New Model X charging limit to 32A

[xyeahtony]

Yes, that was pointed out in the second post. Then it was discussed for a while why only 32 amps from a 50 amp outlet. Then the issue became that some are claiming Tesla dropped the charger rate on the P100D battery from 72 amps down to 48 amps. Whew! My head is spinning from all the misconceptions I had when this all started.

72A charger was discontinued for cars made after the price change.
Tesla increases base price of Model S and Model X, makes several option changes to ‘simplify offering’

In single phase markets, which is basically North America.

If you wanna know your cars max charge rate, just change the charge current indicator with the car unplugged. If it goes up to 72A you have the high amperage charger

 

[gnuarm]

The WC costs virtually the same as the CMC, actually $20 less @ $500.

But beware, the WC has a lot of flexibility, and may not be configured to allow 80 (or 72) amps at any particular installation. For example, I have mine programmed to a limit of 56 amps. It also supports a variety of input voltages, 208, 240, 277 depending on the nature of the circuit it is connected to. Most home installations in .US will be 240. Most installations at commercial sites (w 3 phase power) will be 208 or 277. Details in the WC manual.

I think by CMC you mean the hard wired 14-50 cable that will give you 40 amps? I don't care so much about that. I already have the cable that comes with the car which does 32 amps. I guess the other reason why the HPWC is good is that it is dedicated. I won't have to roll up the cable and put it back in the car every time.

I worry about leaving the Tesla cable behind at some point or it getting broken. I could end up in a location where I literally have to be towed on a flatbed to get a charge. It would have been nice if somewhere in the car there was a NEMA 5-15P connector to allow a simple extension cord to be plugged in as a last gasp charging method.

 

[posity]

It would have been nice if somewhere in the car there was a NEMA 5-15P connector to allow a simple extension cord to be plugged in as a last gasp charging method.

Head on over to the Tesla store and buy the Mobile Connector Bundle: exactly what you are asking for, I think. Quite reasonably priced at $300 IMHO. I store one of these in my X so that I don't have to remember to disconnect the charger I have connected in my garage that came with my X.

 

[DCGOO]

I think by CMC you mean the hard wired 14-50 cable that will give you 40 amps? I don't care so much about that. I already have the cable that comes with the car which does 32 amps. I guess the other reason why the HPWC is good is that it is dedicated. I won't have to roll up the cable and put it back in the car every time.

I worry about leaving the Tesla cable behind at some point or it getting broken. I could end up in a location where I literally have to be towed on a flatbed to get a charge. It would have been nice if somewhere in the car there was a NEMA 5-15P connector to allow a simple extension cord to be plugged in as a last gasp charging method.

When I returned my S from Lease, it had the old style UMC, good for 40 amps. My X had the new 32 amp MC of course, so I swapped them and kept the 40 amp cable in the X. Back when I purchased the WC (then called HPWC), it was $750!... But well worth it IMO, so I could leave the UMC in the car. I could have purchased a second UMC, but I wanted the capability to charge beyond 40 amps.

Also It turns out the original version of the HPWC will not charge MCU2 versions of the X, so the SC gave me a free new WC (the one with the retainer hole in the side). It works great. The only problem I have left is that I cannot charge my new Model X at most legacy HPWC in the wild. I thought (was told) the problem would be fixed in a subsequent version of firmware. So far, it has not been forthcoming, and I am now on 48.12. I suspect you will run in to that problem if you try to charge at a legacy HPWC.

 

[Sparrow]

Odd my very early HPWC that I got 6 years ago, charges my 2018 X that I just go new.

 

[xyeahtony]

Odd my very early HPWC that I got 6 years ago, charges my 2018 X that I just go new.

its not every single MCU2 car. However, a lot of tesla destination chargers also have clipper creek chargers as well (tesla installs both), so worst case a tesla owner can just use the J1772 adapter.

 

[gnuarm]

When I returned my S from Lease, it had the old style UMC, good for 40 amps. My X had the new 32 amp MC of course, so I swapped them and kept the 40 amp cable in the X. Back when I purchased the WC (then called HPWC), it was $750!... But well worth it IMO, so I could leave the UMC in the car. I could have purchased a second UMC, but I wanted the capability to charge beyond 40 amps.

