Retrofit CCS compatibility onto earlier (NA) Model 3 - DIY approach

[israndy]

The Tesla API is documented well at: GitHub - tdorssers/TeslaPy: A Python module to use the Tesla Motors Owner API

I'll add the bold items below to my charging app and see what output I get... I'll try charging later today

The charging state info you can glean from it is:

"charge_state": {
"battery_heater_on": false,
"battery_level": 44,
"battery_range": 99.84,
"charge_current_request": 16,
"charge_current_request_max": 16,
"charge_enable_request": true,
"charge_energy_added": 14.54,
"charge_limit_soc": 90,
"charge_limit_soc_max": 100,
"charge_limit_soc_min": 50,
"charge_limit_soc_std": 90,
"charge_miles_added_ideal": 66.5,
"charge_miles_added_rated": 66.5,
"charge_port_cold_weather_mode": false,
"charge_port_door_open": true,
"charge_port_latch": "Engaged",
"charge_rate": 455.7,
"charge_to_max_range": false,
"charger_actual_current": 0,
"charger_phases": null,
"charger_pilot_current": 16,
"charger_power": 100,
"charger_voltage": 2,
"charging_state": "Charging",
"conn_charge_cable": "IEC",
"est_battery_range": 78.13,
"fast_charger_brand": "Tesla",
"fast_charger_present": true,
"fast_charger_type": "Combo",
"ideal_battery_range": 99.84,
"managed_charging_active": false,
"managed_charging_start_time": null,
"managed_charging_user_canceled": false,
"max_range_charge_counter": 1,
"minutes_to_full_charge": 15,
"not_enough_power_to_heat": null,
"scheduled_charging_pending": false,
"scheduled_charging_start_time": null,
"time_to_full_charge": 0.25,
"timestamp": 1569952097456,
"trip_charging": true,
"usable_battery_level": 44,
"user_charge_enable_request": null
}

 

[JulienWA]

Tried emailing Kennesaw to order a part but got the following answer:

"Thanks for reaching out.



Based on your current service appointment and experience, We can not offer any guidance from Kennesaw, GA. The item you referring is not available on site. If it is orderable from Tesla.com, then please refer to the online store. I do apologize for the inconvenience, please reach out to the service center in your local area."

So either they sold out or are actively denying that they can or do sell these.

 

[Reddy_KW]

I created a ticket in the app to get the chargeport ECU from my local service center. They emailed me back saying they had the part and I rushed to the service center the next day to snap it up. The tesla guy at the desk was kind of clueless about why I would want the part and didn’t ask questions. I’m thankful for that.

I have the “bundle of wires” and Korean adapter in hand. Just waiting on a software update to come in.

I can’t blame them for not wanting to sell them. The supply chain is already hosed as it is when trying to crank our more cars. People like us are probably seen as cannibalizing the already low inventory of chips for cars. But I could be wrong.

 

[JulienWA]

I'm actually doing mine b/c my existing port is bad. This isn't just an ugrade. At this point, I can't keep waiting so I've ordered an 80-b (the stripped one) from ebay to install myself so that I can still charge from home in the meantime. This is annoying AF.

 

[Craig_in_PA]

Scheduled with my local SC. Have not heard anything back yet. Concerned they might have part but not the "bundle of wires." Are those sold online?

 

[gigawhat?]

Scheduled with my local SC. Have not heard anything back yet. Concerned they might have part but not the "bundle of wires." Are those sold online?

Ditto...didn't know I needed a bundle of wires. Even with a 2021 Sept MYP?

 

[JulienWA]

Ditto...didn't know I needed a bundle of wires. Even with a 2021 Sept MYP?

This thread has gotten so big, it might be best to do a "sticky" at the top of each page that answers questions.
I also have a 9/21 (But I have a Model 3 LR) -- you should only need a bundle of wires if your existing ECU is NOT 1537264-80-B.

If you have 1537264-80-B; you are supposed to just be able to swap it with a new 1537264-00-B, do a software update and have it working. No wires needed.

 

[ambudriver03]

Scheduled with my local SC. Have not heard anything back yet. Concerned they might have part but not the "bundle of wires." Are those sold online?

Bundle of wires, is a 3rd party solution. They can be purchased online... "eBay"...

If they have the part at your local service center, get it.

Even if at some point tesla offers an official CCS upgrade, it will almost certainly require the 1537264-00-B ecu.

 

[smatthew]

Bundle of wires, is a 3rd party solution. They can be purchased online... "eBay"...

If they have the part at your local service center, get it.

Even if at some point tesla offers an official CCS upgrade, it will almost certainly require the 1537264-00-B ecu.

The official upgrade will NOT require the 1537264-00-B CP ECU. There will be a new version that is compatible with Gen 3 and Gen 4 charge ports - the current 1537264-00-B is missing pins and will never be directly compatible with older cars.

 

[ambudriver03]

The official upgrade will NOT require the 1537264-00-B CP ECU. There will be a new version that is compatible with Gen 3 and Gen 4 charge ports - the current 1537264-00-B is missing pins and will never be directly compatible with older cars.

I hope to stand corrected, but playing devil's advocate here.
What's to stop tesla from just installing the 00-B cp ECU and then adding an official "bundle of wires"?

Yes I'm aware the old cars don't have the Gen4 wiring harness, charge port, etc etc.

Either way paying about $250 to get CCS capability now (gen4 ecu + wires) , instead of in 2 more years, is worth it for me.

