HPWC not working

[BoneThug]

Hey guys, hoping someone might have some insight for me.

Yesterday I had an electrician install a gen 2 HPWC that my friend had given me (one of the Elon Musk signature ones if that matters). It was brand new and never used.
It was installed on a 60 amp breaker using 3 gauge copper wire. After installation, the faceplate shows a solid green light, but when I plug it in to the car, the car says “ready to charge, check power source”. This is with dipswitch 1 down, dipswitch 2 up, and the rotary dial set to 9 for a 48 amp output. When I push the reset button it goes through the normal sequence (no red) and then the top LED on the faceplate stays solid green.
There is however a tiny red LED on the circuit board that flashes continuously, I believe it’s marked EA_3. My voltmeter shows 244 volts when I measure the two leads at the main terminal block.


When I put the rotary dial to 0 for test mode, the red LED on the faceplate flashes 6 times.
When I push the reset button in test mode I can hear the relay click.

I have a 2016 P100D with a 48 amp charger. The car charges just fine on 110V using the mobile connector, on the 30 amp charger at my work, and superchargers as well. So it’s just the HPWC that doesn’t work.
I have a feeling that the circuit board might be fried? I’m sure it’s no longer covered under warranty since it’s several years old, even though it was never used.

Thanks so much for any help.

 

[ShawnA]

Hi BoneThug,

From the instructions: If line to line is 240 or less DIP switch 1 down...

Your condition - Line to line voltage is greater than 240 at 244 DIP switch 1 SHOULD be UP.

Give it a try - Be sure to turn the breaker off before changing the DIP switch.

Good luck,

Shawn

 

[mongo]

Hi BoneThug,

From the instructions: If line to line is 240 or less DIP switch 1 down...

Your condition - Line to line voltage is greater than 240 at 244 DIP switch 1 SHOULD be UP.

Give it a try - Be sure to turn the breaker off before changing the DIP switch.

Good luck,

Shawn

Are you sure on that?
Switch one is for line to line vs line to neutral. US 240 is line to line and the switch should be down. The voltage call out is strange...

 

[ShawnA]

Hi Mongo,

That wording is very weird...
His line to line is NOT 240 Volts or less - excludes the switch being set to down...

Line to Neutral greater than 240 Volts switch up...
Where do you measure a neutral in the device - It does not have or use one...
Neutral bonded to ground????

Very poorly worded manual... His device does not work as configured... Try something or call Tesla...

Shawn

 

[BoneThug]

Thanks for the suggestion. I just tried the dipswitch in the up position (after shutting off power), and the red LED on the faceplate flashes 3 times. According to the manual, that means:

Input miswired: possibly Line and Neutral are swapped.
The input wiring between the wall power and the Wall Connector has been improperly installed. Consult your electrician.

 

[Seth2020]

This does not help OP, but may help others looking to buy a Wall Connector. Gen 3 (current gen) wall connector does not have any dip switches, it is controlled via a software interface. That might avoid problems such as this

 

[brkaus]

This does not help OP, but may help others looking to buy a Wall Connector. Gen 3 (current gen) wall connector does not have any dip switches, it is controlled via a software interface. That might avoid problems such as this

It will result in poorly worded web pages instead of pdf files

 

[BoneThug]

I’m wondering if maybe the electrician didn’t hook up the ground wire correctly? I know the manual says it has to be connected to earth ground. I’ll try taking the faceplate off the breaker box to see what I can. I’m not an electrician so I won’t go beyond that.

 

[mongo]

Hey guys, hoping someone might have some insight for me.

Yesterday I had an electrician install a gen 2 HPWC that my friend had given me (one of the Elon Musk signature ones if that matters). It was brand new and never used.
It was installed on a 60 amp breaker using 3 gauge copper wire. After installation, the faceplate shows a solid green light, but when I plug it in to the car, the car says “ready to charge, check power source”. This is with dipswitch 1 down, dipswitch 2 up, and the rotary dial set to 9 for a 48 amp output. When I push the reset button it goes through the normal sequence (no red) and then the top LED on the faceplate stays solid green.
There is however a tiny red LED on the circuit board that flashes continuously, I believe it’s marked EA_3. My voltmeter shows 244 volts when I measure the two leads at the main terminal block.


When I put the rotary dial to 0 for test mode, the red LED on the faceplate flashes 6 times.
When I push the reset button in test mode I can hear the relay click.

I have a 2016 P100D with a 48 amp charger. The car charges just fine on 110V using the mobile connector, on the 30 amp charger at my work, and superchargers as well. So it’s just the HPWC that doesn’t work.
I have a feeling that the circuit board might be fried? I’m sure it’s no longer covered under warranty since it’s several years old, even though it was never used.

Thanks so much for any help.

Was thr car connected when you did the test? 6 red flashes is vdhicle communication error which is the purple, blue, black, orange connections.

Hi Mongo,

That wording is very weird...
His line to line is NOT 240 Volts or less - excludes the switch being set to down...

