Can't Connect to a Tesla Wall Charger

[JeffinPTC]

I'm new to the party with a 25 Flash bought last week. I took the rebate instead of the Ford Charger because we already have a Tesla Wall Charger. We've never had an issue charging the Tesla, but a series of issues developed trying to charge the Flash.
1. The first time I tried to charge, I found out that the Ford supplied adapter is only for charging from the Tesla Superchargers and for some reason the truck will not draw power from it. Seems designed to sell more $100 adapters.
2. After buying a Lectron 48a adapter(yes the amp rating matter), it still would not charge. After 4 hours of multiple emails to Lectron and attempts to connect, the Lectron guy suggested:


Given the information we have so far, we suspect the Tesla Wall Connector is not enabled to charge a non-Tesla via an adapter.



There is a setting called compatibility mode specific to Tesla Wall Connectors Gen 3.

1. Ensure Firmware Version: Verify that your Wall Connector is running firmware version 21.36.4 or later, as Compatibility Mode is supported from this version onward.
2. Access the Tesla One App:
   • Open the Tesla One app on your device.
   • If you haven't already, connect your Wall Connector to the app by following the on-screen instructions.
3. Navigate to Access Control Settings:
   • In the Tesla One app, select your Wall Connector.
   • Tap on 'Access Control' to view the available charging access options.
4. Select Compatibility Mode:
   • Choose the 'Compatibility Mode' option.
   • This setting allows your Wall Connector to be compatible with older software versions and can help resolve charging issues with certain electric vehicles.
5. Save and Exit:
   • Confirm your selection and exit the settings menu

He said "Tesla One" but that's the installer app. I found it on the "Tesla" app.

3. But I could not get to this menu. After the electrician installed the Wall Adapter 2 years ago, I plugged up the Model 3 and it just worked. No menu, no settings. And now I can't find the provisioning card. The QR code on the side of the Wall Charger must be Tesla proprietary because nothing happens when you point at it. So, remove the 4 T25 screws holding it on the mount and there is a Wifi network and PW to get to provisioning on your Tesla phone app. CB off is Best Practice before you open this, but the contacts inside are protected like a duplex outlet. Take a pix of the codes for the numerous times you'll have to do this, and for next time when you buy a new router.
4. I found my home network and put in the PW, and got the "Success!" But the app still said "no internet" or similar.
5. Work from home technogeek son gets involved and finds this:
The Tesla Wall connector will only work with WPA 2 security, not WPA3/ 2 that everything else in the house works with. Thx Elon. So, open up the router setup page, 192.168.0.1 for my TP-Link (PW may be admin, admin if you've never changed it, you should), find the Wireless Settings page, and change the drop down to WPA 2. Here's what my settings page looks like

Good Luck!
Jeff

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[hturnerfamily]

yes, you'll quickly find that likely there is no 'problem' with the LIGHTNING, but the issues lie within TESLA's proprietary systems... just like APPLE protects their own... it's great and easy for a Tesla vehicle, but likely not for others...

- using the Lectron 'adapter' you mention is for the LIGHTNING to Supercharge Tesla DC Fast Charging at certain Tesla "Other EV" locations only, not for 'at-home' Level 2 charging from Tesla products.
- the other Level 2 adapter is probably the correct version, but it is an adapter only, not a work-around for a Tesla charger protocol issue...

most of us LIGHTNING owners use a typical NEMA 14-50 Outlet and plug in our Ford Mobile 30amp EVSE, or another third-party EVSE, and some others have hard-wired versions of the similar EVSE wall-mount units... none of these are specific to the LIGHTNING, and can charge any EV, even a Tesla...

 

[JeffinPTC]

The Lectron I bought says:

Lectron Tesla to J1772 EV Charging Adapter – NACS Converter, 48 Amp & 240V, Compatible with Tesla High Powered Connectors, Destination Chargers & Mobile Connectors for J1772 Electric Vehicles (Black)


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DCTJCTV?ref_=pe_125775000_1044873430_t_fed_asin_title&th=1

It doesn't specifically say "wall charger," but I think its implied with "Destination Charger."
Here's what the Lectron site says:

https://ev-lectron.com/products/lec...tination-chargers-and-mobile-connectors-black

 

[Nick503955]

I have to broadcast a separate SSID with only WPA2/2.4ghz for my Tesla Wall Connectors. It's lame but if they see a 5ghz broadcast, it caused issues.

