Level 1 only charging at 6A

[TornadoTJ]

Hello all, my first post and question here, so be nice

We have just over 7,000 miles on our 2023 Model 3 Base, LFP, RWD. 99.9% of the time we charge at home on 110v. Typically, it will charge at 12a until it starts winding down toward completion to 6a. Recently, we are noticing it is only charging at 6a, even when the battery level is 50-60%. Has anyone else experienced this?

I searched the forum and the interwebs but didn't find anyone else with the same issue.

Thanks all!
Rob

 

[ATPMSD]

If the voltage on the line you are using drops, the car will lower the charging rate. Make sure you are plugged into a dedicated 120v/15a outlet. If this is OK then try charging at a friends house to narrow down the problem.

 

[davewill]

120v charging is referred to as Level 1, not sure why you're calling it Level 3, which usually refers to DC charging. It's really kind of a meaningless term.

There are three reasons why your car would not be charging at full speed. The first is that the car is set to the lower amperage. When you plug it in (and only after you plug it in) try using the screen in the car to increase the amperage. If it goes back up to 12a, wait and see if it stays there.

The second reason is bad wiring which causes the voltage to fluctuate, which car tries to detect and lower the amperage as a safety feature. However, the car usually goes from 12a to 8a in that scenario, although I guess a really bad circuit might step down again to 6a. In that case, you want to stop using the outlet, and have a professional figure out where the bad connction might be.

The final reason is that the mobile connector detects excess heat at the outlet, and automatically lowers the amperage to compensate. You can tell this is the problem if the car indicates "6a/6a" instead of "6a/12a". The first number is the amperage the car is currently charging at, the second number is the amperage the connector is advertising to the car. Same deal as the second reason, stop using the outlet, find out why it's getting hot, and fix it. Could be a bad connection at the outlet, or a worn outlet.

 

[TornadoTJ]

OOPS, I meant Level 1. That's a typo. I know it's level 1. I don't see an edit button but I'll keep trying.

Car is set to full blast, the highest it will currently go (no pun intended) is 6a. When it has 12a available, then it will allow me to adjust further down, but right now it won't let me move it up.

Excess heat - I see that sometimes when I'm on my 14-50, it can get really hot. I'm talking not only at the plug, but the entire cord. And that is a 100% dedicated home run to the panel.

I do have an electrician coming to put in a new dedicated 14-50 at the house, my existing one is down at my shop where I park my travel trailer, we have only used it 3 times so far, we don't typically need it since the wife's daily drive is only 30 miles, but I'd like to have one at the house.

I saw some posts about 8a, but I've never seen it go to 8a, only 6a.

Thanks all, this gives me some things to check.

 

[davewill]

One other thing to check. Sometimes the adapter is not plugged into the mobile connector all the way, which can cause the MC to run at a lower amperage. It came to mind when you mentioned using a 14-50 as well, which may mean you've been swapping the adapters. It also fits your symptom of being limited to 6a as soon as you plug in.

Since you're having an outlet installed, consider putting in a wall connector instead, then just use the mobile connector at your shop or on the road. It's a much better and more reliable solution than an outlet.

 

[TornadoTJ]

I don't mind the outlet since I have other stuff that can use the 14-50, including when my mom comes to visit in her little Class B Winnebago.

Again, thanks, because now I have more to think about, the wall connector is tempting, I think I just needed someone to push me off the bridge.

 

[ewoodrick]

I don't mind the outlet since I have other stuff that can use the 14-50, including when my mom comes to visit in her little Class B Winnebago.

Again, thanks, because now I have more to think about, the wall connector is tempting, I think I just needed someone to push me off the bridge.

Okay, I'm confused.
NEMA 14-50 is 240V
NEMA 14-50 should be more like 32A

Or were you referring to a standard house plug NEMA 5-15, which does normally charge at 12A?

If the charging current has dropped, that's an indication of a problem. The car has noticed a voltage drop and determined that it is not safe to charge at that high of a current. A sudden drop is a sign that a wire has become loose or is partially broken. It's not a good situation. I would suggest deferring charging if at all possible and definitely plug if not at home and when it is not needed.

 

[TornadoTJ]

@ewoodrick It's my fault. I accidentally put in Level 3 instead of Level 1. This is when charging on 110v.

Wife got home just a bit ago and it started at 12a, then it went to Charging Stopped. I disconnected the car, pulled out the 110v adapter and plugged it back in firmly. Now it is charging at 12a. That seems to have been the problem.

I ran into this on a road trip too, didn't even think to check that fitting, with the assumption that if it is starting a charge, that's going to be all I have to worry about, everything is good. Now I know I was wrong.

Last week on the road trip, I was seeing issues that it would stop charging when we engaged dog mode. Now I feel it wasn't dog mode that was the problem, but this connection. It makes sense to me now.

 

[ewoodrick]

@ewoodrick It's my fault. I accidentally put in Level 3 instead of Level 1. This is when charging on 110v.

Wife got home just a bit ago and it started at 12a, then it went to Charging Stopped. I disconnected the car, pulled out the 110v adapter and plugged it back in firmly. Now it is charging at 12a. That seems to have been the problem.

I ran into this on a road trip too, didn't even think to check that fitting, with the assumption that if it is starting a charge, that's going to be all I have to worry about, everything is good. Now I know I was wrong.

Last week on the road trip, I was seeing issues that it would stop charging when we engaged dog mode. Now I feel it wasn't dog mode that was the problem, but this connection. It makes sense to me now.

You can probably assume that the connector is having problems. I'd recommend replacing with a quality product, not the "contractor grade" stuff that was probably used. If you have an electrician coming, he'll probably do it for you.

There's probably some arcing and bad spots on the existing connector, you may see some pitting on your plug.

 

[TornadoTJ]

I'm not talking at the outlet, I'm talking about the 110v adapter in the mobile charger. I reset it in the charger and it's fine now.

By the way, if anything I'm saying is confusing, we were up until after 3 AM last night. A friend of ours fell and broke her arm and we were at the hospital all night. I'm getting by on about 3 hours of sleep right now. In the midst of helping her, I also got stuck in the mud, found out the hard way that the tow hook is left handed threads, I could NOT figure out why it wouldn't go in!!!

We also had some major storms, tree fell on a car next to us, luckily it didn't hit our car. Before that the wife was shutting the gate where she works and the initial inflow gust (60+ mph) hit the gate, flipped her twice, and dragged her along the ground.

What a night.

 

[ewoodrick]

I'm not talking at the outlet, I'm talking about the 110v adapter in the mobile charger. I reset it in the charger and it's fine now.

By the way, if anything I'm saying is confusing, we were up until after 3 AM last night. A friend of ours fell and broke her arm and we were at the hospital all night. I'm getting by on about 3 hours of sleep right now. In the midst of helping her, I also got stuck in the mud, found out the hard way that the tow hook is left handed threads, I could NOT figure out why it wouldn't go in!!!

We also had some major storms, tree fell on a car next to us, luckily it didn't hit our car. Before that the wife was shutting the gate where she works and the initial inflow gust (60+ mph) hit the gate, flipped her twice, and dragged her along the ground.

What a night.

Sorry, I missed that point.

Sorry to hear about your friend and the weather, these storms can be quite nasty. Hope your friend does better or at least has the drugs to not care.

 

[jjrandorin]

OOPS, I meant Level 1. That's a typo. I know it's level 1. I don't see an edit button but I'll keep trying.

(moderator note)

Thread title changed to correct typo.