I am a new owner and I want to charge faster than the 120v that came with the car. I noticed a pack on the 1120v cord that is apparently a transformer or converter. I do not know. I do notice that the 240v charge adapter does not have a pack in the cord. So my question is what exactly is that pack on the 120v charge cord, and do I need it if I simply want to charge from a 240v outlet? Also, the adapters that Tesla offer are short and I assume you need an extension cord if you use a 240 v charge. As a side note, I suspect that the button you push to remove the cord from the Tesla shuts off the power so that there is no power at the plug when removed. Any one know for sure?
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New owner and I would like to understand the charge cord 120 vs 240 v
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EVRider-FL
Active Member
I suggest you read the Mobile Connector support page (Mobile Connector) and manual (https://www.tesla.com/sites/default...bile_connector_owners_manual_32_amp_en_US.pdf). Those should answer your questions and more.
xAgyex
Member
Please watch this first...and recommend watching all the other videos.
Model 3 Support Videos | Tesla
But to answer your question. You should be able to remove the end that plugs into the wall and replace it with one of the other adapters. You can for example install a 14-50(240v) receptacle (charge at 23 to 30 miles per hour) in your garage and use that instead of your normal 3 prong 5-15(120) (charge at 3 miles) outlet. See the link below. Hopefully it will explain better. Obviously installing a 14-50 receptacle will require an electrician.
Mobile Connector
If you'd like more info just message me. We can even have a video call and I can show you in more details.
This is what my 14-50 receptacle looks like.
Here is someone else 14-50 plugged in and charging...
Model 3 Support Videos | Tesla
But to answer your question. You should be able to remove the end that plugs into the wall and replace it with one of the other adapters. You can for example install a 14-50(240v) receptacle (charge at 23 to 30 miles per hour) in your garage and use that instead of your normal 3 prong 5-15(120) (charge at 3 miles) outlet. See the link below. Hopefully it will explain better. Obviously installing a 14-50 receptacle will require an electrician.
Mobile Connector
If you'd like more info just message me. We can even have a video call and I can show you in more details.
This is what my 14-50 receptacle looks like.
Here is someone else 14-50 plugged in and charging...
srs5694
Active Member
I'm not entirely sure what you mean by this. I suspect that the "pack" to which you refer is the main body of the Mobile Connector -- the boxy thing with "TESLA" on it at the bottom end of the cable in the below image (taken from Tesla's site and cropped):
If I'm correct in my interpretation of what you mean, then that's the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE; the generic term for this type of device) itself. It contains electronics to communicate with the car, help control the charge rate, and implement safety protocols. It's hard-wired to the plug end (at the other end of the long cord in the photo), which you plug into the car. Without the box, or a replacement such as a Tesla Wall Connector or a third-party EVSE, you can't charge the car. Tesla's Mobile Connector works at both 120v and 240v, as described in more detail shortly.
The Mobile Connector that comes with new Teslas sold in North America includes a 120v plug, which can be removed from the Mobile Connector. In the photo above, the 120v plug is shown on the left side of the photo.
Again, I'm not 100% certain, but I think you're looking at a photo of a 240v plug alone. Tesla sells these individually or as a whole collection. A photo of the whole collection is here:
As you can see, these look just like the 120v plug that comes with the Mobile Connector, except that they have different plug ends to fit different types of 120v or 240v outlets. None of these is capable of charging a Tesla by itself; they all work only with the rest of the Mobile Connector that comes with the car. (You can also buy a Mobile Connector separately from the car, in case yours was lost, stolen, or damaged.) These plugs do not work with third-party EVSEs, or even with the first-generation Mobile Connector that came with Teslas prior to the introduction of the Model 3.
Tesla's Mobile Connector works with both 120v and 240v outlets, provided you've got the right adapter. The adapter includes a small circuit board that encodes its maximum amperage, to match the capabilities of the outlet into which it's plugged. This enables the EVSE to correctly communicate this information to the car, so that the car doesn't try to charge at too high a rate (say, drawing 32A on a 16A circuit, which would be bad). Thus, if you want to charge on a 240v outlet, you should be sure to buy the correct Mobile Connector adapter from Tesla; do not use, say, a NEMA 14-50 adapter from Tesla along with a third-party adapter to plug that into, say, a NEMA 14-30 outlet. That would result in the car trying to draw more power than the circuit could handle. The best-case scenario is that this would trip a circuit breaker. In a worst-case scenario, the circuit breaker might fail and there might be a fire. (There are ways to reduce the power draw manually, but the point is to get all the wiring, plugs, and Tesla Mobile Connectors right so as to avoid human error or the possibility of something going wrong with such manual settings.)
