Does the model 3 need to be fettled to be a daily driver?

[GRiLLA]

Just think how much value you'll be adding to your house if you sort out the issue with charging an EV, otherwise 10 years from now your house will be very undesirable.

Electricity is pretty easy to run, sure you may cost more than the basic chargepoint installation, but hundreds more not thousands. Clearly we don't understand the orientation position of the car, but if it goes in one way it can fit the other way round. Just takes a bit of practice then it'll become second nature.

 

[Jason71]

Don't suppose you have a pic or a link to this "water proof box"?
EDIT: This kind of thing?

I actually considered running an extension to the shed with one of these; WEATHERPROOF OUTDOOR SWITCHED PASSIVE RCD SOCKET on the outside of the shed nearest the car but wasn't sure if the Tesla charger control box itself was waterproof.

this is the sort of thing I was referring to. They are great for charging on the go. Holiday homes/ friends houses etc

DRiBOX 285 meduim perfect for our 2 way outdoor extension leads

Safely plug in your weatherproof electrical equipment outdoors by using our heavy duty range of 13amp extension leads this IP55 rated weatherproof

www.industrialextensionleads.co.uk

This is the one I have I carry it in the car with a 10meter extension lead. The 30m cable I made specially for a holiday home in Cornwall I stayed at this year.
This one will hold the UMC and the plug/socket from the extension lead while charging but its tight. If space not an issue then the next size up might be better.

A socket in the shed is def an option if can do it. if you ran it with standard 2.5mm cable then the current carrying capacity would be at least as good as an extension lead. I can't speak to the regs. I am not an electrician but it would work
If you are going to go to the trouble of running a cable and its a long way you might want to think about a 6mm armoured cable rather than a 2.5mm one. That would give you the option to put in a proper charger later without re-doing the cable.

Did one across a garden for my Dad recently. Nothing like as far as you need but principal is the same.

 

[GRiLLA]

Toughleads sell extensions designed for EV Granny chargers, read their site carefully and make a decision. You are correct that the general advice is to not use an extension lead, most are not designed to handle a constant high current for hours.

Electric vehicle leads

Tough Leads products are renowned on EV forums and Facebook groups for their high quality and reliability. Please see our article on safely charging electric vehicles for advice on extension leads. It is the responsibility of the EV user to consider the manufacturers guidance, the safety of the...

toughleads.co.uk

In terms of the Tesla UMC, it is rated IP44, which means it' protected from splashing, rain etc. It's not rated to be sat in water. Given how cheaply available a drybox is it would seem like a sensible measure.

 

[Nick77]

I am completely reliant on public charging but if I could do it any other way I would.

My commute was 18 miles each way when I bought the car (so 36 per day - 180 per week). I calculated a weekly charge of about 45 mins as I drive other places too. But that is in ideal conditions. In winter you'll probably have to charge more than that as efficiency drops a lot.

If you can granny charge with an extension then I would say do it. That gets you about 4-6 miles an hour. Leave it plugged in as often as possible and it should easily cover your commutes for the week. You can then supercharge if you need a quick boost.

 

[Jason71]

Toughleads sell extensions designed for EV Granny chargers, read their site carefully and make a decision. You are correct that the general advice is to not use an extension lead, most are not designed to handle a constant high current for hours.

Electric vehicle leads

Tough Leads products are renowned on EV forums and Facebook groups for their high quality and reliability. Please see our article on safely charging electric vehicles for advice on extension leads. It is the responsibility of the EV user to consider the manufacturers guidance, the safety of the...

toughleads.co.uk

In terms of the Tesla UMC, it is rated IP44, which means it' protected from splashing, rain etc. It's not rated to be sat in water. Given how cheaply available a drybox is it would seem like a sensible measure.

hmm all those even the 25m are 1.5mm. if I was going longer than 15m I would probably go 2.5mm
if you look at industrial extension leads everything 15M+ is 2.5mm

Heavy duty single socket extension leads

Single socket heavy duty high quality extension

www.industrialextensionleads.co.uk

 

[Jason71]

Don't suppose you have a pic or a link to this "water proof box"?
EDIT: This kind of thing?

