Spare Mobile Connector a waste?

[smorgasbord]

I wish I had insisted that Tesla not deliver me the standard "Spare Mobile Connector" and instead sell me the NEMA 5-15 adapter for the UMC.

Would I ever carry just the Spare Mobile Connector? No. But, if I'm traveling to unknown places, I want the ability to charge via either 220 or if 110 if that is the only thing available. So, now I'm carrying two cables instead of one cable with 2 adapters. It's a waste.

Am I missing anything?

[Kevin Sharpe]

Am I missing anything?I think it's useful to carry both cables because if you have a failure in the UMC while traveling then you are completely stuffed... think of it as redundancy.

[S-2000 Roadster]

I leave the UMC in my garage, connected to 240V/50A service, and carry the Spare Mobile Connector in the car at all times for unexpected emergency charging. In that sense I don't find it redundant at all.

When I travel out of town, though, I bring the UMC. Thanks for pointing out that the NEMA 5-15 adapter might be a good purchase consideration. Now that you mention it, I might prefer to leave the Spare Mobile Connector at home if the trunk space is getting tight (as it is wont to do). I'm sure the UMC 5-15 adaptor is much smaller.

[tennis_trs]

Is there really a NEMA 5-15 for the UMC? It seems like some of the info on the Tesla site at least implicitly indicates that the UMC only supports 240V, even though it looks like they sell NEMA 5-15 and 5-20 adaptors.
This page:
Universal Mobile Connector - Available in North America Only Tesla Motors (http://shop.teslamotors.com/collections/charging/products/universal-mobile-connector-available-october-2009)
Says 208-240 or 240V everywhere. It only shows 8 instead of 10 adaptors in the one picture, but then it calls out 10 adaptors and shows the 5-15 and 5-20 in the list of charging times.
This page:
Universal Adapters - Available in North America Only (charging) Tesla Motors (http://shop.teslamotors.com/collections/charging/products/universal-mobile-connector-adapters)
Also shows just 8 adaptors in the picture and indicates 240V in the text, but shows the 5-15 and 5-20 in the list of charging times and the pulldown seems to let you buy them.

I expect that I'll eventually want the 5-15 adaptor, but haven't gotten around to determining if it really is available.

[Doug_G]

I keep the Spare Connector in my trunk as an emergency backup. I never even took the cable ties off of it until recently, when I had an overnight stay in a hotel. Hotels can often accommodate you with 110V if you call ahead. My record so far is three hotels, three plugs, although in all three cases it took "special" parking arrangements. I'm 0 for 3 on 220V.

Although it is slow as molasses, I have found 110V 12A does add usable range on an overnight stop. In a recent two-day stay it topped me all the way up! On my last road trip I encountered a defective NEMA 14-50 circuit, and I would have had a big problem except that I had accumulated an extra 50 ideal km at the hotel the night before.

After this experience, I will always take the opportunity to plug into 110V even if I don't think I need it.

[Jaff]

A few weeks ago, I travelled around 240 kms to the cottage for a long weekend...I only had the Spare Connector to charge back up (as I had no access to any larger type of circuit).

I was virtually plugged in all weekend, but I did make 3 small trips into the local "one horse town" to pick up supplies (and wow the locals) :biggrin::wink:

Without the spare connector, I couldn't have made the trip.

It is slow, but it is peace of mind!

Besides, I use the Spare Connector to keep my battery pack warm when parked outside in the winter...that in itself (warm pack = no loss of regen braking) is worth the cost of admission for me.

[smorgasbord]

Here are the cables I think I need to travel with (L to R, T to B):
J1772 Adapter
UMC with NEMA 14-50 adapter plug
Spare Mobile Connector with outlet cube for ChargePoint boxes
Homemade NEMA 14-30 plug to NEMA 14-50 outlet
Homemade NEMA 10-30 plug to NEMA 14-50 outlet

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/6493/cables.jpg

Here they are not fitting into the bag:
http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/5269/cablesinbag.jpg

This collection must weigh at least 18 lbs. I could save some space/weight by getting Tesla 14-30 & 10-30 adapters, but the house I'm visiting in a couple of weeks has a dryer room across the hall from the garage, so I'm thinking I'll make good use of the extra length supplied by my homemade adapters. It was built around the time code changed from 3 wire dryers to 4 wire, so I'm needing both to be safe.

[S-2000 Roadster]

Homemade NEMA 14-30 plug to NEMA 14-50 outlet
Homemade NEMA 10-30 plug to NEMA 14-50 outlet
Those are a bad idea, at least in the specific combination that you've chosen. It's perfectly fine to adapt from a NEMA 14-50 receptacle down to a 14-30 or 10-30 because you're pulling less current than the rating. But what you've done is made it possible to pull 40A from receptacles that are only designed for 24A!

I recommend that you spend the measly $200 to get the two UMC adaptor cables from Tesla for 14-30 and 10-30. Then, when you plug in those adaptor cables to your UMC, the charging system will automatically limit the current to what is safe for all connectors. You probably spent more than $100 on the parts, not to mention your labor!

All it takes is to forget one time to manually change your charge settings and you could either trip an inaccessible breaker and be stuck without any charging current at all, or worse you could start a fire.


This collection must weigh at least 18 lbs. I could save some space/weight by getting Tesla 14-30 & 10-30 adapters, but the house I'm visiting in a couple of weeks has a dryer room across the hall from the garage, so I'm thinking I'll make good use of the extra length supplied by my homemade adapters. It was built around the time code changed from 3 wire dryers to 4 wire, so I'm needing both to be safe.
Well, there you have it: you could save weight and have a foolproof setup.

Note that extension cords are not recommended, because sometimes there is a voltage loss.

[smorgasbord]

But what you've done is made it possible to pull 40A from receptacles that are only designed for 24A!

Yeah, I should have stated that I'm fully prepared to set the appropriate amperage limit manually via the VDS.

The wire in the UMC is heavy enough for 40/50 amps, so at 24/30 amps I'm not worried about voltage loss with the extension (which is also quite substantial). From the layout of the house, I'm going to need the extension, so if the foolproof setup doesn't reach the outlet that would be pretty foolish as well.

The UMC is the heaviest component by far.

