Wall charger cable starting to distort

[Kevy Baby]

Most people wrap cables incorrectly. If you wrap the able around your arm, you are unwittingly introducing twists into your cables which are not good for them long term.

There are other methods, but I have used the "over/under" wrap for many years (a habit I picked up in my pro-audio days). I've worked with cables that were 10+ years old and unwrapped and rewrapped on an almost weekly basis that have zero twists in them. Before Tesla replaced my entire Mobile Connector (due to a bad NEMA 14-50 pigtail), I had zero kinks in my 2YO cable that was uncoiled and recoiled 3-4 times per week.

One video on the method
If you prefer written instructions

 

[kaizen099]

Hi same thing is happening with my cord, what was your resolution? Telsa wants me to send pictures, they initially stated that its normal and does not pose any risk. Thanks,

 

[Resist]

My Mobile Connector cable is almost 4 years old and it stays plugged into a 240 volt outlet in my garage, it's used a lot and it doesn't have any distortion.

 

[kaizen099]

My Mobile Connector cable is almost 4 years old and it stays plugged into a 240 volt outlet in my garage, it's used a lot and it doesn't have any distortion.

Thanks, at what rate do you charge? I am thinking that maybe the 48-amp charge rate might heat up the cable and cause these distortions...

 

[PACEMD]

It's not some magic snake cable.

That's good to know. Every now and again I wonder if I'm hearing a rattling hiss sort of noise or if the cable might bite/strike me. Maybe I'm just paranoid, we do live in Montana snake country.

In truth, our 18' cable on the Gen 3 wall charger, installed 12/2019 with a 60 amp service correctly wired, has the same bumps. Charging normally, cable not externally/locally hot. I carefully hang up the cable, coiling counterclockwise sans twist. My wife/kids not so much, but they do not so often deal with the cable. I'm guessing either local defects in the covering or more likely shedding it's skin......

 

[PACEMD]

Oh, and I charged for a year or so at 48 amp but now charge at 12 amp if I have no need for faster power access. Not because of the cable but rather battery life......

 

[Resist]

Thanks, at what rate do you charge? I am thinking that maybe the 48-amp charge rate might heat up the cable and cause these distortions...

It's a 240volt outlet but the mobile connector is limited at 32 amps with it.

 

[Rocky_H]

Oh, and I charged for a year or so at 48 amp but now charge at 12 amp if I have no need for faster power access. Not because of the cable but rather battery life......

The battery life should have nothing to do with this at all. You're dinking around thinking it makes a difference for the battery if it's 11 kW or 6 kW when the battery can take over 200 kW. That's insignificant. ALL home charging is extremely low power from the battery's perspective. There is relevance to the charging cables though, as this thread is talking about, because it's running at or near its maximum rated level that it's built for. There can be heat concerns there.

 

[PACEMD]

The battery life should have nothing to do with this at all. You're dinking around thinking it makes a difference for the battery if it's 11 kW or 6 kW when the battery can take over 200 kW. That's insignificant. ALL home charging is extremely low power from the battery's perspective. There is relevance to the charging cables though, as this thread is talking about, because it's running at or near its maximum rated level that it's built for. There can be heat concerns there.

Should and could and would wrote home to mom. What? Dear mom, don't think you're getting it.........Momma always said........significant is as significant does.........

 

[Rocky_H]

Should and could and would wrote home to mom. What? Dear mom, don't think you're getting it.........Momma always said........significant is as significant does.........

Maybe I wasn't clear enough. "should" didn't apply to the battery. It DOESN'T make any difference to the battery. I meant that you "should" not concern yourself with it for that reason.

 

[PACEMD]

Maybe I wasn't clear enough. "should" didn't apply to the battery. It DOESN'T make any difference to the battery. I meant that you "should" not concern yourself with it for that reason.

Maybe I should have said........What you talkin' bout Willis?

 

[ghsnick!]

Is this common to get bumps in the cable of the Gen 3 wall charger? Used to be perfectly round new. Installed a month ago, 60amp breaker, 6 gauge wire less than 25’ no issues with charging at a rate of 32 amps since it a M3 STD plus.
View attachment 538201

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

My cord did this, TESLA replaced it. Now one week into the new cord, it is developing knots too?

Sorry to bump this thread, but my brand new Wall Charger (3rd Gen) is developing these knots after one month. This unit is in my garage and doesn’t get any sunlight.

My outdoor unit has been exposed to the elements for longer and has no issues. How do I start the warranty process of potentially getting this replaced?

 

[UncleCreepy]

Temperature has little to nothing to do with it. This usually happens when you twist the cord. I have a gen2 and a gen3 wall connector, and both their cords still look like new after 3-4 years.

 

[ghsnick!]

Temperature has little to nothing to do with it. This usually happens when you twist the cord. I have a gen2 and a gen3 wall connector, and both their cords still look like new after 3-4 years.

Nothing has been twisted. I have an outdoor cord, stored the same way, and no bulging.

 

[Kevy Baby]

Do you over/under wrap your cords or wrap them around your arm (hand-to-elbow)? As someone who has wrapped a LOT of cards/cables in my lifetime (working in live sound/video), the most common cause of twists and bumps in cables is improper wrapping. ALWAYS over/under your cables.

Because I take advantage of a shared 14-50 outlet at work, I unwind/rewind my three-year old mobile connector 3-4 times per week (I keep it in my trunk) and still looks perfect.

One tutorial on how to properly wrap a cable (just the first one that popped up in a Google search):

 

[AZAV8R]

Sorry to bump this thread, but my brand new Wall Charger (3rd Gen) is developing these knots after one month. This unit is in my garage and doesn’t get any sunlight.

View attachment 1045931

My outdoor unit has been exposed to the elements for longer and has no issues. How do I start the warranty process of potentially getting this replaced?

Mine has the same issue. It’s been that way for 4 years. I don’t twist or coil mine either. It hasn’t given me any problems.

 

[PianoAl]

No bumps on mine. It's never coiled, but it does get hung.

 

[Kevy Baby]

No bumps on mine. It's never coiled, but it does get hung.

And you did a pretty good job, so I guess you could say it is well hung!

(Though seriously, you should consider some padding where the support holds the cable - just a little extra insurance against undo wear and tear on the cable.)

But you do get deductions for how that orange extension cord is wrapped...

 

[PianoAl]

And you did a pretty good job, so I guess you could say it is well hung!

(Though seriously, you should consider some padding where the support holds the cable - just a little extra insurance against undo wear and tear on the cable.)

But you do get deductions for how that orange extension cord is wrapped...

LOL.

Yes, I soon added a better way of supporting it.

As for the orange cord: Guilty! That cord is really stiff, and that's why it's not well hung. I think I have to beat it.