Line to Neutral greater than 240 Volts switch up...
Where do you measure a neutral in the device - It does not have or use one...
Neutral bonded to ground????

Very poorly worded manual... His device does not work as configured... Try something or call Tesla...

Shawn

I think the line to line is more relevant than the voltage. The gen 2 is only specified for 208 and 240.
OPs test shows it was in the correct position.

 

[mongo]

I’m wondering if maybe the electrician didn’t hook up the ground wire correctly? I know the manual says it has to be connected to earth ground. I’ll try taking the faceplate off the breaker box to see what I can. I’m not an electrician so I won’t go beyond that.

That would be a different error.

 

[ShawnA]

Hi BoneThug,

You should see two colored wires coming from a double breaker to the 2 inputs on the HPWC.
A bare wire could run from the panel to the HPWC ground.
If there is a neutral wire, it will come from the center of the panel and is generally white...

You have progressed to the point where you need your electrician to return...
Point out to him the current line neutral switch warning

Any further advice here could get you in to serious trouble...

Shawn

PS - Mongo - My Gen 2s work well with line voltage from 245 to 249.
I think the weirdness they are trying to avoid is the 277 from 3 phase systems.

 

[BoneThug]

Ok, I was thinking that maybe since the 3 red flash error was with dipswitch 1 up, the results may not be valid.

And to answer your question, the car was not connected when I had the 6 red flash error while in test mode. Should I retry it with the car connected?

 

[BoneThug]

Thanks ShawnA, I’ll post a pic once I get the cover off the panel.

 

[BoneThug]

Not sure if this helps, but I circled the cable as it comes into the panel, and the breaker is the one at the bottom left. I also included a couple close up pics.

 

[brkaus]

I’m wondering if maybe the electrician didn’t hook up the ground wire correctly? I know the manual says it has to be connected to earth ground. I’ll try taking the faceplate off the breaker box to see what I can. I’m not an electrician so I won’t go beyond that.

Can you check the voltage in the WC - each line to ground?

yes, it should be earth ground. In a properly wired house I don’t believe the WC could tell the difference. (But they are different in some very important safety ways)

 

[BoneThug]

Can you check the voltage in the WC - each line to ground?

yes, it should be earth ground. In a properly wired house I don’t believe the WC could tell the difference. (But they are different in some very important safety ways)

Yes each line is 122V. Are you able to tell from the above photos if it’s connected to earth ground?

I also noticed that the electrician used the 3 gauge copper wire from the WC going into the house, but he then used 6 gauge aluminum wire from this junction (see pic) going to the panel. I noticed during installation that he was using the aluminum at the WC, so I told him the manual requires copper. He said he’d switch it, but I didn’t realize he made this extra junction inside the house.
Then again I am getting 244V to the wall connector, so I don’t know if that extra junction is affecting anything or not.

 

[mongo]

PS - Mongo - My Gen 2s work well with line voltage from 245 to 249.
I think the weirdness they are trying to avoid is the 277 from 3 phase systems.

240 is phase and phase, 208 is phase and neutral in some setups. 240 is the nominal voltage, 250 is in spec. Does your WC really have the dip switch up? I'd expect the same 3 red flash miswired error if it was.

And to answer your question, the car was not connected when I had the 6 red flash error while in test mode. Should I retry it with the car connected

Try that, I expect you'll get the same error. I think the pilot(communication) circuit is the problem. The WC never sees the car get connected.

 

[brkaus]

A total long shot - set the current as low as possible in the car before plugging in.

 

[brkaus]

Yes each line is 122V. Are you able to tell from the above photos if it’s connected to earth ground?

I also noticed that the electrician used the 3 gauge copper wire from the WC going into the house, but he then used 6 gauge aluminum wire from this junction (see pic) going to the panel. I noticed during installation that he was using the aluminum at the WC, so I told him the manual requires copper. He said he’d switch it, but I didn’t realize he made this extra junction inside the house.
Then again I am getting 244V to the wall connector, so I don’t know if that extra junction is affecting anything or not.

is that the neutral from the panel connected to the ground to the WC?

 

[BrokerDon]

I'm not an electrician but your "3 gauge copper to 6 gauge aluminum wire" comment and pictures possibly showing no conduit on your 60A 240V WC would make me worried you electrician "cut some corners" on your installation which may not be to electrical code. IMHO I would get it inspected by your local building department not only for your safety, but IF you have a fire to make sure your property insurer doesn't deny your claim from "faulty wiring".

I pulled an electrical permit (including required load calculation) and had a licensed electrician install our daughter-in-law's new gen2 Signature Tesla WC on a 60A 240V breaker 2 feet away (8 foot wire run) for their M3 LR in their 2019 built home. Worked perfectly the moment it was connected, passed electrical inspection, and has worked flawlessly ever since. Note ALL the copper wire was completely enclosed in METAL conduit... not flex like yours and in continuous (not spliced) wires... which makes me wonder if your electrician's installation is "to code". I strongly suggest you get it inspected to verify if it is... not take your electrical contractor's word for it.