The Spare Mobile Connector is just lame, IMHO. It should at least have an option to pull 16 amps on 20 amp circuits instead of only 12 amps on 15 amp circuits. But, you need the UMC for that. The Spare Mobile Connector makes sense if you're charging during a long period of time where you know 110 is the only option available (like at work). Then, it's good to not have to lug the entire UMC around, and risk getting it stolen.

Hopefully, something like J1772 will appear in more and more places, so that on road trips I could confidently take just that. Someday, maybe.

[S-2000 Roadster]

The Spare Mobile Connector is just lame, IMHO. It should at least have an option to pull 16 amps on 20 amp circuits instead of only 12 amps on 15 amp circuits. But, you need the UMC for that.
The Spare Mobile Connector pulls 15A by default. That's pretty damn close to the 16A limit of a 20A circuit. You have to manually drop that to 12A from the charging screen. I discovered this the hard way when charging my Roadster repeatedly tripped my 15A breaker. Manually lowering the charging current to 12A made me much less jumpy (i.e. I didn't have to keep checking that the car was still charging).

[smorgasbord]

OK, so it's not quite as lame as I thought. Thanks for the info on amperage pull.

At 110 volts and 15 amps, we're getting something like 6 or 7 Ideal Miles per hour?

[S-2000 Roadster]

Granted, I pretty much only charged my Roadster with the Spare Mobile Connector on my first day. After that experience - and it didn't even reach a full charge before I woke up and wanted to drive again - my immediate decision was to install a NEMA 14-50 in my garage for faster charging. I availed myself of the free charging at the Tesla Store and then headed to the hardware store to buy everything I needed for the UMC. By the end of my second day with the Roadster I was charging at 40A!

Still, it's nice to have the Spare Mobile Connector as a fallback. When I had to rework my 50A circuit wiring, I used the Spare Mobile Connector to charge the car while I worked on the high-capacity circuit. I've yet to use it away from home, though, even though it lives in the car just in case of an emergency.

[W.Petefish]

Note that extension cords are not recommended, because sometimes there is a voltage loss.

Remember Ohm's law:
I=V/R
Where V is voltage potential drop, R is resistance, and I equals the current in amps.

From what it looks like the resistance across, what appears to be, 12 gauge wire is 0.015880 ohms per 10'. That gives you a voltage drop of ~2-3 volts per 10' or 1%.

I would be more concerned about the wire heating up. Which as you pointed out -is- a fire hazard.:scared:

On a personal note: Has anyone else had a GFCI trip because you plug in the spare connector?

[S-2000 Roadster]

Remember Ohm's law:
I=V/R
Where V is voltage potential drop, R is resistance, and I equals the current in amps.

From what it looks like the resistance across, what appears to be, 12 gauge wire is 0.015880 ohms per 10'. That gives you a voltage drop of ~2-3 volts per 10' or 1%.

I would be more concerned about the wire heating up. Which as you pointed out -is- a fire hazard.:scared:
Also, don't forget that the plug pins and receptacle sockets are not perfect conductors, and thus every plug in the path can drop the voltage. Since the Tesla Roadster pulls the same current regardless of voltage, it's not as bad as it could be - other electronics will heat the cable even more when the voltage drops.

[W.Petefish]

Too true.

Even at those acceptable voltage drops, I would put a cap on an extension cord length of 25' at 6 AWG at 220v and only for short periods. (thats my welder's extension cord)

For the Spare Connector, I limit my runs with heavy extension cords to 25' or less.

[S-2000 Roadster]

For the Spare Connector, I limit my runs with heavy extension cords to 25' or less.
On that note, the Tesla manual states that no extension cord should be used at all. My garage (rental) came with a really crappy 5-15 outlet that looks like it's about to fall off. With the default setting of 15A/16A, my Roadster actually canceled my first charge attempt claiming that an extension cord was detected. I think they noticed the voltage drop below 106V and flagged an error. I wasn't surprised considering the poor quality of the garage wiring. I re-seated the plug and had no further problems, but it tells me that a good connection is needed if you want to use an extension cord.

[W.Petefish]

On that note, the Tesla manual states that no extension cord should be used at all. My garage (rental) came with a really crappy 5-15 outlet that looks like it's about to fall off. With the default setting of 15A/16A, my Roadster actually canceled my first charge attempt claiming that an extension cord was detected. I think they noticed the voltage drop below 106V and flagged an error. I wasn't surprised considering the poor quality of the garage wiring. I re-seated the plug and had no further problems, but it tells me that a good connection is needed if you want to use an extension cord.

Right, I made my 120v extension cord with 10-3 wire. It also helps to have a local utility run just about exactly 120v.

[S-2000 Roadster]

It also helps to have a local utility run just about exactly 120v.
In my case I have 245V or 122.3V at the breaker box, so that 106V reading represented a very poor connection!
My Tesla Roadster is perfectly happy with the 245V (via UMC). Just so long as it stays below 250V (249.992V if the VehicleLog format is any indication of the design limit).

[scott451]

I wish I had insisted that Tesla not deliver me the standard "Spare Mobile Connector" and instead sell me the NEMA 5-15 adapter for the UMC.

Actually, (with a little help from Martin's blog (http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/3099-Eberhard-upgrade-of-MC-to-40-amps-with-adapters?p=38252&viewfull=1#post38252)) you can make really nice 24A NEMA 14-50 charger:

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2062&d=1309451228
I use the above modified SMC for 95% of my charging. (The others? a MC240 modified for 40A and an AVCON modified for 36A at work)

For most overnight trips, I just bring a small ziploc bag with a variety of plug pins. With this small collection I can charge @ 24A from NEMA 14-50, 14-30, 6-50, 6-30, 10-30, 10-50. The neutral pin is not used (therefore I removed it) so the Yellow NEMA 14-50 plug will work in a 30A or 50A outlet.

PS I know someone who would gladly pay you (http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/4201-Wanted-110v-charging-cable) $300+s/h for your SMC. sell your SMC, buy the $100 UMC->120V adapter and pocket $200 :)

[W.Petefish]

I need to, as probably the rest of us, make a kit like that.

[doug]

Actually, (with a little help from Martin's blog (http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/3099-Eberhard-upgrade-of-MC-to-40-amps-with-adapters?p=38252&viewfull=1#post38252)) you can make really nice 24A NEMA 14-50 charger:

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2059&d=1309422646
Hmm... seem to have lost an image there.

