Slower home charging

[Fred2]

I’ve noticed that my model 3 charges slower at home than it used to. Unfortunately I’ve only recently started using Teslamate and only recently got a smart meter so it’s all rather anecdotal, but...

I’m pretty sure it used to ramp up pretty quickly to 32A (ie just over 7kw) or so and stay there until 90ish percent. Now it starts the same, but after half an hour or so it seems to throttle to 20 or 24A (and the car shows 24/24 rather than 24/32 so I think this means it’s the charge point limiting it) My wife’s leaf seems to fit a similar pattern (going just from the smart meter data there).

The charger is an EVBox elvi, installed about 18 months ago. Not quite sure when this all started - hardly been driving the last year or so - but finger in the air I’d say it might half started around last summer.

Anyone seen something similar? I’m assuming it’s more likely to be charger or wiring related than the car itself since the other car is similarly affected. Do these things just “go bad” of their own accord? I have had some electrical work done last autumn (solar panels, smart meter install (twice)) but I don’t think the dates quite line up.

 

[Adopado]

From the description it definitely looks like it’s the charger signalling lower amps availability. Does it vary by time of day or night or depending on other power use in the house? Possible voltage drop on demand if that’s the case. You can see the reported voltage on the car screen or via the app. The car itself is very tolerant of low voltage in my experience but the charger may be responding and dropping the amps availability.

 

[Adopado]

I’ve noticed that my model 3 charges slower at home than it used to. Unfortunately I’ve only recently started using Teslamate and only recently got a smart meter so it’s all rather anecdotal, but...

I’m pretty sure it used to ramp up pretty quickly to 32A (ie just over 7kw) or so and stay there until 90ish percent. Now it starts the same, but after half an hour or so it seems to throttle to 20 or 24A (and the car shows 24/24 rather than 24/32 so I think this means it’s the charge point limiting it) My wife’s leaf seems to fit a similar pattern (going just from the smart meter data there).

The charger is an EVBox elvi, installed about 18 months ago. Not quite sure when this all started - hardly been driving the last year or so - but finger in the air I’d say it might half started around last summer.

Anyone seen something similar? I’m assuming it’s more likely to be charger or wiring related than the car itself since the other car is similarly affected. Do these things just “go bad” of their own accord? I have had some electrical work done last autumn (solar panels, smart meter install (twice)) but I don’t think the dates quite line up.

I should add that yes the charge points can go faulty....

 

[Fred2]

In general the charging is overnight, so any other demand shouldn’t be high - if I compare with the smart meter data what the car is consuming is the vast majority of the house’s total draw - well under 1kW of other stuff (and we have a 100A supply)

On the most recent charge, teslamate shows it starting around 235V, when the charge rate drops it goes up a bit to low 240s - see graph

 

[Adopado]

In general the charging is overnight, so any other demand shouldn’t be high - if I compare with the smart meter data what the car is consuming is the vast majority of the house’s total draw - well under 1kW of other stuff (and we have a 100A supply)

On the most recent charge, teslamate shows it starting around 235V, when the charge rate drops it goes up a bit to low 240s - see graph

The car itself will tolerate voltage drops down as low as 216v and sustained voltages for continuous charging as low as 219v without dropping the amps ... it seems it's most likely your charge point, for whatever reason.

 

[MrBadger]

In TeslaFi there is a non default field 'charger pilot current' that contains the amps that the charge point is offering during the charge. There may be a similar field available in TeslaMate.

 

[Sparkeur]

I am having the same problem on a 32a charge for the last few weeks - 13a, the same. Sometimes it's low voltage and sometimes high that's reported. Tesla has told me it's my house wiring. So, took the car over to a friends house and exactly the same problem - two minutes of normal operation and then charging stops. Supercharging is fine so I'm guessing it's the onboard charger. Waiting for mobile service.

 

[pdk42]

I had an EVBox Elvi and had exactly these problems. The EVBox people suspected internal heating problems. A replacement unit Improved things for about a month and then the same thing happened again. I swapped for an EVBox Homeline and have had no problems since.

 

[Wol747]

I am having the same problem on a 32a charge for the last few weeks - 13a, the same. Sometimes it's low voltage and sometimes high that's reported. Tesla has told me it's my house wiring. So, took the car over to a friends house and exactly the same problem - two minutes of normal operation and then charging stops. Supercharging is fine so I'm guessing it's the onboard charger. Waiting for mobile service.

I've had an odd charging behaviour since 2021.4.12 on my S: I've just posted it on the USA thread, awaiting any solution. My car charges for a minute or so every 2 - 3 minutes, with the associated clicks, bangs and whirrs.

 

[Fred2]

EVbox are trying to tell me this is within spec, that the max charge rate depends on environmental conditions etc. If it can only handle 60% of the headline figure after 20 minutes on a chilly uk night they've got some pretty big design problems!

 

[pdk42]

EVbox are trying to tell me this is within spec, that the max charge rate depends on environmental conditions etc. If it can only handle 60% of the headline figure after 20 minutes on a chilly uk night they've got some pretty big design problems!

It’s crap. As I said above, I had exactly the same problem with two Elvi units and eventually they gave in and swapped it for a Homeline unit. It’s worked faultlessly for over a year now. But it’s butt ugly!

 

[Fred2]

Well it took quite a bit of insisting, intervention by my installer etc. but EVBox have agreed to replace it - I hope my second lasts longer than yours!

 

[pdk42]

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!