Diff between Gen 2 mobile charger & Corded Mobile Connector

[davidk2213]

I have a $500 credit with Tesla and wondering what the best thing would be to buy for my M3 SR+

I have already purchased all weather mats, phone cords, vinyl wrap and nema 14-50 to use at home with mobile charger.

I was looking at either buying another Gen 2 mobile charger and nema 14-50 to take in the car ($275 + $35) or the Corded Mobile Charger ($520) - Not sure why that is so expensive and if it is different. (looks the same to me)

Anything else I should be looking at? Homelink for $300 seems like such a lot of money.

Thanks

 

[Rocky_H]

The "Corded" one is based on the Generation 1 UMC, and it has a maximum current of 40A. The regular Gen 2 UMC can only do 32A maximum, so that's why there is a cost difference. The second one is thinner cable, since it handles less amps.

 

[davidk2213]

The "Corded" one is based on the Generation 1 UMC, and it has a maximum current of 40A. The regular Gen 2 UMC can only do 32A maximum, so that's why there is a cost difference. The second one is thinner cable, since it handles less amps.

Thanks, as my car can only do 32A charging (i think), the mobile charger and nema adapter would work.

 

[darth_vad3r]

Thanks, as my car can only do 32A charging (i think), the mobile charger and nema adapter would work.

Do you have an SR or LR?

 

[davidk2213]

Do you have an SR or LR?

SR+

 

[darth_vad3r]

SR+

Yep, 32A on-board AC charging max then ... does your credit expire? Maybe save it for premium connectivity to unlock browser, streaming, satellite maps, live traffic view?

Spare J1772?

 

[mike123abc]

I got the corded mobile for my LR just because it charges 25% faster.

The issue was in an RV park I wanted to charge but a lot of the charging speed was eaten up by the AC since I was in the car.

Can short range model 3s charge at 32 amps and use the excess amps for the AC (or heater)?

 

[darth_vad3r]

I got the corded mobile for my LR just because it charges 25% faster.

The issue was in an RV park I wanted to charge but a lot of the charging speed was eaten up by the AC since I was in the car.

Can short range model 3s charge at 32 amps and use the excess amps for the AC (or heater)?

This is an excellent question.

Hmmm. Hmmmm... I'm gonna guess no. At a DC Fast Charger or supercharger you can use cabinet overhead for DC 'shore power' to power accessories.

I think with overhead AC capacity you are limited by the onboard AC limit still. You can't use AC to power the AC (LOL). It needs to convert from AC to DC first, which is maxed out by the 32A charging so that extra 8A is inaccessible (by the SR/+).

That's my logic, I'm not 100% sure ... someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Rocky_H]

Can short range model 3s charge at 32 amps and use the excess amps for the AC (or heater)?

That is kind of an interesting question, but no.

I think with overhead AC capacity you are limited by the onboard AC limit still.

It's basically this. The limit is not a limit of what the battery can take. It's a limit of that AC to DC converter, and it can only process 32A incoming at a time. So then it can send that result to battery only, or split between battery and air conditioning.

I have been aware of this and had to make use of this knowledge on some trips in years past when Superchargers were sparse. I was having to charge on a slow AC connection, and I knew that any heating or air conditioning would just suck energy away from charging, so I definitely didn't want to stay in the car reducing my charging speed, so I would go walk somewhere else to stay warm or cool to make sure the car could sleep and charge at full speed.

 

[jerseygirl18]

is this a doable option ...buy the corded NEMA mobile charger for my MX LR and take it between my 2 houses to use? there by only needing to buy one charger but having 2 separate plugs installed?

 

[Watts_Up]

is this a doable option ...buy the corded NEMA mobile charger for my MX LR and take it between my 2 houses to use?
there by only needing to buy one charger but having 2 separate plugs installed?

The plug is the weakest point of the installation.

To plug and unplug a high amperage plug is not recommended because is the plug is not completely inserted,
the contact surface will be small creating overheating risk.

In general people instal a mural UMC (no plug) where they are the most often during the week,
and use the portable UMC on weekend.

Note: I always leave my UMC plugged, and remove it only when going for a log trip.

 

[darth_vad3r]

is this a doable option ...buy the corded NEMA mobile charger for my MX LR and take it between my 2 houses to use? there by only needing to buy one charger but having 2 separate plugs installed?

Ok, lets put my ass-hat hat on (or is that just ass hat?) for a second and say ... “you have a Model X and two houses and want to save on buying a 2nd charger in exchange for the inconvenience of having to unplug it and take it with you each time?”

/asshat off

Is it a home you stay at only part of the year and it sits empty? If it’s something that gets rented out, having an EVSE installed/available for renters would be a selling point.

 

[jerseygirl18]

Ok, lets put my ass-hat hat on (or is that just ass hat?) for a second and say ... “you have a Model X and two houses and want to save on buying a 2nd charger in exchange for the inconvenience of having to unplug it and take it with you each time?”

