TexasEV]

For those of you with the 72A charger (and with it enabled), what are you seeing for Level 2 charging rates? For example, on my classic S with dual chargers, if I plugged into a 90A EVSE, CEC only allows a 72A draw. Connecting to a 100A EVSE would allow 80A. What does the 72A charger require to get its maximum rate? A 90 amp EVSE?

It depends on what you mean by a 90A EVSE. Some manufacturers identify their EVSE by the circuit size it's on, such as the Clipper Creek CS-100 means it requires a 100A circuit and its output us 80A. Other manufacturers identify their EVSE by the output, such as ChargePoint 30A EVSEs. To get 72A output you would need a minimum 90 A circuit, whatever you call the EVSE.

 

[Ingineer]

From what I know, The charger used on the X and Refresh S has either two or three 24A modules inside depending on configuration. So depending on failure mode, there is either double or triple redundancy.

 

[swesson]

For what it's worth...I have a vin 32xx delivered in mid April and mine had a 48a charger. I have since paid to have it upgraded to a 72a. My upgrade was a hardware upgrade and took several days.

 

[Ingineer]

For upgrades, they just swap the whole box. The boxes look identical on the outside except for different part numbers. Of course on the inside the 48A is missing one module. Some people erroneously reported the 72A was only a software upgrade due to the language used on the Tesla web site.

 

[Mayhemm]

2. On your failure example, you got lucky. On the old S, one charger is a master and the other is a slave. Had the master failed you would have been SOL. There are also failure modes of the slave that will cause the master to refuse to charge. But to answer your question, yes, with the new single charger design, if it fails, you're SOL. Depending on how it fails, supercharging may still work.

Interesting. I was under the impression that it was my master unit that failed and that's why I was limited to charging at 26A, rather than the 40A typically allowed; The slave unit would not allow more than 26A to pass without detecting a functioning master unit...

Though Tesla never specified on the work order or through my communication with them just which unit had failed, so I'll never really know.

 

[Joer293]

I was probably the only person ever disappointed to hear Tesla reduced the charger 10% from 80A to 72A. I thought it was worth it at destination chargers. Tesla charged $1,500 to double the base charge rate. Today, Tesla charges the same $1,500 to add only 50% to base. I understand the vast majority is getting a 20% increase to 48A for free, but there should be an option for 4x24. My reason is based on the reality this new charger is even lower, down to 69A. At night time on the grid, my house gets ~251 volts, and that appears to force the charger down to 69A charge according to the display. It must be a kw circuit limitation. With my thirsty dual charger model S, it would drink 80A @250v, and provide 63mph of range add.

 

[goneskiian]

I was probably the only person ever disappointed to hear Tesla reduced the charger 10% from 80A to 72A.

Um, no, you weren't. If you go back and look at the thread(s) about this here in the X discussions you'll find many, many more. Including myself.

 

[Mayhemm]

I was probably the only person ever disappointed to hear Tesla reduced the charger 10% from 80A to 72A

Tesla seems to be under the impression that everyone has access to Superchargers and would not notice the change. Anybody without Supercharger access like myself (and you, presumably) was more than a little irked by this change.

 

[Tech_Guy]

don't all new cars come with supercharger access though? So those with 72A chargers have supercharger access for now. I did see a discussion that tesla might unbundle the supercharger to lower the base price in the future.

 

[ccutrer]

don't all new cars come with supercharger access though? So those with 72A chargers have supercharger access for now. I did see a discussion that tesla might unbundle the supercharger to lower the base price in the future.

Unrelated. Even on the old 60s, dual chargers was separate from supercharger access. @Joer293 and @Mayhemm's point is that they don't live near or use Superchargers, so the highest amperage AC charge they can get is more useful to them.

 

[Joer293]

Tesla used to be about pushing the boundaries of physics. Why go with a new iteration, when it costs more for less? That's what politicians do, not tech companies.

 

[emir-t]

Speaking from a 380V three phase AC grid country, I'm disappointed in the reduction of AC charging capacity.

Tesla is right to think AC charging is only for destination or home and the rest is Supercharging but we don't have any superchargers and charging 22kW AC (32A 3 phase, 96A) was 110km an hour which was reasonable enough when you think how abundant AC three phase plugs are on the road. (tyre shops, car washes, parking lots, washers etc.)

Now though max we can get is 24A x 3 = 72A. So from 22kW, 110km per hour to 16kW, 80km per hour. You have to spend 80 minutes now instead of 60 minutes for the same charge. Even the Renault ZOE has 22kW AC charging capability, really gives you freedom on the road.

 

[InsaneDriver]

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.

Did you charge tesla $1,900 for enabling what your ordered after delivery?

 

[Jonas_man]

I got Tesla store credit, I was thinking to enable this option on my car. But 2100€ will be 1/3 of the credit i got.. Im still thinking if i do it or not even being free! This option is really expensive..

 

[FlyF4]

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.

Yup, I agree. That is why I got the 72A version, so I can charge at destination chargers with a faster rate and it has come in handy several times already.

Also, to say that depending several variables in a home, some people won't be able to put in an extra 80 Amp breaker to allow full charging at 72 A anyway. They might find that their service panel can't really handle adding more than 40 or 50 Amps anyway. And yes, agree that 40 A charging is plenty good to charge over night at home.

 

[andrewket]

Yup, I agree. That is why I got the 72A version, so I can charge at destination chargers with a faster rate and it has come in handy several times already.

Also, to say that depending several variables in a home, some people won't be able to put in an extra 80 Amp breaker to allow full charging at 72 A anyway. They might find that their service panel can't really handle adding more than 40 or 50 Amps anyway. And yes, agree that 40 A charging is plenty good to charge over night at home.

90A breaker for 72A charging.

Don’t forget people who have time of use (TOU) plans. I have to charge our 3 EVs between 1-5am. 72A charging is very useful for this. I find the 48A max amperage of the Model 3 to be insufficient. It has gone to 5:30+ several times already. Tesla got cheap.

 

[FlyF4]

90A breaker for 72A charging.

Don’t forget people who have time of use (TOU) plans. I have to charge our 3 EVs between 1-5am. 72A charging is very useful for this. I find the 48A max amperage of the Model 3 to be insufficient. It has gone to 5:30+ several times already. Tesla got cheap.

Yup, I understand that? I had TOU in California and still have plenty of time at night to charge with only 20 amps. When I was mentioning 80 amps, I was referring to the fact that some homes might not be able to put in 80 Amp breakers (or larger) with all the other stuff going on in a home. In fact I should probably say 60 Amps or larger might be tough in some homes.