Mobile connector fault; charging starts and stops several times before stopping altogether?

[idealdreams]

I'm on month 5 with my Model 3 and out of the blue I'm now getting a charging error when I plug the mobile connector in to charge at home. I have a NEMA 14-50 receptacle at home and I replaced the adapter already thinking that that may be the issue to no avail. Whenever I plug it in, it cycles through several start and stop cycles before ultimately stopping and warning me with "charging interrupted."

I have to stand out at my car and unplug the adapter from the wall, wait a minute, and then plug back in, and then hope that it'll start charging as normal. This most recent time that didn't even help. Currently on hold waiting for someone at Tesla to pick up but in the meantime I'm worried as if I can't charge at home then I can't drive it.

Does anyone know what would cause this issue out of nowhere?

 

[kbecks13]

Problem could be with your outlet, is your circuitry up to snuff/are you running high loads when this happens?

 

[Akikiki]

So what's your next step, if you can't charge at home. Don't come here and ask if someone else has the identical problem. You have not exhausted your own trouble-shooting. Now think about what other actions or steps you can take to reduce or rule out the things that might be causing this? Think. Tuff love, bubba.

 

[idealdreams]

So what's your next step, if you can't charge at home. Don't come here and ask if someone else has the identical problem. You have not exhausted your own trouble-shooting. Now think about what other actions or steps you can take to reduce or rule out the things that might be causing this? Think. Tuff love, bubba.

Are your other ~4,000 messages on this board as useless as this one? The service centers are closed until morning and there are no other avenues to get the mobile charger fixed at this hour. I am asking for others' experiences here as I want to know if the fault is with my charger and what I should expect in getting it repaired/replaced.

 

[Akikiki]

You are not looking at this correctly. You need to think about the issue and figure out how to reduce the possible things that are either causing or not causing the problem. You are not going to get it fixed at this hour anyway. But what are you going to say to Tesla? Help, I can't charge? You are part of the solution.

Have you tried your 120V adapter and a 120V outlet? Have you tried your 30 amp adapter on an electric dryer? You don't have an electric dryer? How about a family member or neighbor? Know anyone else that has a Tesla? You could, you should try their outlet regardless of if its 120V or 30 amp or 50 amp. You can use their MC or WC and test if your charge port is good or having a problem. Trying your MC at their site, will help you see if its at your house, or your equipment or your MC. The SC is going to have you do these things if you talk to the right person. It will likely save either you a trip to the SC or if you are lucky someone from the SC coming to you to test stuff. You will be lucky too if they don't charge you for the visit.

You can't always depend on the SC because they go home too.

 

[miimura]

You could also narrow down whether it's a problem with the Mobile Connector by trying a local J1772 charging station.

 

[toolman335]

Yeah you need to eliminate variables. The easiest thing to do first is try charging with 120. If that works drive to a local charging station to see how that goes. If 120 doesn't work you certainly have issues.

What do you have for a home charging station?

 

[MrG_NY]

Check the pins on your connector, see if maybe broken. Is the connector seated properly? (feels seated but isn't all the way down) Are your wire connections tight? Connections in the electrical box tight? Does the car charge OK at a Super Charger? Have you tried lowering the amps on the screen?

 

[Scrannel]

I'm also charging my 3 on a 14-50 outlet. You mounted it on a 50 amp breaker, right? If you installed it yourself, check to be sure the white (neutral) wire is properly connected. And, your ground of course. If this is your main panel it probably has a "bonded" ground/neutral (both can be connected to the same bar). However, if it's a sub panel they may be separate. You've used a volt meter to check what's coming out of the outlet? 240 - ish? So, if the outlet side checks out... that leaves your mobile cable or the car. Thus the idea to take it to a public charger. (Or do a software reset?).

 

[ACofNY]

FYI, I charge at home with 110v, and at the beginning, I was constantly getting this the first time I plug in at home. I found I have to really shove the plug in swift and firm action and has not failed since. If I plug it in slowly and gently, it does not get good contact.

I don’t have problems even when I plugged it in slowly at Superchargers and Chargepoints, which make me wonder if there is some dirt or coating on the pins from handling / storage. I did in the beginning always put the cable back in the case making me think there must be some coating on the pins in the beginning.

 

[DMBM3]

FYI, I charge at home with 110v, and at the beginning, I was constantly getting this the first time I plug in at home. I found I have to really shove the plug in swift and firm action and has not failed since. If I plug it in slowly and gently, it does not get good contact.

I don’t have problems even when I plugged it in slowly at Superchargers and Chargepoints, which make me wonder if there is some dirt or coating on the pins from handling / storage. I did in the beginning always put the cable back in the case making me think there must be some coating on the pins in the beginning.

Any updates here? Still working ok? I took delivery on Friday AWD LR FSD and tried to charge at home last night for the first time. Got the same fault. Mobile charger is plugged into 240v outlet. Green letters on mobile charger cable. Blue light on charge port, but getting the fault on the screen. I tried a 110v outlet in my garage and getting the same thing. Tried pushing plug in swift and firm, but did not help. This morning I noticed that charge port is now not even turning blue when plugged in, staying while.

Will drive to local Service center when they open to see if supercharger works or if they can swap out the cable.

Just looking to see if anyone has other ideas before I go.

 

[Akikiki]

Suggestion to anyone that has not taken delivery: While you are at the delivery center taking deliver, pull your MC out and plug it into an outlet and beginning charging the car. Even testing for two minutes is better than not at all. While you are at the delivery center you are saving yourself a trip if/when you discover your MC is not working. I'm sure the folks there will tell you "its brand new, never used, will work fine". You are the one at home and hoping it worked. Prove to yourself that it works - eyeball it working. I'd take no one's word for it.

 

[Euphguy]

Any updates here? Still working ok? I took delivery on Friday AWD LR FSD and tried to charge at home last night for the first time. Got the same fault. Mobile charger is plugged into 240v outlet. Green letters on mobile charger cable. Blue light on charge port, but getting the fault on the screen. I tried a 110v outlet in my garage and getting the same thing. Tried pushing plug in swift and firm, but did not help. This morning I noticed that charge port is now not even turning blue when plugged in, staying while.

Will drive to local Service center when they open to see if supercharger works or if they can swap out the cable.

Just looking to see if anyone has other ideas before I go.

My first time charging at home I got a charging fault. I just didn't realize the force required to insert the plug all the way into my car. The combo of a new car and new charger and not knowing how far it had to be inserted caused the error for me. I could hear the lock trying to latch unsuccessfully. I was pretty freaked before I figured out what was going on.

 

[DMBM3]

Turns out I have a bad cable. A buddy of mine lent me his mobile charger, and it works fine.