Also It turns out the original version of the HPWC will not charge MCU2 versions of the X, so the SC gave me a free new WC (the one with the retainer hole in the side). It works great. The only problem I have left is that I cannot charge my new Model X at most legacy HPWC in the wild. I thought (was told) the problem would be fixed in a subsequent version of firmware. So far, it has not been forthcoming, and I am now on 48.12. I suspect you will run in to that problem if you try to charge at a legacy HPWC.

Now that is scary. How do I tell the difference? The destination chargers are just HPWCs, right? Are any destination chargers the old, incompatible types?

 

[gnuarm]

its not every single MCU2 car. However, a lot of tesla destination chargers also have clipper creek chargers as well (tesla installs both), so worst case a tesla owner can just use the J1772 adapter.

What current do they run? All the J1772 chargers I've tried were only 30 amps.

 

[gnuarm]

Speaking of J1772, I am looking at OpenEVSE for a wall unit. They have a 40 amp version (which means an actual 40 amps, not prorated down to 32 amps) for $500 or $550 with wifi. Not sure what the wifi does for you, but we will see as I dig into it more. I posted in their forum and found out they also have 80 amp versions that will let me charge at the full 72 amps my car is capable of. Don't have a price yet.

 

[tga]

Speaking of J1772, I am looking at OpenEVSE for a wall unit. They have a 40 amp version (which means an actual 40 amps, not prorated down to 32 amps) for $500 or $550 with wifi. Not sure what the wifi does for you, but we will see as I dig into it more. I posted in their forum and found out they also have 80 amp versions that will let me charge at the full 72 amps my car is capable of. Don't have a price yet.

Don't bother with the OpenEVSE (or any other J1772) unless you also need to charge a non Tesla. You won't find an 80A capable charging station for less than the Tesla Wall Connector at $500.

 

[gnuarm]

Don't bother with the OpenEVSE (or any other J1772) unless you also need to charge a non Tesla. You won't find an 80A capable charging station for less than the Tesla Wall Connector at $500.

Maybe, but it would be more versatile being able to charge pretty much any EV without being limited by the Gen 2 cable. I'm considering having two of them, so I'll want to make sure the OpenEVSE can share a power circuit.

Still, I'm just tire kicking. I was attracted by the open source aspect and they offer a kit. The really expensive part of a high current wall connector is the relay at over $100 and I guess the cable to the car. I believe the remainder is pretty straight forward inexpensive items although they talk about the safety aspects which may require particular features in the controller. I'm not fond of the display. I'd rather have an eInk display for visibility, but they just aren't showing up in many products. If you ever look at how they market them you'd see why. They don't make it so easy to evaluate them.

 

[Cosmacelf]

still "most people" since 99% of the US population lives within 150 miles of a supercharger.

Tesla says 99% of the US population is now within 150 miles of a Supercharger

Which means not much. I'm within 50 miles of 5 supercharger sites, but I have a trip coming up that is 120 miles each direction, with no Superchargers anywhere near the route. I can't do the round trip without charging in my P90D Model X, and there is just slow Level 2 charging along the route. Having a destination charger along the route to allow me to charge at 72A would be very helpful indeed.

 

[DCGOO]

Now that is scary. How do I tell the difference? The destination chargers are just HPWCs, right? Are any destination chargers the old, incompatible types?

The new ones that work, have the hole in the side to place the connector handle in. The older version 1 HPWC, do not. The handle retainer was a separate plastic part. You will know it because the charge port on the car will fault with a red ring. The HPWC will also go red and must be reset to try again.

I have never been able to get the older style (V1) HPWC to work on my X, delivered in late June, making it an MCU2 version. Tesla fixed my situation at home by giving me a new WC to replace my old unit. They would not perform the replacement, I had to arrange that myself. For me it was a 15 minute DIY engagement. Other folks might have to hire an electrician.

Unfortunately the vast majority of Tesla Destination locations are the old units. I have not heard there is any effort to upgrade this installed in the wild.

I cannot even charge at some of the free locations near my local Tesla mall store, because they have not all been swapped out. There are no J1772 chargers nearby (that do not require a credit card), but as you pointed out, they are generally limited to 32 amps anyway.

