Electrical genius required?

[GPDP]

I cant see it being current draw as the charger should step down the amount of charge if there are other demands on the supply. Are you operating the gates via a hard wired switch?.
do the gates have a remote? my guess would be some form of Rf interference blocking the gates

The gates operate via remote control. I maybe should have mentioned the gates are around 40 metres away from the house and from where the chargers and cars are. The remotes do operate the gates ok and the gates try to open, maybe moving an inch or 2 before stopping.

 

[Dilly]

Based on what you’ve said, my guess would be the size of of the supply cable to the garage being just man enough for the charge at 32amps and nothing else. A good sparky will see that if true.

 

[GPDP]

Agreed, it doesn't sound like a supply issue. There would be nothing current limiting the supply to the gates and if maximum load was exceeded the breaker should trip.

If the gates have a poor electrical connection then additional voltage drop from the car charging may be enough to stop the gates functioning but I would expect both cars to have the same effect.

It is conceivable that the Tesla is producing some electrical noise but the charger should have filters within it to make sure the mains supply is clean.

The only thing I can think of is RF interference that the Tesla is making that the gates don't like. You say the gates are only wired controlled, but I wonder it it has a wireless option not being used, or the electronics are just getting upset - try some shielding around the control box (aluminium foil for example as a test).

The gates are hard wired but operated via remotes. However the gates are around 40m from the cars and chargers.

 

[GPDP]

Agreed, it doesn't sound like a supply issue. There would be nothing current limiting the supply to the gates and if maximum load was exceeded the breaker should trip.

If the gates have a poor electrical connection then additional voltage drop from the car charging may be enough to stop the gates functioning but I would expect both cars to have the same effect.

It is conceivable that the Tesla is producing some electrical noise but the charger should have filters within it to make sure the mains supply is clean.

The only thing I can think of is RF interference that the Tesla is making that the gates don't like. You say the gates are only wired controlled, but I wonder it it has a wireless option not being used, or the electronics are just getting upset - try some shielding around the control box (aluminium foil for example as a test).

The gates are hard wired but operated via remotes. However the gates are around 40m from the cars

Based on what you’ve said, my guess would be the size of of the supply cable to the garage being just man enough for the charge at 32amps and nothing else. A good sparky will see that if true.

Yeah that's what I thought for the past few years, but the new charger which is on a supply straight from the house main incoming supply still causes the issue. As the gates only operate at 5 amps I don't think the garage cable size is the issue.

 

[GlynG]

5 amps is 1250 Watts, could it be that when both cars are charging at 32 amps, plus whatever else you have powered in the house the voltage drop on the cable to the gates drops below the minimum voltage the gates will operate at? I say this because you say the gates try to move then stop and the only reason i can think of is that the cable to the gates may have some damage or insulation issues or perhaps has a higher resistance which drops the volts when the motors that operate the gates start up, Motor start ups do draw a lot more energy than when they are actually running and thats why most larger electric motors have a big capacitor or two to stop the initial surge dropping the voltage

could you measure the voltage at the gates and then get someone to start the car chargers so you can see the effect?

 

[pgkevet]

Based on what you’ve said, my guess would be the size of of the supply cable to the garage being just man enough for the charge at 32amps and nothing else. A good sparky will see that if true.

Yeah that's what I thought for the past few years, but the new charger which is on a supply straight from the house main incoming supply still causes the issue. As the gates only operate at 5 amps I don't think the garage cable size is the issue.

Is the 5 amps measured or just the rating of the gate motor? Remember you have start-up current to consider and the 40m length.

 

[GPDP]

5 amps is 1250 Watts, could it be that when both cars are charging at 32 amps, plus whatever else you have powered in the house the voltage drop on the cable to the gates drops below the minimum voltage the gates will operate at? I say this because you say the gates try to move then stop and the only reason i can think of is that the cable to the gates may have some damage or insulation issues or perhaps has a higher resistance which drops the volts when the motors that operate the gates start up, Motor start ups do draw a lot more energy than when they are actually running and thats why most larger electric motors have a big capacitor or two to stop the initial surge dropping the voltage

could you measure the voltage at the gates and then get someone to start the car chargers so you can see the effect?

