Difference in Corded Mobile Connector and Gen 2 Mobile Connector?

[rahim05]

if I were to get the Gen 2 14-50 adapter with the Gen 2 Mobile Connector, wouldn't I just be saving money and getting additional flexibility for road trips?

 

[user212_nr]

Right (short answer).

Long answer - Reasons for wall connector:
a) appearance + sturdiness
b) charging multiple cars on the same circuit
c) if you want to keep the mobile connector in your car / elsewhere and would pay the extra $225 for appearance


Tesla videos and images don't do a good job of making that clear since they all have bought the wall connector for reason (a) and they don't care about the extra $500 + install because they are the higher-end customers.

Also, the mobile connector comes with the car so you only need the adapter unless you are buying a second one.

 

[Rocky_H]

Long answer - Reasons for wall connector:

This isn't about the wall connector, so irrelevant.
The question was about the difference between the Corded Mobile Connector and the Universal Mobile Connector.

@rahim05 It's not just about difference in flexibility. The Corded Mobile Connector is based on the older 1st generation mobile connector, so it has a capacity to run 40A of current. The newer 2nd generation mobile connector was scaled down and built a little smaller, so it will only do 32A of current, but it does have that flexibility of changing adapters instead of just having the 14-50 plug permanently built-in. So that's your tradeoff choice of charging speed versus flexibility.

 

[ewoodrick]

Corded mobile connector, I believe, isn't readily available. The UMC is perfectly fine.

 

[SMAlset]

We charge with a NEMA 14-50 outlet in our garage (which gives us flexibilty for that outlet use now and down the road) and purchased the 14-50 corded mobile connector. We decided to do that so that we would always have our kit with us in the car, and the cord plug being fairly flat didn't stick out far from our wall. It's a nice snug fit and the fact that there isn't an adapter and another point of contact to have an issue at we felt made it a bit safer. Didn't want to be pulling it/adapter in and out of the wall outlet or plug. It stays plugged in the wall permanently for the most part. We periodically touch the flat plug side when the car is charging to make sure it's not overheating. Been using this set up since early 2017.

Even with a LR AWD Model 3 (310 mile range) I start charging at 11pm and am 90% charged in the early a.m. hours while I'm sleeping (and that's from about 20% SOC). Don't see the need to rapid charge at home and think a slower charge is probably better for the battery life. Think I have my amperage set to around 30.

The corded mobile connector will go in and out of stock. Currently out of stock but gets replenished quite frequently. Lots of cars being sold and ordering. If you are waiting to order one, in the meantime you can use your kit that came with the car along with a NEMA 14-50 adapter (probably good to have the adapter as part of your road kit anyway--can be used at RV parks in a pinch while traveling)

 

[Rocky_H]

Corded mobile connector, I believe, isn't readily available. The UMC is perfectly fine.

A. What would make you say it "isn't readily available"? It goes in and out of stock just like many other things do on Tesla's shop, with its precarious supply chain.
B. The person asked about what the differences are, so I explained that, so they can make their decision with all of the information.

 

[Kamban]

A poster above has given you the difference between the two.

I just wanted to let you know that the corded mobile connector is expensive at $520. A much better purchase would be the corded 14-50 wall charger that appears intermittently at Tesla site and costs $500. I just got one and it came home 2 days ago. It is massive and built like a tank compared to the puny mobile corded charger.

In fact, it is the same size ( and probably the same) as the regular wall charger that you need an electrician to install. I have that too and both main wall elements look identical. It is just that the corded one has a 14-50 attached securely with a cord and because of this it is limited to 40A. I am pretty sure if you rewire it and remove the cord it can go to 80A, like a regular WC. But the advantage of having the cord is that you have a wall plate with a couple of screws to attach and then attach the WC to that face plate, and plug the cord into the 14-50 outlet- Voila.

And when you move it can be removed within 10 minutes and taken to new location. A much better buy if you want a portable solution that you intend to keep in your garage

 

[Rocky_H]

I just wanted to let you know that the corded mobile connector is expensive at $520. A much better purchase would be the corded 14-50 wall charger that appears intermittently at Tesla site and costs $500. I just got one and it came home 2 days ago. It is massive and built like a tank compared to the puny mobile corded charger.

In fact, it is the same size ( and probably the same) as the regular wall charger that you need an electrician to install. I have that too and both main wall elements look identical. It is just that the corded one has a 14-50 attached securely with a cord and because of this it is limited to 40A. I am pretty sure if you rewire it and remove the cord it can go to 80A, like a regular WC. But the advantage of having the cord is that you have a wall plate with a couple of screws to attach and then attach the WC to that face plate, and plug the cord into the 14-50 outlet- Voila.

So it costs the same as a real wall connector but has more limitations. I'll pass.

And when you move it can be removed within 10 minutes and taken to new location. A much better buy if you want a portable solution that you intend to keep in your garage

A regular wall connector can be removed just about as easily.

 

[Phlier]

A regular wall connector can be removed just about as easily.

Agreed.

I watched the electrician mount my HPWC, and it really is easy to mount/dismount. Five minute job, tops.

 

[davewill]

Agreed.

I watched the electrician mount my HPWC, and it really is easy to mount/dismount. Five minute job, tops.

Yeah, You'll spend more time dismounting it from the wall and patching the holes in the drywall than you will dealing with the wires.

