Tesla ordered, home charging help?

[bertie]

Hi, so after a mightily impressive test drive I've take the plunge and ordered a Model S 90D.

Delivery is beginning of June so now I'm trying to sort home charging options.

I understand that the Model S comes with a home charge cable with inline box of gubbins so I could just install an industrial type 32A single phase commando socket.

However it strikes me that whilst the OLEV grants are available I ought to get a wallbox charger installed.

The 3 options suggested are PodPoint, Chargemaster and Phoenix Works.

Any difference or views on which is best or are they all the same?

Also, to keep it as future proof as possible I was going to go with a socket outlet rather than a tied cable, that make sense?

Any and all help very gratefully received, applying seems to be mind bogglingly complex!

[JonV8V]

bertie said:

Hi, so after a mightily impressive test drive I've take the plunge and ordered a Model S 90D.

Delivery is beginning of June so now I'm trying to sort home charging options.

I understand that the Model S comes with a home charge cable with inline box of gubbins so I could just install an industrial type 32A single phase commando socket.

However it strikes me that whilst the OLEV grants are available I ought to get a wallbox charger installed.

The 3 options suggested are PodPoint, Chargemaster and Phoenix Works.

Any difference or views on which is best or are they all the same?

Also, to keep it as future proof as possible I was going to go with a socket outlet rather than a tied cable, that make sense?

Any and all help very gratefully received, applying seems to be mind bogglingly complex!

Whichever is cheapest as there's no great benefit in paying a lot more. Some swear by the wall box, I think Rolec needs to be added to your list, but I'm more than happy with a commando socket and the box of gubbins plugged in.

I hope you used a code from an existing tesla owner (it was mentioned on a recent thread about discounts) as you'd have got a contribution towards installation.

[bertie]

JonV8V said:

Whichever is cheapest as there's no great benefit in paying a lot more. Some swear by the wall box, I think Rolec needs to be added to your list, but I'm more than happy with a commando socket and the box of gubbins plugged in.

I hope you used a code from an existing tesla owner (it was mentioned on a recent thread about discounts) as you'd have got a contribution towards installation.

I tried but the referral scheme has finished!

[JonV8V]

bertie said:

I tried but the referral scheme has finished!

Just looked and the current scheme still has 40 days to go. Where did you get the code from?

[Lgm50]

I have a commando socket at work, it's OK but it is only 11 miles per hour of charging. At home I have a Pod Point with tethered cable as I didn't want to have to get a cable out of the boot and plug into wall and car. Tethered works for me, just drive up and plug in - quicker the better when it's raining plus around 20 miles of charge per hour

[JonV8V]

Lgm50 said:

I have a commando socket at work, it's OK but it is only 11 miles per hour of charging. At home I have a Pod Point with tethered cable as I didn't want to have to get a cable out of the boot and plug into wall and car. Tethered works for me, just drive up and plug in - quicker the better when it's raining plus around 20 miles of charge per hour

There's something wrong then as a 32a commando delivers 7kw and should be charging you at 22mph. Maybe work only has a 16A commando or you've accidentally set the current limit to 16A

[bertie]

JonV8V said:

Just looked and the current scheme still has 40 days to go. Where did you get the code from?

Hmmm I was told it had finished...a call back to Tesla Birmingham I think!

[JonV8V]

bertie said:

JonV8V said:

Just looked and the current scheme still has 40 days to go. Where did you get the code from?

Hmmm I was told it had finished...a call back to Tesla Birmingham I think!

Welcome to the world of tesla and inconsistent comms

I hope you get the benefit, if you've not confirmed the order there is hope

[mr_tony]

Be good to know how you get on Bertie. I got close to pulling the trigger before christmas, but couldn't get the charging to work for me. Had to get an i8 instead

[Lgm50]

JonV8V said:

There's something wrong then as a 32a commando delivers 7kw and should be charging you at 22mph. Maybe work only has a 16A commando or you've accidentally set the current limit to 16A

It's only a 16 Amp feed hence not as good as the Pod Point which is installed at home.

[Lgm50]

JonV8V said:

There's something wrong then as a 32a commando delivers 7kw and should be charging you at 22mph. Maybe work only has a 16A commando or you've accidentally set the current limit to 16A

It's only a 16 Amp feed hence not as good as the Pod Point which is installed at home.