/asshat off

Is it a home you stay at only part of the year and it sits empty? If it’s something that gets rented out, having an EVSE installed/available for renters would be a selling point.

your 1st statement was an opinion that was not necessary, however you did acknowledge it was beyond..lesson #1 peeps w/$$ don't throw it away..just as you are possibly doing with your purchase of a M3...i'm starting off small to find out what works best for me. thanks for the "advise"

 

[Phlier]

is this a doable option ...buy the corded NEMA mobile charger for my MX LR and take it between my 2 houses to use? there by only needing to buy one charger but having 2 separate plugs installed?

The plug is the weakest point of the installation.

This, for sure.

But while the NEMA 14-50 plug is a weak link, the *other* end of that plug (where you actually plug it into the charger) is pretty robust.

You could just buy two NEMA 14-50 plugs for your charger, plug one in at each of your houses and leave them there. Then when you travel from house to house, just take your charger. But leave the plug itself in the wall. So rather than unplugging the charger from the wall, you'll be unplugging the charger from the NEMA 14-50 cord. Since you'll only be unplugging the charger from the NEMA 14-50 cord once or twice a year, you should be good.

 

[jjrandorin]

is this a doable option ...buy the corded NEMA mobile charger for my MX LR and take it between my 2 houses to use? there by only needing to buy one charger but having 2 separate plugs installed?

Possible, yes. Advisable, no not really, for the reasons previously stated by others. The outlet of most of these plugs is not designed for "insert and remove" operations. With that being said, I have read you can mitigate this risk somewhat by buying a high quality plug (not the home depot / big box special).

Best to buy a commercial type plug at both houses if you intend to plug and remove frequently. Im not sure why you would be buying the corded mobile charger anyway, because the car comes with a mobile adapter, so the cheapest thing to do would be to simply use that one and take it back and forth if thats what you wanted to do. If you were going to buy a second adapter anyway, it cost the same thing as the wall connector. I would suggest considering the wall connector for the "main" house and taking the mobile connector that came with the car with you to the "sometime / summer / winter" house.

 

[jerseygirl18]

Possible, yes. Advisable, no not really, for the reasons previously stated by others. The outlet of most of these plugs is not designed for "insert and remove" operations. With that being said, I have read you can mitigate this risk somewhat by buying a high quality plug (not the home depot / big box special).

Best to buy a commercial type plug at both houses if you intend to plug and remove frequently. Im not sure why you would be buying the corded mobile charger anyway, because the car comes with a mobile adapter, so the cheapest thing to do would be to simply use that one and take it back and forth if thats what you wanted to do. If you were going to buy a second adapter anyway, it cost the same thing as the wall connector. I would suggest considering the wall connector for the "main" house and taking the mobile connector that came with the car with you to the "sometime / summer / winter" house.

that's an option of course, but i stay in one hse continuously for 7 mo & the other for the entire summer..do not go back & forth often...i thought the wall charg offers faster chrging vs the one that comes with the car?
thanks for your advise

 

[jerseygirl18]

This, for sure.

But while the NEMA 14-50 plug is a weak link, the *other* end of that plug (where you actually plug it into the charger) is pretty robust.

You could just buy two NEMA 14-50 plugs for your charger, plug one in at each of your houses and leave them there. Then when you travel from house to house, just take your charger. But leave the plug itself in the wall. So rather than unplugging the charger from the wall, you'll be unplugging the charger from the NEMA 14-50 cord. Since you'll only be unplugging the charger from the NEMA 14-50 cord once or twice a year, you should be good.

that was my exact idea!! thanks for your advise! appreciate

 

[jerseygirl18]

that was my exact idea!! thanks for your advise! appreciate

but let me get this straight..there are Nema 14-50 plugs & also Cords??? two different items??

 

[jjrandorin]

that's an option of course, but i stay in one hse continuously for 7 mo & the other for the entire summer..do not go back & forth often...i thought the wall charg offers faster chrging vs the one that comes with the car?
thanks for your advise

The wall connector CAN offer faster charging than the mobile connector (the charger is actually in the car.. just saying that before someone else does). This depends on how it is installed (type of wire, type of breaker, how much capacity your electrical panel has, etc etc).

It doesnt sound like you intend to "plug and re plug" very often from the wall side, so as long as you get the electrician to put in a quality outlet, you would likely be fine. I dont have any personal experience with the mobile corded connector, and I personally put a wall connector in my house as I only have one.

I still think I would either charge off the mobile connector that came with the car, or, buy a wall connector for both houses and have an electrician install those, instead of a corded connector and take it back and forth... but your idea would work if you wanted to do that.

 

[jjrandorin]

but let me get this straight..there are Nema 14-50 plugs & also Cords??? two different items??

there is a nema 14-50 wall plug (similar to you have a nema 5-15 (or 5-20 ) wall plug which is the regular plug you recognize in your home). just like you have a toaster or something that plugs in to a regular outlet and has either a 2 prong or 3 prong male plug that goes into a female outlet, 14-50 works the same way from a usage stand point.

The difference from a usage standpoint is the shape of the plugs are different, to prevent things that are not supposed to be plugged into them from being plugged into them.

NEMA connector - Wikipedia

14-50 is simply a type of wall plug from a consumer point of view. From the "wiring" point of view it has different requirements than your regular wall plug but if you are having someone install it you dont need to worry about that part.