Question on Mobile Connector and 32A Commando socket

[thosirl]

Hi all,
I've just bought a 2019 ex-demo Model X 100D (6 Seater, 22's, White interior - very happy!).
I will be getting a proper home charger installed but it's going to take a month or two to allow for some ground works for where we'll be locating the charger. In the meantime, I'm looking to get the most out of the Mobile Connector as an interim measure.

The dealer is telling me it will be the Gen1 UMC, and will come with a 16A adapter only, and that it does NOT have a 32A adapter available even though I can see some reports that this unit can charge off a 32A supply elsewhere.

Can anyone tell if this is accurate, and if/where I can get a 32A single phase Commando socket adapter?

I found this thread and image for reference, so looking for details on that adapter if possible.

I see this thread - Adaptors included with a new Tesla
with this image

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Yev000]

Xavelec - Charging cables and adaptors for your Tesla EV UMC

 

[arg]

The dealer is telling me it will be the Gen1 UMC, and will come with a 16A adapter only, and that it does NOT have a 32A adapter available

That seems unlikely. If it's a Gen1 UMC, then the two adapters available are 16A red (for 3-phase, was supplied standard in continental Europe) and 32A blue (for single phase, was supplied standard in UK) - plus the various domestic plug adapters for different countries across Europe.

So it's just about possible as a used car that the 32A blue adapter has got lost but a 16A red adapter got chucked in to replace it. This seems extremely unlikely, but if so you should be able to buy the blue adatper; maybe Tesla are out of stock?

Alternatively it's a Gen2 UMC (as per Model 3) and that doesn't go above 16A anyhow, being a cost-reduced item intended for use as a "granny lead" rather than your main charging solution.

So I'd start by asking the contact who told you it was a "Gen1 UMC with 16A adapter" what colour the adapter is. If it's red, then as above you need to source the blue adapter. If it's blue, then one of his statements is untrue.

 

[thosirl]

Tesla have confirmed it is a Gen1 UMC.
They are saying there is a 16A Blue (single phase) commando included with car.
They are saying there is NO 16A Red commando (3-phase included, but available from service at cost. Dont need/want this one.

They seemed confused about the Blue 32A Commando. In general, Blue commando's can be either 16A or 32A, same no of pins, single phase, just that the 32A is a physically larger. So the question was whether Tesla have both available, and whether they are included are need to be purchased separately.

It seems there is a 32A now based on this doc - https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/en_GB/installation_guide_umc_blue_gb.pdf

But local dealer now seems confused and doesn't know difference between which one is in the car, either the 16A or 32A, just that it's blue.

I want the 32A one.

Off to a confusing start!

 

[arg]

The Gen1 UMC has, until now, only had a 32A blue available (which has been an issue when people want to use 16A sockets at campsites and the like - there definitely wasn't an official 16A adapter and there have been debates about the best workaround).

Gen2 with the Model 3 comes with 16A blue (I've seen this in the flesh). My understanding is that the adapters are not interchangeable between Gen1 and Gen2, though I don't know that for certain.

So either:

• It's a Gen1 UMC with a 32A adapter.
• It's a Gen2 UMC with 16A and can't do 32A
• It's a Gen1 UMC and 16A adapters have suddenly become available possibly through using one from the Gen2. This seems unlikely (conflicts with what I have heard elsewhere).

 

[thosirl]

So either:

• It's a Gen1 UMC with a 32A adapter.
• It's a Gen2 UMC with 16A and can't do 32A
• It's a Gen1 UMC and 16A adapters have suddenly become available possibly through using one from the Gen2. This seems unlikely (conflicts with what I have heard elsewhere).

So it's the first one. Looks like the guys in the dealership have got their story straight now also.
Thanks everyone for the clarification.

 

[.jg.]

Bear in mind that, if you had a 32A Commando socket installed, it would need the same size chunky cable as the wall charger - you couldn't just hook it into a standard ring main.
I guess the limitation of the new UMCs will discourage people from using UMCs instead of having wall chargers installed.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I guess the limitation of the new UMCs will discourage people from using UMCs instead of having wall chargers installed.

Is that Model-3 UMC only? or do you know./think they are also going to appear on Model-S / X ?

 

[Keeper]

I'm not sure this is the place to ask this question but as this discussion is topical at the moment seems as good a place to ask as any. The question is - If any type of home charger is fitted, other than an official Tesla type, will the type 2 connector supplied have the ability to open the charging flap on a Model 3 by the press of a button on the connector. I'm in the process of establishing the best setup to charge my Model 3 at home. Thanks.

 

[WannabeOwner]

If any type of home charger is fitted, other than an official Tesla type, will the type 2 connector supplied have the ability to open the charging flap on a Model 3 by the press of a button on the connector. I

Its a good question. My wife has her key in her handbag and finds it annoying to have to get it out / start the phone app / get into the car and press button on Dashboard and then get back out and do the charger-thing.

On modern cars you can just press the charger flap to open it ... but there is no equivalent quick method to disconnect (that I know of)

Tesla Charger (and Supercharger) has button on the Plug that both opens flap / stops charging
You can get 3rd party RF? devices that will do that ... I think

You can long-press Key-fob "boot" button (held near charger flap) to both open it and to stop charging (and unlock) [don't suppose that is applicable to Model-3 though as no fob??]

