Leaving mobile charger exposed to the blazing sun

[phayze one]

The previous owners of my house had some sort of EV charging set up on the side of the house and a NEMA 6-50 plug. I purchased the adapter and changed the receptacle cover to be more rain proof, but since I plan on leaving this plugged into the wall 98% of the time, I'm concerned about exposure to the hot ass sun. I live in the valley (LA) and that side of the house is west-facing. On the other side of the wall is my office which gets unbearably hot by 2pm in the summer (100+ degrees).

My power company (LADWP) offers a $500 rebate on L2 chargers so money wouldn't be too much of an issue if going for the Tesla wall connector was better for this area. Thanks in advance for any insight!

 

[jcanoe]

The Wall Connector would be better since it is an outdoor location. The Wall Connector would be fully sealed from the weather. If you use the Mobile Connector for your day to day charging you don't want to be plugging and unplugging the NEMA 6-50 power plug from the NEMA 6-50 receptacle. (Since you stated that it is a NEMA 6-50 receptacle the wiring may be all you need for the Wall Connector (only need 2 wires plus the ground wire.)

Tesla sells a Cable Organizer kit, includes a wall mount to the Mobile Connector chassis. It is important that for daily use the Mobile Connector is not left supported only by the power plug / receptacle. The receptacle and the power plug are not designed to carry the additional weight of the Mobile Connector chassis and the charging cord. Cable Organizer (The cable organizer appears to currently be in stock, would suggest ordering while it is in stock. You can also find similar kits on Amazon.) If you don't want to install a wall mount for the Mobile Connector chassis then use a bungee cord supported by the junction box or a velcro wrap to support the Mobile Connector.

 

[andaconda]

$500 rebate -- no brainer! Tesla Wall Connector -- no brainer! If you have a 60 amp breaker -- great! If you have a 50 amp breaker, tell the Wall Connector that you have a 50 amp circuit, and it will auto charge at 40 amps!

 

[house9]

My power company (LADWP) offers a $500 rebate on L2 chargers so money wouldn't be too much of an issue

L2 also qualifies you for Federal tax rebate (30% of parts and labor, up to $1000 rebate), I would go for Tesla wall charger.

About Form 8911, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit | Internal Revenue Service

Form 8911 is used to figure a credit for an alternative fuel vehicle refueling property placed in service during the tax year. The credit attributable to depreciable property (refueling property used for business or investment purposes) is treated as a general business credit. Use this form to...

www.irs.gov

 

[ChrisMPK]

I would do the wall connector even without the rebates and tax credits. Mobile connector outside is not a great idea.

 

[pt19713]

I would do the wall connector even without the rebates and tax credits. Mobile connector outside is not a great idea.

Why?
The Gen2 Mobile Connector is NEMA 4X rated and suited for outdoor use. It has a higher rating than the Gen3 HPWC (NEMA 3R).

 

[jcanoe]

Why?
The Gen2 Mobile Connector is NEMA 4X rated and suited for outdoor use. It has a higher rating than the Gen3 HPWC (NEMA 3R).

Tesla Gen2 Mobile Connector Owners Manual, page 2

Warning: Protect the Mobile Connector from moisture, water and foreign objects at all times. If any exist or appear to have corroded or damaged the Mobile Connector, do not use the Mobile Connector.

Warning: If rain falls during charging, do not allow rain water to run along the length of charge cable, causing the electrical outlet or charging port to become wet.

Warning: Do not plug the Mobile Connector into an electrical outlet that is submerged in water or covered in snow. If, in this situation, the Mobile Connector is already plugged in and needs to be unplugged, turn off the breaker before unplugging the Mobile Connector.Safety Information2

https://www.tesla.com/sites/default...bile_connector_owners_manual_32_amp_en_US.pdf

 

[pt19713]

They're just covering the butt with the disclaimers. The NEMA 4X rating means it's sealed from water/dust/etc

 

[jcanoe]

They're just covering the butt with the disclaimers. The NEMA 4X rating means it's sealed from water/dust/etc

The Mobile Connector chassis may be rated NEMA 4X but the receptacle and power plug are not rated 4X.

 

[pt19713]

The Mobile Connector chassis may be rated NEMA 4X but the receptacle and power plug are not rated 4X.

What page of the manual states the charging cable handle's specifications?

 

[jcanoe]

What page of the manual states the charging cable handle's specifications?

I don't know, I was referring to the the wall outlet, i.e. NEMA 14-50 or other NEMA receptacle and the corresponding NEMA power plug not having a NEMA weather rating. If it is like the J1772 charging connector then the Tesla charging connector is probably rated for charging in all weather.

 

[pt19713]

I don't know, I was referring to the the wall outlet, i.e. NEMA 14-50 or other NEMA receptacle and the corresponding NEMA power plug not having a NEMA weather rating. If it is like the J1772 charging connector then the Tesla charging connector is probably rated for charging in all weather.

It's up to the person having the unit installed to decide if they want to use an enclosure over the outlet. I'm only responding to ChrisMPK's comment stating the mobile connector should not be used outside, which is not correct. The mobile charging unit is perfectly fine for outdoor use.

 

[ratsbew]

OP's question was about direct sunlight. Personally I'd put a sunshield up to shade it. I have experience with my UMC drastically reducing charge rate from baking in the sun, so yes it can overheat.

 

[jcanoe]

Set up Scheduled Charging, charge midnight to 0600. No issue with overheating due to baking in the sun, possible cost savings for off peak charging.

 

[phayze one]

OP's question was about direct sunlight. Personally I'd put a sunshield up to shade it. I have experience with my UMC drastically reducing charge rate from baking in the sun, so yes it can overheat.

Yeah, thanks all. I decided to hold off on the WC for now and see how it goes with the MC. I bought some materials to fashion a removable and breathable shade. We’ll see how it goes this summer.
The location would not be exposed in typical LA rain levels.

 

[pt19713]

Would a medium sized tree be viable and provide shade?

 

[Radney]

Hi. I'm refreshing this old thread because there's something I noticed recently and some other users may find it interesting. I was charging my car outside, in such a spot that most of the charging was done in the morning shade but at around 12 pm the sun moved so that the UCM was baking. At that point I was looking at the app and noticed that the charging rate was not gradually slowing down for the last 1%, but instead it was chaotically jumping from 0 to 16 amps. Below is the recording of the process:

A week later, in the same spot, time of day and temperature, I made a makeshift cover for the UMC from a white sheet of thick rubber. Obviously the device got nowhere near as warm as it had been the week before. Not surprisingly, the last phase of charging went smoothly this time. As intended it was a slow, gradual decrease in current.
I know it's not a ground breaking discovery, but still interesting what happens when the UMC overheats. If you're in a similar situation - cover your cables. Or maybe you know of some accessories that are designed to protect the UMC from sun?