Using L2 Charger J1772 Adapter tips

[nitram26]

Hello.. Just picked up my MS Friday!!.. I upgraded from a Volt and have a L2 charger already in my garage. My plan was to just purchase the J1772 adapter and use that for my daily charger. What i found to be a issue/inconvenience is I'm told that in order to unlock the adapter from the charge port i would need to unlock the port from the center console. if this is something ill need to do i might need to reconsider getting a Tesla wall charger.. are there any suggestions or tips on other ways i can take the charger out of the port without having to go inside of the vehicle to unlock each time?

 

[AndreSF]

I have a similar situation, used to drive Volt, have a Voltec EVSE with J1772 adapter (bought an extra one). You can open charge port by pushing on the charge port door (left corner) in the newer build MS. You can also use your fob to open the port, but I just found it to be more convenient either open from the central console or at the port itself by pressing on the port door.

Good luck!

 

[ChrisPDX]

You do not need to go into the car to unlatch the charge port when finished charging. Simply have the car unlocked and press the button on the J1772 and hold. After a second, you'll hear the car unlatch the adaptor. Now pull both the J1772 plug and adaptor out as a single unit and release the button. That's it!

There are two big benefits to using a Tesla cable. First being higher charge rates if you have the electrical infrastructure to support it. Depending on the miles you drive, it probably won't be an issue because even low current Level 2 can add enough range over night for most daily uses. The second advantage is the door opening button. You have to either go into the car or hold down the trunk button on the fob to pop open the charge port door. With a Tesla cable, just tap the button on top. A minor benefit is also being able to leave the J1772 adaptor in the car. You could leave it at home in the J1772 plug, but then you can't use public chargers unless you purchase a second one.

 

[CliffG]

Hello.. Just picked up my MS Friday!!.. I upgraded from a Volt and have a L2 charger already in my garage. My plan was to just purchase the J1772 adapter and use that for my daily charger. What i found to be a issue/inconvenience is I'm told that in order to unlock the adapter from the charge port i would need to unlock the port from the center console. if this is something ill need to do i might need to reconsider getting a Tesla wall charger.. are there any suggestions or tips on other ways i can take the charger out of the port without having to go inside of the vehicle to unlock each time?

I hold down the "open hatch" button on the fob for a few seconds:

 

[AndreSF]

Did not realize the question was specifically about unplugging...

Check out this guide on the topic:

https://www.tesla.com/sites/default...gging_model_s_from_a_j1772_public_charger.pdf

 

[mrElbe]

By the way, the car does come delivered with a J1772 adapter.

 

[nitram26]

By the way, the car does come delivered with a J1772 adapter.

Correct. it does.. since i have a L2 J1772 charger at home i figured i would purchase an additional one so i can keep the one that comes with the car in case i need it.

 

[nitram26]

Did not realize the question was specifically about unplugging...

Check out this guide on the topic:

https://www.tesla.com/sites/default...gging_model_s_from_a_j1772_public_charger.pdf

Thanks! i did see this document.. which was one of the main reasons for my question.. it was still instructing you do go inside your car to then unlocked the charge port to remove the j1772 adapter. So you would need to get in the car, unlock the port , then get out to get the adapter and then back in to drive off.

from another reply, you can unlock the charge port with the FOB which wasn't shown to me (holding the back button down) .. but it does work. thanks!

 

[mikeash]

That document only instructs you to unlock the port from inside the car "If the charging station handle separates from the adapter...." If you remove the adapter with the plug as the previous instructions indicate, that doesn't happen.

 

[tnt1971]

Think about if you need another adapter. Outside of a long distance trip to a place where they only had a J1772, I have never needed the adapter. I have used it for the free power when available, maybe twice. The rest of the time it was unnecessary.

It is ridiculously expensive at $100. They could probably manufacture that adapter for under $10.

Congrats on the car.

