Wow. Nice trouble shooting. Perhaps there is a faulty connection between the receiver for the proximity sensor that opens the charge port when you push the button on the UMC that leaves the car in a confused state. Clearly the connection the actuates the door is there; the door opens. And the car is aware that the port is open, but I bet there is another connection that prepares the chargers that is faulty. It fits your symptoms, including when you open the door with the UMC button, plug it in, and then select open charge port from the 17" screen it starts working without you touching the cable again.
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Wow. Nice trouble shooting. Perhaps there is a faulty connection between the receiver for the proximity sensor that opens the charge port when you push the button on the UMC that leaves the car in a confused state. Clearly the connection the actuates the door is there; the door opens. And the car is aware that the port is open, but I bet there is another connection that prepares the chargers that is faulty. It fits your symptoms, including when you open the door with the UMC button, plug it in, and then select open charge port from the 17" screen it starts working without you touching the cable again.
Zapped
Model S - PURE EV
I had some flakey proximity UMC charge port opening issues that cleared up with version 4.3 xx.xx.25
What firmware version and build # do you have ? I assumed you already did the reboots, pull fuses tricks.
Since you can reproduce the problem, the TESLA techies shouldn't have to much trouble tracking it down.
What firmware version and build # do you have ? I assumed you already did the reboots, pull fuses tricks.
Since you can reproduce the problem, the TESLA techies shouldn't have to much trouble tracking it down.
I'm on 4.3 (not sure of build #, but it was a recent update) and I had the same issues with 4.2. Funny thing is I was all set to leave the car with Service, but when we tried a new UMC in the shop it worked, and we figured that was it and I left. It is weird how both the original and replacement UMCs worked for a week or so with the button on the cord. I'll definitely pass my finding on, but at least I have a workaround.
sfriedrich
Member
Went out to the car this morning and noticed that it hadn't charged last nite. Ran my errand, parked the car and plugged it in... charging didn't start. Rebooted computers, nope. Cycled breakers to UMC, nope. Jiggled Tesla connector where it plugs into car, YEP!
Got can of compressed air, blew huge amount of dust out of the connector and the socket. Turned off car and UMC and used Q-Tips with rubbing alcohol and cleaned the conductive posts. (Took about 6 Q-Tips, both ends). The Q-Tips were filthy.
Powered everything back up and plugged in the Tesla connector to the car socket. Charging successfully now. I've had the car five months; it will be interesting to see if this happens to others or to me again.
(PLEASE NOTE: Posts are the copyrighted intellectual property of the author, and are intended as part of a conversation within this forum. My words may NOT be quoted outside this forum, without my expressed consent.)
Got can of compressed air, blew huge amount of dust out of the connector and the socket. Turned off car and UMC and used Q-Tips with rubbing alcohol and cleaned the conductive posts. (Took about 6 Q-Tips, both ends). The Q-Tips were filthy.
Powered everything back up and plugged in the Tesla connector to the car socket. Charging successfully now. I've had the car five months; it will be interesting to see if this happens to others or to me again.
(PLEASE NOTE: Posts are the copyrighted intellectual property of the author, and are intended as part of a conversation within this forum. My words may NOT be quoted outside this forum, without my expressed consent.)
Last edited:
Yesterday, I was giving a demo to a friend of mine and found that the charge port would no longer open with the button on the UMC handle, but it would open from the touchscreen. No errors on the UMC, and we even tried power cycling it. If I closed the charge port on the car, after about 30 seconds I'd hear a clunk and it would pop open again on its own! When I plugged the UMC in, I could not get the car to charge, but yesterday I found if I plugged in, then used the fob to lock the car, the port would lock, turn blue, then green and start to charge! I think I left my friend a little dubious about the car's capabilities.
After my friend left, I tried re-booting the center screen (seems to be a fix-all for many problems, but I had never seen it mentioned with respect to charging woes). Well, after that my UMC button again started working to open the port, and the car would charge normally. I am on firmware 4.4, so for those with charging problems, a re-boot may be worth a try.