That said, of all my EVSEs, the Tesla Wall Connectors have been the most consistent in that they just work. Once you're in the settings for the Wall Connector, ensure that it isn't limited to Tesla Vehicles.

 

[Zprime29]

There's a bit of confusion here in terminology. Lectron makes the Ford supplied adaptor, which as you discovered is only for DCFC. The 48A Lectron adaptor you bought is the correct one for level 2 AC charging at home (or elsewhere). Not surprising, but shame on the dealer's sales dept for not educating you on the Ford adaptor.

 

[hturnerfamily]

"Destination Charger" is not at-home charging, but the units Tesla deploys at hotels and other places for Level 2 charging - although still a 'Tesla' protocol apparatus, and likely why this adapter you chose still may not be compatible with 'at-home' charging of CCS vehicles with your current device.

 

[JeffinPTC]

Not surprising, but shame on the dealer's sales dept for not educating you on the Ford adaptor.

Maybe different at your dealer and when you bought.
My salesman at StiversSouth in Union City GA couldn't even sign into his computer wo help. Wasn't his fault; he seemed OK, but hobbled by little training.
They didn't even know that the Truck came with an adapter, much less what it was for or that it only worked with superchargers. After 3 hours of good cop, bad cop, I walked out when the sales mgr told me if I wasn't giving them a 5 star review, I could walk out. I did...
But, the same dealer has bought the dealer closer to me and I got the exact same truck a week later for the exact negotiated price wo dealing with team threat and rescue.

And they were the better dealer. Two other dealers I got quotes from were thousands more, partly because they didn't understand the available rebates. I got 2k off by refusing the Ford Power, The salesmen told me its taking 4 months to get it installed anyway.

 

[JeffinPTC]

only for DCFC, Ford Mobile 30amp EVSE

I've got some idea what these acronyms mean, but this is my first day guys.
Give a guy a break

DC Fast Charge? Supercharger?
EVSE something to do with the supplied cable?
I assume the supplied cable is limited to 30 amps?
I had an inside 60a 14-50 installed with the Tesla wall adapter two years ago for adding another wall charger, then I see the Ford pro will take 80. I don't expect I'll ever need anything faster than the Tesla 48a.

 

[TaxmanHog]

I see the Ford pro will take 80.

The Ford's FCSP has the capability when hard wired to your home load center on a dedicated wire to run at 80 amps, but ...... you have a 2025 Lightning Flash, it's only going to charge at 48 amps maximum, so the Tesla system will be good enough once it's up and running.

 

[Elctrnone]

There is a setting for your wall connector that is only accessible in the Tesla One installer app where you can change your wall connector settings to allow all EVs to charge or only Teslas to charge. This setting is not in the regular Tesla app, and on your wall connector it is probably set to only allow Tesla vehicles to charge.

 

[garsh]

After buying a Lectron 48a adapter(yes the amp rating matter), it still would not charge.

Try connecting the adapter to the Wall Connector first, then plugging it into the truck.

Otherwise, it would be good to make sure the Wall Connector's firmware is up-to-date, and figure out why you're unable to access that configuration setting.

 

[NAVEWO]

There is a setting for your wall connector that is only accessible in the Tesla One installer app where you can change your wall connector settings to allow all EVs to charge or only Teslas to charge. This setting is not in the regular Tesla app, and on your wall connector it is probably set to only allow Tesla vehicles to charge.

You don’t need the Tesla One app to change that setting. Assuming you’ve added your wall connector to your Tesla app you can change the setting in the regular Tesla app. To my knowledge you only really need the Tesla One app to change the circuit breaker size

 

[K6CCC]

I've got some idea what these acronyms mean, but this is my first day guys.
Give a guy a break

DC Fast Charge? Supercharger?
EVSE something to do with the supplied cable?
I assume the supplied cable is limited to 30 amps?
I had an inside 60a 14-50 installed with the Tesla wall adapter two years ago for adding another wall charger, then I see the Ford pro will take 80. I don't expect I'll ever need anything faster than the Tesla 48a.

