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Wall Charger vs Mobile Connector vs Mobile Connector

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spokey

Active Member
Aug 8, 2020
1,437
861
Flagtown
The Tesla store has two mobile connectors. $275 & $520. I guess the $520 handles higher current, but it appears to have a permanently affixed plug. Is that true? Seems like it's not very useful that way (although usually sold out) if it can only connect to one type of plug that you often won't see on your trip. What is the max charging current for the cheaper connector that came with the car vs that one assuming the same plug & circuit?

Other than faster charging, is there any real advantage to the wall connector? My normal driving these days is low enough that the 115V in the garage has been sufficient but I'm thinking of getting at least a 240V line and plug installed. But it also seems like a smarter choice than the $520 connector just because it's $20 cheaper.

Bottom line is I assume I'm missing some stuff here. So what have I got wrong?
 
The Tesla store has two mobile connectors. $275 & $520. I guess the $520 handles higher current, but it appears to have a permanently affixed plug. Is that true? Seems like it's not very useful that way (although usually sold out) if it can only connect to one type of plug that you often won't see on your trip. What is the max charging current for the cheaper connector that came with the car vs that one assuming the same plug & circuit?
Yes, that's it. The "Corded Mobile Connector" is the one with the 14-50 plug permanently molded on. It is based on the older 1st generation mobile connectors, which used to provide 40A, so that's why they have that capability. The newer 2nd generation mobile connectors are what is included in ever car they sell now, and they are built a bit smaller (hence the cheaper price) and only provide up to 32A.

Other than faster charging, is there any real advantage to the wall connector? My normal driving these days is low enough that the 115V in the garage has been sufficient but I'm thinking of getting at least a 240V line and plug installed. But it also seems like a smarter choice than the $520 connector just because it's $20 cheaper.

Bottom line is I assume I'm missing some stuff here. So what have I got wrong?
You haven't mentioned the other possibility--using the mobile connector that came with your car. You could get a 240V outlet installed and use that. That's cheaper than buying a wall connector or corded mobile connector. I'm still using my 1st generation mobile connector from 2014 as my permanent home charging in my garage.

Wall connectors don't have a lot of advantage to them, but if you are planning to buy an extra of something anyway, that is what I would recommend. Since the electric code update in 2017, any outlet being installed for electric car charging must have a GFCI circuit breaker, and those little buggers are about $100 by itself. And that can be subject to some nuisance tripping since the mobile connectors also have GFCI in them and do a ground test, which can set off some GFCI breakers. Direct wired wall connectors are not required to have that--they can use a normal breaker. So that cuts into the supposed cost difference.

And if it's an outdoor, exposed to weather situation, I would recommend a wall connector, as they are sealed and rated for weather.
 
Thx

So it sounds like there isn't any magic going on here. No extra features I might want.

Is the 32A what the connector can actually do? If I understand this, that means a 40A circuit for continuous duty.

If that really gives me 29mph (tesla store adapters table), that is all I could need. Basically fills the tank overnight. I'm retired and don't put that many miles on (306 since pickup on 9/8) anyway. 120 V/15A has been more than enough so far.

Yes, I plan on using the connector that came with it. Might spring for one permanently in the car at some point but probably better off buy a CHAdeMO before that unless they come out with a CCS adapter. And of course the 14-50 for my new garage circuit
 
So it sounds like there isn't any magic going on here. No extra features I might want.
Right, these are really just high tech high power extension cords with an electronics box to do some safety checks and close a relay switch.

Is the 32A what the connector can actually do? If I understand this, that means a 40A circuit for continuous duty.
Well, yes, that does follow the appropriate limits, with 32A continuous draw on a 40A circuit--good job. There isn't a 40A outlet type specifically, so NEC does allow putting 50A outlet types like 6-50 or 14-50 on a 40A rated circuit. But I just don't recommend that. It's just not very good practice to leave an outlet like that, which someone could plug something else into later (future homeowner?). So if you're going to do a 14-50, just do it for real as a 50A circuit.

If that really gives me 29mph (tesla store adapters table), that is all I could need. Basically fills the tank overnight. I'm retired and don't put that many miles on (306 since pickup on 9/8) anyway. 120 V/15A has been more than enough so far.
Yes, the regular 120V charging can be the "barely sufficient" thing, but it's far too easy to have situations come up where it's a frustration and annoyance, where even 8 or 10 hours does not get back what you need. So I do think at least a 20 or 30A circuit on 240V is about the minimum I will recommend for people.

Might spring for one permanently in the car at some point but probably better off buy a CHAdeMO before that unless they come out with a CCS adapter.
I think this is surprising some people how useful this is. I do have a CHAdeMO adapter, and I've lent it out a few times for people taking trips from here to places where the Supercharging route was really inconvenient or missing. And there was a guy here on the forum last week ranting at Tesla for not having Superchargers in the direction he wanted to go and called it "life or death", because he was trying to get to the hospital sooner to see his dad who had been in a car accident, and he had to go the wrong direction for a bit to hit up a Supercharger to then get to the hospital. And he did say that he hadn't bought the CHAdeMO adapter because he thought $500 was too expensive. But he could have been driving right through a city that had CHAdeMO along the way to the hospital, instead of having to go the wrong way to a Supercharger first, delaying him. So sometimes convenience is worth it for that. I live next to the giant Bermuda Triangle hole in the Supercharger network where Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada meeting, so it's pretty useful here.
 
I saw that post. Think it was actually his grandfather after some meeting (shareholder or something?).

From everything I've able to read, CCS will the way to go but I guess you have to play the cards your dealt and for at least now, it appears to be the CHAdeMoO.

thanks for all the advice. One last question. Any reason not to get say a 60A circuit if the price diff makes sense?
 
From everything I've able to read, CCS will the way to go but I guess you have to play the cards your dealt and for at least now, it appears to be the CHAdeMoO.
Yes, our situation in North America is stuck in a weird spot. Agree that CHAdeMO is going away (and needs to). CCS is definitely better, but Tesla doesn't offer an adapter for it, and who knows if they ever will?

One last question. Any reason not to get say a 60A circuit if the price diff makes sense?
Good question, with a few factors to consider. You said you're going to use the charging cable that comes with the car and plug into an outlet. First, there is no adapter for a 14-60 or other 60A outlet type. Second, the mobile charging cable can only pull 32A, so you can't get any more benefit that way.

But, if you think you might make some changes at some point in the future, and put in a wall connector, or using a higher capacity line to split for multiple cars, then redoing the wiring run is the most labor intensive thing to have to change later. So it does make sense sometimes to get the higher capacity wiring in there, and that's certainly fine with code to have thicker wiring than needed. But you would have the outlet and the breaker still as a 14-50 and 50A breaker for now.