Does the small enclosure in the center do anything besides generate the pilot signal? Is it adjustable?
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2061&d=1309423318

[scott451]

Hmm... seem to have lost an image there.Fixed.
Does the small enclosure in the center do anything besides generate the pilot signal? No.
Is it adjustable?No. It is set for the maximum current the cable can handle. I use the VDS or tattler to lower the current to what the outlet can support.

[EDIT: ***** bad info below ****]
Last night I tried modifying one of the cables to signal (pilot) 30A while connected to 120V. The roadster would not allow any current above 15A. So it looks like 15A is the max for 120V regardless of what is signaled by the EVSE.
[EDIT: ***** corrected info *****]
Switching one of the hot leads on on a 14-50 to neutral allows the car to charge off of 120V at currents higher than 15A (e.g. 40A) as signalled by the EVSE (pilot). As Don points out, you must set the "higher" current limit on the VDS before plugging in the cable.

[S-2000 Roadster]

Last night I tried modifying one of the cables to signal (pilot) 30A while connected to 120V. The roadster would not allow any current above 15A. So it looks like 15A is the max for 120V regardless of what is signaled by the EVSE.
Thanks for testing that.

Did you try setting the charging screen to a higher current limit? I seem to recall that you can set it higher somehow - but I've lost those notes.

In case it makes you feel any better, the J1772 standard from SAE doesn't specify any EV or PHEV charging level for more than 16A at 120V. Apart from RV lots, you should never find a 120V source that is rated above 20A (16A actual), at least not anything intended for electric vehicle charging. That is, until SAE changes the specifications again. 15A is still shy of the 16A you should be able to pull from a NEMA 5-20.

To clarify with more detail: J1772 specifies AC Level 1 charging as 120V at 12A (15A breaker) or 16A (20A breaker) and AC Level 2 charging as 208V to 240V at any current up to 80A (breaker per NEC 625). I'm not suggesting that J1772 is the be-all, end-all of specifications, but reading this does sort of make me not blame Tesla for staying away from anything over 16A when connected to 120V.

[donauker]

I am definitely also in the market for a Spare Mobile Connector. So anyone with a neglected one that is just taking up space send me a PM with your desired price.

[S-2000 Roadster]

I recall that the HPC was included with the original Roadster, but now the SMC is included with new Roadsters - does anyone remember when the transition occurred?

[vfx]

I recall that the HPC was included with the original Roadster, but now the SMC is included with new Roadsters - does anyone remember when the transition occurred?
At car number 214- even though it was paid for in advance

[donauker]

Last night I tried modifying one of the cables to signal (pilot) 30A while connected to 120V. The roadster would not allow any current above 15A. So it looks like 15A is the max for 120V regardless of what is signaled by the EVSE.

Interestingly enough I am currently charging my Roadster at 40A 120V. I modified my RFMC 14-50 connector by moving one pin to neutral and am able to charge. VDS is showing 40A 119V and TED Monitor shows 4.778 KW usage. But if I try to use the VDS to set a lower charge level while connected it only shows 12 and 15 as available but I can cancel and set other levels when the thumb switch is opened.

[scott451]

Interestingly enough I am currently charging my Roadster at 40A 120V. I modified my RFMC 14-50 connector by moving one pin to neutral and am able to charge.
That's exactly what I did on my 24A SMC.


VDS is showing 40A 119V and TED Monitor shows 4.778 KW usage. But if I try to use the VDS to set a lower charge level while connected it only shows 12A and 15A.
That Explains it... My last charge was 240V@13A (tattler cooldown). So when I plugged in the 30A charge cable, rigged to work on 120V, the VDS went to 13A. I used the "current limit" button, but I was only able to select 12A or 15A. Based on your post, I tried it again but I first set the current limit to 70A before sliding the switch. As you described, the charge went to 116V @30A. Nice find! I tried setting the current to 20A using the Tattler and it worked! It looks like the 12/15A current limit for 120V is enforced by the VDS not the PEM, so the Tattler can override it.

This is a great find because it seems like some restaurants use NEMA L5-30. And a lot of the computer rooms and lab benches use NEMA L5-30 too.

[doug]

I recall that the HPC was included with the original Roadster, but now the SMC is included with new Roadsters - does anyone remember when the transition occurred?
January 2009.

[donauker]

This is a great find because it seems like some restaurants use NEMA L5-30. And a lot of the computer rooms and lab benches use NEMA L5-30 too.

This also opens up 10's of thousands of TT-30's at all those smaller campgrounds which may not have 50 amps sites.

Not the fastest charge but certainly better then 15A. Of course with a simple adapter for the UMC/RFMC and the Tattler it also allows you to turn the same blind eye to the NEC that all those 50A RV's do when they use their adapter to plug in to that same TT-30.

But since those 50A RV's are not 240V but actually dual 120V the very common adapter for them will not work for the UMC/RFMC.

[Lloyd]

Here is an adapter also (http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&xhr=t&q=nema+l5-30+plug&cp=11&qe=TkVNQSBMNS0zMCA&qesig=FOwZAJ32P41p_F8C-RfaXw&pkc=AFgZ2tmug1V6J1Ac3S5wiDpD1UBWc1T6BGxnir4r11tXyAiwMi5yDRxGgTKWOcfmUrI-P2bYXVGJdhhsjwbtWuHeRhapsY4y2A&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1119&bih=778&wrapid=tljp130954136433100&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=5424870453006225579&sa=X&ei=9gMOTomSFpLSiALkupj2DQ&sqi=2&ved=0CF8Q8wIwBQ#).

[donauker]

Any adapter specifying a RV 14-50 will not work. These adapters take the same hot input to both of the hot connectors on the 14-50 and tie the neutral to the center pin. This results in no power between the two hot pins.

[smorgasbord]

So when I plugged in the 30A charge cable, rigged to work on 120V, the VDS went to 13A. I used the "current limit" button, but I was only able to select 12A or 15A. Based on your post, I tried it again but I first set the current limit to 70A before sliding the switch. As you described, the charge went to 116V @30A.

I've noticed this behavior with the stock UMC with stock 14-50 adapter when the car's timer is waiting to charge. It's weird:

1) With charge port door closed, set the timer to midnight. Set the current limit to 30 amps on VDS.
2) Plug in UMC w/ 14-50 and engage switch.
3) Go to VDS and try to change the current limit to 40 amps or 24 amps. You can't do it. Matter of fact, you can only select something like 12 or 15 amps (I'll double check that part tonight).
4) Disengage the connector thumb lock and you can change the current limit.

