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gg_got_a_tesla
Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
NigelM
Recovering Member
But you didn't just move house, you moved states!
Ironically funny that a company with such tech talent has an obvious hard time with their customer database(s).
Tell me about it. I thought I was a fringe case. Anywho, got mine and am using it down at a Koa (along with the new umc). All's working well
Of course you're a "fringe case," you're AnOutsider!
Haha, ya know, my original post was along the lines of "an outside occurrence" but thought it too much
purplewalt
Active Member
I just returned from TMC Connect, and used a couple of RV parks as charging stations (in order to escape and then return to the Texas Island).
Twice (Cedar City, UT and Hutchinson, KS), the new unit detected excess heat (it was 103 and 104 degrees in the air, metal RV charging boxes were directly in the sun, who knows how hot they were), and the unit tripped the breaker.
It had been charging @ 40 A, and restarted charging @ 30 A reduced rate.
The downside of this is instead of 28 to 29 miles of range per hour, you are now charging at about ~21 miles per hour.
AND that is a huge problem.
A former 7 or 8 hour day-time charge now becomes a 10 or 11 hour recharge.
(Okay, I admit I am a bit spoiled after finally using Supercharger after Supercharger with only slight waiting...)
But additional +3 or 4 hours or waiting for a daytime charge---YUCK.
I called service in CA, and let them know, told them I would like my old charge connector back, and would sign a document saying I would ONLY use it at RV parks, never at my house.
OR, Tesla could simply build several Superchargers connecting Texas to the rest of the world, and the old connector would (almost) never be needed.
The service tech did not know what will become of the old units that are being returned.
Anybody who has their original NEMA 14-50 connector unit, and has not yet returned it to TM, I could probably still make good use that son-of-a-gun at RV parks.
Twice (Cedar City, UT and Hutchinson, KS), the new unit detected excess heat (it was 103 and 104 degrees in the air, metal RV charging boxes were directly in the sun, who knows how hot they were), and the unit tripped the breaker.
It had been charging @ 40 A, and restarted charging @ 30 A reduced rate.
The downside of this is instead of 28 to 29 miles of range per hour, you are now charging at about ~21 miles per hour.
AND that is a huge problem.
A former 7 or 8 hour day-time charge now becomes a 10 or 11 hour recharge.
(Okay, I admit I am a bit spoiled after finally using Supercharger after Supercharger with only slight waiting...)
But additional +3 or 4 hours or waiting for a daytime charge---YUCK.
I called service in CA, and let them know, told them I would like my old charge connector back, and would sign a document saying I would ONLY use it at RV parks, never at my house.
OR, Tesla could simply build several Superchargers connecting Texas to the rest of the world, and the old connector would (almost) never be needed.
The service tech did not know what will become of the old units that are being returned.
Anybody who has their original NEMA 14-50 connector unit, and has not yet returned it to TM, I could probably still make good use that son-of-a-gun at RV parks.
As far as I remember the reduced charge rate of 75% of max when sensing a voltage drop due to abnormally high resistance in the circuit is a feature of the Model S software and unrelated to the UMC adapter. The new adapters are just built better. So keeping the old adapters *should* not make any difference. They certainly have no capability to tell the car to charge at reduced rate.
Here is the TMC Wiki link:
Model S software/firmware changelog - Tesla Motors Club - Enthusiasts & Owners Forum
and here the description of the adapter changes:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/UCM454956/RCDNN-14V006-7510.pdf
Here is the TMC Wiki link:
Model S software/firmware changelog - Tesla Motors Club - Enthusiasts & Owners Forum
and here the description of the adapter changes:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/UCM454956/RCDNN-14V006-7510.pdf
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TonyWilliams
Active Member
Exactly. They updated the plastic to a higher melting point plastic and hopefully fixed the ultrasonic welding flaws. That's it. The firmware on the car does the rest.
Btw, it isn't too surprising that the Tesla software found a potential electrical problem at the RV park - RV park wiring is notorious for having electrical wiring that barely passes muster. An EV load at 40 amps continuous is a lot more load than they get with any RV.
It is unfortunate, but Tesla has to err on the side of safety. This isn't Tesla's problem, their charging system is doing what it supposed to do. It isn't even the RV park's problem, as they don't advertise themselves out as EV charging spots. It is what it is until Tesla builds out more superchargers.
Tony is right, the new NEMA 14-50 adapters have nothing to do with it, it is just the new software that detects potential circuit faults and reacts accordingly.
