Odd error message

[AntonM]

For the past couple of days I've been seeing a message that my "mobile connector or adapter over temperature limit" when I plug in at home after a short trip into town.

The weather is warm but not yet hot, and the car does not feel warm, especially not around the charge port. The full length of the charge cable is in shade when the car is not on charge, so it hasn't become hot lying in the sun while I'm away. The message continues flashing for a few hours - gone by next morning. The car seems to charge normally.

I've had the car (Model 3 SR+) for 8 months. Latest OTA software installed a couple of weeks ago..

Should I raise this with Tesla service?

 

[SilverString]

It says your mobile Connector or Adapter is hot though not your car, is the mobile adapter or connector hot? By connector I would assume they mean the AC plug, whichever you use - they contain a heat sensor in case your outlet gets hot. Also is the body of the mobile charger hot?

 

[Jason71]

What is your charging set up?

 

[Roy W.]

For the past couple of days I've been seeing a message that my "mobile connector or adapter over temperature limit" when I plug in at home after a short trip into town.

The weather is warm but not yet hot, and the car does not feel warm, especially not around the charge port. The full length of the charge cable is in shade when the car is not on charge, so it hasn't become hot lying in the sun while I'm away. The message continues flashing for a few hours - gone by next morning. The car seems to charge normally.

I've had the car (Model 3 SR+) for 8 months. Latest OTA software installed a couple of weeks ago..

Should I raise this with Tesla service?

View attachment 535918

My guess would be the 13A plug is getting too warm, causing the error. Often old or worn socket outlets can heat up when pulling a constant high current like this. Try using it from a different outlet and see if you still get the message.

 

[NorfolkMustard]

What is your charging set up?

Good question. More details will help diagnose

 

[AntonM]

I have an EV charge pod fed from the house's distribution board, both in my garage. The cable goes under the garage door (lots of space) to the car when on charge, and in a receptacle on an outside wall when not in use.

 

[Roy W.]

I have an EV charge pod fed from the house's distribution board, both in my garage. The cable goes under the garage door (lots of space) to the car when on charge, and in a receptacle on an outside wall when not in use.

I’d rule out the Rolec and try plugging the Tesla UMC into one of the 13A sockets underneath your consumer unit, and see if you still get the error.

 

[Jason71]

I have an EV charge pod fed from the house's distribution board, both in my garage. The cable goes under the garage door (lots of space) to the car when on charge, and in a receptacle on an outside wall when not in use.

Echoing what Roys said. Standard 13 amp plugs (even ROLEC ones) are not really up to long duration high current which is why they are limited to 10amps because they get too hot. It is relatively new looking and in the shade and you aren't using an extension lead which is good. but since UK 13amp plugs are marginal for temp at the best of times may be the hot weather is pushing it over the edge? The rest of the UMC system is built for California heat so even having the car connector in the sun on an outside wall on a warm UK day should be nothing to it.
So basically my guess would be either the whole thing is faulty ( can you try someone elses?) or its the 13amp plug/socket overheating probably the latter.

 

[AntonM]

Thank you. I'll see how it goes with one of the standard 13A sockets, as suggested.

 

[Rustybkts]

I would try leaving the cover open.

That Rolec will be rated as an outside supply, not an EV charge point and Rolec are not known for using quality parts.
The socket will probably be sourced from China.

 

[MrBadger]

That Rolec will be rated as an outside supply, not an EV charge point and Rolec are not known for using quality parts.
The socket will probably be sourced from China.

The units with blue coloured internal components got deservedly bad press, but the ones with green components should be OK.

However, not really sure what that unit brings to the party. You would be better upgrading it to a proper type 2 connector - I think the Rolec units may be fairly easy to upgrade although getting someone to be willing to do it may be a different matter.

 

[Roy W.]

The units with blue coloured internal components got deservedly bad press, but the ones with green components should be OK.

However, not really sure what that unit brings to the party. You would be better upgrading it to a proper type 2 connector - I think the Rolec units may be fairly easy to upgrade although getting someone to be willing to do it may be a different matter.

The Rolec doesn’t look like the right unit, so perhaps hasn’t been installed professionally? The unit with the 13A socket is usually with a tethered charging cable, and the 13A socket replaces the blank that is normally there, usually to give the user a “free” outside socket with no additional wiring.

The feed cable to the Rolec doesn’t look very big either.

You’re right that the Rolec is just redundant in this installation. The OP would have been better having a standard 13A socket instead.

 

[piotroek]

I have an EV charge pod fed from the house's distribution board, both in my garage. The cable goes under the garage door (lots of space) to the car when on charge, and in a receptacle on an outside wall when not in use.

I had similar issues when cable was trapped undr the garage door - moved it where door was higher and problem went away... Not sure if related.

 

[AntonM]

I plugged the car into the domestic socket adjoining the distribution board (pics in post above) as suggested, and for a while it seemed to have fixed the problem - I didn't do much driving though, with lockdown, and then only short 2-4 mile trips into town..

But a few days ago I did a somewhat longer trip (say, 40 miles) and when I plugged the cable into the cra on my return, the overheat warning was back - and now occurs even after short trips, as before.

Should I now be reporting this to Tesla?

 

[Roy W.]

I plugged the car into the domestic socket adjoining the distribution board (pics in post above), and for a while it seemed to have fixed the problem - I didn't do much driving though, with lockdown, and then only short 2-4 mile trips into town..

But a few days ago I did a somewhat longer trip (say, 40 miles) and when I plugged the cable into the cra on my return, the overheat warning was back - and now occurs even after short trips, as before.

Should I now be reporting this to Tesla?

The starting point of the charge shouldn’t matter, as the UMC is limited to 10A anyway. If it is overheating it would get hotter the longer it was on.

I’d still be inclined to try either another type 2 charger or your UMC in a known good 13A socket in another house before you go to Tesla. This will completely rule out your house electrics.

If you report it to Tesla and they can’t reproduce the fault they will just blame your home setup and charge you a diagnosis fee.

 

[SSonnentag]

Keep the equipment out of the sun if possible. Solar radiation will heat up the plastic to extreme temperatures, along with the electrical components inside.

 

[AntonM]

The starting point of the charge shouldn’t matter, as the UMC is limited to 10A anyway. If it is overheating it would get hotter the longer it was on.

I’d still be inclined to try either another type 2 charger or your UMC in a known good 13A socket in another house before you go to Tesla. This will completely rule out your house electrics.

If you report it to Tesla and they can’t reproduce the fault they will just blame your home setup and charge you a diagnosis fee.

Thank you. Re "known good" - how would I know that any outlet is good? We are on a new estate with very new houses - ours is less than a year old. Just thinking that, if the error also occurs when plugged into a neighbour's socket, how would I know that that outlet is not also "bad"?

 

[AntonM]

Keep the equipment out of the sun if possible. Solar radiation will heat up the plastic to extreme temperatures, along with the electrical components inside.

The cable is almost always in full shade, and definitely so when not in use. The error comes up only after a period of being "not in use", so the whole length of the cable should be cool.

 

[Mr H]

The cable is almost always in full shade, and definitely so when not in use. The error comes up only after a period of being "not in use", so the whole length of the cable should be cool.

Where are you as there may be another member willing to try their UMC

 

[AntonM]

Where are you as there may be another member willing to try their UMC

Stafford, UK