After my friend left, I tried re-booting the center screen (seems to be a fix-all for many problems, but I had never seen it mentioned with respect to charging woes). Well, after that my UMC button again started working to open the port, and the car would charge normally. I am on firmware 4.4, so for those with charging problems, a re-boot may be worth a try.
Just a little bump to this thread and a question...
My UMC gradually started acting up again until I got this behavior:
Tesla Service replaced my UMC cable yesterday, but this is at least the third time. I do use it every day, but it only hangs in my garage and is never subjected to outdoor conditions or rough service.
I was looking at buying a spare UMC, but a HPWC is only about $100 more so I'm debating that. My question to the group is this: My UMC failures seem to be related to the connector end that plugs in to the charge port, and it looks identical to the connector handle on the HPWC. Is the HPWC connector somehow more robust than the UMC one? Is it "beefier" since it can carry 80 amps as opposed to the UMC's 40 amps? Would I have the same problem with a HPWC connector as I seem to be having with UMC connectors?
My UMC gradually started acting up again until I got this behavior:
Tesla Service replaced my UMC cable yesterday, but this is at least the third time. I do use it every day, but it only hangs in my garage and is never subjected to outdoor conditions or rough service.
I was looking at buying a spare UMC, but a HPWC is only about $100 more so I'm debating that. My question to the group is this: My UMC failures seem to be related to the connector end that plugs in to the charge port, and it looks identical to the connector handle on the HPWC. Is the HPWC connector somehow more robust than the UMC one? Is it "beefier" since it can carry 80 amps as opposed to the UMC's 40 amps? Would I have the same problem with a HPWC connector as I seem to be having with UMC connectors?
Last edited by a moderator:
Kalud
Active Member
I only use my HPWC since Nov '13, and had the cable replaced once because of about the same behavior you describe.
BUT
My HPWC connector was getting somewhat hot after long 80A charging (1+ hour) and when I had it replaced I checker the proximity and pilot signals and the proximity was open compared to the new cable. My assumption is that prolonged heating cycle of the cable end did some fatigue stress on the internal components and it finally gave up. New cable doesn't even get warm, maybe ambient + 2 degree C after many hours charging at 80A.
So I would say, get a brand new HPWC. There are a couple revision out there, beware of you get a used unit.
BUT
My HPWC connector was getting somewhat hot after long 80A charging (1+ hour) and when I had it replaced I checker the proximity and pilot signals and the proximity was open compared to the new cable. My assumption is that prolonged heating cycle of the cable end did some fatigue stress on the internal components and it finally gave up. New cable doesn't even get warm, maybe ambient + 2 degree C after many hours charging at 80A.
So I would say, get a brand new HPWC. There are a couple revision out there, beware of you get a used unit.
EarlyAdopter
Active Member
If you're on your 3rd UMC, it could be a problem with the charge port on the car.
Otherwise, the problem is more likely in the UMC electronics itself, not the handle. Yes, the HPWC is more robust, particularly if you're only use it at 40A. Probably worth giving it a try once you've ruled out the charge port.
I use mine every day too, and the connection to the car is always outside (the 14-50 is inside the garage). I had one replacement but that was very early on and the second one has never had a problem. I do have a holder for GFI part, so it doesn't hang by the 14-50 end.
My charge port was also swapped out the last time my UMC was replaced. I'm pretty sure it's the handle, because giving it a blast of air or gently wiping with a Q-tip would make it marginally better for a while. It eventually got to the point I showed in the video. At the end, I could get it to work by waiting for the lock to click, then quickly pulling back on the handle against the charge port's locking mechanism.
I still do question the charge port because I have similar, but not as severe, problems at Superchargers too. Sometimes takes several attempts to get a Supercharger to connect, and if I so much as touch the cable, or get in to the car causing the suspension to shift a bit, the port will often turn red. Oddly, my original J1772 adapter has worked like a champ from day 1.
The replacement UMC is also working fine.
