[Kevin Sharpe]

I've had poor results using rapid AC chargers above 32A single phase but @Mark Sanders is reporting success at 60A (~14kW) on TMC;

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/29818-Change-to-charging-cables-delivered-with-UK-cars/page7?p=670891&viewfull=1#post670891

 

[Mark Sanders]

Thanks for the shout Kevin - Yep works a treat

For Roadster owners: this Henry sharp's 'CAN' with J1772 socket, plus a 63Amp (single phase max) J1772><Type 2 cable (male end length reduced 14mm to match charge point's female plug)

 

[Matt Beard]

I wonder how often we will now find rapid chargers taken out of action for 4 hours charging Roadsters?

 

[Mark Sanders]

Nope, I'm a 'splash and dash' kinda guy .. admittedly c.200 mile range does give a few more options.

 

[Alexander Sims]

I wonder how often we will now find rapid chargers taken out of action for 4 hours charging Roadsters?

With only 60 odd Roadsters in the UK, probably not that often...!

 

[Matt Beard]

With only 60 odd Roadsters in the UK, probably not that often...!

Good point - but I suspect they do a disproportionate number of miles!

 

[Alexander Sims]

View attachment 957 View attachment 958 View attachment 959
Thanks for the shout Kevin - Yep works a treat

For Roadster owners: this Henry sharp's 'CAN' with J1772 socket, plus a 63Amp (single phase max) J1772><Type 2 cable (male end length reduced 14mm to match charge point's female plug)

This is a great find Mark. Where did you source a 63 amp cable?
Charging etiquette probably needed here, perhaps leave contact details In window and move if someone else turns up if you have enough range?

 

[Alexander Sims]

Good point - but I suspect they do a disproportionate number of miles!

No idea, a few of us do high mileage but with the extra range, many more trips do not require any form of charging en route... I am sure we will all be respectful and move on ASAP if we do use the RC.

 

[Mark Sanders]

This is a great find Mark. Where did you source a 63 amp cable?
Charging etiquette probably needed here, perhaps leave contact details In window and move if someone else turns up if you have enough range?

Yes Charging etiquette may well be needed .. in the future ?...
At the IKEA rapid in Southampton, I usually leave my number with the super helpful carpark attendant on the ground floor.

One of the most surprising things I've found about EV ownership is the number of times I've heard..
"that's the 1st time I've ever seen someone actually charging an electric car there".
and most folk have never seen (or heard of )a Tesla before, some dont know electric cars are in production !

The cable is a standard J1772 to Type2 with 3 mods:
1. Reduce length of Type 2 end by 14mm (cut square and accurately)
2. Check wire diameter, and if necessary Double up cable, (or add extra, 3 x 6mm square cables) to increase CSA to take 60A without any heat/voltage drop ... or... (at your own risk) accept the heat increase/slight voltage drop using 6mm CSA (32A) cables.
3. Change the sensing resistor in the Type2 Plug (to 100 ohm for 63A).

I intend to add a simple catch to augment the friction grip of the Type2 plug & socket - maybe a rubber sheath.

 

[Alexander Sims]

Yes Charging etiquette may well be needed .. in the future ?...
At the IKEA rapid in Southampton, I usually leave my number with the super helpful carpark attendant on the ground floor.

One of the most surprising things I've found about EV ownership is the number of times I've heard..
"that's the 1st time I've ever seen someone actually charging an electric car there".
and most folk have never seen (or heard of )a Tesla before, some dont know electric cars are in production !

The cable is a standard J1772 to Type2 with 3 mods:
1. Reduce length of Type 2 end by 14mm (cut square and accurately)
2. Check wire diameter, and if necessary Double up cable, (or add 3 x 6mm square cables) to increase CSA to take 60A without any heat/voltage drop ... or... (at your own risk) accept the heat increase/slight voltage drop using 6mm CSA (32A) cables.
3. Change the sensing resistor in the Type2 Plug (to 100 ohm for 63A).

I intend to add a simple catch to augment the friction grip of the Type2 plug & socket - maybe a rubber sheath.

