Tesla Y and Tesla S charging reduces from 32A to 16A

[chrisinOC]

Hello Tesla peeps,

New to the site but have many questions since I own two Tesla and one is a 2013 S and has issues (as you all know).

This problem related to both cars charging they both kick down to 16A from 32A reducing the total time of charging. Usually in 10 to 15 minutes sometimes and hour but it always reduces to 16A.

Some extra information about home charging setup.

1. Tesla Solar, that works great!
2. Tesla Solar said its an electrical issue call and Electrician, I did, new breaker.
3. Outlet 240V 50A Nema 15
4. New 50A breaker installed as I thought it was a bad breaker.
5. I have a VW ID.4 as well and it has no issues.
6. Tesla cable I have used both Y cable and S cable (that came with the cars)
7. Charged both cars fine for years with the same outlet, this just started maybe 9 months ago.

Any help or anyone who has experienced this would be helpful.

Thanks for any replies.

 

[Ostrichsak]

It sounds like the car(s) is throttling down the charge rate based on line condition. This could be improper components (read: not thick enough wire run) or installation (read: the lugs on the receptacle not being fully tightened down) or any one of a number of things between the breaker and the receptacle. Either way, get a professional involved right away as prolonged attempts to use it could create a potentially dangerous situation. You can also try to plug in a known-working UMC to see if the behavior is the same but I would feel better getting an expert to look at the circuit first. In other words, that should happen ideally before you use it again.

 

[ucmndd]

What does the car report for voltage:

In the moments immediately after starting to charge

10 or so minutes later before the car throttles down

10 or so minutes after the car throttles down to 16A?

 

[Electric700]

Can you try reducing the current in the car, may be to 25 A (from the charging screen)? I'd be interested to know if the same connector the ID.4 uses can charge your Tesla at 25 A minimum, stable. You'd need the adapter for the Tesla though, I think.

 

[chrisinOC]

What does the car report for voltage:

In the moments immediately after starting to charge

10 or so minutes later before the car throttles down

10 or so minutes after the car throttles down to 16A?

To add I have VW ID.4 that tops at 16A with the charger I have (not Level 2) and it works fine. I will note the voltage change next time I charge.

 

[chrisinOC]

Can you try reducing the current in the car, may be to 25 A (from the charging screen)? I'd be interested to know if the same connector the ID.4 uses can charge your Tesla at 25 A minimum, stable. You'd need the adapter for the Tesla though, I think.

Good advice I will trim it to 25A and see how it goes.

 

[chrisinOC]

It sounds like the car(s) is throttling down the charge rate based on line condition. This could be improper components (read: not thick enough wire run) or installation (read: the lugs on the receptacle not being fully tightened down) or any one of a number of things between the breaker and the receptacle. Either way, get a professional involved right away as prolonged attempts to use it could create a potentially dangerous situation. You can also try to plug in a known-working UMC to see if the behavior is the same but I would feel better getting an expert to look at the circuit first. In other words, that should happen ideally before you use it again.

Interesting that you say thickness of cable as the electrician said that of the Tesla charger. He said its too small of a cable for the Amp's, I though he was crazy since i have been using the cables for years. The run from the break to the outlet is about 2 feet to 3 feet max. It seems it would be easy to replace that with thicker wire. The fire hazard has made me concerned. Thank you for the quick advise. Great site!

 

[chrisinOC]

Can you try reducing the current in the car, may be to 25 A (from the charging screen)? I'd be interested to know if the same connector the ID.4 uses can charge your Tesla at 25 A minimum, stable. You'd need the adapter for the Tesla though, I think.

The max amps on the ID.4 charger is 16A. If I keep the car I need to get a level 2 charger.

 

[David_Cary]

To me, software got more sensitive to voltage drops about 9 months ago. So you could have had the same less than perfect charging setup and the software now is a bit pickier. I get problems at a beach house with a few grains of sand in the charger. The sand hasn't changed in the 7 years I have been charging there.

Voltage drops can come from the street so an electrician is not going to find a cause for that. A 8G wire for 2-3 feet is not likely causing a voltage drop. 6G is really only needed for 40A (by memory).

I bet Tesla can pull logs as to why the amp drop occurs. The logs are impressive compared to what we see. Have you asked Tesla? (not Tesla solar which should be irrelevant).

Funny - a bad breaker will trip. It is not a common bad breaker problem to be a voltage drop. Voltage drop would more likely be loose connection at the outlet or breaker (not the actual outlet or breaker - usually).

My money is on the software. You have to check tightness of connections and ask electrician what the voltage from the street is. Of course, something could have happened at street level 9 months ago.