Official Tesla Model S thread

[cwerdna]

^^^
Re: not having used a Supercharger yet, if you have a chance, you might roll your eyes if you listen to the podcast I refer to at http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=14208" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. The tech journalist gives a BS excuse about lack of infrastructure as to one of the reasons he doesn't have a Model S. :roll:

 

[tbleakne]

I believe the 12 10-kW chargers are connected as 4 groups of 3 chargers, with one charger for each phase in its group. At any one instant, each group of 3 must be connected to one car on its DC side, because each car is on a different point of its voltage vs SOC curve. On the AC side, each charger within a group needs to be pulling the same current from its phase to keep the phases balanced. The power delivered by each group of 3 can be adjusted dynamically between 0 and 30 kW.

The above implies each car is assigned 1 to 4 groups of 3 chargers at any one time. Assume car A starts off with 3 groups and 90 kW, leaving 1 group and 30 kW for car B. Most likely, to avoid extra switching, car B will be limited to 30 kW until car A's demand drops to 60 kW, at which point a second group of 3 will be switched from car A to car B. Car B will see a sudden jump in its charging rate to 60 kW. I have seen reports on the Tesla threads consistent with this model.

It would be nice if the charger could display the power being delivered to the other car in its pair, so you could choose the station with the most power immediately available to you.

 

[GeekEV]

It would be nice if the charger could display the power being delivered to the other car in its pair, so you could choose the station with the most power immediately available to you.

I know it's not quite what you asked for, but the chargers are labeled 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, etc. If they're empty, always pick the next available number rather than letter (i.e. if 1A is taken, choose 2A instead of 1B)...

I'm not 100% sure since I haven't stayed and watched the whole time, but I believe the dashboard charging display stays lit up the whole time a car is supercharging. You could, in theory, hop out and peek in the window of the charging cars to see which one has the lowest draw and then take it's paired station...

 

[Randy]

It would be nice if the charger could display the power being delivered to the other car in its pair, so you could choose the station with the most power immediately available to you.

I know it's not quite what you asked for, but the chargers are labeled 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, etc. If they're empty, always pick the next available number rather than letter (i.e. if 1A is taken, choose 2A instead of 1B)...

I'm not 100% sure since I haven't stayed and watched the whole time, but I believe the dashboard charging display stays lit up the whole time a car is supercharging. You could, in theory, hop out and peek in the window of the charging cars to see which one has the lowest draw and then take it's paired station...

If the owner locks his/her car, then the charging displays all go dark....

 

[GeekEV]

If the owner locks his/her car, then the charging displays all go dark....

Damn. Well then, there's a great feature enhancement for Tesla. Leave it on! Why not? It can't eat that much power from the wall. Maybe also throw in an optional feature which unlocks the plug when charge is complete (if it's not the UMC).

 

[ebill3]

If the owner locks his/her car, then the charging displays all go dark....

Damn. Well then, there's a great feature enhancement for Tesla. Leave it on! Why not? It can't eat that much power from the wall. Maybe also throw in an optional feature which unlocks the plug when charge is complete (if it's not the UMC).

Well, maybe there is an alternate.

If you press the button on the plug, it will light up the ring. Flashing speed is inversely proportional to state of charge - faster flash, lower SOC, higher rate of charge. For your partner, pick the car with the slowest flash, or one that is solid green. Hey, not very scientific, but something.

 

[GeekEV]

Nice find. I emailed Tesla with ideas about faciliting plug sharing and making more intelligent choices at a supercharger. They liked the idea and have forwarded it on to the powers that be.

I suggest that you leave the charging progress display up on the screen while the vehicle is actively charging so that other users can peek in your window to see when you'll be done or how much power you're drawing at a supercharger. This would allow us to make more intelligent decisions about which stall to take. For example, if stalls 1A and 2A are taken, but 1A is just getting started and 2A is almost done, it would make more sense for me to choose 2B for a faster charge and less impact to 1A.

Additionally, I'd like to see (an option for) the charge port unlock when charging is stopped or finished so that a J1772 could be shared by other drivers when my car is done. Perhaps even a remote unlock on the mobile app so someone could text me and ask if they can take the plug and I could then unlock it for them without having to run out to my car.

It might even be nice, if the displays were left on, to be able to leave a customizable large print message on the center console to other drivers so I could tell them "call or text xxx-xxxx if you urgently need a charge" without having to leave ugly pieces of paper on the dash.

Thanks!

Thank you very much for your feedback and interest in Tesla Motors. I will pass your suggestions on to the appropriate teams here at our corporate office.

I think it is a great idea to be able to allow Model S owners to communicate with each other when their charging is complete, or be better informed when choosing which supercharging stall to use.

 

[gaswalla]

I dunno about letting others unlock the J1772, but that's my personal opinion.
A cool ideal I've read about is having the long, wide rear brake light in the hatch act as a battery meter while charging - basically mimicking the green bar in the dash and control panel. As the battery gets charged, the red light would keep extending until it gets all the way to the end.

 

[ebill3]

I dunno about letting others unlock the J1772, but that's my personal opinion.
A cool ideal I've read about is having the long, wide rear brake light in the hatch act as a battery meter while charging - basically mimicking the green bar in the dash and control panel. As the battery gets charged, the red light would keep extending until it gets all the way to the end.

I, also, do not care for the unlocking of the J1772 handle.

As to the visible battery meter, no. I do not want to call attention to the charging status. I understand that the reason the color changing light ring at the charging port goes dark is just that - not an attention getter. I like it the way it is, as strange people do strange things. "Hey, a blinking light, let's check it out."

