Setting up charging for off-peak time

[Obie]

Start the charge manually, set to 20A, stop the charge manually. It'll "remember" the charge rate for that particular location.

Oh i see thanks.

 

[ACarneiro]

Oh i see thanks.

No worries. It's another "Teslaism"

 

[Adopado]

I have to set my charge limit to add 36% in 4 hours otherwise it will run over into the standard rate, easier to use the app to set the limit than in the car.
One weird thing is that i can't set the charge amps higher than 16A but it charges at 32A, what would you do if you needed to set the max charge rate at 20A for example?

Yes, usually when you start a charge the amps setting adjusts depending on what your charge point can offer. You can reduce that figure once the charge has commenced (and it should be remembered by the car). Though the default before the charge has started is most frequently shown as 16A sometimes mine will actually show 32A when plugged in but not yet started a charge.

 

[Tes1aFanBoy]

I just trickle charge starting at 00:30 and wake up pretty early so usually end up turning it off by 4.30am or sometimes it overruns but 30minutes. However I have a spare Amazon smart plug and im wondering if I can set that instead so it’s on and ready in time for 00:30 and then it goes off at 04:30? Or would that be dangerous when using a 3pin plug to charge?

 

[Adopado]

I just trickle charge starting at 00:30 and wake up pretty early so usually end up turning it off by 4.30am or sometimes it overruns but 30minutes. However I have a spare Amazon smart plug and im wondering if I can set that instead so it’s on and ready in time for 00:30 and then it goes off at 04:30? Or would that be dangerous when using a 3pin plug to charge?

Smart plugs normally have a heat sensor that will cut the power if they get too hot. If you are going to give it a go I suggest doing a 1 hour test charge first where you can keep an eye on things. It’s normal for the plug to get warm but it shouldn’t get dangerously hot. Check the spec of your smart socket to see if it does have a heat cutout… if so it’s likely to cut the power anyway.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I had a timer for (Discharge) Growing Lights, back before they were LED. They took a lot of power and would burn out a normal 13AMP plug-in-timer switch.

Basically the box had two 13AMP plugs, and a 13AMP socket. Plug both 13AMP into normal sockets, and one of those was labeled to be plugged into a bog standard timer. When power was provided on that side (i.e. timer was ON) a relay allowed power through on the other side (which then powered the socket on the box). The timer side only needed very modest power, so the timer was quite happy - and the pins didn't arc, and thus deteriorate, when the timer switched, because the more beefy relay took care of the high-power side.

So if a smart-plug / timer is a problem that sort of "relay" arrangement could be used. If my explanation not enough to find one I can dig out some more details.

 

[yessuz]

I had a timer for (Discharge) Growing Lights, back before they were LED. They took a lot of power and would burn out a normal 13AMP plug-in-timer switch.

Basically the box had two 13AMP plugs, and a 13AMP socket. Plug both 13AMP into normal sockets, and one of those was labeled to be plugged into a bog standard timer. When power was provided on that side (i.e. timer was ON) a relay allowed power through on the other side (which then powered the socket on the box). The timer side only needed very modest power, so the timer was quite happy - and the pins didn't arc, and thus deteriorate, when the timer switched, because the more beefy relay took care of the high-power side.

So if a smart-plug / timer is a problem that sort of "relay" arrangement could be used. If my explanation not enough to find one I can dig out some more details.

as long as there is good thermal insulation and your roof is not glowing via police helicopter thermal cameras - it's all good

 

[Morpheus84]

Could the lack of stop time be down to the fact that Tesla advise to always plug the car in. It would also have an adverse affect on the preconditioning of cars in the morning because technically that should draw external power and not use the batteries. I feel like Tesla are doing this so that they don’t get a spate of, ‘My car range has significantly reduced since the off peak charging update’.

I think it’s a bit nanny state but it’s clear that they want the car plugged in and able to draw power once it has been charged to the required level. Technically this is probably the most sensible method and something we would all do if cost wasn’t a factor.

 

[WannabeOwner]

as long as there is good thermal insulation and your roof is not glowing via police helicopter thermal cameras - it's all good

Would that I had been growing a high value crop like that!! Vegetable Seedlings not so financially rewarding, but cuisine-upside better than possible downsides of growing a high value crop!!

 

[WannabeOwner]

They want the car plugged in and able to draw power once it has been charged to the required level.

I don't think that is incompatible with having the ability to stop charging at the end of Off Peak. Could still (choose) to pre-condition the car before departure, knowing that would use grid at Peak Price.

It just needs to be an option - then that can be introduced retrospectively, and not interfere with "historical usage behaviour". The way I envisage it if you were using "Stop at end of Off Peak" you'd have to manually do "Start charging" from the APP (to force charging beyond the end of Off Peak)

 

[Morpheus84]

I don't think that is incompatible with having the ability to stop charging at the end of Off Peak. Could still (choose) to pre-condition the car before departure, knowing that would use grid at Peak Price.

It just needs to be an option - then that can be introduced retrospectively, and not interfere with "historical usage behaviour". The way I envisage it if you were using "Stop at end of Off Peak" you'd have to manually do "Start charging" from the APP (to force charging beyond the end of Off Peak)

You make total sense which is why Tesla probably won’t do it! I thought the whole point of these app’s was to make everything simple and offer options but it doesn’t appear to be the case.

 

[WannabeOwner]

it doesn’t appear to be the case

Indeed. But over the years I've seen Tesla do plenty of these ..and, at some point, all of a sudden, its in the next update.

Don't-hold-your-breath applies of course ... I think stuff gets done in DEV in a way that is hard to fathom. Without doubt there is some "Do the frivolous stuff", because it is the cheapest form of advertising and brand-differentiation. I can't see VW ever adding fart-mode !! ... but the other's have added Light Show, although "I can write my name on the wall" isn't the same as "Baby I ROCK"!

Sorting out Intermittent Wipers, Stopping charging at end of Off Peak, and a load more "niggles" could arguably be a higher priority.

I think it is also possible that some things are not done because they want to add them later - e.g. when the competition is snapping at their heels. But over the 7 years I've been an owner I reckon Tesla board meetings have mostly been punctuated with "I can't believe the other guys aren't here yet ... why do they keep passing us the ball 2 yards from the line?"

So if they are holding-back on some things they aren't going to get the GO command any time soon. But maybe they aren't doing that, the longer they wait the more people will be saying "Tesla can't do X", long after it is fixed, because that sort of bad news gets engrained.

So I don't know if Black-is-White after all ...

 

[Morpheus84]

I just found out that I can set a start and stop time on my Tesla Gen 3 Wall Connector. It can be set via the Tesla app so perfect of Octopus or similar tariffs. Maybe Tesla are trying to promote the TWC over others to use that feature.