Warning, this is going to be a long answer. It is intended to educate you - NOT put you down for not knowing. We all had to start in the not knowing camp...

First of all, there are two ways to get power into your Lightning (or almost all other EVs). One is to supply 120 - 240 volts of AC to the vehicle which powers a built in charger that charges the high voltage battery. Depending on year and trim level and options, the Lightning has either a 48 amp or 80 am charger. In the case of my 24 Flash, it has a 48 amp charger. That means that the most I can draw is 240 volts at 48 amps or a little under 12 KW from the box on my wall. The on board charger (like all electronics) has some loss so I get around 10 KW charge rate into the battery. The box on the wall is properly called an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (also sometimes Electric Vehicle Service Equipment) or EVSE. About all that the EVSE does is turn on the AC power to the J1772 plug when the proper signals are received from the vehicle indicating that the vehicle is connected. The other thing it does is tell the vehicle how much current it can supply. That tells the on board charger to limit how much current to draw. The EVSE does not limit the charge current, it just tells the charger what the max current should be. If you have the Ford Mobile Charge Cord, that is a simple EVSE that gives you options for voltage and current based on what AC power connector is used. When you are charging with 120 volts, the current limit is 12 amps or about 1440 watts and is referred to as Level 1 (or L1). If you have the 240 volt plug connected to the MCC you are limited to 30 amps or about 7.2 KW and is referred to as Level 2 charging. In my case I am using a Ford Charge Station Pro (FCSP) which is capable of up to 80 amps, but I have the switch set to limit to 48 amps in the FCSP because my truck only has the 48 amp charger. I also have the FCSP wired and breakered based on a 48 amp limit. One more thing, AC charging only used the top part of the charge port on your Lighting (the part not covered by the pull down flap). BTW, I have never seen the 48 amp limit in my Flash as a problem.

The second way to get power into an EV is generally called Direct Current Fast charging or DCFC. An example of this is a Tesla SuperCharger. When charging with DCFC, the top part of charge port connector is still used for the communications between the vehicle and the charging equipment, but the power uses the two large bottom pins that are under the pull down rubber flap. That essentially connects directly to the vehicle battery (by way of a contactor). When using DCFC, the on board charger is not used and all the smarts of charging is in the ground based equipment. On our Lightnings, about the best we can get from DCFC is about 190 KW charge rate - so MUCH faster than AC charging.

The charge port on the Lightning is called a Combined Charging System (also sometimes called Common Charging Standard). North America uses version 1 and Europe uses version 2, so these are normally called CCS-1 and CCS-2. The top portion that is used only for AC charging has a SAE standard designation of J1772.

Tesla uses their own standard that Telsa released several years ago and is rapidly becoming the charging standard for North America and is commonly called the North American Charging Standard or NACS, and SAE standard of J3400. The NACS connector combines the AC charging and DC charging in one smaller connector.

In order to use an EVSE with a NACS connector on a vehicle with a J1772 charge port, requires an adapter. These adapters only work for AC charging. In order to use a DCFC with a NACS cable on a vehicle that has a CCS-1 charge port requires a different adapter. These adapters only work for DCFC charging. In my case I am using the A2Z Typhoon Pro adapter for DCFC and the A2Z Stellar adapter for AC charging (links below). As far as i know, no one makes a single adapter that will perform both functions - and most of the "experts" say it is unlikely that one will be developed.

https://a2zev.com/collections/charging-adapters/products/nacs-ccs1
https://a2zev.com/collections/charging-adapters/products/nacs-j1772-stellar

I think I answered most of your questions.

 

[JeffinPTC]

Thx for the 'splain'n.
I found out about the supplied adapter not working with my Tesla wall connector the first time I tried to charge.
Inquiring minds want to know, though, as I alluded in the OP

Why won't they let the supplied big charger adapter work with the Tesla cord? Seems like the top thingies are still connected and the bottom pins would just be hanging around.
And I wouldn't have to carry different adapters.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Why won't they let the supplied big charger adapter work with the Tesla cord? Seems like the top thingies are still connected and the bottom pins would just be hanging around.

Because the of the size of conductors and volume / space in the body, there is no room for high capacity switching within the adapter. In tesla vehicles the switching occurs in the OBCC.

To adapt to CCS to NACS, the AC and DC paths are fixed and exclusive!

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