I actually considered running an extension to the shed with one of these; WEATHERPROOF OUTDOOR SWITCHED PASSIVE RCD SOCKET on the outside of the shed nearest the car but wasn't sure if the Tesla charger control box itself was waterproof.

Just to confuse you further the Tesla UMC is actually capable of a 32amps i.e. a lot more than the 10amps you will get if you plug into a 13amp socket.
If you buy one of the adaptors from Tesla here:

Blue Adapter - 16A/32A

Combine with the Gen 2 Universal Mobile Connector to plug in at standard single-phase socket with higher power output. 16A Blue Adapter Plug Diameter: 42 mm Max charge rate: 3.7 kW Range per hour: 22 km with Model 3 17 km with Model S...

shop.tesla.com

Then if you are going to the trouble of running permanent power to your shed instead of a 13amp socket you could put in a 16 or 32amp commando socket
like the ones you get a campsites etc and get a faster charge.

I don't know the regs on what is protection / cable etc is legally required for this but just to let you know the option exists

 

[Adopado]

Just to confuse you further the Tesla UMC is actually capable of a 32amps i.e. a lot more than the 10amps you will get if you plug into a 13amp socket.
If you buy one of the adaptors from Tesla here:

Blue Adapter - 16A/32A

Combine with the Gen 2 Universal Mobile Connector to plug in at standard single-phase socket with higher power output. 16A Blue Adapter Plug Diameter: 42 mm Max charge rate: 3.7 kW Range per hour: 22 km with Model 3 17 km with Model S...

shop.tesla.com

Then if you are going to the trouble of running permanent power to your shed instead of a 13amp socket you could put in a 16 or 32amp commando socket
like the ones you get a campsites etc and get a faster charge.

I don't know the regs on what is protection / cable etc is legally required for this but just to let you know the option exists

Interestingly the regs are technically the same but we accept charging using a 13amp plug on non-EV circuits (for "convenience" and supposedly occasional use). If you plug the UMC into a 31 amp or 16 amp commando socket (with the appropriate adapter) it is supposed to be on a circuit that has the same earthing and RCD protection as any other EV charge point (including DC protection)... but if you use it with a non-EV dedicated commando it will still work but you will just be in the same boat (safety wise) as people who are charging on a 13amp plug.

 

[Adopado]

If you plug the UMC into a 31 amp or 16 amp commando socket

Typo - should be: 32 amp or 16 amp commando

 

[MrBadger]

If you plug the UMC into a 31 amp or 16 amp commando socket

Typo - should be: 32 amp or 16 amp commando

And there was me thinking that the Tesla app had edited your post and knocked an Amp off

 

[GRiLLA]

hmm all those even the 25m are 1.5mm. if I was going longer than 15m I would probably go 2.5mm
if you look at industrial extension leads everything 15M+ is 2.5mm

Heavy duty single socket extension leads

Single socket heavy duty high quality extension

www.industrialextensionleads.co.uk

They explain why they use 1.5mm very clearly here

Safely Charging your Electric Vehicle Using a Granny Charger

The definitive beginners guide to safely charging your electric vehicle including types of connectors, granny chargers, extension leads, timers for off peak tariffs, meters to log energy used and adaptors to enable charging abroad. Also covers using a European or Scandinavian granny charger in...

toughleads.co.uk

Specifically there are a number of standards that would be broken using 2.5mm with regular 13amp plugs.

 

[Jason71]

They explain why they use 1.5mm very clearly here

Safely Charging your Electric Vehicle Using a Granny Charger

The definitive beginners guide to safely charging your electric vehicle including types of connectors, granny chargers, extension leads, timers for off peak tariffs, meters to log energy used and adaptors to enable charging abroad. Also covers using a European or Scandinavian granny charger in...

toughleads.co.uk

Specifically there are a number of standards that would be broken using 2.5mm with regular 13amp plugs.

fair enough but despite that they go on to say:
"For lengths of up to 20m, our advice is that the 1.5mmsq flex used in all of our leads is the best option"
Which means after saying all that even they do not recommend 1.5mmsq above 20m. And they sell cables that are 25m! so does that mean that they don't recommend their own product??