 

[GeekEV]

I didn't mean let others unlock it. I was suggesting two separate things about unlocking: 1) auto unlock when charging is FINISHED; 2) allow ME to remote unlock it if someone calls or texts me and convinces me they need it more than I do (at least I wouldn't have to return to my car to do it).

 

[Randy]

I guess I'm not understanding the context of the discussion about the driver unlocking the charging cable.

Right now anyone can unlock it by pressing the button on the J1772 handle and removing it. They can either remove just the J1772 connector or they can also remove the Tesla to J adapter at the same time if they know the couple of extra steps...

Am I missing something?

 

[gaswalla]

I guess I'm not understanding the context of the discussion about the driver unlocking the charging cable.

Right now anyone can unlock it by pressing the button on the J1772 handle and removing it. They can either remove just the J1772 connector or they can also remove the Tesla to J adapter at the same time if they know the couple of extra steps...

Am I missing something?

Randy, the average Joe doesn't know how to free the adapter from the J1772 plug.. I personally think Tesla will try to make sure that it isn't removable at all unless the fob is nearby in the future.

 

[GeekEV]

I was thinking more of plug-sharing with a native Model S connector (such as a supercharger or a HPWC). You're right, the J1772 is readily removable from the adapter - my bad. In *that* case it would be nice if the adapter stayed locked, but it doesn't.

 

[cwerdna]

Thanks to a post over at http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/16401-CHAdeMO-adapter-frustration/page39?p=459399&viewfull=1#post459399" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, a CHAdeMO adapter is coming this winter.

It's listed at http://shop.teslamotors.com/collections/model-s/products/chademo-adapter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

 

[ebill3]

Thanks to a post over at http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/16401-CHAdeMO-adapter-frustration/page39?p=459399&viewfull=1#post459399" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, a CHAdeMO adapter is coming this winter.

It's listed at http://shop.teslamotors.com/collections/model-s/products/chademo-adapter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

If that depiction on the store page is actual, doesn't it look like a lot of weight is going to be hanging on the car's charge port? I was expecting something like the Roadster adapter, where the heavy nozzle and cable can lay on the ground and do not stress the charge port.

 

[GeekEV]

It's nice to know it IS coming, but really it's only needed *at* the CHAdeMO station. Wouldn't it make more sense to chain one to each station? It's a small incremental cost for the station owner... I'm almost kind of surprised Tesla doesn't just give one away to any CHAdeMO owner. You could cover every station in the USA for waaaaaaay less than the price of one SuperCharger station. Granted, those are faster, but it would be a nice supplement to the SC network and provide and in-city charging solution as well.

 

[gaswalla]

It's nice to know it IS coming, but really it's only needed *at* the CHAdeMO station. Wouldn't it make more sense to chain one to each station? It's a small incremental cost for the station owner... I'm almost kind of surprised Tesla doesn't just give one away to any CHAdeMO owner. You could cover every station in the USA for waaaaaaay less than the price of one SuperCharger station. Granted, those are faster, but it would be a nice supplement to the SC network and provide and in-city charging solution as well.

This is true and makes a lot of sense. Many stations would like to attract Tesla owners due to their demographics, and would gladly spend another 1k. On the other hand, places like Nissan dealers wouldn't want such an adapter - even in the hands of the Tesla owner.

 

[cwerdna]

Thanks to a post over at http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/16401-CHAdeMO-adapter-frustration/page39?p=459399&viewfull=1#post459399" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, a CHAdeMO adapter is coming this winter.

It's listed at http://shop.teslamotors.com/collections/model-s/products/chademo-adapter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

If that depiction on the store page is actual, doesn't it look like a lot of weight is going to be hanging on the car's charge port? I was expecting something like the Roadster adapter, where the heavy nozzle and cable can lay on the ground and do not stress the charge port.

Good point. I suspect the final adapter will be like the Roadster adapter (which I've seen briefly before). From my 1st use of a Nissan CHAdeMO DC FC, the nozzle combined w/cable are quite heavy.

 

[GeekEV]

If that depiction on the store page is actual, doesn't it look like a lot of weight is going to be hanging on the car's charge port? I was expecting something like the Roadster adapter, where the heavy nozzle and cable can lay on the ground and do not stress the charge port.

Good point. I suspect the final adapter will be like the Roadster adapter (which I've seen briefly before). From my 1st use of a Nissan CHAdeMO DC FC, the nozzle combined w/cable are quite heavy.

The SuperCharger cables are also quite heavy, but at least they don't have the heavy plug to contend with. Given that most CHAdeMO plugs are slightly bent, I'm inclined to think that the junction of the adapter and the CHAdeMO may well wind up resting against the wheel - which would help distribute some of the weight. But those Tesla engineers are mighty smart, I'm sure they've got it sorted.

 

[edatoakrun]

RE Tesla S SAE DC capability, From the comments by the story's author:

Eric Loveday

October 7, 2013 at 10:42 am

SAE is not possible, according to Tesla…Communication issues can’t be overcome…at least not with the Model S

http://insideevs.com/tesla-confirms-chademo-adapter-for-us-coming-this-winter-pricing-starts-at-1000/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Can that be correct?

I thought the SAE DC/Tesla adapter was a sure (and cheap) thing, due to commonality of designs?

edit: correction posted

Dave R

October 7, 2013 at 11:52 am

Just the opposite. Tesla has said that SAE combo is simple to adapt to compared to CHAdeMO for them. But the adapter will probably be similar in size and cost.

Reply


Eric Loveday

October 7, 2013 at 11:59 am

Yes…my bad Dave…You are correct…Though the main push for CHAdeMO capability comes from the thousands of quick chargers in Japan. The Model S is headed there soon.