This mirrors the behavior donauker and scott451 are reporting with their shopmade connectors, but I'm getting it on a stock connector, so it's not something they're doing. Any ideas?

[smorgasbord]

Actually, (with a little help from Martin's blog you can make really nice 24A NEMA 14-50 charger...

That's a bit too much circuitry and soldering for me. Is there a simple way to "hard-wire" the cable to a specific amperage and then rely on me remembering to dial down the limit via the VDS?

[vfx]

So what is the MPHc (charge) at 30 or 40 amps /120V?

[S-2000 Roadster]

Here is an adapter also
Ha! That product claims to be "Made with UL Listed components" but they would never get a UL Listing for the product itself. It allows you to plug a 50A device into a 30A circuit, and that is against code. GenTran risks some serious liability with this one.

[S-2000 Roadster]

That's a bit too much circuitry and soldering for me.
I haven't read Martin's blog because it's gone, but most of the wiring that people are discussing in this thread involves no circuitry and no soldering. Most plug and receptacle wiring is done with a screwdriver. On the one hand, I wouldn't want to encourage you to work with 240V or even 120V because you can kill yourself, but on the other hand this stuff is very simple.

[hcsharp]

This is my homemade UMC solution. I find it much more practical than Tesla's UMC or any others that I've seen because I can select whatever current draw I want right from the control with just one button. It's much easier than using the VDS. There's no self-limiting based on which adapter so you have to know what you're doing, and therefore not recommended for just anybody. But the flexibility is really handy. Total cost was about $100.

Today as an experiment I set it for 48Amp on my NEMA 14-50 outlet. I monitored it constantly as it was only 2A shy of the breaker. The cable is rated for 55 amp and the plug for 50. I won't normally do this but it's nice to know it works. After about 15 min the breaker got a little warm but never hot. After 45 min I got tired of baby sitting it and changed it back to 40A by pressing one button - never got in the car. I'll remove the 60 and 70A options next time I update the firmware... I had them there just to test the signal. My next project will be a homemade HPC but it will cost about 4x as much money.

2107. 2108

[scott451]

Today as an experiment I set it for 48Amp on my NEMA 14-50 outlet. I monitored it constantly as it was only 2A shy of the breaker. The cable is rated for 55 amp and the plug for 50. I won't normally do this but it's nice to know it works. After about 15 min the breaker got a little warm but never hot.Nice work!!!

I've be using 48A for about a year (16K miles) on my modified MC240 cable (http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2061&d=1309423318), without problems. The key issue is not only the breaker, but the connection to the NEMA 14-50 plug. It needs to be really low impedance or else heat will build up in the plug contacts. I crimped, soldered and clear shrink wraped #6 AWG lugs and then connected them to the NEMA 14-50 plug. This creates a very low impedance connection to the plug.

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2110&d=1310278093

In martin's RFMC design, he put a 90C temp cutoff switch in the plug to protect it from bad (old RV) sockets.


...I'll remove the 60 and 70A options next time I update the firmware... I had them there just to test the signal. You might want to add 30A so if you use a J1772->NEMA 14-50 adapter on a blink/charge point charger, you can draw the full 30A.


...My next project will be a homemade HPC You might want to consider using a RECON sealed 100-240V -> +5V converter as the main power supply. They are very small, cheap ($18) and if you seal the line-in connections, any water ingress will do minimal damage. An $8 +5V to +/-12 DC to DC converter provides the other voltages. (The tolerance on the regulator isn't that great, so you might want to convert to +/- 15V and then for another $1 linear regulate down to +/- 12V. Overall cost was $40 (add another $5 if you want the LEDs and a switch)

[TEG]

You guys might enjoy this topic too:
My Nissan Leaf Forum View topic - Weekend Project - J1772 Control Pilot (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2736)

[S-2000 Roadster]

Question for both of you hackers: :wink:
Does the Tesla charge at any pilot setting you provide, or just the 12A/16A/24A/32A/40A/48A/60A/70A presets? Also, it seems like 72A should be a safe option for a 90A breaker, but maybe I'm missing something.

While I'm asking... either of you care to share schematics? I've been hanging out over at Dangerous Prototypes, where Open Hardware Design is very popular - and even profitable - so it seems worth asking.

[Kevin Sharpe]

This is my homemade UMC solution.very cool.... any possibility you'll release the design as open source? We wish to add 62196 ("Mennekes") sockets to the ZCW Charging Stations that we donate in the UK and don't want to reinvent the wheel :smile:

[scott451]

Question for both of you hackers: :wink:
Does the Tesla charge at any pilot setting you provide, or just the 12A/16A/24A/32A/40A/48A/60A/70A presets? Yes. The VDS imposes the 8A steps. The Roadster PEM supports (and the tattler can set) any value between 12A and 70A in 1A steps.
Also, it seems like 72A should be a safe option for a 90A breaker, but maybe I'm missing something.I believe that the 70A limit is caused by the radsok #4 connector in the Tesla connector.


While I'm asking... either of you care to share schematics? I've been hanging out over at Dangerous Prototypes, where Open Hardware Design is very popular - and even profitable - so it seems worth asking.

I'd be open to posting my design at Dangerous prototypes. I'm not clear on how it would be "profitable" to me (not that it's a requirement)

[vfx]

...cost was about $100..... My next project will be a homemade HPC but it will cost about 4x as much money...

A HPC for $400?
Amazing.

[S-2000 Roadster]

I'd be open to posting my design at Dangerous prototypes. I'm not clear on how it would be "profitable" to me (not that it's a requirement)
There is no monetary profit, but if you value educating people who are interested in electronics, then you can 'profit' from the knowledge that you've helped people. Visit the Dangerous Prototypes site and read about the history there. Ian has a goal to make one open hardware design per month. There is a community there of designers from all over the world: Asia, Europe, US, UK: who suggest ideas, discuss early designs, and then publish both circuits and firmware source. Many circuits are shared as Eagle files - since that software runs on both Mac and PC - but people have also submitted CAD files from other PCB design programs. Firmware is generally C source unless there is assembly needed for all or part of the control processor code.

I suppose that another potential 'profit' would be that someone might improve upon your design - either making it better or cheaper - and you would benefit from that along with everyone else. There are quite a few amateurs in the community, but there are also a few seasoned electrical engineers who have worked for decades on power circuits and other useful products.