You can use the APP

You can do it from car Dashboard (I do that to OPEN the port before getting out of the car, so it is ready to plug-in; not so good for Unplug though)

 

[arg]

If any type of home charger is fitted, other than an official Tesla type, will the type 2 connector supplied have the ability to open the charging flap on a Model 3 by the press of a button on the connector.

Not in general - ordinary Type2 connectors do not have a button of any sort.

If you think this important, you have three options:

• Get the Tesla WC
• Get a third-party chargepoint (possibly under the OLEV scheme), but specify socketed rather than tethered, then buy the EVChargeKing cable with the button on it. If you would otherwise have got a tethered chargepoint (my preference), then you just leave your separate cable permanently plugged in to achieve the same effect.
• Get a standard tethered chargepoint from any supplier and DIY hack a button into the connector.

Personally, I have a third-party chargepoint and I bought an RF opener from someone who was selling them at the time (based on the info linked upthread). The opener is built as a fob to attach to your keyring, but I actually have it stuck with double-sided tape to the front of my chargepoint and I press it when picking up the cable to plug in. For unplugging, my chargepoint has the ITT brand connector with a vestigial lever on it (it's a real lever actuating a microswitch on their Type1 connectors, just decorative on the type2), so I bodged in a microswitch so that pressing the lever caused it to unlock. This worked well for a year or two, but the lever doesn't have much travel and over time outdoors it got sticky with dirt and stopped working; currently I just use the keyfob instead.

This all got less relevant for me over the life of the car - when brand new, there was keyless entry, and the long-push-on-the-boot-button feature hadn't been implemented in the software, so having this in the chargepoint was a big deal vs using the screen in the car or the app. Now I no longer use keyless entry out of security concern so am using the keyfob to unlock the car anyhow, and the faciility to use the keyfob to unlock the port means it's little extra effort. The relative convenience of the options for Model 3 may be different (and is also likely to change over time!).

 

[.jg.]

Is that Model-3 UMC only? or do you know./think they are also going to appear on Model-S / X ?

I was assuming that Tesla wouldn't bother to make two different types of UMCs i.e. one for M3 and another for MS/MX - up to now, European UMCs have been interchangeable between models.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I was assuming that Tesla wouldn't bother to make two different types of UMCs i.e. one for M3 and another for MS/MX

Could well be right. I was assuming it was just a cost-cutting thing for the M3 and MS/MX might well stay same as before.

 

[WannabeOwner]

the faciility to use the keyfob to unlock the port means it's little extra effort

My wife would tell you its a hassle as her fob is buried in handbag - whereas mine, and yours presumably, is readily accessible in pocket

 

[cizUK]

How much does the 32A UMC connector cost from Tesla?

 

[Baldrick]

How much does the 32A UMC connector cost from Tesla?

People have mentioned about £32 + VAT.

 

[Omnisal]

I bought a 2016 Model S recently and it came with the standard charging cable with a 3pin plug on it and also a 32 amp blue commando plug fitting. I purchased a 32 amp isolated commando socket for the outside of the house, a few meters of 6mm 3 core cable and a 32 amp breaker unit for the fuse box in the garage, connected it all up and am getting 7.4kw 32 amp charge at 22mph. Well chuffed.

 

[Cozzavillain]

I’ve got a model 3 SR+ (20 plate) and my mobile connector didn’t come with any adapters - is that right? Seem to be conflicting messages online about what is included as standard.
Thanks!

 

[LongRanger]

The Tesla UMC charger “brick” supplied with model 3 comes with the UK 3-pin plug adaptor only - you should have this

The commando 16a and 32a are chargeable extras and can be supplied via a website order or email [email protected]

Regarding the OP question - somebody already said similar I think but don’t forget for 230v/32A you need 6mm sq cabling to the commando wall socket and a suitable RCD type protection that is safe for EV, this needs an electrician to install to be part B compliant. Lots of folks will say they can do it themselves but I wouldn’t fancy heat build up or arcing due to dodgy connections on a house circuit with 32A flowing - hence why an electrician should install and provide a test certificate for peace of mind / legal compliance. Same for 16A which needs 2.5mm sq cabling minimum.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

Just to add that in England and Wales it's an offence to DIY install an external power outlet unless a building control application to have it inspected and tested for compliance with Part P is lodged. In most cases, the cost of this exceeds the cost of having the installation done by a Part P accredited installer. The max penalty in England and Wales for failing to comply with the regs is an unlimited fine or two years imprisonment.

In Scotland, there's no need to comply with Part P (doesn't exist in Scotland), all that's needed is compliance with BS7671:2018, particularly Section 722. In NI I don't have a clue as to whether there is something like Part P, but compliance with BS7671:2018, including the issue of an EIC on completion, is still mandatory.

Any outdoor power outlet is potentially more hazardous than an indoor installation, hence part of the reason for the harsher penalty for failure to comply with regs. Charging a car adds to the risk, because if a fault causes the car body, which is insulated from earth by the tyres, to become live, then the possibility of getting a serious electric shock is significantly higher.