Mobile charging for Australia

[Dborn]

Don't forget, superchargers aren't the only option either. Tesla has given away a large number of HPWC's in the US for businesses to install themselves as well.

- - - Updated - - -



That's not really true. Tesla can charge off of J1772 at up to 20kW and Type 2 3-phase at up to 22kW, so there isn't much difference (now what the chargers actually supply is up to the installation, 6.6kW is the most common because that's all the Leaf can take). An adapter is what is needed (an adapter is needed in the US for J1772 as well, but it's supplied with the car).

Problem is the adaptor. I specifically wrote to Jerome a while back about this. Because type 2 is not a proprietary standard, Tesla is not going to be making one. So, it seems to be up to the customer to figure that one out. I suppose, in time, Tesla will choose one of the adaptor cables shown earlier on this thread, and perhaps sell that. But, at this time, that is pure conjecture. Chicken and egg situation. Once there is enough demand or volume of cars, we may be able to force charge points hand and impose a standard here.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Maybe you folks could use this adapter from Modular EV Adapters? It allows you to plug in a J1772 charger handle, and gives you a NEMA 14-50 plug that you can then plug any portable EVSE into. Modular EV Power

 

[DITB]

There ARE adapter cables available. SteveWest in NZ has one already ( 6mm2, 32A cable see post #94 ) , how's it working, Steve?

See post #61, #101, #102 and #111

Since this is close to Hong Kong I intend to buy one of these:

J1772 to 62196 Type 2 Extension Cord 32A for Electric Vehicle EV Charging in Type 2 Cable Connector for Sale

Hong Kong doesn't have many J1772, ChaDeMo nor Type 2. Something like 95% of all charging stations are 13A (gross), 10A net, giving a mere 9 km/h charging (2 km/h if you keep the car on and run the A/C!). Although the faster chargers are still rare, it is still annoying NOT to be able to use them, while you are there anyway. Due to the lower efficiency at 13A, 32A is about 3.5 times faster in reality, around 32 km/h. Two days ago I used a type-2, and having parked for 7 hours doing shopping and other tasks at multiple nearby locations, we came back to an almost fully charged car (got 49 kWh in 7 hours).

Since some of the locations I drive to at times have either J1772 or ChaDeMo, I intend to get both these adapters, when available. ChaDeMo is already included for all Model S cars delivered in Japan, and should be ready for us soon. Before you fly up to Tokyo to get one, be aware that Japanese Model S cars are same standard as the US, so they WON'T work on AU/HK/EU Model S versions. J1772 ... is available from across the border (in the link above), and if it works in Hong Kong, it should work in Australia as well - hence I follow this thread and take the liberty to post here.

 

[Gabz]

Is there still a risk with this cable that the J1772 connection could be pulled apart while charging and it would be disconnected under load. the result being arcing and damage to the connector

a better design would be to wire the resisters from the trigger of the J1772 socket to the resisters on the type 2

you would have to do some resister maths so that when it's normally open the resistance is 220 and less when closed.... hmm not sure it's possible there is a reason this cable is very common it doesn't really meet the design intent.

by the way the note says that the J1772 resistance is 150 ohms when attached to vehicle 480ohm when the trigger is pressed i.e. disconnecting or connected to/from the vehicle.

 

[miimura]

I think it would be better to have a circuit on the J1772 inlet end of the adapter that would interrupt the pilot when the J1772 handle button is pressed. Either that or pass an additional wire through the adapter that would open the Proximity pin on the Type-2 end. I think either of those would force the car to stop drawing current before someone could yank the J1772 apart.

 

[Gabz]

I think it would be better to have a circuit on the J1772 inlet end of the adapter that would interrupt the pilot when the J1772 handle button is pressed. Either that or pass an additional wire through the adapter that would open the Proximity pin on the Type-2 end. I think either of those would force the car to stop drawing current before someone could yank the J1772 apart.

I agree can't think of a design off hand through that would work with a passive circuit.

tesla could get around it by wiring the PP straight through and interpreting 480ohms correctly, (maybe add another in-line resister so the car knows a adapter is in use) I assume that is how the American adapter works.

 

[Johnwill]

That's not really true. Tesla can charge off of J1772 at up to 20kW and Type 2 3-phase at up to 22kW, so there isn't much difference (now what the chargers actually supply is up to the installation, 6.6kW is the most common because that's all the Leaf can take). An adapter is what is needed (an adapter is needed in the US for J1772 as well, but it's supplied with the car).

It may not be true in theory but in practice it is. 20kW/87amp Type 1 chargers are not to common in NZ and I doubt there would be too many in Australia. An 87amp installation is a big load for anything other than heavy industrial sites.

