Model 3 Charging in Australia

[meloccom]

Thanks, gents.

So something like this - EV Public Charging Bundle | 22kW - EVSE Australia?

The second cable looks very short so I'm guessing probably need to get a longer lead. Also is the pricing about right?

Jet Charge in Melbourne charge the same amount for the two equivalent cables, so the price seems fair.
Type 1 to Type 2 Adapter
Type 2 to Type 2 Lead (Test and Tagged)
The shorter cable is an adapter that fits on the end of Type 1 (J1772) cable fitted to Chargepoint chargers so does not need to be any longer.

 

[one4spl]

Skimming the last few pages of this thread.

I've been down the road of using an OpenEVSE to synchronise the car to my solar output but the developer of OpenEVSE seems largely uninterested in changing its logic to suit Teslas (and other high capacity EVs. So I've sold my OpenEVSE and am working on setting up the HPWC to use a revised fork of TWCManager that seems to tick all my boxes.

There are lots of issues with TWCManager though, particularly the fork of it. The manual is unfinished and fairly wrong. It depends on an old version of raspbian and builds of Python and PHP. I seem to have got most of this working on the current, supported, versions with the help of a friendly linux guru though.

My project for the next free weekend is to actually assemble the RPi into the HPWC. I shall report back when I have time.

PS. glad my blog is still helping people out, particularly the charging article

 

[blasterkings]

Jet Charge in Melbourne charge the same amount for the two equivalent cables, so the price seems fair.
Type 1 to Type 2 Adapter
Type 2 to Type 2 Lead (Test and Tagged)
The shorter cable is an adapter that fits on the end of Type 1 (J1772) cable fitted to Chargepoint chargers so does not need to be any longer.

Great tx.

 

[Nickdp]

The description at that link is rubbish - I can't decode what they are selling.

Yep - total gibberish.

Can someone kindly point out what type of power cables/adaptors I need to purchase for charging at public chargers in Vic, nsw, Qld? Or is the cable/adaptor supplied with the car sufficient? I understand the car has a ccs2 charge port.

There are heaps of data availble in this forum so couldn't work out whats right/wrong. I'm new to ev tech so any help would be great.

I'm getting a model 3 LR.

When we talk about public chargers we are specifically referring to Level 2 charging, i.e. AC power approx 4.8kW to 22kW
The public charging stations then fall into two broad categories according to plug type - Type 1, and Type 2.
Type 1 stations have a tethered cable with a Type 1 plug at the end. To connect to your Model 3 you use a Type 1 to Type 2 adaptor cable (an example here). Type 1 charging stations deliver up to 30A single phase and are commonly run by Chargepoint, and you will need to sign up for a free account to use/start a charging session.

Type 2 stations typically have a socket behind a plastic flap, so you will need to plug your own charging cable into it, and the the other end into the car. As Ray mentioned you can get them for $305 from Tesla, (or here is a cheaper alternative).

You are not alone in feeling frustrated in navigating your way into the charging landscape - many new Tesla owners (not just Model 3 owners) have had similar experiences and just want someone to give them the TLDR version.
With this in mind, the Tesla Owners Club has been running monthly "Boot Camps", where over light refreshments, new and soon-to-be-new owners can get up close with the car and the various adaptors and cables and talk to other members about the finer points of charging and whatever else is on their mind. As a bonus, you don't need to be a member to attend.
Here is the direct link (this is for Chadstone (Vic)).

BTW, congrat's on your new Tesla.

 

[Vostok]

The description at that link is rubbish - I can't decode what they are selling.

It’s not that hard to work out - they are selling a pair of cables in a bundle - one Type 1 to Type 2, and one Type 2 to Type 2.

I’m getting a Type 1 to Type 2 adaptor instead of a cable - much smaller, neater and cheaper (like this one https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/32A-j1772-Type-1-socket-end_62335111975.html). The Type 1 to Type 2 cables look so bodgy, with aftermarket panel sockets used for the Type 1 end. Yuck.