The issue happens when only the Tesla is plugged in. The house supply is 100 amps so even allowing for Tv's, lights etc in the house (which shouldn't be on overnight while using cheap rate charging) there shouldn't be a load issue.
Good idea re checking the voltage at the gates, will try that and see if it changes when the car charger is activated.

 

[GPDP]

Yeah that's what I thought for the past few years, but the new charger which is on a supply straight from the house main incoming supply still causes the issue. As the gates only operate at 5 amps I don't think the garage cable size is the issue.

Is the 5 amps measured or just the rating of the gate motor? Remember you have start-up current to consider and the 40m

That's just the rating on the motor, they are on a 10 amp breaker.

 

[ACarneiro]

Is this single phase or three phase supply?
If the latter, is any one of the chargers on the same phase as the gate?

 

[GPDP]

Is this single phase or three phase supply?
If the latter, is any one of the chargers on the same phase as the gate?

It's a single phase supply.

 

[mspohr]

We have 2 ev's and 2 x 7Kw chargers. When we charge the Tesla at 32 amps on either charger it causes our electrically operated gates to not work. When we charge our other EV (BMW i4) at 32 amps on either charger the gates and everything else works fine.

One charger is a Podpoint Solo the other is a Hypervolt Home 2.0.

We have booked a Tesla ranger appointment so they can see the issue for themselves.

Does anyone have any experience of this type of issue, or have any ideas as to how to rectify this?

Electricity is magic. Magic when it works, magic when it doesn't.
Have you tried hanging a dead chicken on the gates?

 

[ACarneiro]

It's a single phase supply.

Have you measured voltages at the gate when both cars are charging?

 

[GPDP]

Have you measured voltages at the gate when both cars are charging?

No.... I have to try that to see if there is significant voltage drop.

 

[GlynG]

The issue happens when only the Tesla is plugged in. The house supply is 100 amps so even allowing for Tv's, lights etc in the house (which shouldn't be on overnight while using cheap rate charging) there shouldn't be a load issue.
Good idea re checking the voltage at the gates, will try that and see if it changes when the car charger is activated.

It is odd that it only happens when the Tesla is on charge at 32 amps - cant explain that, but the 40 metres of cable will have a voltage drop, plus you could have a capacitor failing in the drive motor of the gates, worn brushes in the motor or some stiffness in the operating of the gates all of which would require a bit more current to get the motor going, therefore the voltage drop could be an issue, you could also try giving the gates a little push to overcome the initial resistance which would reduce that initial draw because they do try to move but stop. If you have or could get an amp clamp meter you could also measure the amperage the gates are drawing to see if they remain in spec - the amp clamp meter only requires the jaws opening and placed over the outer insulation in order to measure.

 

[GPDP]

It is odd that it only happens when the Tesla is on charge at 32 amps - cant explain that, but the 40 metres of cable will have a voltage drop, plus you could have a capacitor failing in the drive motor of the gates, worn brushes in the motor or some stiffness in the operating of the gates all of which would require a bit more current to get the motor going, therefore the voltage drop could be an issue, you could also try giving the gates a little push to overcome the initial resistance which would reduce that initial draw because they do try to move but stop. If you have or could get an amp clamp meter you could also measure the amperage the gates are drawing to see if they remain in spec - the amp clamp meter only requires the jaws opening and placed over the outer insulation in order to measure.

Thanks for the post... I don't have an amp meter but will see if I can get one to test the gates.

 

[Sean.]

If I lower the Tesla charging amps to 16 then the gates work.
I don't have any homelink style functions in the car.

Put a voltmeter across L and N on the gate supply and check the voltage as you load the Tesla charger from 16A and beyond. It could be sagging just enough to cause the gate power supply to see it as a supply fault and stop the gates from working.

