When we had the previous poll 17 people raised their hand, which we reckon could be multiplied by ten due to the numbers active on this site vs sales.
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
-
Tesla's Supercharger Team was recently laid off. We discuss what this means for the company on today's TMC Podcast streaming live at 1PM PDT. You can watch on X or on YouTube where you can participate in the live chat.
Conversion Tesla Adapter to Mennekes socket
- Thread starter Eberhard
- Start date
We are supporting a number of projects that are developing low cost EVSE including this one from the My Nissan Leaf Forum;
Weekend Project - J1772 Control Pilot
This support includes sourcing connectors and cables through my US/UK companies and providing them at cost until such time as volume manufacturers enter the market and drive down prices.
We are also developing a EVSE in the UK that we intend to sell at cost;
Home Brew Charging Stations ("EVSE")
If you are considering purchasing the "Mennekes" connectors and cables then maybe we could work together to increase our joint volumes. Obviously, you would still need to source the Tesla connector and undertake approvals for the complete cable set that you intend to sell.
Weekend Project - J1772 Control Pilot
This support includes sourcing connectors and cables through my US/UK companies and providing them at cost until such time as volume manufacturers enter the market and drive down prices.
We are also developing a EVSE in the UK that we intend to sell at cost;
Home Brew Charging Stations ("EVSE")
If you are considering purchasing the "Mennekes" connectors and cables then maybe we could work together to increase our joint volumes. Obviously, you would still need to source the Tesla connector and undertake approvals for the complete cable set that you intend to sell.
Started working on a prototype today. I haven't researched the issue of GFI in Europe. I've ignored it on both my homemade HPC and UMC but I want to add that for safety at some point on my UMC. I'm wondering if it will create a problem if we only draw power from one of three phases. For example does the EVSE check to make sure all 3 phases are flowing the same current? And if not, will that trigger a fault?
No you should be ok drawing power on one phase. Some utilities don't like it but it's not the crime of the century.
Prototype ready!
I'm very excited to report that I finally have a prototype for testing! I'm extremely busy at work this week but this weekend I should be able to wire up a couple more. I'd like to send these to a couple of you who can test them while I finish CE certification and gear up to produce a few more. All components are rated for at least 75A. All I did was the adapter Mennekes to Roadster connecter. You will have to get your own cable to go from the charge station to the adapter. If you want I can supply that too but the cable is fairly ubiquitous.
Send me a PM if you're interested in getting one for testing. The price is going to be around 750 USD plus shipping (approx 550EUR, 500GBP + shipping). You don't have to pay until you get it and confirm it works. The prototypes are poorly finished so if you get one of these you can exchange it later for a production version. So far I tested the Roadster plug at 70A by attaching it to the end of my HPC cable. Then I screwed one end to a J-1772 plug and tested that at 32 A on a Chargepoint station. After a few minutes it tripped the GFCI but I called the company who said it was doing the same thing with every car that plugged in.
If I'm wasting my time and you no longer need this, let me know. Tesla may have already released theirs? I'm not really making any money - just trying to help the greater EV community so let me know the interest level.
I'm very excited to report that I finally have a prototype for testing! I'm extremely busy at work this week but this weekend I should be able to wire up a couple more. I'd like to send these to a couple of you who can test them while I finish CE certification and gear up to produce a few more. All components are rated for at least 75A. All I did was the adapter Mennekes to Roadster connecter. You will have to get your own cable to go from the charge station to the adapter. If you want I can supply that too but the cable is fairly ubiquitous.
Send me a PM if you're interested in getting one for testing. The price is going to be around 750 USD plus shipping (approx 550EUR, 500GBP + shipping). You don't have to pay until you get it and confirm it works. The prototypes are poorly finished so if you get one of these you can exchange it later for a production version. So far I tested the Roadster plug at 70A by attaching it to the end of my HPC cable. Then I screwed one end to a J-1772 plug and tested that at 32 A on a Chargepoint station. After a few minutes it tripped the GFCI but I called the company who said it was doing the same thing with every car that plugged in.
If I'm wasting my time and you no longer need this, let me know. Tesla may have already released theirs? I'm not really making any money - just trying to help the greater EV community so let me know the interest level.