At this stage I’m not planning on getting a Type 2 to Type 2 cable, because in NSW at least there appear to be very few instances where one would ever be required. All the Schneider units I’ve seen/visited in my LEAF have a cable already there hanging up, no need to BYO. I’ll probably even rarely use my Type 1 adaptor, it will be “just in case”. In most if not all cases, I’d be using Tesla/NRMA/Chargefox chargers which have CCS2.

 

[raynewman]

It’s not that hard to work out - they are selling a pair of cables in a bundle - one Type 1 to Type 2, and one Type 2 to Type 2.

I’m getting a Type 1 to Type 2 adaptor instead of a cable - much smaller, neater and cheaper (like this one https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/32A-j1772-Type-1-socket-end_62335111975.html). The Type 1 to Type 2 cables look so bodgy, with aftermarket panel sockets used for the Type 1 end. Yuck.

At this stage I’m not planning on getting a Type 2 to Type 2 cable, because in NSW at least there appear to be very few instances where one would ever be required. All the Schneider units I’ve seen/visited in my LEAF have a cable already there hanging up, no need to BYO. I’ll probably even rarely use my Type 1 adaptor, it will be “just in case”. In most if not all cases, I’d be using Tesla/NRMA/Chargefox chargers which have CCS2.

You will need the Type 2 to Type 2 cable if you ever deign to visit the sunshine state.

 

[HighlyCharged]

You will need the Type 2 to Type 2 cable if you ever deign to visit the sunshine state.

That's just a backup though, right? All the Chargefox stations I've been to have CCS2, with the type 2 port as the slow second option.

 

[SaturnV]

Skimming the last few pages of this thread.

I've been down the road of using an OpenEVSE to synchronise the car to my solar output but the developer of OpenEVSE seems largely uninterested in changing its logic to suit Teslas (and other high capacity EVs. So I've sold my OpenEVSE and am working on setting up the HPWC to use a revised fork of TWCManager that seems to tick all my boxes.

There are lots of issues with TWCManager though, particularly the fork of it. The manual is unfinished and fairly wrong. It depends on an old version of raspbian and builds of Python and PHP. I seem to have got most of this working on the current, supported, versions with the help of a friendly linux guru though.

My project for the next free weekend is to actually assemble the RPi into the HPWC. I shall report back when I have time.

PS. glad my blog is still helping people out, particularly the charging article

I have TWCManager working with my Tesla Wall charger. I have modified the code to supply a minimum 6A when tracking solar excess (6am - 6pm) so it doesn't continually switch on and off when production/excess is low, this works well and saves the contacts from too much switching. I've done a few other mods to suit my solar set-up. I also have an external switch to change the TWC from 3Ph to single phase if required, (gives better fine adjustments on single phase) but have to change the TWC config code if I want to track solar excess depending on the phases. Pretty agricultural code tweaks, but it is functioning.

This is getting data from a Fronius smart meter on a 19kW 3 Phase system and only charging with excess Watts over any other loads.

There is however, a random problem that occurs on single phase when I've set Min Amps per TWC to over 16, in that sometimes the car wont "break through" 16 Amps and it "loops" over a few seconds between offering and charging from 0A and up to whatever the current >16A available is, and as soon as it tries >16A returns to 0A. Sometimes it resolves itself after a few loops. If it's stuck in the loop, various "fixes" I've tried are hit and miss and you need to be watching to catch it. Doesn't seem as common after a morning wake up to charge, but go driving and come home and plug in and more often than not it happens again. Frustrating, so unless I'm watching closely, I leave it set at 16A when on single phase.

Any Gurus out there got any idea what's happening?

 

[Techno-phile]

I have TWCManager working with my Tesla Wall charger. I have modified the code to supply a minimum 6A when tracking solar excess (6am - 6pm) so it doesn't continually switch on and off when production/excess is low, this works well and saves the contacts from too much switching. I've done a few other mods to suit my solar set-up. I also have an external switch to change the TWC from 3Ph to single phase if required, (gives better fine adjustments on single phase) but have to change the TWC config code if I want to track solar excess depending on the phases. Pretty agricultural code tweaks, but it is functioning.