Yes, I'm surprised by how often I hear that as well. That's with the exception of many Zeronet locations, quite often I have phoned in advance and not only do they know they have EV charging(!) but they say that it gets fairly frequent usage.
The Woolpack inn in the Lake District had 4 roadsters in the last 2 weeks... I was one of them

Thank you very much for the info, I'll look into it and hopefully be able to use it soon.

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

I wonder how often we will now find rapid chargers taken out of action for 4 hours charging Roadsters?

I don't like cheap coffee that much so will only use in an emergency... that said, everyone is entitled to use public charging for as long as they need

 

[Alexander Sims]

This was surprisingly easy to do!
Thankfully I already had the CAN and the type 2 to j1772 cable, so I just did a bit of DIY and cut the type 2 plug down so it would fully fit into the socket and it is all working without changing the resistor in the type 2 plug.

 

[dpeilow]

Good to hear. I'll possibly need to do this next week in France. Need Auchan RFID card though.

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

Need Auchan RFID card though.

@aminorjourney might have some spare cards...

 

[Alexander Sims]

Still sitting happily around 230v/60amps after a 10% charge. Only stopping to test it so in going to get on my way.

Will continue to try out other locations as and when I can to see if all type 2 RCs give me a reliable 60 amp feed.
For some reason the first one I tried only gave 16amps, I checked to see if it was the car restricting it but no, it was definitely all that was available...

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

good work @Alexander Sims and with the help of OVMS and OCM Tesla drivers might be able to provide an automated nationwide charger status for the benefit of all

 

[Mark Sanders]

Interesting that it works on the fasts with the 220Ohm resistor (32A) ... maybe ecotricity boxes have a different flavour of type2 sensing

The 100Ohn resistor was the 1st mod I did as per wikipeadia .. I didn't test with the 220ohm

Mind you, that also recommends a 16mm sq cable
(The 6mm cable will get a bit warm at 60Amps)

I've tried it on ZCW and chargemaster (which at my local waitrose can go up to 40amps ... the tesla controls the current I wouldn't go higher as the Box is only rated at 32 amps .. it might melt/smoke at 60 amps !! ...
Best to stick to 32 amps to play nice with suppliers 32Amp rated equipment

below_ Plug mod

Below inside plug (before modification, with original 220 Ohm resistor) .. needs taper proof Torq's T15 bit for screws .. (£3 ebay for a set)

Mark

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

Interesting that it works on the fasts with the 220Ohm resistor (32A) ... maybe ecotricity boxes have a different flavour of type2 sensing

@Alexander Sims @Mark Sanders can you confirm whether the vehicle connector attached to the rapid charger has a push switch?

If it does have a push switch then the Proximity Pin is connected to the push switch circuit (R6, R7, S3) in the vehicle connector and we are putting our resistor in parallel;

If it does not have a push switch then the Proximity Pin is connected to the RC resistor in the car connector and we are putting our resistor in parallel;

Having said that, I believe this is irrelevant because the Roadster does not use the Proximity Pin and I believe it will work with any resistor value we have in our cable.

Obviously, this does not explain the 16A current limit reported by @Alexander Sims although we did have lots of variability when we tested this scenario before.

What I suggest now is that we test at as many locations as possible with both the 100R resistor and standard 220R resistor to see how different sites behave.

I also suggest @Mark Sanders that you check your modified cable at as many Type 2 'fast' locations as possible because they may not like a 63A encoding resistor

 

[Mark Sanders]

No 'push switch' on the Ecotricity Rapids I've used (other than the screen and buttons besides it).
NOTE: to start the charge one of the buttons, at the bottom is a bit counter-intuitive ..it points to the opposite side of the screen - fooled me anyway 1st time .. there is a moulded line to point from button to action on screen

Yes, I've already checked my '63A' cable at all the Type 2 stations i've found (Polar/CM , ZCW, Ecotricity) .. all good.

Thanks for posting this great diagram Kevin .. the more we share the more we learn

 

[Alexander Sims]

On my way back I have plugged into the RC on the other side of the M1 and it's working well, giving 240v/60amp
So that's 2 out of 3 that have worked today. It seems it might be just a strange issue with the north bound M1 services supplying 16amps.

Ok I think I get what you mean and no, there is no push switch, just present your card to initiate the charge...