Using the J1772 Adapter

[TomServo]

I have a Clipper Creek EVSE I use to charge our Volt and now new MY. I'm confused on how to properly use it. Page 152 in the Owners Manual says:

Tesla offers adapters (for example, J1772 and CHAdeMO) to allow you to plug into the most commonly used public charging stations in your region. Open the charge port door using the touchscreen (see Charging Instructions on page 154), plug the adapter into the charging port on Model Y, and then connect the station's charging connector to the adapter. There is no removal instructions.

OK that's easy, I insert the adapter into the car and plug the J1772 end of my CC into it. That's easy, charge ramped up to 40 amps and was happily charging at 35 mph. But what's the correct method to UNPLUG this assembly.

I pressed the UNLOCK button on the display screen, I could hear a click but when I tried removing it as one assembly it wouldn't come out. So I pressed the release tab and pulled the J1772 plug out leaving the adapter in the car and tried pulling that out it was locked again, so I pressed the unlock button on the phone and I heard the click and I really had to TUG to get it to release. I thought I was going to pull the charge port out of the car. It finally came out.

But the question is, what's the correct method to unplug the adapter and EVSE J1772 from the car?

Thanks in advance

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Put one hand on the J1772 adapter and the other on the J1772 handle. Push the button to stop charging but don't remove anything until you see/hear charging has stopped. Once charging stops, use both hands to remove the adapter and J1772 charging handle (one hand on each). Then you can push the button to release the J1772 adapter from the J1772 handle.

When I used to use J1772 at work, I would often use my phone or key fob to stop charging as I walked to the car. Then I just had to use both hands to remove things from the car and then remove the adapter from the charging handle.

 

[Rocky_H]

I finally found that video again that shows what this easy procedure looks like because it's hard to describe it in wording.

 

[TomServo]

That's exactly what I was looking for. The Owners Manual doesn't address how to remove the J1772.

I will give it a test run right now.

Thanks so much.

 

[imola.zhp]

Meet Your Tesla

Start at 2:12

Full line of videos can be found at: Meet Your Tesla

 

[TomServo]

But it still takes a lot more "pull" than I would have expected. I wonder if it's because the car and adapter are new, I have only tried it 3 times now for fear of it getting stuck or breaking something.

 

[Rocky_H]

But it still takes a lot more "pull" than I would have expected. I wonder if it's because the car and adapter are new, I have only tried it 3 times now for fear of it getting stuck or breaking something.

I've heard that pretty frequently of people with brand new cars having the port openings being pretty tight for the first few weeks until they get some use. (Please don't make that sound like an analogy to anything else. )

 

[captanzuelo]

I always thought that Tesla advised us to use the Both hands method of removal so that you wouldn't accidentally leave your adapter attached to the J1772 handle and then drive off without it. Once you click "stop charging" it really shouldn't make any difference in what order you pull out the charger, as it is just a dead port at that point.

 

[Rocky_H]

Once you click "stop charging" it really shouldn't make any difference in what order you pull out the charger, as it is just a dead port at that point.

This skips that step of having to go to a car or phone screen to press a button to tell it to "stop charging" first. If you press that button on the J1772 handle, it will send an interrupt signal and tell the car to stop.

 

[TomServo]

This skips that step of having to go to a car or phone screen to press a button to tell it to "stop charging" first. If you press that button on the J1772 handle, it will send an interrupt signal and tell the car to stop.

yes I have noticed that and was expecting the assembly to pull out as smooth as it does from our Volt. The amount of force it takes to remove the adapter from the port is what bigs me.

 

[SSonnentag]

I charge using the J1772 adapter 4 days per week. I have to press and hold the release button on the J1772 plug while I grab the adapter piece with my other hand and pull. If I don't keep the J1772 button depressed, my car will lock down on the plug and start trying to charge again. There is no need to ever separate the J1772 and Tesla adapter when plugging and unplugging, unless you want to for some reason. My adapter stays on my J1772 plug 24/7, 365.

 

[21miDay]

There is no need to ever separate the J1772 and Tesla adapter when plugging and unplugging, unless you want to for some reason. My adapter stays on my J1772 plug 24/7, 365.

If you were at a public charging station you wouldn't want to leave your adapter.

 

[TomServo]

I fixed my issue of how hard it was to insert and remove from the car. I applied a small amount of dielectric grease with a q-tip to the pins in the adapter and then I repeatedly inserted and removed it maybe tan times or more and now it inserts and removes without any real resistance that I was experiencing. It just completed an hour charging session and I removed it and is now charging our Volt.

thanks for all the advice and suggestions.

 

[Puma2020]

Thanks for the hint of using dieletric grease. Will keep that in mind.

 

[HeyEph]

Is the purpose of this "lock" to keep the adapter firmly attached to the charger handle?
Tesla Model 3/Y- Red Powder Coated Aluminum Lock for J1772 Charger Adapter. | eBay
Would this allow you to use one hand to remove it?

 

[Rocky_H]

Is the purpose of this "lock" to keep the adapter firmly attached to the charger handle?
Tesla Model 3/Y- Red Powder Coated Aluminum Lock for J1772 Charger Adapter. | eBay
Would this allow you to use one hand to remove it?

The main purpose of those is to keep someone else from unplugging your car. With the lock on it, it prevents the release button on the handle from raising that latch, so someone can't unhook it. The owner of the car would have to release the port latch first and pull it out, and then you can slip that ring off and disconnect the charging handle. So for free charging stations at malls and grocery stores and parking garages and such, there can be some levels of douchebaggery of people going over and unplugging someone else's car to plug their own in.

 

[HeyEph]

The main purpose of those is to keep someone else from unplugging your car. With the lock on it, it prevents the release button on the handle from raising that latch, so someone can't unhook it. The owner of the car would have to release the port latch first and pull it out, and then you can slip that ring off and disconnect the charging handle. So for free charging stations at malls and grocery stores and parking garages and such, there can be some levels of douchebaggery of people going over and unplugging someone else's car to plug their own in.

Thanks. But, do you think it would allow for one-handed removal at home?

 

[captanzuelo]

Is the purpose of this "lock" to keep the adapter firmly attached to the charger handle?
Tesla Model 3/Y- Red Powder Coated Aluminum Lock for J1772 Charger Adapter. | eBay
Would this allow you to use one hand to remove it?

Yes, but as I mentioned, you’d have to go into the app and “stop charging” before you pulled the plug

 

[Rocky_H]

Thanks. But, do you think it would allow for one-handed removal at home?

Yes, but as I mentioned, you’d have to go into the app and “stop charging” before you pulled the plug

But there is the tradeoff. Without the lock, you can just grab the handle and adapter, press and hold the button and pull them out--probably faster. But with the lock, you have to unlock the car's port first somehow, which would be either:
Go into the car, pull up the charging screen, and press "Stop Charging".
Or pull out your phone, open the app, go to charging, and press "Stop Charging".

Having to do one of those other steps makes the whole process much longer just so you can use one hand to pull the plug.

 

[HeyEph]

But there is the tradeoff. Without the lock, you can just grab the handle and adapter, press and hold the button and pull them out--probably faster. But with the lock, you have to unlock the car's port first somehow, which would be either:
Go into the car, pull up the charging screen, and press "Stop Charging".
Or pull out your phone, open the app, go to charging, and press "Stop Charging".

Having to do one of those other steps makes the whole process much longer just so you can use one hand to pull the plug.

Thanks!