The more common 7kW J1772 units don't put anywhere near the 100km/hr charge into a Model S like you can get with 3phase 32A Type 2 EVSE.

I think it would be better to have a circuit on the J1772 inlet end of the adapter that would interrupt the pilot when the J1772 handle button is pressed. Either that or pass an additional wire through the adapter that would open the Proximity pin on the Type-2 end. I think either of those would force the car to stop drawing current before someone could yank the J1772 apart.

The leads and adaptors should have a short CP pin in the plug. Pulling the plug out breaks the control first and causes immediate disconnection of the charge voltage while the charge pins are still in contact with each other.

 

[Dylanpete]

See my post 2885 in "Tesla in Australia" thread, copy hereunder:
MDK, Dborn, Gabz, WhiteStar, thanks a lot for your answers!
Gabz, doing some further DD on the web I noted your excellent fact sheet http://noronha.id.au/wp-content/uplo..._Factsheet.pdf
MDK, thanks for pointing me the other thread, lot's of reading and study to do...
With regards to the caravan parks, looking to the website from K-Mac Powerheads, it looks like some campings may have also 3 phase available, has anyone looked into this?
And further, 3 phase 32 Amp or 3 phase 63 Amp may also be available at some marinas, see Comsen Powerheads model EXTREME Service Pillar (MX1200).
Could a HPWC be connected and function properly with these 3 phase outlets? There are plenty of marinas along the coast between Brisbane and Sydney: New South Wales Marina Map

 

[Dborn]

Yes. Marinas frequently supply 20 amps single phase. However, i can tell you that there is no access to any of that power from the carpark at my marina or D"alboras at Akuna bay. Mine is Empire marina, Bobbin head. Also not at Dr'alboras Port Stephens

 

[MDK]

A spare HPWC with 3phase plug at the end might work (when the 3phase HPWC is available that is) if a bit ungainly, and expensive

I keep hoping Tesla will announce a UMC with 3-phase and 1-phase adapters, like they do in Europe

If not, I wonder if it's feasible to get a Europe-spec UMC with their red (3 phase 32A) adapter, and have a local sparkie make a cable with European (red CEE) 3-phase 32A socket at one end, and Aussie 3-phase 5-PIN-32A plug at the other end

And possibly the same for high current single phase sockets, although I don't know how common they are in the wild.

See European-Owners-which-adapters-come-with-the-car? for a Norse owner's collection of adapters

 

[Gabz]

Gabz, doing some further DD on the web I noted your excellent fact sheet http://noronha.id.au/wp-content/uplo..._Factsheet.pdf

Thanks i need to update them now tesla has arrived with type 2 for level 2 charging.

 

[Dylanpete]

A spare HPWC with 3phase plug at the end might work (when the 3phase HPWC is available that is) if a bit ungainly, and expensive

I keep hoping Tesla will announce a UMC with 3-phase and 1-phase adapters, like they do in Europe

If not, I wonder if it's feasible to get a Europe-spec UMC with their red (3 phase 32A) adapter, and have a local sparkie make a cable with European (red CEE) 3-phase 32A socket at one end, and Aussie 3-phase 5-PIN-32A plug at the other end
View attachment 66723

And possibly the same for high current single phase sockets, although I don't know how common they are in the wild.

See European-Owners-which-adapters-come-with-the-car? for a Norse owner's collection of adapters

Yes MDK, I concur with your suggestions here.
Further, I just had a chat with a Tesla representative and I understand that in the following months the following will become available for the Oz market:
- mobile connector 10 Amp
- single phase 64 Amp
- 3 phase 32 Amp
- Chademo adapter - which would be good here in QLD when Tritium goes ahead with their plan for a FC network in SE QLD.
Also he thought Tesla may consider installing some HPWCs at some business or holiday spots between Brisbane and Sydney (no commitments though...just the idea now)
And if Tesla would be a bit slow in execution than your suggestions are the path to go...It's perfectly fine to me to relax, stay somewhere along the coast overnight and have the car charged, as long as I don't need to stretch my stay for 2 days using 10 Amp to charge...

I guess once January it will be a bit less hectic for Tesla staff here in Australia and we can hope to receive some regular updates on this.

 

[WhiteStar]

Yes MDK, I concur with your suggestions here.
Further, I just had a chat with a Tesla representative and I understand that in the following months the following will become available for the Oz market:
- mobile connector 10 Amp
- single phase 64 Amp
- 3 phase 32 Amp
- Chademo adapter - which would be good here in QLD when Tritium goes ahead with their plan for a FC network in SE QLD.
Also he thought Tesla may consider installing some HPWCs at some business or holiday spots between Brisbane and Sydney (no commitments though...just the idea now)
And if Tesla would be a bit slow in execution than your suggestions are the path to go...It's perfectly fine to me to relax, stay somewhere along the coast overnight and have the car charged, as long as I don't need to stretch my stay for 2 days using 10 Amp to charge...