 

[gnuarm]

The new ones that work, have the hole in the side to place the connector handle in. The older version 1 HPWC, do not. The handle retainer was a separate plastic part. You will know it because the charge port on the car will fault with a red ring. The HPWC will also go red and must be reset to try again.

I have never been able to get the older style (V1) HPWC to work on my X, delivered in late June, making it an MCU2 version. Tesla fixed my situation at home by giving me a new WC to replace my old unit. They would not perform the replacement, I had to arrange that myself. For me it was a 15 minute DIY engagement. Other folks might have to hire an electrician.

Unfortunately the vast majority of Tesla Destination locations are the old units. I have not heard there is any effort to upgrade this installed in the wild.

I cannot even charge at some of the free locations near my local Tesla mall store, because they have not all been swapped out. There are no J1772 chargers nearby (that do not require a credit card), but as you pointed out, they are generally limited to 32 amps anyway.

This is a potential issue that can strand a Tesla owner. If the old units show up on the maps without indication they are old units which you can't use, you can get stranded without enough juice to reach another charger. Hopefully there would be a J1772 charger close enough to reach. I only wish the car had some way to show me where they were. Maybe they could include a web browser that lets me view a Plugshare map? I'll have to recommend that to Elon.

 

[xyeahtony]

What current do they run? All the J1772 chargers I've tried were only 30 amps.

The clipper creeks usually run at 40A

 

[TexasEV]

The clipper creeks usually run at 40A

Depends on which Clipper Creek model you’re talking about. They make J1772 stations with output up to 80A.

 

[gnuarm]

Depends on which Clipper Creek model you’re talking about. They make J1772 stations with output up to 80A.

I'm talking about what is found in the wild. I've yet to find one above 30 amps and I seem to recall the car actually didn't charge at the full 30 amps after five minutes or so. I don't plan to use them much since in my travels they haven't been of much use. I did use one at a Ford dealer when I got a bit nervous about making it home. I should have hung at the destination charger a bit longer, but I'm not a big fan of hanging around motels waiting for my car to charge. There's now a Supercharger on that route, so unless I do way too much local driving on that trip I shouldn't have problems again. If the Supercharger were in Frederick, MD it would be a done deal. They'll get one at some point. Both Hagerstown, MD and Martinsburg, WV have Superchargers and they are only 19 miles apart. Frederick is a great location for one with five intersecting highways.

 

[xyeahtony]

I'm talking about what is found in the wild. I've yet to find one above 30 amps and I seem to recall the car actually didn't charge at the full 30 amps after five minutes or so. I don't plan to use them much since in my travels they haven't been of much use. I did use one at a Ford dealer when I got a bit nervous about making it home. I should have hung at the destination charger a bit longer, but I'm not a big fan of hanging around motels waiting for my car to charge. There's now a Supercharger on that route, so unless I do way too much local driving on that trip I shouldn't have problems again. If the Supercharger were in Frederick, MD it would be a done deal. They'll get one at some point. Both Hagerstown, MD and Martinsburg, WV have Superchargers and they are only 19 miles apart. Frederick is a great location for one with five intersecting highways.

Are you talking about regular J1772 chargers or clipper creek chargers Tesla installs in conjunction with Wall connectors at most destination chargers?

Most chargepoint J1772 public chargers are 30A, but all the clipper creeks i've tried at tesla destination charging sites have been 40A.

 

[gnuarm]

Are you talking about regular J1772 chargers or clipper creek chargers Tesla installs in conjunction with Wall connectors at most destination chargers?

Most chargepoint J1772 public chargers are 30A, but all the clipper creeks i've tried at tesla destination charging sites have been 40A.

I never knew there was a difference, so I've not tried a J1772 when next to a destination charger. I've only used a destination charger once and I wanted to charge!

 

[TexasEV]

I never knew there was a difference, so I've not tried a J1772 when next to a destination charger. I've only used a destination charger once and I wanted to charge!

It’s not the location that matters, it’s the brand. ChargePoint and Clipper Creek stations are easily distinguishable. (ChargePoint are the overpriced and underpowered ones). When Tesla provides a J1772 station along with HPWCs it’s usually a Clipper Creek, but that’s certainly not the only place you’ll find them. Sun Country Highway also installs Clipper Creek, for example.