If I'm interpreting correctly, then see above; the "pack" is the "brains" of the Mobile Connector. Use of extension cords, beyond the cable that's permanently attached to the main body of the Mobile Connector and the outlet-specific adapter, is inadvisable. (People do use them from time to time, but Tesla recommends against using them, and a bad cable or loose connection is a fire hazard.)
Yes, that's correct. The same thing happens with J1772 EVSEs, if you use one with the J1772 adapter that also comes with new Teslas.
Thank you srs6694. I think I understand, but please expand on this. I was thinking that you could just plug in a cord to a 240 outlet and then splice into any adapter that plugs into the 3. Apparently that is totally incorrect. I was trying to save the cost of a wall charge plug that you purchase from Tesla, or a charge station at $500 plus. Apparently that is not possible.
Here is what I have learned from you:
In order to charge my Tesla faster (than the standard charge cord that comes with the 3) , I will have to either purchase an after market charge station like a Juice box or Charge Point. OR I have to purchase a charge station or cord, from Tesla. Also, the "box" on the charge cord that came with my tesla has some intelligence that is necessary for charging, and cannot be eliminated.
Two questions:
Why would you want to buy the Tesla charge station for $500 when you can simply buy the mobile connector for $275? Don't they do the same thing?
Would the Juice Box or Charge Point, charge a Tesla or the new Ford Lightning? (I understand that the Tesla charge station will only charge a Tesla)
Thank you,
Charles
Here is what I have learned from you:
In order to charge my Tesla faster (than the standard charge cord that comes with the 3) , I will have to either purchase an after market charge station like a Juice box or Charge Point. OR I have to purchase a charge station or cord, from Tesla. Also, the "box" on the charge cord that came with my tesla has some intelligence that is necessary for charging, and cannot be eliminated.
Two questions:
Why would you want to buy the Tesla charge station for $500 when you can simply buy the mobile connector for $275? Don't they do the same thing?
Would the Juice Box or Charge Point, charge a Tesla or the new Ford Lightning? (I understand that the Tesla charge station will only charge a Tesla)
Thank you,
Charles
RayK
Active Member
A1: Because in most cases the $500 Tesla High Power Wall Connector (HPWC) can charge the car faster than the Mobile Connector.
A2: Yes, other charging equipment could be used to charge a Tesla or non-Tesla car if the termination of the charging cable is the J1772 standard. For the Tesla you would need to use the J1772 adapter that came with the car.
A2: Yes, other charging equipment could be used to charge a Tesla or non-Tesla car if the termination of the charging cable is the J1772 standard. For the Tesla you would need to use the J1772 adapter that came with the car.
You only need to buy one of the adapters from tesla that matches the outlet you decide to put in, for like $45 or $50, or whatever those outlets cost from tesla. You dont need to buy a juicebox or chargepoint, the mobile adapter that comes with the car is a similar thing.
As to "why" someone would buy a wall connector (tesla, juicebox or otherwise), the tesla one is capable of charging faster than the mobile connector that comes with the car (max 48 amps on the wall connector vs max 32 amps on the mobile connector).
Also, some people think they need to keep the mobile connector with the car when they go somewhere ( they likely dont, but lots of people think they need to do this).
Another reason is some people want to put the port outside, and the wall connector is much better with weather.
Still another reason is some people like the "finished" look of a wall connector vs the mobile connector.
MaskedRacerX
Member
@radios
Don't make this overly complicated, @srs5694 had a spectacularly through answer, and just to maybe distill that down in a few key points for you:
A new M3, here in North America comes with a Tesla Mobile Connector (aka, "charger), and the adapter plug for a standard 120V / 15a, three prong plug, that will charge at 3mi/hr.
You can buy another adapter plugs for the Tesla Mobile Connector for different configuration outlets, that support different power levels, including 240v, and get up to maximum 32a output (~30mi/hr).
NEMA is the specification / standards group that defines those different plug types, and the maximum volts/amps, so you'll see a plug referenced as a NEMA or shorted as N and two numbers, they have specific meaning, but just use the charts linked above in @EVRider-FL's post.