If you're still interested after all of this, then I recommend joining the site there and starting a new topic in an appropriate forum. I bet people would be very interested in electric vehicle charging even if they don't have their own.

P.S. Seeed Studios makes it possible to manufacture your designs in low quantities without the usual costs of small scale production. They perhaps are not up to your standards, and you might not like their licensing model, but it's a consideration.

[hcsharp]

We should really start/move this to a new thread titled DIY charging solutions instead of continuing here...


Nice work!!!

I've be using 48A for about a year (16K miles) on my modified MC240 cable (http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2061&d=1309423318), without problems. The key issue is not only the breaker, but the connection to the NEMA 14-50 plug. It needs to be really low impedance or else heat will build up in the plug contacts. I crimped, soldered and clear shrink wraped #6 AWG lugs and then connected them to the NEMA 14-50 plug. This creates a very low impedance connection to the plug.

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2110&d=1310278093

Good idea. And thanks for your other tips. I hadn't opened the plug yet to see how robust it is (or isn't). I also like your idea of connecting the control box with a little cable from the plug instead of what I did - spliced into the cable 10" from the plug and then applied layer upon layer of liquid electrical tape/goop in addition to heat shrink.



In martin's RFMC design, he put a 90C temp cutoff switch in the plug to protect it from bad (old RV) sockets.

That's always been in my plans but haven't done it yet. I was just going to use one of the remaining A/D inputs for this.



You might want to add 30A so if you use a J1772->NEMA 14-50 adapter on a blink/charge point charger, you can draw the full 30A.

I thought all the J1772 chargers went up to at least 32A (with 40A breakers). No? Also, for J1772 I was just planning to make a J1772 to Roadster connector without any interruption of the pilot so it would just charge at whatever the station will do. I'm crossing my fingers they will install 75A units at some point. Wasn't planning on ever using my DIY UMC for that.


You might want to consider using a RECON sealed 100-240V -> +5V converter as the main power supply. They are very small, cheap ($18) and if you seal the line-in connections, any water ingress will do minimal damage. An $8 +5V to +/-12 DC to DC converter provides the other voltages. (The tolerance on the regulator isn't that great, so you might want to convert to +/- 15V and then for another $1 linear regulate down to +/- 12V. Overall cost was $40 (add another $5 if you want the LEDs and a switch)

I used a recycled +-12v power supply, the smallest I could find but it's still too big. I hadn't thought of using a cheap and ubiquitous 5v switching PS and then using a DC to DC converter. It's hard to find small +- 12v dual supplies that are efficient with a small footprint. If anybody knows a good place to get one - pls let me know. This model is perfect: ETA-USA model OBS22WA-U but I can't find any suppliers who will sell it at a reasonable price. And it's not sealed.

Thanks for your input,
Henry

[hcsharp]

Question for both of you hackers: :wink:
Does the Tesla charge at any pilot setting you provide, or just the 12A/16A/24A/32A/40A/48A/60A/70A presets? Also, it seems like 72A should be a safe option for a 90A breaker, but maybe I'm missing something.

While I'm asking... either of you care to share schematics? I've been hanging out over at Dangerous Prototypes, where Open Hardware Design is very popular - and even profitable - so it seems worth asking.

Here's my initial schematic but keep in mind it's a work in progress and be forewarned that it has bugs and YOU WILL KILL YOURSELF if you do this yourself. Also I used a PIC 18F2221, not the unit in the schematic but it's virtually identical. Here's the Eagle sch file:
2117

[hcsharp]

very cool.... any possibility you'll release the design as open source? We wish to add 62196 ("Mennekes") sockets to the ZCW Charging Stations that we donate in the UK and don't want to reinvent the wheel :smile:

Kevin you have the coolest last name of anybody on the forum:wink: except you don't need the 'e' at the end:biggrin:

I know nothing about Mennekes or European standards. The source is written in C for the free Boost C compiler (http://www.sourceboost.com) which works most days.:eek: and I used an ICD2 programmer/debugger. I don't have time for using other sites like Dangerous prototypes or... whatever.

A few notes about the source: It is a work in progress. It has lots of bugs. I don't know where they are yet, but I'm sure you will find them as soon as you try to use it! I assume no liability whatsoever. In addition to finding the bugs, you will also surely kill yourself, or at least sustain permanent injuries. Now that you know that, if you still want to use it, here's the source:

2118

Good luck.

PS. If you're too busy to port this to your favorite compiler and do it yourself, I'd be happy to flash your chip or just make up the whole cable assembly for you for a price about 75% of what Tesla charges for their UMC and for that I would include the Roadster plug on the end. Let me know if you want any simple custom mods (like 30A in addition to 32 etc.). If too many people take me up on this offer I might have to say "no" to everybody because I don't want to do this for a living. Just trying to help my fellow Roadster owners...

[Kevin Sharpe]

Here's the Eagle sch filefantastic, thank you... could I be terribly cheeky and ask you to post a pdf copy of the schematic?

[TEG]

Something else you might find interesting:
ELECTRIC VEHICLE SIMULATOR AND ANALYZER (EVSA) FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE SUPPLY EQUIPMENT - Patent WO/2011/031801 (http://www.sumobrain.com/patents/wipo/Electric-vehicle-simulator-analyzer-evsa/WO2011031801.html)

[hcsharp]

fantastic, thank you... could I be terribly cheeky and ask you to post a pdf copy of the schematic?

2124

Kevin what are the requirements for your Mennekes adapter that you're looking for? Maybe I could build one for you.

[smorgasbord]

I completed my first need to charge on the road trip last weekend. Turns out my destination did not provide reasonable access to a 220 outlet, so I ended up bringing the J1772 adapter for the road and the SMC for the destination, since it was lighter/smaller than the UMC. So, again, not a total waste, but not worth $600.

Since the destination was only about 15 miles from a public 70amp HPC, I actually took a little side trip the day before I left to get the SOC to a point where it would be full the next day via 110.

All in all, charging mid-trip is doable, but can be a drag.

[Kevin Sharpe]

Kevin what are the requirements for your Mennekes adapter that you're looking for? Maybe I could build one for you.Many thanks for the pdf and your kind offer...

