Charge port & cable connector cleaning

[wycolo]

If your cable plug is a J1772 it is easy to make a cover for it using foam pipe insulation (and some tape). Then when you hang up the cable you can put on this cover/condom to keep out dust and (egad) mud wasps. Likewise on the car end it is good to keep the Tesla J1772 adapter (or the Roadster CAN) in a plastic bag during storage.

To complete this concept someone should manufacture rubber slip-on caps for the chargeports since the doors let in road dust constantly. Or possibly modeling clay or silly putty could be used DIY??
--

 

[Boatguy]

To complete this concept someone should manufacture rubber slip-on caps for the chargeports since the doors let in road dust constantly. Or possibly modeling clay or silly putty could be used DIY??
--

The BMW i3 has rubber caps for the charge ports and the door won't close until they are in place.

 

[FlatSix911]

If your cable plug is a J1772 it is easy to make a cover for it using foam pipe insulation (and some tape). Then when you hang up the cable you can put on this cover/condom to keep out dust and (egad) mud wasps. Likewise on the car end it is good to keep the Tesla J1772 adapter (or the Roadster CAN) in a plastic bag during storage.

To complete this concept someone should manufacture rubber slip-on caps for the chargeports since the doors let in road dust constantly. Or possibly modeling clay or silly putty could be used DIY??
--

New Tesla Model S Charger Charging Gun Silicone Cover Case Dustproof Waterproof | eBay

 

[FlatSix911]

Spot the hole that has been cleaned, versus not cleaned!

And here's the juice I use for the job, and showing a shaved down Q tip (on the right) needed to reach in there, compared to an untouched Q tip (on the left). I will also clean the three tiny holes on the plug (they are the data sense pins).. but the big holes are the ones that matter for current carrying.

FYI - this is my original UMC that came with the car... use the UMC daily at work ... car has 100,000 km on it.
I clean all the charge connections maybe once a year. On the car side too. View attachment 234666 View attachment 234667

I now clean the Supercharger plug before charging ... Tesla does not seem to mind

 

[AustinP]

Hi guys,

I've found your thread very interested and it might be shedding some new light to my troubles since our vacation started. I told our tale here.
Added recent event is, contrary to the title of the initial thread, yesterday i had major troubles to supercharge. Tried 3 different stalls (4th was busy). None working. Issue with power source according to car. Only while waiting for the supercharger support on the phone, did I blow out of desperation a few simple blows inside the connector and it worked. What a relief. Anyway...

I went out to a local diy store but could only find this spray to clean contacts : Kontakt 61.

Questions:
Do you feel the issue I'm experiencing is probably a contact matter. It does feel like it to me. I've so far only started to clean with the damped Q-tips. They indeed came out quite dirty. But still no charging working with new UMC.
I've had success at the not too far away DeC to charge, so I'm a bit afraid of breaking also that.
Second question, does this product seem ok to clean too?

Thanks

 

[KArnold]

... and also after a road trip where I've used several superchargers, since the SC contacts are dirty from being outside...I don't recommend spraying contact cleaner directly into the charge port or the charge handle. Spray the swab or a small brush, and then use that to clean the port and handle. That way you don't get overspray, and you won't get too much in there...And obviously, circuit breaker off before cleaning your charge handle on HPWC, or UMC unplugged before cleaning UMC handle.

I'm assuming you are not doing anything on the supercharger connector handle? I've seen some slower-than-expected SC's and perhaps this is a factor. But without access to a breaker probably only compressed air would be appropriate. And as stated, of limited value.

 

[SomeJoe7777]

I'm assuming you are not doing anything on the supercharger connector handle? I've seen some slower-than-expected SC's and perhaps this is a factor. But without access to a breaker probably only compressed air would be appropriate. And as stated, of limited value.

I haven't ever attempted to clean the supercharger handles themselves. Compressed air would probably be OK, but you're correct, without turning off power I wouldn't try to swab it.

If you notice a supercharger connector that's obviously dirty, call Tesla roadside assistance and report it.

 

[FlatSix911]

I haven't ever attempted to clean the supercharger handles themselves. Compressed air would probably be OK, but you're correct, without turning off power I wouldn't try to swab it.

If you notice a supercharger connector that's obviously dirty, call Tesla roadside assistance and report it.

I clean the SC handles all of the time ... the power is off until the unit links with the car charging unit

 

[SMAlset]

I clean the SC handles all of the time ... the power is off until the unit links with the car charging unit

If it is operating correctly! if it's live, I assume you're toast!! Kind of don't think Tesla would recommend people cleaning the contacts themselves at the Superchargers.

 

[hcsharp]

If it is operating correctly! if it's live, I assume you're toast!! Kind of don't think Tesla would recommend people cleaning the contacts themselves at the Superchargers.

There's no risk that it would be live. The SC goes through a safety check and shuts down completely if any voltage is leaking to the contacts before you plug it into your car.

 

[SomeJoe7777]

... the power is off until the unit links with the car charging unit

Yes, it is, as long as nothing is malfunctioning.

On a public forum, I can't in good faith recommend that anyone clean a supercharger handle themselves without physical disconnection of main power.

 

[AustinP]

So I'll answer my own questions, or some

- Ready more car fully and asking Google, that Kontakt 61 is not for cleaning but for after cleaning. Damned.
- I continued to clean carefully the contacts and last night, UMC charge started and kept on going for a good 60 seconds then failed again. Looks like it is indeed dirty contacts.

Need to find some cleaning product to help, the dry Q tips can only do so much.

 

[pjason84]

Great info thanks guys

 

[nvesprini]

Bringing this thread back to life. Does anyone use a thin coating of dielectric grease after cleaning? From other posts it seems the mobile connectors ship with some applied but can't find much on reapplying after any cleaning. TIA

 

[scaesare]

Well... just saw the recent question by @nvesprini... my previous post in this thread was 9 years ago, but a recent "like" brought me back lol

I never applied dielectric grease... as a matter of fact, my need to clean the contacts kind of went away as well... although I've not been commuting daily for the last 5 years, so my number of cable insertions has probably dropped 5X... but even prior to that I wasn't needing to do it yearly any more...