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model 3 charging problem

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I have a 2020 Model 3. I charge it using an electricin-installed NEMA plug on a 40 amp breaker and the Tesla UMC. I set the charging current to 32 amps. It starts charging fine, then after about 1 1/2 hours the current drops down to 7 amps. I unplug, set the current down to maybe 28 amps, plug in again and charging starts. Then after a short time it again drops to 7 amps. Now when I unplug and restart, the circuit breaker blows.
Any suggestions? Thanks.
 
I have a 2020 Model 3. I charge it using an electricin-installed NEMA plug on a 40
Any suggestions?

Call the electrician who installed it back out. You paid for them to install it properly, and "blowing the breakers" is obviously not installed properly.
 
I have a 2020 Model 3. I charge it using an electricin-installed NEMA plug on a 40 amp breaker and the Tesla UMC. I set the charging current to 32 amps. It starts charging fine, then after about 1 1/2 hours the current drops down to 7 amps. I unplug, set the current down to maybe 28 amps, plug in again and charging starts. Then after a short time it again drops to 7 amps. Now when I unplug and restart, the circuit breaker blows.
Any suggestions? Thanks.
The electrician did something wrong. What gauge wire did they use?
 
I have a 2020 Model 3. I charge it using an electricin-installed NEMA plug on a 40 amp breaker and the Tesla UMC. I set the charging current to 32 amps. It starts charging fine, then after about 1 1/2 hours the current drops down to 7 amps. I unplug, set the current down to maybe 28 amps, plug in again and charging starts. Then after a short time it again drops to 7 amps. Now when I unplug and restart, the circuit breaker blows.
Any suggestions? Thanks.

Are there any messages on the screen? If the car reduces the charging rate it should tell you why. Mine reduced charging rate and alerted on the screen that the voltage had dipped too low. Significant voltage dipping (sagging) can indicate other problems likely to do with bad installation. Some amount is expected, as current draw goes up voltage will go down a little, but I charge on a 50A circuit and draw 32A for 8+ hours without any trouble.

Also, just for clarification, "NEMA" means National Electrical Manufacturers Association. All plugs that you find in your house in North America are NEMA plugs. The specific plug type is identified by the numbers. I assume you have a NEMA 14-50 as that's the most common high power plug for EVs due to its usage in RV campgrounds. But there are many kinds.

 
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Thanks. Electrician came out, said tha circuit breaker was shot, will replace current 40 amp breaker with a 50 amp GFi when available. Meanwhile, he suggested that setting charging current to 32 amps is marginal for a 40 amp breaker.
 
32A draw on a 40A breaker is NOT “marginal”… it’s the norm to use 80% rated draw for continuous use.
My wall connector is on a 40A breaker and runs at 32A when I charge.
With proper wire gauge this is completely safe; in my case, I ran 6ga romex to minimize resistive loss and allow me to upsize to a 50A breaker if I upgrade my main service to the house.
 
Thanks. Electrician came out, said tha circuit breaker was shot, will replace current 40 amp breaker with a 50 amp GFi when available. Meanwhile, he suggested that setting charging current to 32 amps is marginal for a 40 amp breaker.
Maybe it was shot because he/she used the wrong gauge wire? Putting in a 50 amp breaker isn't going to solve that issue, maybe make it worse.
 
32A draw on a 40A breaker is NOT “marginal”… it’s the norm to use 80% rated draw for continuous use.
My wall connector is on a 40A breaker and runs at 32A when I charge.
With proper wire gauge this is completely safe; in my case, I ran 6ga romex to minimize resistive loss and allow me to upsize to a 50A breaker if I upgrade my main service to the house.
I agree. Electrician says wire gauge is plenty large; 50 amp breaker does not help. Now suspecting a problem with the Tesla (UMC?) cable.
 
What plug is installed?
What kind of outlet is in there?
Cheap lowes/Home Depot residential type or an industrial type of higher quality and price?
Are the wires properly torqued to the outlet?
Is the plug end of your mobile connector firmly seated in your mobile connector?
Is the grounding of the outlet correctly tied to neutral?

Do you have the ability to plug in on another outlet somewhere to see if the behavior is the same elsewhere to rule out the house wiring/outlet combo?
If you can plug in to a different outlet of the same type somewhere else, that would indicate the wall connector is the issue and not your outlet and breaker.
If it’s a GFCI breaker, that is likely to cause issues when the mobile connector checks the ground.
 
What plug is installed?
What kind of outlet is in there?
Cheap lowes/Home Depot residential type or an industrial type of higher quality and price?
Are the wires properly torqued to the outlet?
Is the plug end of your mobile connector firmly seated in your mobile connector?
Is the grounding of the outlet correctly tied to neutral?

Do you have the ability to plug in on another outlet somewhere to see if the behavior is the same elsewhere to rule out the house wiring/outlet combo?
If you can plug in to a different outlet of the same type somewhere else, that would indicate the wall connector is the issue and not your outlet and breaker.
If it’s a GFCI breaker, that is likely to cause issues when the mobile connector checks the ground.
Outlet/plug seems pretty moosey; electrician charged me plenty, and we had to wait for the 50 amp breaker because he wanted better than Home Depot stuff. He says that wire gauge is plenty and connections are tight. Plug end of mobile connecter is firmly in.
I don't know about the ground, what should I look for? It is a GFCI breaker, supposedly required by code for my underground garage, why/how would that be a problem?
Dealer charged for a short time and said all was OK. Haven't had a chance to try a different charging station, maybe will do that soon. Second UMC from dealer has same problem, so I'm ruling out a UMC problem.
 
Get rid of the GFCI breaker... Use a standard breaker instead.

The reason you don't want them (GFCI) is because the mobile connector will, on purpose, send current down the ground wire to make sure it is connected. GFCI breakers that are very sensitive will interpret that as a ground fault and trip. The Tesla Mobile Connector has built-in ground fault detection.

Regarding the dropping charging current, that's almost always a bad breaker (seeing a pattern here?), improperly torqued wires to the breaker and/or outlet, or bad outlet (heating). Does your car show anything in the service screen notifications when charging current drops?

Since you've swapped the UMC, that rules out the UMC as the problem. Simple process of elimination suggests it's either the car or the breaker, outlet, or wiring. You can plug the car in with the UMC and have no issues elsewhere, so it's not the car... That leaves breakers, wiring, and outlet. Since you've got GFCI breaker and replaced with another GFCI and have issues, replace that with a non-GFCI breaker first.

Then, get your electrician to tell you EXACTLY what gauge wire is installed.

But, assuming a competent electrician, the GFCI breaker is the likely root cause. But you need to have every single connection point on the circuit checked for correct torque.

Things you don't want:
GFCI breakers
Aluminum wires
Splices in the circuit that aren't Polaris type or equivalent (I'd not want any splices in the circuit at all)
Undersized wire
Lowes/Home Depot type consumer grade outlets
Incorrect torque on any wire connection
Bad ground
 
Plug in your car at 32A, and wait. When the car drops the charging current, immediately unplug the UMC and put your hand on the outlet. It should be perhaps 10-20 degrees F warmer than the wall. If, on the other hand, it raises blisters on your skin, call a new electrician.

LoudMusic still has the best question - what does the screen say when the car reduces charging current?