Funny - Perceptions - Model S Road Trip

[northWETwa]

Just back from our first "real" road trip in our P85 MS - WA to SoCA and back.

Adhered to the old adage "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best" in our planning & prep. Packed a cooler with snacks, threw in folding chairs and small table for hanging out while charging, had a printed out list of e-v-e-r-y s-i-n-g-l-e Supercharger along the route.....you get the idea. ......and then we left the house....... 110 degrees and thick smoke from fires all the way through Oregon and down to Gilroy. Well, THAT wasn't on our prep list! Ha! Worked out, though. Sat in our air conditioned (& air filtered) car, or went to air conditioned dining while we charged. Gotta love it!

When we pulled up at family member's home upon arrival in CA, we found that they were even more worried about our car & charging opportunities than we were! Dad ran an orange extension cord from the garage, down the driveway, and out to the curb just for our car, Crisis (yes, we named it Crisis.....as in "mid life crisis"!). Ha!! Yet another opportunity to educate on the awesomeness of our Tesla!

What a GREAT drive/trip is was!

 

[kort677]

fwiw: that cord wouldn't work well, you need a heavier gauge cord for safe efficient 110 charging

 

[dhcp]

When I'm burned out sitting at my desk, I love reading these road trip stories, they make me smile.

 

[northWETwa]

Didn't use their "charging" set up - didn't need it! Ha!

FWIW, though......we used an orange extension cord for charging for the first 3 MONTHS (yes, months!) that we owned our car. Gained 3 miles of range per hour. Ahhhhh.....those were the days....... hee hee!

Hubby installed charger when weather changed, he started driving more, and lack of charging was starting to cramp his social life.

 

[Max*]

fwiw: that cord wouldn't work well, you need a heavier gauge cord for safe efficient 110 charging

You must have better eyes than me, I can't tell the gauge of the cord from a photo.

 

[Darmie]

We're staying at an apartment for a while working out of town. I picked up this short extension cord which works great to pull power from the receptacle from above down to ground level.

 

[Half Dollar Bill]

Your dad has a sense of humor
Note to self - when planning next trip out west to drive the 101 from Washington to Cali, plan in the spring to avoid fire season.
Glad the trip was a success and here's hoping you have many more!

 

[TexasEV]

You must have better eyes than me, I can't tell the gauge of the cord from a photo.

No, but you can assume that orange cords aren't heavier than 16 gauge, which is not adequate. So unless you see the cord says 10 or 12 gauge stamped on it, don't use an orange cord. Homeowners aren't likely to have a heavy enough cord for Tesla charging, what they have are orange cords for outdoor lawn equipment.

If someone wants to charge with an extension cord, they should buy a 10 or 12 gauge cord and carry it with them.

 

[Max*]

No, but you can assume that orange cords aren't heavier than 16 gauge, which is not adequate.

I have an orange cord that's heavier than 16awg in my car right at this moment, you know what they say about assuming...

Homeowners aren't likely to have a heavy enough cord for Tesla charging

This is true, but it's a lot to assume off of a photo.

Also if it's a short run, 14awg is enough. If it's a long run, yeah, you should get 12 or 10awg.

 

[TexasEV]

I said unless you see the orange cord has 10 or 12 gauge stamped on it. If you know that your orange cord is 10 or 12 gauge, then my comment didn't apply to your orange cord. As a general rule, I think "mainstream" owners who aren't tuned in to wire gauges need to know to avoid orange cords unless they're sure it's 10 or 12 gauge.

 

[kort677]

I have an orange cord that's heavier than 16awg in my car right at this moment, you know what they say about assuming...

This is true, but it's a lot to assume off of a photo.

Also if it's a short run, 14awg is enough. If it's a long run, yeah, you should get 12 or 10awg.

can you say tmc pendantic

 

[northWETwa]

And just to keep the levity going......

When we pulled in to stop at the end of a loooong day of driving, we not longer open the frunk to take out our pillows and then the trunk to take out our duffles......by the end of the trip we were just opening the frunkentrunk - or frunk-n-trunk - !!! Yes, it's now one word

 

[Half Dollar Bill]

by the end of the trip we were just opening the frunkentrunk - or frunk-n-trunk - !!! Yes, it's now one word

Frunkentrunk sounds like a costume we'll all need for this coming Halloween.

 

[Shock-On-T]

I have an orange cord that's heavier than 16awg in my car right at this moment, you know what they say about assuming...

This is true, but it's a lot to assume off of a photo.

Also if it's a short run, 14awg is enough. If it's a long run, yeah, you should get 12 or 10awg.

You are completely correct. I don't know who disagreed with you.
14awg is adequate for 120V at 16A over 15 feet.
Wire Size Chart

It's also completely safe to use any gauge with a Tesla (unlike most appliances), because it's smart enough to stop charging when the voltage drop exceeds nominal.

If the gauge is too small the wire starts to heat, which increases the resistance, which drops the voltage, which causes the car to immediately stop charging.

Note that this is only true if the wire is good condition, specifically has uniform size throughout its length. A short section of very thin wire (or a loose contact) can burn before the voltage of the whole system drops enough to alert the car.

 

[northWETwa]

Leave it to a bunch of men to turn this into an orange extension cord throw down!

Here's an old pic of my dad's electric car - 70s vintage - powered by six (or eight?) car batteries. Mounted on/under front and back bumpers. Been gone from his driveway for several years now, but he still maintains that he holds the title of First-in-the-Family to own an Electric car.

 

[kort677]

You are completely correct. I don't know who disagreed with you.
14awg is adequate for 120V at 16A over 15 feet.
Wire Size Chart

It's also completely safe to use any gauge with a Tesla (unlike most appliances), because it's smart enough to stop charging when the voltage drop exceeds nominal.

If the gauge is too small the wire starts to heat, which increases the resistance, which drops the voltage, which causes the car to immediately stop charging.

Note that this is only true if the wire is good condition, specifically has uniform size throughout its length. A short section of very thin wire (or a loose contact) can burn before the voltage of the whole system drops enough to alert the car.

maybe on paper you're correct, but the last time I tried to use a 50 ft 16ga cord the car would not charge

 

[kort677]

Leave it to a bunch of men to turn this into an orange extension cord throw down!

Here's an old pic of my dad's electric car - 70s vintage - powered by six (or eight?) car batteries. Mounted on/under front and back bumpers. Been gone from his driveway for several years now, but he still maintains that he holds the title of First-in-the-Family to own an Electric car.

View attachment 247447

my golf cart is powered by 6 12 v batteries, it's just about the cover you put over those batteries

 

[Ed Hart]

Leave it to a bunch of men to turn this into an orange extension cord throw down!

Here's an old pic of my dad's electric car - 70s vintage - powered by six (or eight?) car batteries. Mounted on/under front and back bumpers. Been gone from his driveway for several years now, but he still maintains that he holds the title of First-in-the-Family to own an Electric car.

View attachment 247447

Ha! That is the car (Vanguard?) that Elon was referring to when he said Tesla set out to show that electric cars are not just glorified golf carts!

 

[Max*]

can you say tmc pendantic

Can you say tmc troll.