If you're in a house, it will have the 5-15 outlets (that's the "regular" ones you use all time), and probably a 30a "dryer outlet" of some sort, you can look at the plug configuration, and get a Tesla Mobile Connector adapter for it, that's often times an N10-30, and you see from the chart, that's about 22mi/hr.
You can also get a dedicated circuit and outlet installed, up to 50a, or even get a higher output circuit and hardwire a charger. You should run a charger that's about 20% less than the specified outlet, i.e., a 50a outlet should be used with a charger that supplies no more than 40a.
Which is exactly what we have: a 50a circuit, with a 40a charger, and I just keep my Tesla Mobile Connector stored in the trunk in case I needed on the road, or as a backup if our main one failed. Our "plug style" is an N6-50 (which you'll see is also a TMC adapter plug option).
With our charger we get ~36mi/hr, and it's also compatible with our PHEV Wrangler, it has what's called a J1772 connector on the car side, that's the non-Tesla spec implemented on the Jeep, to use it on my M3, I simply install the small Tesla/J1772 adapter (should've also been in your bag).
Don't make this overly complicated, @srs5694 had a spectacularly through answer, and just to maybe distill that down in a few key points for you:
A new M3, here in North America comes with a Tesla Mobile Connector (aka, "charger), and the adapter plug for a standard 120V / 15a, three prong plug, that will charge at 3mi/hr.
You can buy another adapter plugs for the Tesla Mobile Connector for different configuration outlets, that support different power levels, including 240v, and get up to maximum 32a output (~30mi/hr).
NEMA is the specification / standards group that defines those different plug types, and the maximum volts/amps, so you'll see a plug referenced as a NEMA or shorted as N and two numbers, they have specific meaning, but just use the charts linked above in @EVRider-FL's post.
If you're in a house, it will have the 5-15 outlets (that's the "regular" ones you use all time), and probably a 30a "dryer outlet" of some sort, you can look at the plug configuration, and get a Tesla Mobile Connector adapter for it, that's often times an N10-30, and you see from the chart, that's about 22mi/hr.
You can also get a dedicated circuit and outlet installed, up to 50a, or even get a higher output circuit and hardwire a charger. You should run a charger that's about 20% less than the specified outlet, i.e., a 50a outlet should be used with a charger that supplies no more than 40a.
Which is exactly what we have: a 50a circuit, with a 40a charger, and I just keep my Tesla Mobile Connector stored in the trunk in case I needed on the road, or as a backup if our main one failed. Our "plug style" is an N6-50 (which you'll see is also a TMC adapter plug option).
With our charger we get ~36mi/hr, and it's also compatible with our PHEV Wrangler, it has what's called a J1772 connector on the car side, that's the non-Tesla spec implemented on the Jeep, to use it on my M3, I simply install the small Tesla/J1772 adapter (should've also been in your bag).
Thank you 10k, JJ, and maskedracer. You have helped me understand much better. I just wanted a little faster charger than the 110 (I call it 120) that came with the car, and yes it came with the 1772 adapter. I was confused partly because the standard 120 v three prong plug, as I understood it, was only rated at 20 amp max. Above 20 amp is a different plug...HOWEVER current is less at 240 v....SO, I guess the standard 120v plug can handle the higher current. I have always thought that adapting a standard 120v plug to 240v was not only dangerous, but not within the NEMA guidelines. I am not sure about an adapter that can take a standard 120 v plug, that can be plugged into a 240v outlet? I must be missing something here.
I think I see my mistake. The "adapter" that is referred to is a pig tail. That is, it will plug into the charger box and then into a specific voltage outlet. The 5-15 that came with the car is not used. Unfortunately, Tesla is out of stock for the adapter bundle. All I need is the specific Tesla adapter (pig tail) that matches my 240 outlet, then it simply plugs into the 240 outlet. I guess I made that confusing.
Thank you everyone.
Thank you everyone.
MaskedRacerX
Member
OK, this is the "standard" 3-prong, 120v / 15a plug that's included with the car/charger:
The you can buy an N5-20 which is just a "heavy duty" 20a on 120, with a specific plug config:
Also there are two 240v that are spec'ed to 15a and 20a, also specific plug/spec:
MaskedRacerX
Member
Yes! The plug and short cable completely disconnects from the charger box and is replaced with the new adapter, that's rated for specific voltage, amps and keyed to the specific NEMA receptacle spec. Further, the adapter has some logic in it (see post #5), that sets everything internal to the charger to match the plug specification.
