-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
HPWC Failure - melted wire.
- Thread starter dwalme
- Start date
If you did have any clue of what you’re doing, you’d check the lugs are tight especially if you see no evidence of heat. But I advise you not do that based on your misunderstanding of how these things work and fail. You’d probably loosen them or strip them or something.
No, that doesn't make sense, you don't even state what you are starting at.
Folks are getting a little paranoid here.
Charging at what you are properly wired for is perfectly safe. And charging at a lower current won't necessarily cover up a bad install either. With just the right fault it could make it even worse. Higher current will just "pop/cook" sooner. Lower current could simmer and hide longer and do more damage in the long run. It doesn't matter.
Install it right and charge at the currents it was designed for which already have good margin.
You can start a fire on 15A 120V is it's installed wrong.
Never seen so much bad advice in one thread.
Folks are getting a little paranoid here.
Charging at what you are properly wired for is perfectly safe. And charging at a lower current won't necessarily cover up a bad install either. With just the right fault it could make it even worse. Higher current will just "pop/cook" sooner. Lower current could simmer and hide longer and do more damage in the long run. It doesn't matter.
Install it right and charge at the currents it was designed for which already have good margin.
You can start a fire on 15A 120V is it's installed wrong.
Never seen so much bad advice in one thread.
Last edited:
FurryOne
Member
That picture shows it’s running fine.
Do you really think every single component is about to self combust?
Everything is probably luke warm. As in normal.
It will probably look exactly the same at 32A.
Maybe you should start driving slower while you’re at it. That would actually make more sense if you want to lower risk of injury to you or someone in your family. Or perhaps stop driving completely then you won’t need to charge at all.
FurryOne
Member
No, I don't. I'm just pointing out how the wiring does heat up.
Maybe you should knock off the snide remarks, especially when you don't know the background of the person you're talking to.
Maybe you should learn what the camera is telling you. Or not telling you.
Do you really think the plastic on the outer case of the Wall Connector, The EXTREMELY heavy duty cord to the car, which it probably #4, the conduit with #6 are all getting warmer than normal?
Just because it’s not the same temperature as the walls does mean it’s HOT. Or close to dangerous. Or running abnormally. It shows absolutely. Nothing.
Now if you had one SMALL red spot in all that you might have a problem. The fact that it shows it’s all about the same temp is an indicator it’s more likely good than not good.
What temp is that color calibrated too? It’s probably was 5 degrees above ambient? Or above the cooler walls.
Do you think a poor connection would heat up the entire line, case, conduit?
I’ll be “snide” when people post their evidence they have no idea how to interpret and worry others that know even less to all start turning their current down for absolutely no reason what so ever.
Another example - my AC service disconnect fried itself in the exact same way after being in use for almost 8 years. The wire worked itself loose over time and ended up melting almost a foot of the insulation. Thankfully the AC just stopped working at that point instead of burning my house down.
As for the people advising to charge slower because of heat, you also incur added wear on the charging systems by keeping them running longer by charging slower (and increased costs by charging less efficiently). So until you have an actual study that shows you’re gaining something by charging slower, please stop giving out that advice.
FurryOne
Member
If you'd bothered to read my post - I didn't say it was "HOT" - I simply pointed out using my FLIR camera that it does get warm.
I’ll be “snide” when people post their evidence they have no idea how to interpret and worry others that know even less to all start turning their current down for absolutely no reason what so ever.[/QUOTE]
Thank you Mr. "Self-important know-it-all". In all likelihood I was using my first NEC before you were born, so you can stop trying to impress everyone with your putdowns.
Thank you for sharing how little you’ve learned after all these years working with the NEC.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
I’m increasingly confused as to why you’ve chosen over and over to double down on being an arrogant muppet.
Let it go, boss. We get it.
The photo shows a warm spot just over the area where the wires land. There are two covers so you would expect the warm area as seen through them to be blurred. I don't know that there is a problem here but would, if I got that picture, be suspicious enough to take the covers off and shoot another pic.
Yeah, it’s right about where the LED light is when idle.
Also notice bright spots in the the top of the cover. That is due to reflection of the shiny cover.
Also notice the variation of “temperature” along the conduit. That is also reflections.
Here is a random photo I found off the net. What do you think an IR image would look like?
The first thing you do when do with this stuff is take a reference photo with the system idle. Then you look for changes when operational.
Yes, removing the cover is logical (regardless of what his photo shows, which is absolutely nothing). And I can guarantee only more poor assessments will be made.
I remember my first NEC. It's linear dimensions were about those of a paper back novel and it was, perhaps, 3/8" thick.
Here's a follow up.
The wall connector is no longer functional.. The wire was melted maybe 2 inches in the conduit. I cut off about 3 feet of wire (looked brand new) and ran the feed into a junction box and then new wire to the HPWC. Nothing.
After sending Tesla the pictures and describing the install they are going to replace the wall connector under warranty. They asked to have the bad one shipped back to them.
I temporary setup a 14-50 receptacle to charge the car until I get a replacement wall connector. Car is fine and I was charging at 247v 32 amps without issue yesterday.
Now that I have the junction box I'll get another wall connector and share the load between the two units to charge both of our cars.
Thanks for all the feedback.
The wall connector is no longer functional.. The wire was melted maybe 2 inches in the conduit. I cut off about 3 feet of wire (looked brand new) and ran the feed into a junction box and then new wire to the HPWC. Nothing.
After sending Tesla the pictures and describing the install they are going to replace the wall connector under warranty. They asked to have the bad one shipped back to them.
I temporary setup a 14-50 receptacle to charge the car until I get a replacement wall connector. Car is fine and I was charging at 247v 32 amps without issue yesterday.
Now that I have the junction box I'll get another wall connector and share the load between the two units to charge both of our cars.
Thanks for all the feedback.
A couple of more observation on IR photos: I put my HPWC on charge at 40 amps, waited about an hour and put the IR camera on it. First and most interesting: the Cylon eye does not show up except very faintly. The LEDs don't emit in the part of the spectrum to which the camera is sensitive and the amount of heat generated by them is not enough to warm the surrounding area appreciably.
The rest of the unit (covers on) was at pretty uniform temperature representing a rise of about 10 °F above ambient. The wires showed a rise of about 20 °F above ambient except where doubled and tripled in being wrapped around the unit where they showed 40 ° rise. The wires inside the box would be at least as hot or hotter but they did not image through the covers.
The rest of the unit (covers on) was at pretty uniform temperature representing a rise of about 10 °F above ambient. The wires showed a rise of about 20 °F above ambient except where doubled and tripled in being wrapped around the unit where they showed 40 ° rise. The wires inside the box would be at least as hot or hotter but they did not image through the covers.
Similar threads
