**Before anyone says anything - outlet installed by a union electrician, 6 gauge wire, 50amp breaker.**
2017 MS 60D with 19,000 miles
Last night I came home & plugged in. I went to grab my briefcase out of my rear hatch & I smelled something familiar...electrical fire (I was a firefighter for 10 years & a fire investigator for 6). I looked at my nearby electrical panel and notices that there were scorch marks on it. I went over & flipped my main breaker. After I got my flashlight on my phone out (and heard my wife yelling at me for the power being out) I saw scorch marks on the drywall & plug for the car. I unplugged the charger from the wall & car. I immediately removed the drywall to check for fire extension - nothing had left the metal junction box. The scorch marks were old, there was no heat coming from anywhere. I'm actually not sure when this happened, it could have happened when I was charging the night before, I just didn't notice it in the morning. Electrical fire smell will stay around for a while, my garage still smells this morning after being open all night to air out.
The fire clearly started due to a problem originating at the outlet. My initial thought was that a wire came loose at the receptacle and caused a short. The 50amp breaker did not flip. One of the 6 gauge wires had melted up. The receptacle had excessive damage to the point of origin where the wires met the receptacle. Everything looked like it was just a wiring accident. That made sense to me - I had come back from a trip 3 days prior & plugged back in my charger into the outlet, so I figured I pushed too hard and a wire came loose. I figured this was the end of the case & an issue I would take up with my electrician.
I posted the images on the Tesla Worldwide Facebook group with no narrative really. I wanted to see what others thought. Those who provided actual insight leaned the same way I did - wiring issue.
As I said above, I was a fire investigator (not a very good one or experienced one). I emailed the pictures I took (and attached here) to two friends 1) the head of Chicago Fire Departments Bomb & Arson and 2) a rather "famous" fire investigator who is my father's close friend. Both came back and said the same thing - it may not actually have been a wiring issue because of the way the wires are in the harness & that without opening up or x-raying the receptacle, it's difficult to give any more insight as to what the actual origin was, the plug or the receptacle. Both stated that we'd most likely never know & they would rule it accidental electrical fire and be done.
Then....this morning I went to supercharge to make sure I could get through my day...walked around the store the SC is at for ~30 minutes. Charged to 80%. Phone alerted me charging was almost complete, I walked back to my car. When I got to the SC, nothing but the smell of electrical fire outside. No warnings no alerts on the car. They were doing construction by the SC, so I figured it was probably that. Drove 30 miles to my office, got out, smell still there. I walked out just before posting this (2 hours after getting to work) and the smell is still there & someone at my office smelled it too.
I also accept the fact that this smell may be in my head & I’m just crazy.
Called Tesla, the kid I spoke to at my local Service Center did not seem concerned at all. I said I'd be there at 1:30pm today, he said they didn't have an appointment then....I said I'd be in anyways.
I think my main concern and what I'm wondering is doesn't the 15-50 plug have a thermal fuse? What exactly does that do? I figured that would have disconnected, but the car was still charging fine when I flipped the breaker. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what that is.
Anything I need to make sure Tesla checks/does when I bring it in today?
2017 MS 60D with 19,000 miles
Last night I came home & plugged in. I went to grab my briefcase out of my rear hatch & I smelled something familiar...electrical fire (I was a firefighter for 10 years & a fire investigator for 6). I looked at my nearby electrical panel and notices that there were scorch marks on it. I went over & flipped my main breaker. After I got my flashlight on my phone out (and heard my wife yelling at me for the power being out) I saw scorch marks on the drywall & plug for the car. I unplugged the charger from the wall & car. I immediately removed the drywall to check for fire extension - nothing had left the metal junction box. The scorch marks were old, there was no heat coming from anywhere. I'm actually not sure when this happened, it could have happened when I was charging the night before, I just didn't notice it in the morning. Electrical fire smell will stay around for a while, my garage still smells this morning after being open all night to air out.
The fire clearly started due to a problem originating at the outlet. My initial thought was that a wire came loose at the receptacle and caused a short. The 50amp breaker did not flip. One of the 6 gauge wires had melted up. The receptacle had excessive damage to the point of origin where the wires met the receptacle. Everything looked like it was just a wiring accident. That made sense to me - I had come back from a trip 3 days prior & plugged back in my charger into the outlet, so I figured I pushed too hard and a wire came loose. I figured this was the end of the case & an issue I would take up with my electrician.
I posted the images on the Tesla Worldwide Facebook group with no narrative really. I wanted to see what others thought. Those who provided actual insight leaned the same way I did - wiring issue.
As I said above, I was a fire investigator (not a very good one or experienced one). I emailed the pictures I took (and attached here) to two friends 1) the head of Chicago Fire Departments Bomb & Arson and 2) a rather "famous" fire investigator who is my father's close friend. Both came back and said the same thing - it may not actually have been a wiring issue because of the way the wires are in the harness & that without opening up or x-raying the receptacle, it's difficult to give any more insight as to what the actual origin was, the plug or the receptacle. Both stated that we'd most likely never know & they would rule it accidental electrical fire and be done.
Then....this morning I went to supercharge to make sure I could get through my day...walked around the store the SC is at for ~30 minutes. Charged to 80%. Phone alerted me charging was almost complete, I walked back to my car. When I got to the SC, nothing but the smell of electrical fire outside. No warnings no alerts on the car. They were doing construction by the SC, so I figured it was probably that. Drove 30 miles to my office, got out, smell still there. I walked out just before posting this (2 hours after getting to work) and the smell is still there & someone at my office smelled it too.
I also accept the fact that this smell may be in my head & I’m just crazy.
Called Tesla, the kid I spoke to at my local Service Center did not seem concerned at all. I said I'd be there at 1:30pm today, he said they didn't have an appointment then....I said I'd be in anyways.
I think my main concern and what I'm wondering is doesn't the 15-50 plug have a thermal fuse? What exactly does that do? I figured that would have disconnected, but the car was still charging fine when I flipped the breaker. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what that is.
Anything I need to make sure Tesla checks/does when I bring it in today?