Today ZCW donate a simple 'dumb' Charging Station that supports two 32A IEC 60309 "commando" sockets and one 13A BS 1363 "UK" socket for simultaneous charging of three vehicles. Here's a typical Hotel with the ZCW Charging Station in use;

charging TATA Cableo at the Arden Hotel, Birmingham (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.117632898325044.30513.115422645212736)

As we move forward we wish to 'upgrade' the ZCW Charging Stations to support the IEC 62196 Type 2 ("Mennekes") socket to support 32A charging. This will allow EV's with J1772 or 62196 sockets to charge using simple cables.

We need to keep the cost down so that we can continue to donate in large numbers (we intend to install 1000 sites in the UK in the next 12 months).

One possible way forward would be to take your design for the pilot generator and package it inside a DIN Rail enclosure for anyone wishing to build a J1772/Mennekes EVSE;

1-Module DIN Enclosures (http://www.industrial-enclosures.com/html/175.html)

I own a number of electronics/computer companies in the UK/US and would be happy to turn this into a product if thats of interest to you.... my preference would be to do this on a Not-For-Profit basis so that everyone could deploy low cost Charging Stations and mobile EVSE.... maybe an open source model would be appropriate... what are your thoughts?

[Eberhard]

I would like to modify the build-in-charger of the PEM by an vienna-based 3-phase charger (like BRUSA). Replacing the inlet-socked of the Roadster by Mennekes-Type 2. 44kW would be cool bit 22kW is fine too.
I would like to pay for it. up to € 5000. I know thats more then i have to pay for the power for the next 100.000km.
I still dreaming about, replace the Roadster drivetrain by the one of Model S. I hoped the did it for the final edition ($80.000 above the normal price is more then the price of a new Model S Signature Edition)

[hcsharp]

I would like to modify the build-in-charger of the PEM by an vienna-based 3-phase charger (like BRUSA). Replacing the inlet-socked of the Roadster by Mennekes-Type 2. 44kW would be cool bit 22kW is fine too.
I would like to pay for it. up to € 5000. I know thats more then i have to pay for the power for the next 100.000km.
...
There are aftermarket converters 3ph to single ph. Assuming you could find one small enough to fit in the Roadster you would still be limited by the capacity of the Roadster PEM which is well under 20kw continuous with 40kw burst.

[hcsharp]

Many thanks for the pdf and your kind offer...

Today ZCW donate a simple 'dumb' Charging Station that supports two 32A IEC 60309 "commando" sockets and one 13A BS 1363 "UK" socket for simultaneous charging of three vehicles. Here's a typical Hotel with the ZCW Charging Station in use;

charging TATA Cableo at the Arden Hotel, Birmingham (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.117632898325044.30513.115422645212736)

As we move forward we wish to 'upgrade' the ZCW Charging Stations to support the IEC 62196 Type 2 ("Mennekes") socket to support 32A charging. This will allow EV's with J1772 or 62196 sockets to charge using simple cables.

We need to keep the cost down so that we can continue to donate in large numbers (we intend to install 1000 sites in the UK in the next 12 months).

One possible way forward would be to take your design for the pilot generator and package it inside a DIN Rail enclosure for anyone wishing to build a J1772/Mennekes EVSE;

1-Module DIN Enclosures (http://www.industrial-enclosures.com/html/175.html)

I own a number of electronics/computer companies in the UK/US and would be happy to turn this into a product if thats of interest to you.... my preference would be to do this on a Not-For-Profit basis so that everyone could deploy low cost Charging Stations and mobile EVSE.... maybe an open source model would be appropriate... what are your thoughts?

Kevin, if you own a number of electronics/computer companies why don't you have one of them design and build one of these? I'd like to make a profit on this and I certainly can't compete with China on the simple adapters such as J1772 to Mennekes or M to J.

I can build a prototype of Mennekes-to-Roadster adapter but it would only use one phase of the supply. Both of those plugs/connectors are expensive to make in small quantities so I would guess about $700 for Mennekes-to-Roadster mobile adapter if I could sell a few.

[Kevin Sharpe]

Kevin, if you own a number of electronics/computer companies why don't you have one of them design and build one of these?I don't wish to reinvent the wheel and would like to support third party efforts if at all possible. I fully respect other peoples desire to make a profit but need to reconcile this with our ambition is to provide EV charging everywhere, at low cost, for all to use...

[Eberhard]

today i was in berlin. lots of typ-2 chargers there. finally i got a RFID from vattenfall with an contract on pay-per-use-only. the lady met me personally to give me the cards. it turned out the card were not activated. she went back to her office to fix that while i joint my conferene. 2h later she sent me an sms confirming that the card are active now. she came back and droped the cards at the desk. after my meeting, i picked up my cards and then i start charing my car with 16A with a free parking space on a prime location at the "kurfürstendamm" while having lunch. later i walked around checking the other charging spots there. i never had such service before. now i want my mennekes adapter to cut my charging time to half and for being more often in berlin. best thanks to vattenfall and their kind and helpful staff

[Kevin Sharpe]

I don't wish to reinvent the wheel and would like to support third party efforts if at all possible.here's the EVSE hardware from the My Nissan Leaf project (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2736) which I'm currently testing on J1772, Mennekes, and Tesla connectors...

2546

[ggr]

I'm having a small problem with one particular 120-volt outlet at my workplace. I plug in the Spare Mobile Connector, and everything looks fine, but somewhere about an hour (more or less) into charging the ground fault interrupter built into the connector trips. The outlet itself doesn't seem to have a GFI, it's pretty old, so I assume it isn't the known problem of having bad interactions between the GFIs. I'm wondering if there is a problem using a cheapo two-prong adapter to pass the current through while leaving the ground prong unattached? (This is just a less permanent version of sawing off the ground prong...)

I did a quick search before posting this, but some results from that just confused me...

[slcasner]

I'm having a small problem with one particular 120-volt outlet at my workplace. I plug in the Spare Mobile Connector, and everything looks fine, but somewhere about an hour (more or less) into charging the ground fault interrupter built into the connector trips.
My advice: remove the GFI from the connector and replace it with a heavy duty plug such as the Leviton ProGrade Nylon 15A 125V 5-15P plug (No. 5266-C), about 8 bucks at OSH or Home Depot. No cutting or stripping of wires is needed; the GFI can be removed with a screwdriver, and the new plug installed with a screwdriver. The wires are already the right length to slide into the terminals of the new plug. The one I mention is straight. Don't get the right-angle variant because it can't hold the cord.

