New Lightning and gen1 Tesla home wallcharger

[Quibbs]

Hi all-

We just had our Lariat delivered today and I have it hooked up to our Tesla wall charger (gen1) with a 80amp Monzaryan Tesla to J1772 adapter.

A couple of hours in I noticed the handle to the adapter, and few inches of cable going into the handle have become very warm, almost hot. I think the old wall charger is 80 amps. I had not noticed this kind of heat from the handle before. Previously we charged a Rivian and a Model 3 without this issue. The adapter itself is not hot/warm and neither is the cable end going into the charger itself.

Reason to be concerned? Thoughts?

Thanks

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[COrocket]

Both the Rivian and Model 3 have a 48 amp onboard charger (11.5kW). If your Lightning is extended range, it has a 80 amp (19.2kW) onboard charger, so a lot more power is flowing through the wire when your Lightning is charging, hence the greater amount of heat.

 

[Maquis]

What Chris said. I’d dial down the wall Charger.

 

[Quibbs]

What Chris said. I’d dial down the wall Charger.

I believe there are dip switches in the head unit to drop it to 48amps but I've never messed with it. I'd have to find the manual online and hope it's fairly straightforward. I'm slightly intimidated messing with things like this.

 

[GDN]

I believe there are dip switches in the head unit to drop it to 48amps but I've never messed with it. I'd have to find the manual online and hope it's fairly straightforward. I'm slightly intimidated messing with things like this.

It is very easy to dial it down. Just flip the breaker off before messing with it and you'll have no problems.

 

[Quibbs]

Update:

Finally opened up the Tesla wallcharger, it was already set at 40amps output.

Again, the handle never felt this hot charging any other EV vehicles.

I happen to have another adapter (tesla to j1772) on hand, though this one is rated to charge at 40amp/250v vs the 80amp of the first adapter I used on the Ford.

I was hoping perhaps it was the adapter but the tesla charging handle is still hot. By hot I mean I can hold it but the metal on it feels like its been out in the sun somewhat.

Right now the Ford app says the truck has added 18 miles in 53 mins and the charge rate is 8kw.

I guess I am trying to figure out why the handle is getting so warm/hot with the Ford, even though the wall charger is set at 40amp output.

When I charge my Model 3 the handle does not get this warm at all.

Anyone have any insights?

 

[Maquis]

Update:

Finally opened up the Tesla wallcharger, it was already set at 40amps output.

Again, the handle never felt this hot charging any other EV vehicles.

I happen to have another adapter (tesla to j1772) on hand, though this one is rated to charge at 40amp/250v vs the 80amp of the first adapter I used on the Ford.

I was hoping perhaps it was the adapter but the tesla charging handle is still hot. By hot I mean I can hold it but the metal on it feels like its been out in the sun somewhat.

Right now the Ford app says the truck has added 18 miles in 53 mins and the charge rate is 8kw.

I guess I am trying to figure out why the handle is getting so warm/hot with the Ford, even though the wall charger is set at 40amp output.

When I charge my Model 3 the handle does not get this warm at all.

Anyone have any insights?

Since the truck says it’s charging at 8 KW, it’s not drawing more the the 40A you have it set at. The only possible explanation for more heat being generated is that the connection has a higher resistance. The source of the heat is in the contact points where the handle plugs into the adapter and propagates back into the handle.

In other words, the electrical connection between the handle and adapter is inferior than the one made between the handle and your car. There is some slight mismatch in the contact points. And I wouldn’t continue using that adapter because the extra heat being generated might begin to damage the charge handle.

 

[Quibbs]

Since the truck says it’s charging at 8 KW, it’s not drawing more the the 40A you have it set at. The only possible explanation for more heat being generated is that the connection has a higher resistance. The source of the heat is in the contact points where the handle plugs into the adapter and propagates back into the handle.

In other words, the electrical connection between the handle and adapter is inferior than the one made between the handle and your car. There is some slight mismatch in the contact points. And I wouldn’t continue using that adapter because the extra heat being generated might begin to damage the charge handle.

Thank you for the response. Based on your reply, I made sure to check the fit of the adapter and since doing that the heat seems to be much less. There was a little play in the adapter but pushing the tesla handle into it with a little more force seemed to do the trick.

Thanks

 

[tls]

Note that the Gen1 Tesla wall charger is incompatible with the Lightning at 80A. The Lightning does not like the pilot signal sent by the Gen1 HPWC and charging never starts.

I have also had poor results (very low rate charging) with a Gen1 HPWC dialed down to 72A maximum. I haven't had time to experiment more. From your report it sounds like at least it does work at 40A!

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