What you are doing sounds good. I only need occasionally the mennekes Adapter while traveling germans cities, but when i get my Model S, i suppose that Mennekes Type 2 will be the standard for 3-phase charging. Then I will need to replace/add a Mennekes socket too. What about a simple wallbox as well?
Last edited:
How could you manage to get the Teslamotors propriatary Roadster Connecter and wiring for 70A
I was going to powder coat the outside sleeves but then I kinda liked the brushed aluminum look...
Keep in mind it's a prototype. A production version (if I do it) will be an inch or two shorter overall.
Let me know what you think I should do to improve it.
I started with the plug in the car and said "what is the best way to connect to this?" I did not reverse engineer Tesla's version. In the end, my connecter had some similarities and some differences. Functions just as well. It's water tight. Not quite as complicated. All parts rated for 80 Amps.
Sweet! Given the form factors, I always envisioned a Tesla to J1772 adapter as a barrel adapter rather than the long pigtail they supplied. Cool to seen an implementation with Mennekes. So basically you've made your own version of the Tesla connector without the thumb slide switch.
My main concern would be the lever arm that long adapter puts on the Roadster inlet cup. Sounds like you're already working on making the adapter shorter. How long is it now and how short do you think you can make the final version?
Since you already can make your own Tesla compatible connector, why not go ahead and make the full Mennekes cable. I'd also think a few folks would be interested in your Tesla compatible connector alone since they seem so hard to come by.
Be sure to see this post and the comments after: J1772 Charging for the Tesla Roadster
I made another one with a switch in it. I'm using that one on my home-made HPC.
I also made my own J-1772 adapter which looks like the Mennekes adapter except it's 2" shorter with a J plug on the end.
I was concerned about that too. But the car is strong and has some give to it. My J adapter is 8" long overall and you can't really make it much shorter because most of the J handles (and some Mennekes) angle down and will hit the fender or the cable will. Overall I decided the small risk of hitting the handle too hard was less than the problems associated with the cable in-between design. I really don't understand the mentality of building a car out of carbon fiber and then lugging around a hopelessly heavy J- adapter on long trips! Not to mention scarcity of trunk space.
I don't think it's too hard to find the M to M cable. A lot of people already have one. The ideal cable also varies from one user to another. For example, most people never expect to charge at more than 32A so it would be a waste of money, space, and weight to lug around a 4 or 6 AWG cable. Other people want to take advantage of the max 63A available at some of the European stations. Unless I get a lot of feedback otherwise, I'd like to just supply the adapter. It's also expensive to ship a heavy cable overseas. I'd like to see someone else - maybe Kevin Sharpe or somebody organize a group buy of the cable for the area.
As for making the Roadster adapter available by itself, I'd like to do that sometime soon. I also want to sell J-1772 adapters. i don't know if there's enough demand to make it worth it. There's not much money to be made but it's fun and I like helping out other owners...
Hi folks, like buses, you wait for one solution, and then several show up at once!
My car was just on show for UK utility nPower, at The Energy Event at the NEC, Birmingham, England. Their objective was to use the Tesla to attract people to look at their own-brand charging points (available in both Type 1 and Type 2). Since they wanted the car to actually charge (flashing led lights and all) it meant we had to have a working Type 2 (Mennekes) to Tesla cable.
In principle they could have sourced both car and cable from RWE (their parent company) in Germany (they own five Teslas and have some cable). But factors like the Frankfurt motor show intruded.
So as well as the car, I had to supply the cable.
I got Evan Tuer (who some of you know) to make the cable starting with a Mennekes plug and my MC240. The interim result, used for the exhibition, had the long tail with the Tesla connector removed from the MC240, with the Mennekes plug replacing the MC240.
The cable was rated for 32A, and resistor coded accordingly.
While the standard said it should just work, when we tested it on an Elektrobay charger (dual headed with Chademo and Mennekes), I was really surprised that it just did. Judging by the number of multimeters and other kit Evan had packed in the car, so was he!