[S-2000 Roadster]

I'm wondering if there is a problem using a cheapo two-prong adapter to pass the current through while leaving the ground prong unattached? (This is just a less permanent version of sawing off the ground prong...)
Never do that. The ground contact is there only to save human lives. It has no electrical purpose other than safety. If you saw it off or defeat it temporarily, then you're just asking for death when the inevitable failure occurs and you're about to be electrocuted.

In any case, removing the ground is most likely to make any existing GFI problems worse, rather than better.

[hcsharp]

My advice: remove the GFI from the connector and replace it with a heavy duty plug such as the Leviton ProGrade Nylon 15A 125V 5-15P plug (No. 5266-C), about 8 bucks at OSH or Home Depot. No cutting or stripping of wires is needed; the GFI can be removed with a screwdriver, and the new plug installed with a screwdriver. The wires are already the right length to slide into the terminals of the new plug. The one I mention is straight. Don't get the right-angle variant because it can't hold the cord.
That plug you mention is under-rated for the application. It needs to be rated for at least 20A.

ggr you should really find out what's causing the ground fault. If it's only happening on one outlet then there is a leak somewhere that should be investigated. If it's happening on most 120v outlets then there may be something wrong with your car, the GFI, the cable, the plug, or the building wiring. Not helpful, I know...

[smorgasbord]

That plug you mention is under-rated for the application. It needs to be rated for at least 20A.

Well, you ain't gonna find a 5-15 plug officially rated at 20 amps. If you look at the construction of the plug slcasner recommends and it's 5-20 version, I think you'll satisfy yourself that it'll be fine.

[slcasner]

Well, you ain't gonna find a 5-15 plug officially rated at 20 amps. If you look at the construction of the plug slcasner recommends and it's 5-20 version, I think you'll satisfy yourself that it'll be fine.
Right. If you compare them, you'll find the only difference is that one of the prongs is rotated 90 degrees.

[S-2000 Roadster]

Right. If you compare them, you'll find the only difference is that one of the prongs is rotated 90 degrees.
Well, that, and one is made of compounds physically capable of withstanding 20 amps of continuous current, while the other one might not be. In other words, there isn't only one difference.

[slcasner]

As I said, I invite you to actually compare them in your hands. I have.

[S-2000 Roadster]

As I said, I invite you to actually compare them in your hands. I have.
Yes, so have I. I went to the hardware store and purchased a great deal of electrical equipment, some of it vastly overrated because I thought the 50-amp charger would actually be pulling 50 A and not just 40 A. I haven't installed the 20 A stuff, but I took a good look at it.

Anyway, I saw many brands and many differences between 5-15 and 5-20. No doubt, some companies save money on the economic theory of economies of scale by overrating their 5-15 plugs so they can use the same parts for both and get a bigger volume discount on materials. Other companies might actually make the 5-15 plugs to a lower rating such that orientation is not the only difference. In other words, they can be the same, but they're not guaranteed to always be the same. If your plug is rated 5-15 then it's not guaranteed to live up to 20 A use. I'm just sayin'...

[doug]

I went to the hardware store and purchased a great deal of electrical equipment, some of it vastly overrated because I thought the 50-amp charger would actually be pulling 50 A and not just 40 A.

ironic

[btown]

After hijacking the Tesla connector off my MC240 in order to make a J1772 adapter, I saw what Scott had done to his Spare Mobile Connector and thought it was a great idea. Instead of making a new pilot board for this use, I decided to scavenge the pilot board from the MC240 (since I was no longer using it for anything). I had trouble finding a case that would fit the pilot board, so I decided to go with a 2" PVC tube. I think I like it even better then if I would have found a box, as it seems pretty natural to have something round in line with the cable.

Here's what it looks like inside:
3234

And here's what it looks like all closed up (but not yet sealed)
3233

I sealed it up with silicone stretch tape. It's really neat tape that sticks to itself and actually cures for a water tight seal.


I'll be using this to charge at 16A at 240V using a 120V dual circuit combiner box I previously made (before I realized that the standard spare mobile connector wouldn't allow charging at 240V due to no pilot signal). I will also carry around the Nema 14-50 plug in case I ever need to rewire the end to charge at an RV park.

[TEG]

Doesn't that MC240 pilot generator box put out a 24A or 30A pilot signal? You wouldn't want the Roadster to pull that much current through that thin gauge wire I think.

Also, you could buy an "off the shelf" joiner like this:
220 240 Volts from 110 120 Volt Outlets - Catalog & Pricing (http://www.quick220.com/220_catalog.htm)
And put an L6-20 plug on your hacked cable...

Your mechanism to get 240V off of two 120Vs should have safety relays so that the stray plug end doesn't have power until both sides are plugged in.

[hcsharp]

After hijacking the Tesla connector off my MC240 in order to make a J1772 adapter, I saw what Scott had done to his Spare Mobile Connector and thought it was a great idea. Instead of making a new pilot board for this use, I decided to scavenge the pilot board from the MC240 (since I was no longer using it for anything). I had trouble finding a case that would fit the pilot board, so I decided to go with a 2" PVC tube. I think I like it even better then if I would have found a box, as it seems pretty natural to have something round in line with the cable.
I sealed it up with silicone stretch tape. It's really neat tape that sticks to itself and actually cures for a water tight seal.

I'll be using this to charge at 16A at 240V using a 120V dual circuit combiner box I previously made (before I realized that the standard spare mobile connector wouldn't allow charging at 240V due to no pilot signal). I will also carry around the Nema 14-50 plug in case I ever need to rewire the end to charge at an RV park.

Nice work! A few words of caution: As TEG pointed out, you will start a fire if you try to charge from a NEMA 14-50 unless you are very careful to always limit the amps to 16. The spare mobile conn cable is only 12 gauge. You could probably get away with 24A considering the cable is rated for 105C but I don't recommend that. It's much more useful to replace the cable with #4 or #6 gauge, but of course a lot of work because then you have to take the connector apart, bore and tap the end for a 1" strain relief, bore and re-crimp the sleeves. Or build your own Tesla connector from scratch like I did. I've done both. Toss up which is easier.

The PVC pipe is a cool idea for a simple waterproof housing but again requires caution. Although the cable is rated 105C, the PVC will melt at that temp. I also recommend that you put the pilot generator near the plug end of the cable instead of the car end. PVC will scratch your car more than the cable will, so better to keep it farther from the car. I realize that means you have to run the extra conductor farther. My pilot generator has a switch that allows me to manually select the amps. It's better to have such a switch near the source of power because that's usually what determines the amps.