This is getting data from a Fronius smart meter on a 19kW 3 Phase system and only charging with excess Watts over any other loads.

There is however, a random problem that occurs on single phase when I've set Min Amps per TWC to over 16, in that sometimes the car wont "break through" 16 Amps and it "loops" over a few seconds between offering and charging from 0A and up to whatever the current >16A available is, and as soon as it tries >16A returns to 0A. Sometimes it resolves itself after a few loops. If it's stuck in the loop, various "fixes" I've tried are hit and miss and you need to be watching to catch it. Doesn't seem as common after a morning wake up to charge, but go driving and come home and plug in and more often than not it happens again. Frustrating, so unless I'm watching closely, I leave it set at 16A when on single phase.

Any Gurus out there got any idea what's happening?

M3s have to bridge the 3 internal 16amp sub-chargers per phase in order to charge at > 16amp single phase. Maybe there is an issue with the relays which do this bridging.

 

[raynewman]

That's just a backup though, right? All the Chargefox stations I've been to have CCS2, with the type 2 port as the slow second option.

That's right but I have needed it as the stations are very far apart up north.

 

[HighlyCharged]

That's right but I have needed it as the stations are very far apart up north.

Is that because the CCS2 was in use?

 

[raynewman]

Is that because the CCS2 was in use?

No - broken. This case was Bowen which is the most isolated. Have also seen others broken in a situation where I could keep going to the next one.

 

[lonewolf313]

With the new software update to Model 3 in Australia . . . . 2019.40.50.7

This was recorded at the Supercharger station at Broadway shopping centre in Sydney

I was not sharing the stall with anyone else.

Arrived with 16km of charge left in the battery

Model 3 SR+ ramping up to max 128kW 938 km/h

Stopped charging between 40-45 min from arrival at 349 km with 333km added to the battery (95%)

The economy rate was fantastic too at 143 wh / km (as shown in first photo) and I wasn't driving for economy.

At this point I had already driven more than 500km and gave heaps of test rides to friends and family doing fast accelerations between 0 - 80 kph.

 

[ICUDoc]

Is your car called Armstrong?

 

[lonewolf313]

Is your car called Armstrong?

Yes, the car I hired was called "Armstrong"

 

[Candleflame]

That's right but I have needed it as the stations are very far apart up north.

Nevermind that at the moment that we are currently ramming each other up here. I remember charging in Townsville when 10 seconds after me a Model X turns up which then had to AC charge (which also tried charging in Tully but the DC charger was broken)

Evie's 350kw Townsville charger will go online next 12 weeks btw.

 

[Chamii123]

Are there any issues charging when it rains?
Has anybody tried it?

 

[HighlyCharged]

Nevermind that at the moment that we are currently ramming each other up here. I remember charging in Townsville when 10 seconds after me a Model X turns up which then had to AC charge (which also tried charging in Tully but the DC charger was broken)

Evie's 350kw Townsville charger will go online next 12 weeks btw.

Aye, you both convinced me to get a type2 to type2 cable for my next road trip up north.

I wonder why the AC chargers don't have built in cables like the DC chargers?

 

[Candleflame]

Are there any issues charging when it rains?
Has anybody tried it?

yes indeed, up here in Cairns it rains all the time and ever since then we get this Error 47 and another error (?96) when trying to charge. Now interestingly enough this seems to be a tritium charger problem when it rains and Bjorn actually talked about this in one of his videos a few days ago. He said the solution was to press the charger firmly into the port.
I found this makes no difference, you just have to try charging until it works. In my experience it takes 5-8 connection attempts and then it will charge.

 

[Candleflame]

Aye, you both convinced me to get a type2 to type2 cable for my next road trip up north.

I wonder why the AC chargers don't have built in cables like the DC chargers?

So that people who don't have type 2 can use them and so that the chargers can be built discrete and maintainance free. Though realistically they could just use a different adapter as at the moment you really just need Type 2 to Type 2 and Type 2 to Type 1....