I guess once January it will be a bit less hectic for Tesla staff here in Australia and we can hope to receive some regular updates on this.

That is Really good news. Some creative stop gap options might be the only way forward for a while. I wouldn't attempt the trip with only 10A charging options available either...but if there was a single solitary Supercharger installed around 300 km north of Sydney, that would make any slower options like destination chargers at Coffs & Byron or even 15A charging thereafter entirely doable. It could even be done with only the one Supercharger & Coffs HPWC with the recent availability of the Macadamia Castle charger at Newrybar, assuming a J1772 adapter is available and a long lunch at the Macca Castle is desirable.

 

[ccbm]

It would be great to see Tesla put in 2 superchargers going north to Brisbane and 2 south going to Melbourne in early 2015 so at least those with 85 kWh packs could begin to roam the full coast. They could then fill in at 200km intervals during rest of 2015/2016 to complete the network. Should be feasible and the cost and roll out would be the same. Not sure why roll out plan hasn't been designed this way. I am not clear why they have left Brisbane to 2016.

But hey I am happy they are rolling out Superchargers in Australia at all!!!

 

[Mark E]

It would be great to see Tesla put in 2 superchargers going north to Brisbane and 2 south going to Melbourne in early 2015 so at least those with 85 kWh packs could begin to roam the full coast. They could then fill in at 200km intervals during rest of 2015/2016 to complete the network. Should be feasible and the cost and roll out would be the same. Not sure why roll out plan hasn't been designed this way. I am not clear why they have left Brisbane to 2016.

Agreed - a supercharger at Taree would mean a trip to Coffs Harbour is possible.
While the superchargers in Sydney are welcome, I'd rather some outside of the city as I can easily get around Sydney, but Canberra or Port Macquarie/Coffs Harbour would be tricky - of course I'd also need the UMC to plug in at the destination. I'd also like to see one in Bathurst or Orange for trips out west.

 

[mhh]

I'm resigned to using my Tesla in the city only. Even with a network of SC stations being rolled out throughout Australia over the next few years, they won't allow the sort of flexibility that real life requires for spontaneous travel. I don't usually keep a car more than 3-4 years and it will take decades to build a SC network that would allow the sort of driving freedom I want when out of the city. I don't need SC stations between major cities - I fly if I want to get from Sydney to Melbourne. I'd need a SC in every medium sized town in Australia before I could say EV has fully replaced ICE in my garage.

 

[JOH]

It would be great to see Tesla put in 2 superchargers going north to Brisbane and 2 south going to Melbourne in early 2015 so at least those with 85 kWh packs could begin to roam the full coast. They could then fill in at 200km intervals during rest of 2015/2016 to complete the network. Should be feasible and the cost and roll out would be the same. Not sure why roll out plan hasn't been designed this way. I am not clear why they have left Brisbane to 2016.

But hey I am happy they are rolling out Superchargers in Australia at all!!!

i think (and hope) they may end up surprising and delighting us!

 

[danielp]

Agreed - a supercharger at Taree would mean a trip to Coffs Harbour is possible.
While the superchargers in Sydney are welcome, I'd rather some outside of the city as I can easily get around Sydney, but Canberra or Port Macquarie/Coffs Harbour would be tricky - of course I'd also need the UMC to plug in at the destination. I'd also like to see one in Bathurst or Orange for trips out west.

There are already two hotels in Canberra with HWPCs that I am aware of, so Canberra isn't a problem if you are prepared to use those facilities.

I wonder what other hotels have them and if there is a list available so we can start planning longer road trips.

 

[Gabz]

There are already two hotels in Canberra with HWPCs that I am aware of, so Canberra isn't a problem if you are prepared to use those facilities.

I wonder what other hotels have them and if there is a list available so we can start planning longer road trips.

nothing on the map Find Us | Tesla Motors or PlugShare - EV Charging Station Map - Find a place to charge your car! care to share which locations or does it have to kept hush hush ?

 

[BeardyMcCJ]

It would be great to see Tesla put in 2 superchargers going north to Brisbane and 2 south going to Melbourne in early 2015 so at least those with 85 kWh packs could begin to roam the full coast. They could then fill in at 200km intervals during rest of 2015/2016 to complete the network. Should be feasible and the cost and roll out would be the same. Not sure why roll out plan hasn't been designed this way. I am not clear why they have left Brisbane to 2016.

But hey I am happy they are rolling out Superchargers in Australia at all!!!

It's not correct to say 'left Brisbane until 2016' but rather that it will
be 'complete by the end of 2016'. Two different things.