When I built my dual-120 to 240 solution I mounted a small volt meter display in the box to make it easier to know when you have opposing phases. A little more elegant but of course the LED solution works too if you know how to wire it.

Good luck.

[btown]

Doesn't that MC240 pilot generator box put out a 24A or 30A pilot signal? You wouldn't want the Roadster to pull that much current through that thin gauge wire I think.

Also, you could buy an "off the shelf" joiner like this:
220 240 Volts from 110 120 Volt Outlets - Catalog & Pricing (http://www.quick220.com/220_catalog.htm)
And put an L6-20 plug on your hacked cable...

Your mechanism to get 240V off of two 120Vs should have safety relays so that the stray plug end doesn't have power until both sides are plugged in.

I guess you could say I've subscribed to the Scott451 school of thought in that I must make the proper decisions and settings on the car (ie. set the current properly before starting). In terms of the current draw, Scott451 has regularly used the spare mobile connector at 30A and possibly even higher. It becomes a matter of how long you do it, what the ambient temperature you are operating in, etc. Wire ratings are made based on max ambient temperature and constant use. Defintely need to be careful in this area though for sure. My primary use will be at 16A, 240V for which the wires are already rated. I don't plan on ever needing to go the 30A RV park route, as I now have a J1772 adapter and those chargers are becoming increasingly available in much more desireable/usable locations (stores, shopping malls, restaurants, etc) then I've found RV parks to be.

I made my own joiner and I am not using a relay. There is no risk of shock at the stray plug as long as the mobile connector is NOT plugged in. Each "line" leg of the 120V goes to just one side of the L6-20 plug, so there is no risk until the mobile connector is plugged in.

[hcsharp]

...
Your mechanism to get 240V off of two 120Vs should have safety relays so that the stray plug end doesn't have power until both sides are plugged in.

Really? When I plug in one cord the other one remains dead and I don't have any safety relays. Am I missing something?

[TEG]

You can read about the safety relays in these threads:
My Nissan Leaf Forum View topic - Do It Yourself: 240v from two 120v sources (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4330&hilit=relay)
My Nissan Leaf Forum View topic - 120-to-240 Adapter Kit (Rev 1) (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4774&hilit=relay)
I think the short answer is that power could flow from the one plugged in end, through the "device" (EVSE), through the spade on the uplugged end, through you, and to the ground. So there could be a shock hazard unless you are careful. The scenario described is that a kid comes up, unplugs one of your cables and touches the bare end while the EVSE and car are still plugged in.
There isn't supposed to be power coming out of the male end of a NEMA plug.

[btown]

You can read about the safety relays in these threads:
My Nissan Leaf Forum View topic - Do It Yourself: 240v from two 120v sources (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4330&hilit=relay)
My Nissan Leaf Forum View topic - 120-to-240 Adapter Kit (Rev 1) (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4774&hilit=relay)
I think the short answer is that power could flow from the one plugged in end, through the "device" (EVSE), through the spade on the uplugged end, through you, and to the ground. So there could be a shock hazard unless you are careful. The scenario described is that a kid comes up, unplugs one of your cables and touches the bare end while the EVSE and car are still plugged in.
There isn't supposed to be power coming out of the male end of a NEMA plug.

TEG is of course 100% correct. There is no chance of shock as long as nothing is plugged into the 120V-240V adapter, but as soon as you plug ANYTHING into it then you have a completed circuit which represents a hazard. Even if the EV isn't charging, the pilot generator completes the circuit with plenty of current capability for a hazard.


Thank you hcsharp for pointing out the temperature as it relates to the PVC, as I hadn't really thought about it melting! It's not very likely that I'll actually ever need to use it at 30A, but if I ever do I'll probably want to do a good amount of testing or monitoring it. I wouldn't feel good about letting the cable get much more than a nice warm level (ie. nowhere near hot).

[btown]

After hijacking the Tesla connector off my MC240 in order to make a J1772 adapter, I saw what Scott had done to his Spare Mobile Connector and thought it was a great idea. Instead of making a new pilot board for this use, I decided to scavenge the pilot board from the MC240 (since I was no longer using it for anything). I had trouble finding a case that would fit the pilot board, so I decided to go with a 2" PVC tube. I think I like it even better then if I would have found a box, as it seems pretty natural to have something round in line with the cable.

Here's what it looks like inside:
3234

And here's what it looks like all closed up (but not yet sealed)
3233

I sealed it up with silicone stretch tape. It's really neat tape that sticks to itself and actually cures for a water tight seal.


I'll be using this to charge at 16A at 240V using a 120V dual circuit combiner box I previously made (before I realized that the standard spare mobile connector wouldn't allow charging at 240V due to no pilot signal). I will also carry around the Nema 14-50 plug in case I ever need to rewire the end to charge at an RV park.

I have an update for those of you who expressed concern about the fact the MC240 pilot board outputs a 30A pilot, which is way too much for when I'm plugged into a standard 15A or 20A 120V circuit. Although I can control this at the car, it is a bit of a hassle. So I decided to do a bit of PIC programming to solve this issue. Basically, I added a UI to the programming on the MC240 pilot board. Here's how it works:

This interface allows the user to change the amperage setting output by the
pilot tone. The steps to using this interface are:

Plug the charger into 120V or 240V
Connect the Tesla connector to the EV (do not turn the pilot switch on)
If the EV is connected and the pilot switch is on, normal operation will
begin as soon as the AC is plugged in (so a power failure will resume
charging once power is restored). Step 3 will not occur
The LEDs will blink out the current charge setting/index using orange blinks
If you slide the pilot switch on and leave it for 5 seconds, normal operation will
resume (you will not enter the UI)
Toggle the pilot switch 2 times
You are now in the UI
Toggling the pilot switch will now decrement the index (per toggle)
If you want to abort and make no changes, simply unplug the charger
Sliding the pilot switch forward for 5 seconds will store the new setting
After the setting is permanently stored, the charger resume normal
operation. It will go through the normal startup blinks and start the pilot


So now I can set my charging cable to output whatever amperage I want. I currently have it programmed for 6 different possible amperages. Took a bit of time to reverse engineer the original code in order to override the stock duty cycle and then another good amount of time to develop the UI, but what fun!