 

[Kdblondie]

I ordered my M3 on Monday. I don't have a commute only 4 miles each way so I'm thinking I will only need to charge about 3 times a week? I was just going to use the charger that comes with the car and buy the 14-50 adapter. I have an electrician coming to put the 14-50 outlet on the side of my house where my driveway is.( I have a detached garage that is just used for storage) . I don't need to buy the corded charger, do I?

 

[Kamban]

I ordered my M3 on Monday. I don't have a commute only 4 miles each way so I'm thinking I will only need to charge about 3 times a week? I was just going to use the charger that comes with the car and buy the 14-50 adapter. I have an electrician coming to put the 14-50 outlet on the side of my house where my driveway is.( I have a detached garage that is just used for storage) . I don't need to buy the corded charger, do I?

If NEMA 14-50 is inside the house, no problem.

If the NEMA is installed outside ( with cover box) then you may need to plug and unplug each time and that can cause issues with loosening of wires and heating and melting of receptacle. Especially if you put in a cheap one.

 

[darth_vad3r]

if I were to get the Gen 2 14-50 adapter with the Gen 2 Mobile Connector, wouldn't I just be saving money and getting additional flexibility for road trips?

1. (Gen 2) MC supports 32 A max
2. WC with 14-50 cord supports 40 A max

• SR, SR+, MR support 32 A max
• LR supports 48 A max

So... if you have a 3SR+ or SR, or MR, then these two options will charge at the same speed (32 A of current max supported by these cars).
If you have an LR, and the Wall Connector is on a circuit that's 50 A, you will be able to charge at 40 A which is faster than the 32 A the mobile connector can put out (LR's can charge up to 48 A).

 

[Kdblondie]

If NEMA 14-50 is inside the house, no problem.

If the NEMA is installed outside ( with cover box) then you may need to plug and unplug each time and that can cause issues with loosening of wires and heating and melting of receptacle. Especially if you put in a cheap one.

Thanks for the info, I will have to now re-think this.

 

[darth_vad3r]

I ordered my M3 on Monday. I don't have a commute only 4 miles each way so I'm thinking I will only need to charge about 3 times a week? I was just going to use the charger that comes with the car and buy the 14-50 adapter. I have an electrician coming to put the 14-50 outlet on the side of my house where my driveway is.( I have a detached garage that is just used for storage) . I don't need to buy the corded charger, do I?

If you only commute 4 miles each way a day, you can use a 120V outlet with the charging equipment that comes with your car, saving $25 on the adapter, and hundreds on the electrician.

Despite what the charts/tables on Tesla's website claim, the 3 effectively "charges" more efficiently than the S/X because the car is more efficient and gets more miles per kWh added. It can charge at 5mph off 120V.

That's +60 miles added overnight. Plug it in everynight, always have whatever % you choose the next morning. e.g. 70% if you don't drive much is a nice healthy choice for the battery.

8mi/day no need for fast charging. I drive over 40mi/day and use 120V.

 

[davewill]

If NEMA 14-50 is inside the house, no problem.

If the NEMA is installed outside ( with cover box) then you may need to plug and unplug each time and that can cause issues with loosening of wires and heating and melting of receptacle. Especially if you put in a cheap one.

Thanks for the info, I will have to now re-think this.

Another option for outside would be weatherproof enclosure that could fit the outlet and UMC, but I would just install a wall connector instead. I'm all for saving a buck when I can, but no sense being so cheap that you put in something kludgy.

@darth_vad3r correctly points out that 120v would work for your commute, but it doesn't solve the lack of weather proofing of the UMC or the plug and unplug problem. It also doesn't address that fact that you might drive a lot more on the weekends and might like to be able to charge overnight in that situation. Personally, I'm a fan of installing a solid charging solution and using it every night whether you "need" to plug in or not. For your short commute, set the charge level to 70-80% and just plug in every night.

 

[darth_vad3r]

Another option for outside would be weatherproof enclosure that could fit the outlet and UMC, but I would just install a wall connector instead. I'm all for saving a buck when I can, but no sense being so cheap that you put in something kludgy.

@darth_vad3r correctly points out that 120v would work for your commute, but it doesn't solve the lack of weather proofing of the UMC or the plug and unplug problem. It also doesn't address that fact that you might drive a lot more on the weekends and might like to be able to charge overnight in that situation. Personally, I'm a fan of installing a solid charging solution and using it every night whether you "need" to plug in or not. For your short commute, set the charge level to 70-80% and just plug in every night.

Any recommendations for that type of enclosure?

I saw some in-use outlet-only* enclosures that looked nice mentioned here elsewhere. Like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OHRNX0G
(*okay well "outlet-only" wrt to the plug + the MC brick, but not just the outlet, it also encloses the plug while in use)

That would still leave the MC exposed without something else to shelter it, which I thought you could just do with a rubbermaid or something ... but if there was something that enclosed everything against the wall that would be nifty ... and anti-theft-ish possibly.

EDIT:
https://www.amazon.com/SOCKiTBOX-Weatherproof-Connection-Electrical-Transformers/dp/B006EUHS96
Fancier than a plain old rubbermaid, basically a purpose-built rubbermaid
Looks like it might fit the MC in it ok?

 

[darth_vad3r]

Hmm, this flowchart says get 4X if you have rain/sleet/snow and want corrosive protections:

The manual for the Gen 2 MC says it is a 4X enclosure ...

So ... they want you to buy a 4X enclosure for something that is already rated 4X? ... meaning ... it's fine to leave the MC dangling from the prior in-use outlet enclosure?