-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Gen 3 Wall Connector
- Thread starter WarEagleX
- Start date
It might invalidate the UL listing if the manual only describes hard wired installation. If the cable you fitted to the station overheats and burns down your house, your insurance could deny your claim. IANAL. YMMV.
Both of my wall connectors upgraded to 0.8.54+g46f395de1d5760 today. Interestingly this changed their MAC addresses so I had to adjust my static DHCP configuration. I also noticed that the blue light behaves differently post full charge.
eprosenx
Active Member
Odd!
Do they still both have unique Mac addresses?
Did the manufacturer identifier change, or just the end digits? Or both???
That is extremely odd!
Originally they didn’t match the labels on the outside. The QR code’s also didn’t work on either of them. This seemed weird to me but I just found the MAC in the DHCP logs and moved on. Now after the update they match the label, so I’m chalking it up to a bug in the firmware.
The first MACs were 70:66:55. The current ones are dc:44:27.
MAC Address and OUI Lookup for 706655 - Find the Company that manufactured the network card.
MAC Address and OUI Lookup for DC442717 - Find the Company that manufactured the network card.
Not sure if the other MACs are just virtual interfaces or some sort of internal NIC or something else. Maybe Tesla is changing the MAC from the WiFi adapter vendor’s to one of theirs.
eladts
Member
FYI, most modern routers are using Dnsmasq, which assigns internal IP addresses using hashes of the MAC addresses. I used to have static reservation for my router too, but once I discovered it I just let the DHCP server do its thing. I do not need to micro-manage my networks and hosts still have stable IP addresses.
Yes, the thing is that I actually went and set up a DNS entry for each of them on my network, and with that I assigned an IP from my non-dynamic range.
Further, since the MACs changed they wouldn’t have had stable IPs anyway.
I hear the TWCs do mDNS but I don’t care, I line being able to choose a vanity DNS name for each thing. I’ve got a range for transient clients and a separate range for known, named hosts I want to connect to.
eprosenx
Active Member
It is not to code as you are required to follow the manufacturers directions which require you to hard wire it.
Specifically, all the Tesla items with plugs on the end (UMC Gen 2 and the Corded Wall Connector) have temperature sensors built into the plug end to detect bad connections before they cause a fire. The connection is the weakest point. (Receptacles are often not wired properly or torqued wrong)
With that being said, a lot of folks have done it and been fine this far.
I am just stating what electrical code has to say about it and what the possible risks are.
Michelle_eriw
Member
The cable run is done with AWG 6 wire. The 14-50 receptacle is torqued to the manufacture’s spec. The breaker is rated for 50 Amps. The molded plug cord between the receptacle and the Wall Connector is rated for 50 A (AWG 6) and it is torqued to Tesla’s spec at the charger. The Wall Connector is configured for a 50 A breaker.
Like you said, the temperature sensor on Tesla cables with 14-50 plug’s is an added safety feature to protect against deficient receptacle installations but not required by code.
I used a 14-50 oven cord from Home Depot. I clipped the crimped lugs that it comes with and attached the L1,L2 and GND wires to the provided attachment points in the box. I used a 3/4” strain relief fitting on the hole in the Wall Connector.
I don’t understand what the issue is. The Gen 3 wall connectors actually have a temperature sensor on the bus block where the wires come in. Both installations are monitored to the same level.
If the argument is that the 14-50 plug connection also needs to be monitored, you could argue the same for all of the splice points in a hard wired installation, or the breaker. Where did this requirement come from that the temp needs to be monitored specifically at the plug?
I did a speed read through the entire manual, I didn’t see where it stated that hard wire is required. It doesn’t say much of anything at all about the means of getting wires to the device, except for conductor and breaker sizing. It mentions conduit sizing options and where to route it into the wall connector. It mentions that a separate disconnect switch is not required or recommended. It mentions the wall connector needs to be the only device on the branch. I don’t see where a plug is forbidden.
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default...ng/Gen3_WallConnector_Installation_Manual.pdf
The closest thing I can find that could be construed as requiring hard wire is the line “The Wall Connector must be grounded through a permanent wiring system or an
equipment-grounding conductor.” - permanent wiring system would be hard-wired, but I think a 14-50 plug is also a pretty standard means of providing an equipment grounding conductor.
Last edited:
Just a suggestion, the "Corded Mobile Connector" is currently available on the Tesla site. It has a built-in 14-50 plug, offers the full 40A, and will monitor the temperature on the 14-50 connector. Available for roughly the same price as the wall connector + pigtail.
For the average consumer, that's probably the better option. While many folks on TMC may feel comfortable with correctly wiring a pigtail, I'd be hesitant to recommend that route to anyone without sufficient experience/training.
For the average consumer, that's probably the better option. While many folks on TMC may feel comfortable with correctly wiring a pigtail, I'd be hesitant to recommend that route to anyone without sufficient experience/training.
Does the corded mobile connector for sale offer 40 amp? I know it has a 14-50 plug, but the photo looks a lot like it's just a corded version of the 32amp max Gen 2 UMC. Sadly it doesn't say anywhere what the output of the unit is..
From the site:
"The Corded Mobile Connector features a NEMA 14-50 plug and improved charging speeds (versus standard Gen 2 Mobile Connector with NEMA 5-15 adapter)."
/edit. Manual doesn't say anything about it either: https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/Corded_Mobile_Connector_14-50_User_Guide_NA.pdf
From the site:
"The Corded Mobile Connector features a NEMA 14-50 plug and improved charging speeds (versus standard Gen 2 Mobile Connector with NEMA 5-15 adapter)."
/edit. Manual doesn't say anything about it either: https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/Corded_Mobile_Connector_14-50_User_Guide_NA.pdf
It's been covered on TMC in other threads: Diff between Gen 2 mobile charger & Corded Mobile Connector
Discussed, yes, but where is the official documentation from Tesla? Is this just another example of bad communication? I can't find any evidence at all either way on what the output is for the Corded UMC currently for sale on Tesla's site.
(Not saying it's only 32amps, just saying I can't find any information at all regarding what it is beyond a single comment from 12 months ago regarding a corded UMC bought well before the comment was made.)
Similar threads