My HPWC cable was replaced twice because it was getting hot. i suspect it's build-up on the connections over time. I've cleaned the contacts occasionally with appropriate material (Q-tips + alcohol tends to work well), being careful not to misshape the pins, and it works considerably cooler.
I've normally seen that orange light when the handle isn't inserted all the way in the charge port. But your video shows it trying to reconnect and try to establish a connection.
I'm not sure if it is your UMC or charge port.
I suppose if someone else tries your umc and it doesn't work on their car, it will help narrow down the cause. It would point to the umc.
Keep us posted as to what the end solution turns out to be.
I'm not sure if it is your UMC or charge port.
I suppose if someone else tries your umc and it doesn't work on their car, it will help narrow down the cause. It would point to the umc.
Keep us posted as to what the end solution turns out to be.
The wire itself is definitely 'beefier', but I am not sure about the connector itself.
It was definitely inserted all the way. In fact, the only way I could get it to connect (as mentioned above) was to wait for the click and yank it out a bit against the locking pin.
Tesla Service replicated the problem with my UMC while their equipment worked fine, so they replaced my UMC. This isn't the first time hence my question about the robustness of the connector end vs. a HPWC's connector end.
Kalud
Active Member
I would imagine that both connector's end are the same part... My HPWC had the exact same issue before the cable was replaced. They might have redesigned the connector end at some point and maybe they already had a fair number of UMC already built that they just swap until those units are no longer available. I would try to check the part number for any revision.
The HPWC has a couple revision already.
I am curious to see what the answer is to your problem. After using my umc daily for 10 months, I am starting to get charging errors and the orange light (just started this past week). So I'll be calling Tesla service and see what they do for my car. (most recent wierd error was this morning when I preheated the car...it said charging error even though the car charged properly last night).
Yes, I had things like that too. Sometimes the car would get partway through the charge cycle and "fault" or sometimes it would charge and complete, but in the morning when I'd go to pre-heat the car with the app, it would show the car as having the cable unplugged.
What I tried last night : I dialed up the car charging rate up from 30 to 40 amp (since the car automatically dialed it down last night).
I then unplugged my umc from the 14-50 outlet, pressed the red reset button for 10 seconds, and plugged it back into the outlet.
Plugged the UMC into the car. It charged overnight at 40amps, and no error this morning when I preheated the car.
This might be a fluke..I'll see how long this "fix" works.
So interesting to read this.
I may have mentioned this before, but I slowly and gradually burned out three UMCs. Finally I demanded that Tesla replace my chargeport (they didn't want to), and since then it has been fine.
The old chargeport was really loose. The UMC slopped from side to side in it. The new chargeport is snug. At the same service appointment where they replaced the chargeport, they also found corrosion on the wiring inside it and replaced that.
But I think it was the physical port causing the UMC damage and the internal damage. I think it was a loose connection, and that all the other damage was secondary. Tesla doesn't want to admit this. The UMCs are fragile (a bad design), and I think the loose connection was slowly damaging them.
mknox: I know you said your chargeport was swapped out, but was *all* of it swapped out? Tesla volunteered to replace the internal wiring, and the LEDs which weren't lighting up right, but I had to push to get them to replace the physical plastic front end of the port as well.
I may have mentioned this before, but I slowly and gradually burned out three UMCs. Finally I demanded that Tesla replace my chargeport (they didn't want to), and since then it has been fine.
The old chargeport was really loose. The UMC slopped from side to side in it. The new chargeport is snug. At the same service appointment where they replaced the chargeport, they also found corrosion on the wiring inside it and replaced that.
But I think it was the physical port causing the UMC damage and the internal damage. I think it was a loose connection, and that all the other damage was secondary. Tesla doesn't want to admit this. The UMCs are fragile (a bad design), and I think the loose connection was slowly damaging them.
mknox: I know you said your chargeport was swapped out, but was *all* of it swapped out? Tesla volunteered to replace the internal wiring, and the LEDs which weren't lighting up right, but I had to push to get them to replace the physical plastic front end of the port as well.
Similar threads
