Should I return my HPWC back to TESLA ?

AprilDelivery?? · May 28, 2013

I bought my HPWC together with the car for $1200 with free shipping. I installed a 40 amp outlet and that charges 23 miles an hour. It seems to do the trick so far because I have a Red 60 kwh and did two 100 mile road trips since I got the car . On a daily basis I do 30 miles a day. I have the car only 3 weeks , delivery date 5/06. However I have a house and my neighbor shares the driveway so I can't leave the car parked in the driveway too long because its a shared driveway and garage is way back into a narrow driveway which I only 4 inches or room on each side!

The 40 amp outlet is in front of the driveway so I got to park it there after a road trip for about 5 hours. In order to install the HPWC I have to upgrade my electrical panel from 100 amp to 200 amp and thats $3000 service upgrade. Tesla sent me a return FEDEX slip to return it. I don't know what to do ? Even if I upgrade , I heard that HPWC currently gets double that what I'm getting on the 40 amp and thats 46 miles an hour so that would be about two hours of charge for the average road trip. I have the twin chargers and use the HPWC at the Tesla store in Short Hills Mall, NJ (60 amp HPWC) if I have to take 100 mile trip to PA.

I can return it now and buy it later on Tesla website if I really need it and pay for shipping which is $40 or more? But I gotta pay for shipping!

carrerascott · May 28, 2013

At 40amp the HPWC will do max 31mph of charge (not 46 as far as I know) , same as a NEMA 14-50 outlet. You won't get any advantage out of the HPWC unless you move higher than 40amps.

I have both, and use the HPWC at 60amps (Tesla current limit due to bug or bad fuses?) -- but will charge at 80amps when it's allowed again by Tesla.

But if you are fine with charging at 31mph, I'd just stick with a 40amp circuit and a NEMA 14-50, and save yourself the $4k+.

efusco · May 28, 2013

Really your call here. If you don't think you need the faster charging rate then the HPWC doesn't buy you a lot. I love the option of charging at 60mph for some of the trips I do (I'm probably a bit more rural than you and drive a lot (2000 miles this month so far)). I also like just being able to leave the UMC in the car at all times and the convenience of the HPWC being there, mounted and ready to plug in the second I get home.

Perhaps as a compromise you could return the HPWC, and instead of the expensive service upgrade just have a NEMA 14-50 installed in your garage so you could park in there. You could even consider getting a second UMC--to have one "permanently" installed in your garage and one in your car so you don't have to worry about being stranded without one.

AprilDelivery?? · May 28, 2013

I don't have the HPWC installed. I use the a 40 amp outlet and Nema 14-50 to charge and I only get 23 miles an hour in Brooklyn, NY . They told me at the Tesla Queens Service Center thats the norm for NYC area, 23 miles an hour for charging. You think if i install the HPWC as a 40 amp that I will get more miles per hour like 31 hours an hour. Because I go to the Short Hills Mall, NJ 60 Amp HPWC and I only get 34 miles an hour.

shokunin · May 28, 2013

Do you park in your garage? It'd probably be cheaper to just get 240v outlet installed in the garage and use your UMC there. Even at 120v you'd probably replenish 8-10kw overnight.

AprilDelivery?? · May 28, 2013

shokunin said:
Do you park in your garage? It'd probably be cheaper to just get 240v outlet installed in the garage and use your UMC there. Even at 120v you'd probably replenish 8-10kw overnight.

Yes I have a 120v in the garage and i charge it overnight and that seems to be enough on a daily basis when I do 30 miles a day. But when I do a 100 mile road trip I use the 14-50 Nema in front of the driveway. I think I'm going to return it. But If I move in the future I can use it in my next house so maybe I should keep it?

Trnsl8r · May 28, 2013

If you're collecting votes, I say return it and get a 14-50 in the garage.

AprilDelivery?? · May 28, 2013

Trnsl8r said:
If you're collecting votes, I say return it and get a 14-50 in the garage.

Thats expensive i have to get a electrician to wire it all the driveway about 100 feet with 6 gauge wire. Must be like a thousand? You think less?

markb1 · May 28, 2013

AprilDelivery?? said:
Thats expensive i have to get a electrician to wire it all the driveway about 100 feet with 6 gauge wire. Must be like a thousand? You think less?

Less expensive than having the HPWC installed. Anyway, sounds like the risk of returning it and then buying it later is the $40 shipping charge, so seems like a no-brainer to me. Return it.

dsm363 · May 28, 2013

I agree. I'd say return it and use the 110V outlet in your garage on a daily basis then the 14-50 you already have installed out front when you need faster range.
A HPWC on a 50A circuit (charging at 40A) won't charge any faster than what you have. I think the 31 miles of range added per hour is ideal miles and the 24 or so is rated miles added.

Calisun · May 28, 2013

I have a similar issue with my townhouse, it only has 100 amp at the meter for my supply. Luckily I'm still waiting for my car so I had them back out the HPWC from my order. I'll just get a 14-50 installed in my garage and hope the CHAdeMO adapter comes out since there is a Blick DC quick charger a mile and half from my house for emergency chargers.

Doug_G · May 28, 2013

I'm using NEMA 14-50 to charge the car. I have 70A available and have used it for the Model S a couple of times... and I didn't really need to.

(The Roadster is normally plugged into the 70A unit... but I charge it at 40A.)

AprilDelivery?? · May 29, 2013

Ok I returned the HPWC today via FEDEX. I originally contacted tesla online store and they wanted to charge me for shipping (probably $50 or more) to return it. But I contacted ownership and they sent an email with a FEDEX return label so I was happy that I was able to return it free of charge.

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Should I return my HPWC back to TESLA ?

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