 

[browellm]

I've got a 15m Toughleads weatherproof extension. It's a great accessory to have and I carry it in my frunk to use at friends' and relatives' when I'm out and about.

 

[plisken]

Venturing every so slightly off my own topic, but can someone correct me in saying that a 22kw type 2 charger (ac) will only charge model 3's at 11kw? Or did I read that recent or latest models will now charge at 22kw

 

[GRiLLA]

Venturing every so slightly off my own topic, but can someone correct me in saying that a 22kw type 2 charger (ac) will only charge model 3's at 11kw? Or did I read that recent or latest models will now charge at 22kw

Yes, the model 3 won't charge on 3 phase 22KW, the fastest the onboard chargers can handle AC is 11KW 3 Phase.

The vast majority of people don't have 3 phase power to their homes anyway, so charge at 7KW on a 32A circuit. It charges about 10% an hour on a LR.

 

[MrBadger]

fair enough but despite that they go on to say:
"For lengths of up to 20m, our advice is that the 1.5mmsq flex used in all of our leads is the best option"
Which means after saying all that even they do not recommend 1.5mmsq above 20m. And they sell cables that are 25m! so does that mean that they don't recommend their own product??

I don't see any reference to not recommending cable >20m. They say that 1.5mm at up to 20m is the best option, but that is not the same as not recommending 1.5mm at 25m. They are limited by wiring regs for non moulded plug, so in that scenario, 2.5mm at 25m or indeed any length is not an option.

 

[Overworked]

Yes, the model 3 won't charge on 3 phase 22KW, the fastest the onboard chargers can handle AC is 11KW 3 Phase.

The vast majority of people don't have 3 phase power to their homes anyway, so charge at 7KW on a 32A circuit. It charges about 10% an hour on a LR.

It will charge on 3 phase, but only at 11kw because of the internal limits as set out.

Hardly worth getting it fitted to 3 phase when single phase at 7kw will suffice unless you have another car that might benefit from up to 22kw.

I have 3 phase but am not bothering to get a 3 phase charger as single phase will suffice for all my needs

 

[Jason71]

that is not the same as not recommending 1.5mm at 25m.

I mean it kinda is. If you say 1.5 is the best option upto 20 metres you are pretty much saying its NOT the best option above that. Otherwise why say it at all.

 

[Adopado]

And there was me thinking that the Tesla app had edited your post and knocked an Amp off

ha ... exactly what I thought too! I would have sworn I typed it right ...

 

[DigbyChicken]

I've got a 15m Toughleads weatherproof extension. It's a great accessory to have and I carry it in my frunk to use at friends' and relatives' when I'm out and about.

FWIW I'm still using a fixed Toughleads extension and the 3-pin UMC for everyday charging, as per this post/thread (Starting to Have My Doubts (About Leasing an M3) and We've Not Even Seen the Car Yet), and after four months (almost 5.5k miles, mostly charged at home), have had no issues. I'm still waiting to swap out the tethered type 1 unit at the front of the house for a socketed type 2, but for the moment... Well, it seems to work.

 

[plisken]

FWIW I'm still using a fixed Toughleads extension and the 3-pin UMC for everyday charging, as per this post/thread (Starting to Have My Doubts (About Leasing an M3) and We've Not Even Seen the Car Yet), and after four months (almost 5.5k miles, mostly charged at home), have had no issues. I'm still waiting to swap out the tethered type 1 unit at the front of the house for a socketed type 2, but for the moment... Well, it seems to work.

Is this outside? (looks like it is)

I subsequently ordered a padlock, so that I can keep the UMC safe

Doesn't the 3pin plug simply pull out of the charger control box? (or am I missing something)

Finally, if you don't mind me asking, what's your milleage to charging routine been, how long, how often and so on?