It is unfortunate, but Tesla has to err on the side of safety. This isn't Tesla's problem, their charging system is doing what it supposed to do. It isn't even the RV park's problem, as they don't advertise themselves out as EV charging spots. It is what it is until Tesla builds out more superchargers.
Tony is right, the new NEMA 14-50 adapters have nothing to do with it, it is just the new software that detects potential circuit faults and reacts accordingly.
I still have an old 14-50 connector and my car drops the 40A to 30A at Hopland when it is hot/voltage fluctuates. I was thinking the newer adapters are better but really it is just the source power/software. Set at 38A when we went to get lunch and it didn't drop (still didn't make it home in time...285 PSS have terrible range characteristics)
I disagree with this. It is the RV park's problem if they install a 50A outlet that can't safely sustain 40A.
It was for this reason that one of the speakers at TMC Connect recommended setting the amps down to 28A when charging at a RV park, unless you're staying by the car to reset the breaker if it trips. He's seen it trip even at 30A at some RV parks. Nothing to do with Tesla's 14-50 adapter-- it's the RV park wiring. Once he put a bag of ice on a RV park breaker to keep it cool!
Sparrow
S105/ Roadster 189
On my one visit to an RV park the breaker tripped after about 15 minutes running at 40 amps and this was after I asked if anyone had any problems drawing 40 amps continuous. I then had to go back to the RV park and I set the charge rate to 28 too and it worked just fine.
Is Tesla still behind sending out these grey faced replacement adapters? Still haven't gotten one for our second Model S.
Is Tesla still behind sending out these grey faced replacement adapters? Still haven't gotten one for our second Model S.
purplewalt
Active Member
Okay, this was not the first time I have taken an extended road trip in my MS.
It IS the first time I have taken it in HOT weather, so perhaps that is the issue.
Last Oct./Nov. 2013 I traveled "into the wild" for over 3,000 miles, using only Burlington, NC Supercharger.
Rest of time was either RV parks, state parks or a charge station outside of Whole Foods in Charlotte.
And my car never tripped or reset itself (except twice at same poorly maintained RV park in TN, with broken and defective devices and breaker).
There was a RV park that charged at only 26 A or 28 A, but I think it had 208 V instead of 240 V.
But it was never close to being above 80 degrees or so during my other trip.
IF I had taken this trip first and had such a poor charging experience with regard to time, I would NEVER have tried the trip to South Carolina.
At least in my MS.
I have traveled 495 miles in a single day (in my MS) using just RV parks (from just past Minden, LA to Anniston, AL).
And THAT is a still a very long day, going about 58 to 61 mph as traffic and terrain allowed.
So if you do the math, and you need max full range charge, you cannot get even close to that with a 10 or 11 hour re-charging stop between destinations in lieu of 7-8 hours.
Maybe the LESSON (here) is to plan your path and rely solely on Superchargers during HOT weather and take your chances using RV parks and other resources during the other times of the year.
Because 28 A or 30 A charging is so much significantly slower than 40 A charging.
Lastly, to escape and then return to the Texas Island (twice), I spend the evening on the way out, arriving around 5:30 PM on July 11 and the night of July 27 arriving around 12:30 AM (past midnight) charging @ 40 A at an RV park in OKC (same one both times).
Wish I had documented the temp on July 11, but on July 27 it was either high 80s or possibly even 90 degrees (I had been watching the temp all the way down from Hutchison, KS and it did vary).
On the way North, I needed a full range charge in OKC plus a bit of help at Wellington, KS RV park (again 40 A for about 2 hours).
On the trip South from Salina is where it kicked it down to 30 A with 103 degrees, needing a bit of extra charge @ Hutchinson, KS.
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Mayhemm
Model S P85+ "Lola"
Agree completely. The power-reduction software introduced in FW 5.8.4 may be necessary for safety, but it can sure make roadtrips a pain if your charging options are limited.
For example, I ran into a current-reduction problem on my most recent roadtrip using my uncle's NEMA 6-50 plug (didn't know the 6-50 could even do that). This resulted in me needing to charge at a different location and sleep in the car in order to be on my way within the day (because there was nothing around this other charger) rather than in a nice, comfortable bed.
For example, I ran into a current-reduction problem on my most recent roadtrip using my uncle's NEMA 6-50 plug (didn't know the 6-50 could even do that). This resulted in me needing to charge at a different location and sleep in the car in order to be on my way within the day (because there was nothing around this other charger) rather than in a nice, comfortable bed.
The circuit breakers at RV parks get exercised a lot and get weaker over time. I was one RV place and it kept tripping since it was a spot up front, moved to the back corner of the lot and was able to pull 40 amps, but was also lower voltage.
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