Even if tesla comes out with an official upgrade, I'll get that when the time comes.

 

[Rippin1Gear]

The official upgrade will NOT require the 1537264-00-B CP ECU. There will be a new version that is compatible with Gen 3 and Gen 4 charge ports - the current 1537264-00-B is missing pins and will never be directly compatible with older cars.

Correct… I believe it will be 1652005-00-A for Gen3 from the parts catalog for the retrofit when it comes available.

 

[FalconFour]

What's to stop tesla from just installing the 00-B cp ECU and then adding an official "bundle of wires"?

1) the thermistors aren't the right value - part of the function of the Bundle of Wires is to roughly approximate a safe alignment for thermistor values, but they are far from "correct" - the car always thinks the port is hotter than it is. That's dumb, a self-inflicted problem for Tesla to carry on with. It would never fly.
2) one of the sensors (HV cover) is entirely unnecessary/irrelevant to this old port, so sensing it is not needed in software.

Basically, what stops them from doing this is that the problems exist entirely in the realm of firmware (software)... so all they have to do is "fix it in software" and the Bundle (of hacks) would be eliminated. If they did, though, it'd need to be a different part number - a different chassis/build designed for Gen3 ports, so it always (without confusion) gets Gen3-based firmware, never Gen4-based. Just like the "-80-" variant, the "-??-" Gen3 retrofit variant would need to know "who it is" and apply its firmware correctly.

Thus the retrofit part will have a different part number, and would not need a "Bundle of Wires" (bundle of hacks) to make it work. Because they wrote the dang firmware, they don't need hacks.

 

[FalconFour]

Ditto...didn't know I needed a bundle of wires. Even with a 2021 Sept MYP?

See first post, it's all in there. Is Sep 2021 newer than Oct 2020? Then you just need to replace your -80- with an -00-. No hacks needed. Just swap and update.

I would love to be a fly on the wall if someone stumbles into a Service Center and asks "hey do you have a Bundle of Wires?"

 

[Ferjy_Fangle]

The Tesla Service Manual seems to indicate that for Model Y's the Disconnection of 12V power is not required. However, it appears that the Model 3 requires the Disconnection of 12V power. Attached is the Model Y's ECU - Charge Port (Remove and Replace) instructions.

 

[ambudriver03]

The Tesla Service Manual seems to indicate that for Model Y's the Disconnection of 12V power is not required. However, it appears that the Model 3 requires the Disconnection of 12V power. Attached is the Model Y's ECU - Charge Port (Remove and Replace) instructions.

I did not disconnect 12V power; however I did put the car to sleep, and let it sit for 10 minutes. (I already had the trunk, and doors open.

When the car wakes up, you'll get several error codes.

 

[GtiMart]

@FalconFour , why would there be a need for a different part number if the problem is software/firmware? Don't software updates contain updates to the various firmwares too? Why couldn't they write the firmware for the controller to recognize which port type it's connected to and react accordingly?
Note that I'm a software guy, not a hardware guy, so I might be missing something important here

 

[Ferjy_Fangle]

I did not disconnect 12V power; however I did put the car to sleep, and let it sit for 10 minutes. (I already had the trunk, and doors open.

When the car wakes up, you'll get several error codes.

View attachment 811510

Not saying disconnecting 12V power is necessary for the Model 3, just that Tesla recommends it according to their Service Manuals. However, they do not for the Model Y's. They also recommend to "Connect a 12V support charger to make sure power is not lost during the update." when doing the Software Reinstall.

 

[israndy]

I'd love to work with you on figuring this out... after all I'm in San Jose, Bay Area as well Don't want you to have to suffer with a wonky charge port, so maybe I can promise some evening to meet up and figure out your port together?

Sounds an awful lot like you're running into that issue I had only seen very rarely... except for you it's every-dang-time. Extraordinarily weird...

OK, got the latest FSD Beta and my issue has been resolved, for those who forgot I am the guy who couldn't get the charge port door to close automatically or programmatically after installing the hack and going into service mode and reinstalling the software. So either

1) The ECU wasn't completely updated by going into service mode reinstall
2) There was a bug in the last FSD beta that didn't quite work with my hack

Don't really care which as I have now tried it both at an EA charger and at my home charger and it works like it used to, pull the charger and the door (flap) shuts a couple of seconds later.

I may have been having an issue with the charger being locked to the car. I was able, before the update, to have the car stop charging at its limit and then I got out of the car and pulled the plug, that also works after the update. But I had gotten in a loop previously where I couldn't remove the charger and the only thing it could have been is the car locking, with the trunk open, while I was charging, and then me trying to pull it from the locked port, even though I tried to unlock it with the Tesla app... Detailed previously, I got it to behave by unlocking the car door, just like I have to do with my J1772 adapter.

As long as I know I may have to unlock the car door to pull the charger out, I am gonna call my update completely functional.

 

[JulienWA]

Thank you for posting the service manual instructions--but the whole "software reinstall" being hidden behind a log in (that I can't access) is the tough part. IF there is no software update out yet for the car before I need to leave for my roadtrip (I'm trying to replace my own ECU with another 80 so that I can restore home charging asap) -- do I have to drive to an SC or be near an SC in order to put car in service mode. Is there a command to force the system to reinstall the existing software?

 

[Craig_in_PA]

Snagged a Gen4 ECU from my local SC.
Here is the current ECU in my July 2018 build M3. Do I need the wiring harness?

Sticker says part # 1092755-99-D