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HPWC fail
- Thread starter golfin_i
- Start date
Can’t tell if it is 8 awg or 6 awg, but if it is 8 like i think it is, your output setting on the dipswitch is too high.
I agree.
It's pretty easy to screw up with these because you don't get to visibly confirm the wire is all the way through the lug when you crank it down.
Tesla still might honor replacing it even though I think it's install error too.
Just the fact one of the feed wires is cooked in a clear sign. And the lugs are plenty beefy and good quality. Just not easy to see what's going on.
My vote bolded in red.
BTW, it looks like Gen 3 is MUCH better in this regard. Nice to see Tesla made the improvements.
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What size breaker is on it? I'm not saying that is the cause, but that will likely tell you what size wire the electrician used.
It's easy to set the DIP incorrectly, Circuit Breaker Size vs Charging Amps (80% Circuit Breaker) by reading/using the wrong column.
Also if it was set wrong, the whole circuit was overloaded. Kind of a coincidence it decided to fail right at that lug.
I was also thinking it looked like 8ga wire, but very hard to tell. Dial set for 60a breaker, so should be 6ga THHN or 4ga Romex - if I recall correctly.
Exactly, exactly where it tends to fail with the correct DIP setting, what a coincidence.
I got a Juicebox and I love it. I didn't want a hard-wired Tesla setup. It doesn't look as fancy as the Tesla one, but it works perfectly and it's portable if needed. It can be easily plugged in and/or unplugged.
My first HPWC also generated excess heat at the service wire connector. In my opinion, this connector is the weak point of the HPWC design. Due to the design of the terminal block, it's hard to see if the wire is fully inserted, or correctly inserted (e.g. wire insulation is not clamped within the lug) The terminal block connector does not metallically encircle the conductor the way typical lugs in electrical service panels do, leading to a higher resistance connection. This is not critical at low currents, but can lead to significant connection heating at 30, 40, 50 A.
3) Warranty for HPWC is printed in the Wall Connector Installation Manual. You didn't throw that out did you?
Thanks for your reply. Here's the Gen2 HPWC installation guide which does not specify any warranty condiotions:
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/downloads/wall_connector_installation_manual_80A_en_US.pdf
The Gen 3 warranty specifies a limited 1 year warranty however:
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default...l-connector-installation-installation-a-b.pdf
From the diagram (pg 11), it appears that they corrected "terminal block connector does not metallically encircle the conductor".
After multiple attempts of reaching out with no response or even an auto-response email from support, I need to move forward and just purchase a new charger. At this point, the lack of any service response plus competing chargers offering 3 year warranties make this a no-brainer.
Agreed and the Gen 3 Wall Connector is completely redesigned. But I think conductor is "metallically encircled", but it's just very hard to see/confirm it's nicely clamped. Also if you use the "riser" / "extension" you use their jumper wires from the back to the front, which have nice termination. But unless you route those wires perfectly one comes up short. I had to redo it several times to get them to reach and fully insert. The OP install here does not look like the riser was used (which is optional).
One more bit of evidence the DIP was correct and highly likely the correct size wire. A licensed electrician is not gonna use the wrong wire for a 60 amp breaker, unless drunk.
I took a careful look at the terminal block after my first experience, and the wire connection is actually formed between two flat metal plates top and bottom of the captive wire, which are compressed by the terminal block screw. Definitely not "encircled" by metal, which would require metal on four sides, or a circular cavity into which the wire is terminated. I was not impressed with this terminal block for high current connections.
I did not use the "riser", and OP here did not either, as seen from his pics. The riser has square ferrules terminating the end of the highly stranded wires that are placed inside the HPWC terminal block.
I agree they are usually “cupped” and I didn’t notice they were flat, but I’ve seen flat ones before. It would be hard to come up with a cup size that works for such a wide range of wire sizes it supports. Even if cupped (and it would have to a shallow cup) it would still not contact much on the sides. Only way to get more contact would be a very narrow range of wire size. And have it confirm to that size.
Flat probably isn’t to bad with stranded wire as well. But wouldn’t be very good with solid.
I recall seeing some lugs for other applications where you had an assortment of “cups” flat on one side and cupped on the other that you pop in.
I did use the riser on every install so my terminations were all square (in that block). I thought you meant something was plastic in there or something.
Curious what the lugs look like in the riser now.
Faith restored!
I just got off of the phone with Tesla Home Charging who said they are replacing my Gen 2 HPWC with a Gen 3, and offering to reimburse installation costs as well (up to $250). The several week delay was a backup in the Online Orders department. The Home Charging department said the attached pictures were all they needed to authorize the replacement.
I just got off of the phone with Tesla Home Charging who said they are replacing my Gen 2 HPWC with a Gen 3, and offering to reimburse installation costs as well (up to $250). The several week delay was a backup in the Online Orders department. The Home Charging department said the attached pictures were all they needed to authorize the replacement.
Circular lugs usually have a circularly-shaped hole in a block of aluminum, with a screw piercing at a right angle to the circular hole, and squeezing down into the wire. It has the advantage that the screw actually separates the strands and squeezes them against the circular wall of the aluminum block, thereby enlarging the contact area between wire and lug/screw, as well as increasing the local force on the wire strands, which also improves the contact area (because copper is somewhat malleable). A've attached a picture of an uncaptured lug from my electrical panel that's UL-rated for 00 to 4 AWG wire, a pretty wide range of wire size. Other similar lugs are rated for 6 to 14 AWG, also a pretty wide range of wire size.
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