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Mobile charger - Tesla or third party

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tmorgenthaler

Member
Dec 20, 2023
12
13
New Windsor, MD
#1
I purchased my Telsa model Y performance a week ago, and so far I'm really happy with it. I'm waiting on my Tesla wall charger to arrive that I ordered when I purchased my vehicle. I had planned to purchase both the mobile charger and the wall charger, however, the representative at the showroom didn't see a need, and recommended that I could purchase it later if I found there was a need for it.

Well, after doing a bit or research about availability of chargers near my family in the midwest, The closest charger is 45 miles away, so if I were to drive cross country to see them, I would need to stop at this location, which is a Holiday Inn express (maybe I'll feel smarter), top off before heading to my parents, then make it back up there after staying with them for however long to charge up before I head back home. There are some level 2 chargers near where they live, but of course letting my vehicle sit somewhere for an hour on a level 2 charger may only get me 20% of my battery level back. It's not the worst thing, but it would depend on how much I drive around while there. I'm still considering purchasing one so I can plug in when nothing else is available, or at least to get a trickle charge when I'm visiting my family.

Which leads me back to the mobile charger question. Do I really need one? Can I get by going to the level 2 chargers, as I outlined above? I'm looking to the experience of other Tesla drivers who have gone through this. What have you done? Did you buy the level 1 charger, and do you use it in simliar situations? The next part of the question, do you just buy the Tesla mobile charger, or are there third party chargers that work better, or are a better value.

Thanks in advance for any advice/perspective.
 
#2
I use my mobile charger frequently when on the road. I have charged at locations with 14-50, 6-50, 10-30, 6-30, TT-30 and 5-15 receptacles so I keep adapters for all those (and CCS + J1772) on hand. I bought every mobile charger adapter offered by Tesla so I would be able to charge anywhere but the above list is what I have actually used over 5 years of ownership.

14-50 are very common at hotels and give a 30 MPH charge rate so I would consider that a minimum to keep in the frunk. Having the mobile charger has saved our bacon multiple times in the 5+ years we have owned our Teslas.

Buy the Tesla mobile charger with a selection of Tesla adapters (L1 & L2) that attach into the mobile charger. Don't bother messing around with other brands: the Tesla mobile charger works great and no muss, no fuss since it automatically sets the charge current based on the attached Tesla adapter. The only non-Tesla adapter in that list, if I recall, is the 10-30 so I bought a 14-50 to 10-30 adapter from evseadapters.com: theirs are high quality and reasonably priced.

I also bought a 25 foot 6 awg 14-50 extension cord that I carry in the frunk. That has come in very handy multiple times.

One last thing. If I end up charging at a friend's house, I always give them $10 cash or a bottle of wine for a charge. Want my friends to stay friends and being 'that guy' who Bogarts their electricity is not who I want to be remembered for.
 
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#3
You may want to purchase the Tesla Mobile Connector to bring on trips. If you plug into a standard household 120V/15A circuit (using the included NEMA 5-15 plug adapter) to charge that will add up to ~4 miles of range per hour when charging. Overnight charging this way can add a decent amount of charge and range to the Tesla vehicle. Other popular plug adapters for the Tesla Mobile Connector can be purchased separately to meet your charging needs. (The NEMA 14-50 240V/50 amp plug adapter is also included with the Mobile Connector, may be found if you stay at RV parks that offer 14-50 receptacles.)

Download the Plugshare app onto your phone (or on the web) to locate nearby charging stations. Also, Google Maps can display nearby electric vehicle charging stations as well as Tesla Supercharger stations and Tesla Destination charging stations (Tesla Level 2)

Your Tesla vehicle will come with the Tesla J1772 charging adapter that will enable you to charge at any public L2 charging station (These charging stations may be free to use for a couple of hours or may require an account.) In general you can expect 200V to 208V (standard when charging using commercial power) and 30 amps (40 amps being less common). This can add 8% to 10% charge to the battery per hour (approximately 6kW = 22 miles of range added per hour. A dinner break while charging could add 30+ miles.)

You can optionally purchase the Tesla CCS Combo 1 adapter (also available from 3rd parties and on Amazon). The CCS adapter will enable you to use Electrify America and other DC Fast Charge stations (these charging networks each require you to have a separate account.)
 
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#5
I visit a friend in rural Alabama who lives on a cotton farm, ~55 miles from the closest SuC, and we always go places in my Tessie when I visit. Definitely want the mobile connector for this. They have a 6-50 near where I park and it is like charging at home each nite.

Also use my 10-30 when I visit family and plug into their dryer receptacle. Makes life much better.

I have a Lectron Tesla extension cord. Pricy but need it to reach the car when using the 10-30 at family. Dryer is close to the garage, but not quite close enough.

For me it's about convenience, not trying to save money and score some free electrons.

