GFCI in mobile connector keeps tripping

[ahostmadsen]

I can see there are many threads about GFCI tripping problems, but I cannot really find an answer. I have a mobile connector connected to a NEMA 14-50. The GFCI in the mobile connector very often trips, I would say once per day. Then I have to disconnect the mobile connector from the wall outlet, and reconnect, and then it works again. But next time I connect the car, it might trip again. So, perhaps it trips 30% of the times I connect it. Is there something I can do about this?

 

[Cosmacelf]

I can see there are many threads about GFCI tripping problems, but I cannot really find an answer. I have a mobile connector connected to a NEMA 14-50. The GFCI in the mobile connector very often trips, I would say once per day. Then I have to disconnect the mobile connector from the wall outlet, and reconnect, and then it works again. But next time I connect the car, it might trip again. So, perhaps it trips 30% of the times I connect it. Is there something I can do about this?

How do you know it is the GFCI in the Mobile Connector that is tripping? Is there some notification of such?

At any rate, the GFCI threads all relate to a wall receptacle or breaker GFCI tripping, not something inside the Mobile Connector.

You have one of the things going on. Either the Mobile Connector is dying (how old is it?), or there is something going on with your wiring or breaker. I would flip off the breaker. Take off the safety panel on the breaker panel. Reseat the breaker. Re tighten the breaker wires. Then take out the receptacle and tighten all those wires as well. See if that fixes your problem. If not, then its probably the Mobile Connector going bad.

 

[ahostmadsen]

How do you know it is the GFCI in the Mobile Connector that is tripping? Is there some notification of such?

At any rate, the GFCI threads all relate to a wall receptacle or breaker GFCI tripping, not something inside the Mobile Connector.

You have one of the things going on. Either the Mobile Connector is dying (how old is it?), or there is something going on with your wiring or breaker. I would flip off the breaker. Take off the safety panel on the breaker panel. Reseat the breaker. Re tighten the breaker wires. Then take out the receptacle and tighten all those wires as well. See if that fixes your problem. If not, then its probably the Mobile Connector going bad.

The mobile connector has red light, and the car display says the GFCI in the mobile connector tripped. Also, I reset it by disconnecting the mobile connector, not doing anything at the outlet. So, it must be the internal GFCI. And true, all the Google searches I came up with were about the outlet CFCI tripping, not the internal one. But here it’s definitely the internal one.

The car is from 2019 with the original mobile connector.

 

[ahostmadsen]

I found some older thread on this topic: Mobile Connector GFCI Tripped. I wouldn't say it's really conclusive. But it seems I have to buy a new mobile connector. $250.

 

[karkrazy]

I found some older thread on this topic: Mobile Connector GFCI Tripped. I wouldn't say it's really conclusive. But it seems I have to buy a new mobile connector. $250.

Is your car still under the full manufacturer’s (Tesla) warranty? If it is, your UMC is covered and you can take it into a service center to be swapped out. Otherwise, it’ll be an out-of-pocket expense for you.

 

[ATPMSD]

Before buying a new MC try this. Unplug the adapter from the MC and look for any debris in both ends, then clean it. Also do this at the Tesla end, both the plug and receptacle and clean them.

 

[JssonB]

If you have a IR camera you can check to see if you have any hot spots while charging. If not, I would inspect your wiring connections from the breaker to the outlet before buying a new charging adapter.