How to use your Tesla Model Y charging equipment: The owner manual is unhelpful

Mar 09, 2024

A reader’s question:

Hi Bryce, just wondering if you could advise how I use these mobile charging accessories (pictured) for my Tesla Y at EV charging stations? Also, I noticed that the mobile connector components from the owner’s manual showed another 3-pin adaptor (blue in photo from owner’s manual) that we did not receive with our mobile kit. I have tried to find this adaptor to buy from Tesla but cannot find it. It is a 3-pin IRC 60309 adaptor. Do I need this to charge at non-Tesla charging stations?

Kind regards

Louise

Hi Louise

Yes, vehicle manufacturers do have a bad habit of writing ‘one-size-fits-all’ owner manuals that include details that don’t apply in every market. In this case, it seems Tesla have managed to not include the specifics of the Australianised tails they supply for use with the mode 2 charging equipment (EVSE) that Tesla supplied with your car.

(By the way: a Mode 2 EVSE is more commonly called a ‘portable charger’). And a quick look at the Tesla Australia site is even less helpful as it shows the UK plug versions!

The two tails in your pictures are for use with Australian 10 and 15A outlets. (A normal power point or a caravan outlet to cite typical examples). The principle difference between the two is the 15A plug has a wider earth pin to stop it being inserted into a standard power point as a 15A outlet circuit is designed to supply a larger current.

Depending on the power point you intend to use, you insert the appropriate Tesla tail into the end of the item labelled ‘mobile connector controller’ on the owner’s manual page.

The controller senses which is plugged in and adapts the charge rate to suit. (I believe these rates are 8A/1.8kW for the 10A plug and 13A/3kW for the 15A plug). The tails shown in the manual page you sent are by the way for an overseas power outlet type, hence why you can’t buy the blue connector from Tesla Australia.

The reason there are two is that if you have access to a 15A outlet, the charge rate will be around 40% faster than when using a standard power point.

As I described in my recent article on charging speeds, having access to different charge rates is a good thing – and makes staying overnight at a caravan park a very useful choice as it allows for 40% more charging during your stay.

These items however are not needed for use with a Mode 3 charger (fixed wall charger, like the Typical Tesla wall/destination charger).

In fact, the charge socket in the Model Y is the same CCS2 one as used in almost all other new EVs delivered to Australia, so you can use any AC or DC charger (Tesla or otherwise) except the big round CHAdeMO DC plugs or the old Type 1 AC ones. (See charge plug usage table below).

For non-Tesla owners, some of the manufacturer supplied portable EVSEs include a button to switch between the two rates, although most are set to an 8A maximum these days.

You can also buy portable multi-rate EVSEs with a greater range of charge rate options. (In fact, I carry one on long trips that is capable of doing anything between 1.4kW single phase and 22kW three phase – although how high a rate depends on the maximum the car will do on an AC outlet).

As a final note – one other thing you might need on a road-trip is to carry a Type 2 to Type 2 lead for use with destination type AC chargers that don’t have a lead. (For obvious reasons, these are called a BYO lead charger!)

If you have a question for Bryce, please send it to [email protected]

Bryce Gaton is an expert on electric vehicles and contributor for The Driven and Renew Economy. He has been working in the EV sector since 2008 and is currently working as EV electrical safety trainer/supervisor for the University of Melbourne. He also provides support for the EV Transition to business, government and the public through his EV Transition consultancy EVchoice.