Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Mobile charging for Australia

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Will, how did you actually take it apart and, for that matter reassemble it? Is it now still waterproof? The more expensive but much simpler way to achieve the same thing is to use the 3 phase adaptor for the UNC and simply wire up line 1. Also, it stays waterproof. Before I made my adaptor so, I have used the standard 10amp in many teeming downpours with no issue.
 
Thanks Dylanpete. I have read through that thread also.

I finished off a modification to the 10A UMC dongle today. I disconnected the 198K resistor (that's moulded into the body of the dongle) and installed a 51K resistor between pin 1 & 6. After re-assembly and testing, it now allows the UMC to draw up to 16A from the outlet. I should be able to fully charge in around 25 hours now, when visiting more remote friends.

Don't forget to dial down the current to 15A or less from the car if you do this Will. Unless you're extremely certain of the wiring quality and installation drawing 16A for 25 hours from a 15A outlet would be inadvisable. Circuit breakers can have a wide tolerance and are not that reliable in protecting wiring. Since you said 'up to 16A' I expect you're aware of this but worth mentioning I think.
 
Will, how did you actually take it apart and, for that matter reassemble it? Is it now still waterproof? The more expensive but much simpler way to achieve the same thing is to use the 3 phase adaptor for the UNC and simply wire up line 1. Also, it stays waterproof. Before I made my adaptor so, I have used the standard 10amp in many teeming downpours with no issue.

Good idea using the 3 phase adaptor. I assume that you have to manually limit the current on the charging screen.

In the proprietary end of the adaptor, you can see where the rubberised external compound meets the hard black plastic surround of the plugs. These are seperate components and with the appropriate tools you can remove the internal section by pulling it out.

Once the internal section is removed, you will see the conducting pins that are crimped to the supply wires. If you look carefully with a powerful torch, you can see the resistor wire running down from pin 1, into the semi-clear plastic moulding and returning back up into pin 6. You should also be able to make out the resistor, moulded in to the plastic. There are notches in the hard black plastic insert, that should be connected, to make a channel for the replacement resistor.

As you can see, I sacrificed my dongle to discover this, so I wouldn't use it in its current state. I intend to make it water tight again with the use of a resin.

With the benefit of knowing the construction of the dongle, I would fashion a tool that locks on to the tabs inside the internal section and use a lubricant, such as truflow, inserted between the rubberised section and the insert, to facilitate its removal.

You'll need some decent soldering skills and a set of helping hands to attach the new resistor to Pin 1. It'll take quite a bit of heating to attach, due to the size of the Earth wire. It might be easier to use a conductive glue, like Wire Glue, rather than try to solder. It's just such an awkward and tight space to access.

IMG_0599.jpg
IMG_0604.jpg
IMG_0606.jpg
IMG_0601.jpg
 
Hi Will, the MaxiCharger EVSE that I use also has resistors embedded for each specific connector. They use standard Harting connectors Han Q 4/2 M-c - 09120063041 - HARTING Connectivity & Networks which makes life a lot easier...LOL.
Here is a picture of a waterproof connector that I opened and closed without any troubles and you can see how the resistor is installed. Same technology as used by Tesla but solved with standard connectors:
DSC_3318.jpg
 
All the parts for the 3 phase adaptors for the UMC arrived and I made up the adaptor leads yesterday. I trialled them today with the UMC and this is the result. Very happy with the outcome as it's much faster than the 40A wall charger.

IMG_0612.JPG
 
Gudday WilH,

Ive just checked my charge efficiency on my 3 x 32A 3phase charger. It is significant that your getting 65km/hr on an input current of 48Amps/238Vac and I am getting 102km/hr on 96Amps at 241Vac. I would have expected a tight correlation between bridged single phase and a 3 phase source at same nominal Voltage...Hmm

ERV3 pendant v2.jpg
3phase wall socket v2.jpg
102kmhr.JPG


- - - Updated - - -

Oops missed deleting the crappy pics.. Apologies
 

Attachments

  • Tes charger 3v2.jpg
    Tes charger 3v2.jpg
    368.2 KB · Views: 75
  • 102km per Hr.jpg
    102km per Hr.jpg
    383.8 KB · Views: 70
Gudday WilH,

Ive just checked my charge efficiency on my 3 x 32A 3phase charger. It is significant that your getting 65km/hr on an input current of 48Amps/238Vac and I am getting 102km/hr on 96Amps at 241Vac. I would have expected a tight correlation between bridged single phase and a 3 phase source at same nominal Voltage...Hmm

View attachment 103722View attachment 103723View attachment 103724

- - - Updated - - -

Oops missed deleting the crappy pics.. Apologies

I think this is a rated V typical range difference rather than an efficiency difference. Check WillH's pic and his car is circa 70% charged with 350km range and yours shows 360km range at about 90% charge
 
I think this is a rated V typical range difference rather than an efficiency difference. Check WillH's pic and his car is circa 70% charged with 350km range and yours shows 360km range at about 90% charge

In general, don't bother comparing the km/hr figure at all - either set the display to show kW or multiply the volts by the amps to see what you are really doing.

Aside from the rated vs typical issue, the km/hr figure is an average across the whole charge session, so deeply misleading if the rate of charge has varied at all - especially at Superchargers where the rate of charge is always changing, or in normal charging at the very end of the charge where the rate slows to a trickle yet the km/hr still makes it look as if you are charging quite fast.
 
In general, don't bother comparing the km/hr figure at all - either set the display to show kW or multiply the volts by the amps to see what you are really doing.

Aside from the rated vs typical issue, the km/hr figure is an average across the whole charge session, so deeply misleading if the rate of charge has varied at all - especially at Superchargers where the rate of charge is always changing, or in normal charging at the very end of the charge where the rate slows to a trickle yet the km/hr still makes it look as if you are charging quite fast.

True, but when charging at the lower power levels enabled by a UMC (or other AC controllers) and especially when only charging to 90% there is little variance and no tapering.
 
True, but when charging at the lower power levels enabled by a UMC (or other AC controllers) and especially when only charging to 90% there is little variance and no tapering.


It looks to me like it comes down to typical efficiencies. I have a 3 week old 85D, the most efficient Model S available. I'll see if I can get another shot with the display changed to show KW/hr.
 
Believe it or not, I have access to a 20 amp, single phase plug. The pins are 3 flats each the same size as the earth pin on a 15 amp. Relatively unique, I think. I plug my 15 amp tail into that and draw the 16 amps.

You certainly don't see many of those about! Even less the 25A and higher single phase ones (with various 90 degree additions to the shape of the pins to increase size and prevent plugging in to lower capacity outlets). As long as the cable you use is really rated for 15A continuous (or higher) then 16A *probably* will be ok, but I'd be checking for heating of the cable and the connections in the plug after a while.