How to unlock port while charging using j1772 adaptor

[tarballqc]

I know you can stop charge and unlock charging port using the Tesla App, but I noticed that when you press on the "universal charger" you can disengage it from the adaptor and it actually stop the charge and unlock it.

Is this bad for the car to interrupt the charge like that?

 

[Tessaract]

No. I've done it numerous times. Pressing the unlock button on the J1772 plug electrically signals the car charger that connection is about to be interrupted, and the car charger shuts off charging in response. This all happens quickly enough so that the charging current is stopped before you can physically pull out the plug. This is of course, self-preservation by design intent. Interrupting 30A at 240 V (or worse yet, 300A at 400V dc) would otherwise result in fireworks and a very short life for the plug pins.

 

[tarballqc]

No. I've done it numerous times. Pressing the unlock button on the J1772 plug electrically signals the car charger that connection is about to be interrupted, and the car charger shuts off charging in response. This all happens quickly enough so that the charging current is stopped before you can physically pull out the plug. This is of course, self-preservation by design intent. Interrupting 30A at 240 V (or worse yet, 300A at 400V dc) would otherwise result in fireworks and a very short life for the plug pins.

Thanks. Definitely quicker than opening the app, and unlock the charging port.

 

[srs5694]

Disconnecting either a J1772 or a Tesla EVSE works in basically the same way, electrically speaking, as outlined by @Tesseract. The main wrinkle with J1772 is that you can unplug the J1772 handle from the Tesla J1772 adapter; but the J1772 design should stop the charging when you press the J1772 button, just as charging is terminated by pressing the button on a Tesla EVSE's (or Supercharger's) handle.

In either case, you can listen for the relay in the EVSE to click over and watch the car's charge-port light for extra clues and verification that it's safe to unplug. The light should switch to a pale blue when the car is no longer charging and safe to disconnect. In warm weather, it should stay locked until it's safe to disconnect, too, although you'll be able to unplug a J1772 handle from the Tesla J1772 adapter even if the Tesla's charge port is still locked, as will be the case if you unplug while the car is asleep -- but it won't be charging if the car is asleep, either. If the J1772 handle is unplugged when the car is not locked, then the adapter will stay locked in place, at least in warm weather, to prevent theft of the adapter if you charge in public. Tesla had problems with the locking mechanism freezing last winter, though, so they've set it to unlock after charging is complete in freezing weather. Be aware of that when charging in public.

In sum, unless something's badly broken, there aren't any safety issues (to you or to the car) with unplugging. Videos like the one you referenced show how to most easily unplug a J1772 EVSE for convenience and efficiency.

 

[Rocky_H]

It is perfectly fine, with this little bit of advice. Don't go really quickly with that, where you are squeezing the button as you are quickly yanking the cord out. It sometimes takes about one full second for the car's charger to respond to that signal and cut off the current flow. So put a slight pause in between the two steps, where you press the button and wait a beat to hear a click and see the port light turn white and then pull the handle.

 

[davewill]

It is perfectly fine, with this little bit of advice. Don't go really quickly with that, where you are squeezing the button as you are quickly yanking the cord out. It sometimes takes about one full second for the car's charger to respond to that signal and cut off the current flow. So put a slight pause in between the two steps, where you press the button and wait a beat to hear a click and see the port light turn white and then pull the handle.

It still chaps my hide that they screwed that up. Anyway, I would note that you can't pull it out too quickly if you keep the adapter and the J1772 handle together as the car won't unlock the port unless it's safe.