[bertie]

Lgm50 said:

It's only a 16 Amp feed hence not as good as the Pod Point which is installed at home.

I'm confused as to what I get with the Tesla in terms of cables.

If you had a 32A commando socket could the cable supplied with the car do 32A and if so is that any slower than a pod point?

Also if I go tied cable pod point, would it also do an i3 for instance?

[JonV8V]

bertie said:

I'm confused as to what I get with the Tesla in terms of cables.

If you had a 32A commando socket could the cable supplied with the car do 32A and if so is that any slower than a pod point?

Also if I go tied cable pod point, would it also do an i3 for instance?

The blue commando they fit at home is a 32A and is identical in performance to a typical podpoint. The only way you can go faster at home is if you have 3 phase in which case you'd need a podpoint or chargemaster etc wall point (tesla umc might support it too but you'd need a different plug - you'd need to check with them if you have 3 phase) A 16A commando is actually a different size plug which tesla don't give you.

There's been debate about what tesla give you by way of leads - tesla don't seem to know or keep changing their minds. Mine came with the umc (for use with either a 3 pin plug or blue commando, they give you both connectors) and a type 2 cable for use with wall boxes with a type 2 socket and many car park charging points. I think today they only come with a umc, the type 2 cable is about £170. The above are all AC charging.

The other thing you might need with a tesla is a chademo adapter. This allows you to use the much faster DC charging stations like ecotricity and most service stations. This is now circa £700 but worth it if you're some way from superchargers.

In pecking order and assuming you don't have 3 phase access you'll get the following
3 pin plug / 6 mph
32A commando or wall box or slow charging point 22 mph
Chademo / up to 130 mph
Supercharger / up to 240 mph

I've missed out 16A as I've never charged at that rate and suspect the person who's saying it has a funny set up, it's certainly not typical

[JonV8V]

I3 uses type 2 as well - where they have a umc commando equivalent or not I don't know. If you def want to support both then a wall box might be best - you pay more but the grants soften the blow

[bertie]

JonV8V said:

I3 uses type 2 as well - where they have a umc commando equivalent or not I don't know. If you def want to support both then a wall box might be best - you pay more but the grants soften the blow

So a wall box is no quicker at home than a Commando socket?

My email from Tesla says....

What comes standard with Model S?
- A 6 meter long Mobile Connector to connect with the different adapters.
- A blue adapter to connect to the Mobile Connector which can be used to charge at an industrial style commando socket
- An adapter with the 3 pin domestic plug to connect to the Mobile Connector and to charge up to 6 miles of range per hour. This is a back-up when travelling around on the countryside.


So wall box with tethered lead will do both?

Or wall box with socket and cables to suit each?

Thanks for help!

Edited by bertie on Tuesday 8th March 21:18

[JonV8V]

bertie said:

So a wall box is no quicker at home than a Commando socket?


So wall box with tethered lead will do both?

Or wall box with socket and cables to suit each?

Thanks for help!

Both the same speed - 32A at 230V or 7kw
They both use type 2 so it looks like they use the same plug therefore tethered would be fine.

If there's not much in it when you add the cable cost, I might go plug and cable just in case you damage the cable/connector as you'd be able to fix that yourself. If it was outside I'd be more inclined to go tethered as its one less socket to get wet.

I've also looked at the code - delivery has to be relatively quick meaning existing new car inventory only is likely to work but which doesn't really exist in practice

[purpleperil]

I'd get a 32A Rolec (type2 socket) installed Bertie. Had one put in at work about £600 all in. Didn't bother with a grant.

[bertie]

So do I need any other cables or does the mobile connector work a public charge stations?

[JonV8V]

bertie said:

So do I need any other cables or does the mobile connector work a public charge stations?

Roughly speaking, car parks are no different to wall boxes and you'll need a type 2 cable

Service stations tend to be tethered but as said before, if you travel a lot where there aren't superchargers you'll need a chademo adaptor and use the DC charging not the AC charging.

[bertie]

JonV8V said:

Roughly speaking, car parks are no different to wall boxes and you'll need a type 2 cable

Service stations tend to be tethered but as said before, if you travel a lot where there aren't superchargers you'll need a chademo adaptor and use the DC charging not the AC charging.

So is the 6 meter mobile connector that comes with the car a type 2 cable I can use at public charge points?