 
#7
Cosmacelf said:
If you do trips where you stay places overnight, having a Mobile Connector is nice and I'd recommend it. Get the 5-15, 5-20 adapters at a minimum.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm going with what my gut was telling me to begin with. I ordered the mobile connector from Tesla this morning. It comes with the 5-15 and the 14-50 adapters, and I ordered at 14-30, so I can plug into standard drier outlets. I confirmed with my parents that they are on electric for their dryer, and it's a brand new build, so 14-30 is standard for that.

I didn't order the 5-20, but I can order that later if I find I run into a need for it.
 
#8
The 5-15 plug adapter that comes with the Mobile Connector will also fit the 5-20 receptacle. Using the 5-15 plug adapter won't enable you to charge faster (33% faster, for ~6 to 7 miles per hour added) as on a 20 amp circuit with the 5-20 plug adapter ) than when using a 15 amp circuit, i.e. ~4 miles per hour but you won't need to purchase a 5-20 adapter to be able to charge using a 5-20 receptacle.
 
#9
tmorgenthaler said:
Yeah, I'm going with what my gut was telling me to begin with. I ordered the mobile connector from Tesla this morning. It comes with the 5-15 and the 14-50 adapters, and I ordered at 14-30, so I can plug into standard drier outlets. I confirmed with my parents that they are on electric for their dryer, and it's a brand new build, so 14-30 is standard for that.

I didn't order the 5-20, but I can order that later if I find I run into a need for it.
Click to expand...
I like the 5-20 since many newer garages have 20A receptacles in them and you actually get about a 42% boost in charging performance rather than expected 33%. I've used it often enough in rented condos.
 
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#10
What is the benefit of a Tesla wall charger (costs $475+tax)? I used to have 40 amp wall charger from a different mfr. which plugged into a 220 v outlet. I was getting 40 mi/hr on it. I had to remove that as we moved out of the house. But when I plugged in the Tesla charge cord into the 220 v outlet directly I still seem to get the same miles per hour. On Tesla web site this is what I found :
  • UP TO 44 MI OF RANGE ADDED PER HOUR AT 11.5 KW / 48 AMP OUTPUT
So why spend $500 for a 4 mi/hr benefit?
 
#11
allaisa said:
What is the benefit of a Tesla wall charger (costs $475+tax)? I used to have 40 amp wall charger from a different mfr. which plugged into a 220 v outlet. I was getting 40 mi/hr on it. I had to remove that as we moved out of the house. But when I plugged in the Tesla charge cord into the 220 v outlet directly I still seem to get the same miles per hour. On Tesla web site this is what I found :
  • UP TO 44 MI OF RANGE ADDED PER HOUR AT 11.5 KW / 48 AMP OUTPUT
So why spend $500 for a 4 mi/hr benefit?
Click to expand...

You dont get the same max speed benefit from a mobile connector and a wall connector. The "Tesla charge cord" maxes out at 32amps no matter what speed circuit you plug it into, so your memory of charge speed when you plugged it in is not correct.
 
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#13
jjrandorin said:
You dont get the same max speed benefit from a mobile connector and a wall connector. The "Tesla charge cord" maxes out at 32amps no matter what speed circuit you plug it into, so your memory of charge speed when you plugged it in is not correct.
Click to expand...
No true. Just checked Teslafi history. It shows 40 amp and 37.5 miles per hour. So it is like you get 6.5 miles more but you have to spend $500 for it.
 
#14
allaisa said:
No true. Just checked Teslafi history. It shows 40 amp and 37.5 miles per hour. So it is like you get 6.5 miles more but you have to spend $500 for it.
Click to expand...
The one that everyone in this subforum (model Y) is normally talking about is the one that either came with the model Y or is able to be ordered from Tesla now. If thats the case, you must have a generation 1 mobile connector that was never available with model 3s or Ys from Tesla.
 
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#15
The Tesla online store listed, until sometime earlier in 2023, the Corded Mobile Connector. This version of the Mobile Connector was rarely in stock, available to purchase. The Corded Mobile Connector supported Level 2 charging at 40 amps and came with a fixed 14-50 power plug. You can sometimes find used examples of the Tesla Corded Mobile Connector for sale on the TMC For Sale Forum; also on eBay.
 
#16
jcanoe said:
The Tesla online store listed, until sometime earlier in 2023, the Corded Mobile Connector. This version of the Mobile Connector was rarely in stock, available to purchase. The Corded Mobile Connector supported Level 2 charging at 40 amps and came with a fixed 14-50 power plug. You can sometimes find used examples of the Tesla Corded Mobile Connector for sale on the TMC For Sale Forum; also on eBay.
Click to expand...
There is no such thing as a Corded Mobile Connector. You're thinking of the Corded Wall Connector. All the recent discussion here has been about the Mobile Connector, not the Wall Connector.
 
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