We got a full 32A charge that day, and since then it's charged for 2 full days at 10A and then 16A on the nPower charger at the exhibition (charger can do up to 32A but it was on a 16A circuit).
The cable has performed great.
I am in the middle of driving the car home (currently charging at 70A at Tebay).
The next step is putting a Mennekes socket on the outlet of the MC240. Then I will have both a Mennekes to
Tesla cable, and also a 30A commando to Mennekes portable EVSE. Btw, the latter of course could as easily charge a LEAF or iMiEV using a Mennekes to J cable.
Evan is considering offering this conversion semi-commercially (for years his company Sputnik
Theory Ltd has supplied parts and service to the community of Peugeot 106 and Citroen Berlingo Electrique owners). Would their be interest?
My car was just on show for UK utility nPower, at The Energy Event at the NEC, Birmingham, England. Their objective was to use the Tesla to attract people to look at their own-brand charging points (available in both Type 1 and Type 2). Since they wanted the car to actually charge (flashing led lights and all) it meant we had to have a working Type 2 (Mennekes) to Tesla cable.
In principle they could have sourced both car and cable from RWE (their parent company) in Germany (they own five Teslas and have some cable). But factors like the Frankfurt motor show intruded.
So as well as the car, I had to supply the cable.
I got Evan Tuer (who some of you know) to make the cable starting with a Mennekes plug and my MC240. The interim result, used for the exhibition, had the long tail with the Tesla connector removed from the MC240, with the Mennekes plug replacing the MC240.
The cable was rated for 32A, and resistor coded accordingly.
While the standard said it should just work, when we tested it on an Elektrobay charger (dual headed with Chademo and Mennekes), I was really surprised that it just did. Judging by the number of multimeters and other kit Evan had packed in the car, so was he!
We got a full 32A charge that day, and since then it's charged for 2 full days at 10A and then 16A on the nPower charger at the exhibition (charger can do up to 32A but it was on a 16A circuit).
The cable has performed great.
I am in the middle of driving the car home (currently charging at 70A at Tebay).
The next step is putting a Mennekes socket on the outlet of the MC240. Then I will have both a Mennekes to
Tesla cable, and also a 30A commando to Mennekes portable EVSE. Btw, the latter of course could as easily charge a LEAF or iMiEV using a Mennekes to J cable.
Evan is considering offering this conversion semi-commercially (for years his company Sputnik
Theory Ltd has supplied parts and service to the community of Peugeot 106 and Citroen Berlingo Electrique owners). Would their be interest?
The problems I see are that it would be limited to 30A, which would satisfy most public charge stations currently, but not the 63A stations on the horizon, and it would require a separate "commando portable EVSE" as you call it to fake the communication to the car and the real EVSE. That might work in most cases, but not as reliable or functional as putting the pilot straight through. You would have to modify the MC240 or UMC to gain access to the pilot. It wouldn't be just plug n play.
The advantage would be if you already have the MC240 (will it work with the UMC?) you wouldn't need another cable. Not sure if it would be cheaper...
My solution could be ready very soon but I don't want to duplicate your efforts Andrew. If you are going ahead with this, let me know so I don't waste my time.
felixtb
RsEU502,Sp+14274,XpEUSig4
Fantastic that you have managed to replicate the Roadster connector. It might be a cheap way to a variable portable charger if combined with this: https://www.homecharging.spx.com/Portal/pdf/SS10-283_REVB.pdf
I meant to point out then, but was recently reminded, that that kind of adapter on the vehicle side is "forbidden" in Europe. Might not matter for your purposes, but makes me wonder what kind of solution Tesla will provide.
(scratching head) Doug where did you see this regulation? I haven't run across anything that suggests this kind of adapter on the vehicle is not allowed. I'm not doubting it... Is it in the IEC?
I'm considering offering an assembly that includes a 63A rated cable between the Tesla connector and the M socket. There are problems with that. You have to carry the cable everywhere even though you might only need the adapter and the cable is bulky and heavy. The advantage is you only have one part in the end and the overall cost is less than an adapter and separate cable.
I wish I could hear from more people on this subject so I know how to proceed. There was previously a lot of demand for the adapter but now I'm wondering...
Similar threads