And yes, hahaha, after all this, they're backordered
RayK
Active Member
@radios If you need one of the Gen2 UMC NEMA adapters (pig tails) that the Tesla store is currently out of stock and you need it in a hurry, check with this place:
Full disclosure: I'm not financially affiliated with this company. I have purchased items from them before and only suggest them since I know they are another source of charging accessories for the Tesla.
Full disclosure: I'm not financially affiliated with this company. I have purchased items from them before and only suggest them since I know they are another source of charging accessories for the Tesla.
srs5694
Active Member
@radios: Chances are you don't need the whole adapter kit, unless you travel a lot and want to be able to plug in at random friends' or relatives' houses, camp grounds, AirBnB rentals, etc. Tesla's page for individual adapters shows that the NEMA 14-50 adapter is in stock, but the 6-50 is out of stock. If you're running a new circuit, then you'd probably want a 50A circuit, hence NEMA 14-50 or 6-50. (I'm not sure if installing a new NEMA 6-50 is even technically permitted these days, though.) If you have an existing 240v outlet, then you'd want to get the right adapter to fit your existing socket, unless you believe it's not fast enough, in which case upgrading to a NEMA 14-50 may be worthwhile.
As @RayK suggests, you can also try the retailer EVSE Adapters, which sells their own compatible adapters, both duplicating some of what Tesla sells and offering some plug types that Tesla does not provide themselves. Their adapters are pricier, though -- they're mostly in the $60-$70 range, vs. $35-$45 for the Tesla products. (Like RayK, I'm also unaffiliated with EVSE Adapters.)
As @RayK suggests, you can also try the retailer EVSE Adapters, which sells their own compatible adapters, both duplicating some of what Tesla sells and offering some plug types that Tesla does not provide themselves. Their adapters are pricier, though -- they're mostly in the $60-$70 range, vs. $35-$45 for the Tesla products. (Like RayK, I'm also unaffiliated with EVSE Adapters.)
Yes, there you go. That mobile charging cable can handle a large variety of 120V or 240V outlets, because of just changing the swappable adapter plugs that can connect into it. So you can find out what kind of outlet you can get installed, and then just buy the single adapter plug (about $35 to $45) that matches that outlet.
This is very much like my situation. I am having a NEMA 6-50 outlet put in just beside our outside main metered panel. Then I will have to use a 50 foot NEMA 6-50 extension cord to plug into that outlet and then into the 6-50 adapter and Tesla Mobile Connector to charge our new Model 3.
My remaining question is what is a really good NEMA 6-50 extension cord for this job? I guessed that a cord advertised for welders might be ok, but not one advertised for RVs because those seem to have a locking receptacle end. I don't know what to look for in terms of AWG wiring ,etc. I am looking for recommendations for specs and suggestions of brands or suppliers. Thank you.
Yes, welder cables would be a good easy to find 6-50 cord.
Are you sure about that? RV extension cords are very commonly used for EVs because they are solid 14-50 ones, which are used for EV plugs a lot. The plugs for RVs and campers are either 14-50 or TT-30 and neither of those are locking. Although, there is a locking version, L14-50, which is a little unusual to find, so maybe that is what you saw.
Huh. I had an answer and was going to say 6 gauge, but I just did some searching, and seems that ALL of them use 8 gauge wire. So I guess that's what you get. That's not really a big deal now, though, come to think of it, because the Tesla mobile charging cable only pulls 32A, which is for a 40A circuit, which 8 gauge is proper for. So that would be right.
I wonder if that is because welders are an intermittent load, whereas RVs may run their air conditioning and such continuously. For example this Camco 14-50 extension cord, the current carrying conductors are 6 gauge (safety ground is 8 gauge): 50Amp PowerGrip Extension Cord
Yeah, I don't know the reason for that. They are both 50A outlet types, so I would have thought they would both be 6 gauge. You're right that they are used differently, where the RVs are just using a lot of different 120V loads, but a welder is just one appliance on and off. Those Camco cords are really good--I have one--but they don't seem to make 6-50 ones. There are a few good looking ones in Amazon from like AC Works or Parkworld, etc.
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