home charging dropped to 15 amps

[psyrob]

Have been charging at home since I took delivery July 2018, using a Nema 14/50 installed just for charging using the portable charger that comes the the M3. A week ago, I got a lot of messages over night about charging interrupted due to overheating at the box, and long story short, the charger plug had become loose and was about halfway out. I inspected and it looks like burn marks on the plug and also the box. I plugged it back in and have charged but a week later, I noticed while charging that it is only showing 15 amps, with max of 15 amps (15/15), not the 32 I have always gotten when charging. I'm going to call an electrician, but any ideas on what has happened? I checked my fuse box and all looks good.
Thanks for any input

 

[jjrandorin]

I'm going to call an electrician, but any ideas on what has happened?

You said yourself what the likely culprit is in your post.......

A week ago, I got a lot of messages over night about charging interrupted due to overheating at the box, and long story short, the charger plug had become loose and was about halfway out. I inspected and it looks like burn marks on the plug and also the box.

 

[RayK]

Was the voltage still around 240V? I'm not an electrician, nor do I actually know if it's possible, but maybe you lost one phase of the connection at the box.

 

[Dmagyar]

the charger plug had become loose and was about halfway out.

How and why allowed this to happen? If this “plug” was that loose, your lucky the whole place didn’t burn down around you...Have someone who is a real “Electrician” check out and remedy your situation. Next get trained on how to adequately insert the plug...all the way in.

 

[Ecmiyake]

Maybe you had a loose wire in the receptacle? Or you may need to replace the receptacle with a good one. The plug wouldn't fall out half way for no reason.

 

[jjrandorin]

Maybe you had a loose wire in the receptacle? Or you may need to replace the receptacle with a good one. The plug wouldn't fall out half way for no reason.

Depending on the actual 14-50 purchased and the number of "insertion / removal" times, regular "home depot / lows" 14-50s can get loose. They are generally made with the idea that something will get plugged in, left there for years, then removed when you move or something.

Unless one specifies or buys a specific plug with stronger springs in it (read, a more expensive plug), in general an electrician is likely to put in the one they have on the truck, or pick up a "residential" one from a supply house or something. Nothing specifically wrong with that, but its not rare to read about people with loose outlets after a while, which is what this sounds like.

My question though, is, "I" am confused at why the OP is confused there is a charging problem, when they themselves reported burn marks on the outlet but they just kept using it.

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

There's a temperature sensor in the male plug that triggers a reduction in charge current and there is also a voltage monitor in the car that reduces current if the voltage is low or fluctuating. It's not uncommon for people to inadequately tighten the wire clamp screws on the socket which can create these voltage issues and I expect that's the root of your trouble.

But still it shouldn't be easy for the plug to work loose so you might also have a really lousy outlet. Folks on this forum are pretty outlet-brand obsessed but even the cheapest 14-50's are still pretty solid so there's something weird with yours somehow working loose. Does it get tugged on? Or is it in a location that's difficult to reach/inspect?

So at this point it would make sense for you to replace the outlet with a top quality industrial version like Bryant. Note that the industrial 14-50R's have a slightly larger diameter (2.5" vs. 2.1") so you'd need a faceplate with the larger hole. Your electrician probably won't have one available but you can get one at any true electrical supply store.

 

[psyrob]

OK, messages all received! It is clear I have dodged a bullet, and to all the comments, your corrective feedback has been received and learning has happened. I am calling a new electrician and will supercharge until it is fixed

 

[psyrob]

To the questions about the plugged getting unplugged or halfway out, I don't know how it has happened. It has always had a tight fit for the three years I have been using it (insert Michael Scott response here). It is on the side of the house and in a enclosed housing, and no one really walks by it except the gardener, maybe the gardener jostled it or yanked it out when blowing around the foundation, and didn't reinsert it, I just don't know. I am thinking of getting the tesla wall connector and hard writing it and moving the location to even more out of the way position

 

[UncleCreepy]

It has always had a tight fit for the three years I have been using it (insert Michael Scott response here).

SCNR