Gen 3 Wall Connector BUT I don't have access to WIFI (Condo Garage)

[zazazone17]

Hi All,

I searched and searched but couldn't find the answer on this forum or google. If it is indeed here somewhere, but i've missed it, my apologies.

So I took possession of my 2021 model 3 on December 18th, 2020 and installed the Gen 3 connector on that same day by a certified electrician (not by Tesla). He installed a 40 Amp breaker (due to panel limitations). When the car charges, it charges at 32/32 amps and 8 kw which seems to be the max output for the model 3, so thats great news.

However, today I stumbled upon a bunch of different posts from here and reddit that state the charger needs to be commissioned to tell the charger the breaker amperage size. Problem is, the car and charger are in an underground parking in my condo garage with ZERO access to WIFI hence, no way to commission the charger.

Pressing the wand button for 5 seconds lights up all the green lights on the charger meaning it is currently set at 60A as per the manual but it should be at 40A as per my breaker which would correspond to 3 lights.

my questions are:
A) does anyone know of another way to commission it without WIFI?
B) what happens if I don't commission it ?
C) Can I just leave it like this or do I risk burning down the building ?

I can't be the only one in this situation and I find it very hard to believe that Tesla did not think of this one

 

[Zaxxon]

Fire up the wifi hotspot on your phone and commission it via that?

 

[zazazone17]

Fire up the wifi hotspot on your phone and commission it via that?

Forgot to mention, no cellphone signal down there either

 

[Zaxxon]

That would nuke my plan, then.

 

[Robotpedlr]

If it charges the car at 32amp and the breaker is 40amp you should be fine. Having the charger think it is on a 60amp doesn’t give it access to more power than the car can consume or that the breaker will deliver.

 

[Brock-WI]

Basically you connect an android device to the wall connector to change it, it doesn't connect out to the internet, at least not to configure the amperage settings. After you set the amperage you would select an available wifi, but your done at that point with no outside wifi.

The advantage of adjust the unit down to 32 amps is that if you upgrade or anyone ever plugs in a LR that can pull 48 amps, the way it is right now it will try and trip the 40 amp breaker.

 

[user212_nr]

Hi All,
my questions are:
A) does anyone know of another way to commission it without WIFI?
B) what happens if I don't commission it ?
C) Can I just leave it like this or do I risk burning down the building ?

I can't be the only one in this situation and I find it very hard to believe that Tesla did not think of this one

The Wall Connector was already commissioned by your electrician when he installed it. The Wall Connector operates its own local WiFi network for the purposes of commissioning, if you are curious.

WiFi and the internet are two distinct technologies. They are usually used together, but in rare cases like this, WiFi is used without the internet.

 

[mrau]

Should work with an Apple or Android device, tablet or phone. As stated, you are connecting the phone directly to the Wall Connector via a WiFi signal. No router or hot spot needed. Directions posted by @Brock-WI should be easy to follow.

Let us know how you make out.

 

[Gasaraki]

Hi All,

I searched and searched but couldn't find the answer on this forum or google. If it is indeed here somewhere, but i've missed it, my apologies.

So I took possession of my 2021 model 3 on December 18th, 2020 and installed the Gen 3 connector on that same day by a certified electrician (not by Tesla). He installed a 40 Amp breaker (due to panel limitations). When the car charges, it charges at 32/32 amps and 8 kw which seems to be the max output for the model 3, so thats great news.

However, today I stumbled upon a bunch of different posts from here and reddit that state the charger needs to be commissioned to tell the charger the breaker amperage size. Problem is, the car and charger are in an underground parking in my condo garage with ZERO access to WIFI hence, no way to commission the charger.

Pressing the wand button for 5 seconds lights up all the green lights on the charger meaning it is currently set at 60A as per the manual but it should be at 40A as per my breaker which would correspond to 3 lights.

my questions are:
A) does anyone know of another way to commission it without WIFI?
B) what happens if I don't commission it ?
C) Can I just leave it like this or do I risk burning down the building ?

I can't be the only one in this situation and I find it very hard to believe that Tesla did not think of this one

You don't need wifi. The Gen3 wall connector gives out a adhoc wifi connection so you can directly connect your phone to it to configure it.

 

[Gasaraki]

Forgot to mention, no cellphone signal down there either

You don't need cell signal either...

 

[Sophias_dad]

The Wall Connector was already commissioned by your electrician when he installed it.

Per the OP's original post, the wall connector is set for 60 amps. I'm a little surprised if that's the default, I'd expect the default to be a minimum, not maximum.

 

[zazazone17]

Thanks everyone ! will give this a shot tonight and report back the results!

 

[zazazone17]

UPDATE: It worked! you guys were right. You dont actually need a WIFI connection, all the WIFI is used for is to connect to the actual wall connector.
That being said, you cant do the last step of provisioning which is connecting the wall connector to WIFI for future update, sharing etc. but you are able to use the connection to set the proper amperage.
Just an FYI, it is set by default to the most amperage possible for the GEN 3 wall connector which is 60 A

 

[Sophias_dad]

most amperage possible for the GEN 3 wall connector which is 60 A

To be clear that's a 60 amp breaker, but the Gen3 is only going to use 80% of that(48 amps), the maximum any currently produced Tesla can consume.

 

[zazazone17]

To be clear that's a 60 amp breaker, but the Gen3 is only going to use 80% of that(48 amps), the maximum any currently produced Tesla can consume.

Yes, but what I mean is the max ''setting'' is 60A when you setup the charger and its set to 60 A out of the box. Thats what it defaults to

 

[user212_nr]

Just an FYI, it is set by default to the most amperage possible for the GEN 3 wall connector which is 60 A

I think that the wall connector does not work at all without commissioning. More likely your electrician commissioned the device along with his setup instructions, and evidently he entered the wrong number.

 

[zazazone17]

I think that the wall connector does not work at all without commissioning. More likely your electrician commissioned the device along with his setup instructions, and evidently he entered the wrong number.

No he hadn’t commissioned it, I called him to find out.
It does work even if it’s not commissioned, it just defaults to 60 amps. I used it “uncommissioned” from the 18th till today. If someone with an LR, Model S or X would have plugged in, it would have tried to draw more power which would have tripped the breaker

 

[EVnut]

I just did this today with no internet access at the location. But 1.5 years later, I have to imagine everybody has figured this out?

But I have a new one along these lines. How do we now updated it to latest firmware (overheating)?

 

[Sophias_dad]

Firmware won't fix overheating, it just makes it a bit more tolerant of overheating. If your Gen3 is triggering any level of overheating, you should contact Tesla for a replacement.

As far as how to do an update, you could use your phone as a wifi hotspot and just hang out at your hpwc for a while (or disable bluetooth and lock your phone in your car while it charges, and use your key to lock it and walk away), until new firmware arrives.

 

[RayK]

That won't work (phone as WiFi hotspot) if cell service does not work in the area where the Gen3 wall connector is at. One might have to jury-rig a temporary mesh or WiFi extender system in order to get internet access to the wall connector. Or am I missing something?

edit: Nevermind.... I found the procedure to do an offline update.

edit2: Correct typo.