 

[AndreSF]

Thanks! i did see this document.. which was one of the main reasons for my question.. it was still instructing you do go inside your car to then unlocked the charge port to remove the j1772 adapter. So you would need to get in the car, unlock the port , then get out to get the adapter and then back in to drive off.

from another reply, you can unlock the charge port with the FOB which wasn't shown to me (holding the back button down) .. but it does work. thanks!

I never have to unlock the port after charging from the main screen. As long as car is unlocked, pressing the J1772 button works most of the time. Sometimes system is "not fully awake", I guess, so I have to just let go of the J1772 button and repeat the process to unplug it.

BTW I found the second J1772 adapter on eBay for $80 flat. I only used the included adapter that is always in the car a couple of times, but I think with these things it's better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

 

[ChrisPDX]

since i have a L2 J1772 charger at home i figured i would purchase an additional one so i can keep the one that comes with the car in case i need it.

Thinking about it some more, if you are committed to having a second J1772 because of this, it would be $400 more to just by a HPWC with 8.5' cord and wire it in place of the current J1772 EVSE you have now. You can then sell the old EVSE and reduce your cost further. Then no more adaptor or dealing with the fob to open the charge port door.

You would be limited to the same power as the J1772. But don't think that in order to install a HPWC, you need a 100amp circuit like everybody else! I myself have one and it's on a 50 amp circuit. I figure running it at half the max rating will only help make it last longer.

 

[Petra]

Hello.. Just picked up my MS Friday!!.. I upgraded from a Volt and have a L2 charger already in my garage. My plan was to just purchase the J1772 adapter and use that for my daily charger. What i found to be a issue/inconvenience is I'm told that in order to unlock the adapter from the charge port i would need to unlock the port from the center console. if this is something ill need to do i might need to reconsider getting a Tesla wall charger.. are there any suggestions or tips on other ways i can take the charger out of the port without having to go inside of the vehicle to unlock each time?

OP, I charge at home every day using a home built J-Plug equipped EVSE, so here's my take:

Yes, buy a second J-1772 to Tesla adapter and leave it on your home charger. I suggest this because 1) you'll always have one at home and one in the car, so there's nothing to ever forget and 2) leaving the adapter connected to the J-Plug handle for a day or two will cause it to stop popping off whenever the release button on the handle is pressed (this is important, see below).

Daily use looks something like this and is an easy, one-handed process:
1) Unlock car and wake the charge port (simply opening your driver's door will do this)
2) Press and release the release button on the charge handle while applying light pressure toward the car to prevent the adapter and handle from separating (this is where leaving the adapter on the handle to prevent pop-off is key for quick, one-handed use)
3) Remove the J-Plug and adapter assembly from the car when the charge port ring goes white

I made a gif:

...and here's a gif I made of the plug/unplug process using the UMC:

 

[Rocky_H]

@Petra, There must be some kind of different step or condition going on. I have found your step (2) to never work in my case:
“Press and release the release button on the charge handle”

The INSTANT I release the button, the charge port locks onto the adapter again, so it can never be a one hand operation as far as I have seen. To get it out, I always have to hold the release button to keep the charge port from grabbing onto the adapter.

 

[Petra]

@Petra, There must be some kind of different step or condition going on. I have found your step (2) to never work in my case:
“Press and release the release button on the charge handle”

The INSTANT I release the button, the charge port locks onto the adapter again, so it can never be a one hand operation as far as I have seen. To get it out, I always have to hold the release button to keep the charge port from grabbing onto the adapter.

Interesting... I just went out and played with the car and EVSE a bit and I have about 2 full seconds between cycling the release button and the car's charge port relocking (perhaps a bit less when the car is actively pulling power from the EVSE, but there are several stages both the car and EVSE have to cycle through under those conditions). If I remember correctly, I had about the same amount of time to work with the early 2014 P85+ loaner that I had last week.

If yours actually does cycle instantaneously, then there may be a difference in the software running on the EVSEs. My homebuilt EVSE uses the control module from the OpenEVSE project (Chris and the other folks working on that have really done a wonderful job), so I can poke around in the code to see if there's an explanation for the delay on my end... though, I'd have to reference the J1772 standard documents to compare with expected standard behavior.