Edit: Missed the last few posts before mine - definitely with a 40m cable run - I reckon you have a voltage sag issue when the circuit shared with the charger is otherwise fully loaded.

 

[HCassidy]

Would be interesting to try open the gates, allow them to start moving and then ramp up the current on the Tesla and see if they still stop.

Like others have said the voltage drop of the cable run could be the issue and depending on the CSA (cross-sectional area) of the cable then the voltage drop can increase. I have seen this with a 20M extension (Tough Leads) when using the Tesla granny charger. Tesla states it's receiving 224V when using the extension, and around 236V without the extension.

I would assume it's 1.5mm2 3-core SWA they have buried in the ground for the gates. In which case based off your current draw estimate it shouldn't be dropped more than 5V. If it's a smaller CSA then this will increase.

Not sure what gate controller you have, but if it has an older supply then has a static AC-DC converter for the control electronics, then it might not be regulating the DC output well enough. I have seen some PLCs (programmable logic controllers) from Siemens that have a 24V DC input but if it drops down to 19V it will just switch off.

It is odd though that the BMW isn't causing the same issue and would make me think it could be the Tesla putting some DC transient voltage back onto the AC supply. Especially considering that with both chargers you are experiencing the same issue.

One last thing, has this started since it got colder or after heavy rain?

 

[GPDP]

Would be interesting to try open the gates, allow them to start moving and then ramp up the current on the Tesla and see if they still stop.

Like others have said the voltage drop of the cable run could be the issue and depending on the CSA (cross-sectional area) of the cable then the voltage drop can increase. I have seen this with a 20M extension (Tough Leads) when using the Tesla granny charger. Tesla states it's receiving 224V when using the extension, and around 236V without the extension.

I would assume it's 1.5mm2 3-core SWA they have buried in the ground for the gates. In which case based off your current draw estimate it shouldn't be dropped more than 5V. If it's a smaller CSA then this will increase.

Not sure what gate controller you have, but if it has an older supply then has a static AC-DC converter for the control electronics, then it might not be regulating the DC output well enough. I have seen some PLCs (programmable logic controllers) from Siemens that have a 24V DC input but if it drops down to 19V it will just switch off.

It is odd though that the BMW isn't causing the same issue and would make me think it could be the Tesla putting some DC transient voltage back onto the AC supply. Especially considering that with both chargers you are experiencing the same issue.

One last thing, has this started since it got colder or after heavy rain?

Thanks for your reply.... it hasn't just started, it has been like this for years. I just assumed that the car was drawing too much load off the garage supply which meant the gates which are off the same fuse board didn't have enough power to run. It was only last week when we got another charger installed on a direct supply from the incoming mains that I realised the same issue was happening. I have a friend coming up tomorrow with his Tesla to plug it in and see what happens as Tesla service have kindly informed me that they will charge me if they can't find a fault with the car.

 

[LiamPope]

Following with interest, but sorry no ideas that haven't already been suggested!!

Seems it has to be volt drop related in the extreme conditions of a 32A load on the same garage feed and startup current of the gate motor. But if it's only the Tesla and also occurs when charging on a different final circuit, it can't be that.

Then I thought some interference, but you clarified the remote signal is still recieved and the motor starts and stops, just can't stay operating to open the gate.

Then it's back to volt drop. But it can't be. But it must be...

Out of interest, what type of installation do you have - TN, or maybe TT? Also what type of protection (i.e. earth fault - RCD?) are on both circuits. Also, do you need to drop the Tesla all the way down to 16 A to have your gate working? Or could you dial it down to 30, or 28, etc to get the gate working? Not that the answers to the above are likely to give me any more ideas!

Good luck!

 

[init6]

Does Teslafi show the voltage when charging? Would be interesting to see if there are fluctuations. Also, does the PodPoint app capture this when charging? I can't charge mine now to see.