ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Eating lunch at a FF joint and noticed the 6 Tesla charging stations in the lot behind them. Can any EV use these or only Tesla?
EV charging
- Thread starter ptonsparky
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
We have a few places around here that has the charging stations and all say "Tesla" on them. However I don't know if other's can charge there. I don't see any Teslas much here so I imagine Tesla only sponsors some of the cost, for advertising purposes, and any make could charge there if the connections are compatible or maybe adapters are used.
texie
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Occupation
- Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
While I'm no EV expert, I think I read that Tesla is going to start allowing other makes to use their chargers.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Today was the first I've seen a Tesla, that I know of. Hadn't really looked before but this one was plugged in and hard to miss.
It depends.
If they are DC fast chargers (Superchargers), they will only work with a Tesla. If they are Tesla Destination Chargers (level 2 EVSE), they can be used by other cars by using a Tesla to J1772 adapter.
Elon made a big announcement about opening up his DC Supercharger network to other makes, but it will require different hardware. Just vaporware, so far.
If they are DC fast chargers (Superchargers), they will only work with a Tesla. If they are Tesla Destination Chargers (level 2 EVSE), they can be used by other cars by using a Tesla to J1772 adapter.
Elon made a big announcement about opening up his DC Supercharger network to other makes, but it will require different hardware. Just vaporware, so far.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
Eventually some standard will be adopted, a la cellphone chargers and USB.
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
Apple doesn't play by those rules!
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
Sure they do. All the Apple devices use 5VDC USB chargers, the same as everyone else, though some of them are USB-A and some are USB-C. A lot of the cables/connectors at the device end are still that not-so-good Lightning interface, but the iPads are moving to USB-C. There is still a lot of variability between manufacturers at the device end of charging cables, but at least everyone (even Apple) uses the same voltage and connector on the source end.
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
I rest my case!
texie
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Occupation
- Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
USB C has become so ubiquitous that I think even Apple is going to cave and go all USB C on it's products. USB C has really proven to have a lot of advantages and well liked by users.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
Well, OK, but there are several different device end connectors used in the industry; what was standardized was the charging voltage and connector on the charger end, and Apple was one of the first I saw to adopt it. You don't like Apple, I get it, but I do. Here at our house we currently are running (4) iMacs of different vintages, (2) iPhone Xs, and (2) iPad Pros. I got my first Mac 512kE in 1984.
Vive la differénce!
J1772 and CCS are the relevant standards. Elon does his own thing.
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
Never said I didn't like Apple. I have had Android phones since I've had a cell phone. I just recently changed to iphone due to a lot of apps stopped working and also lost a bunch of pictures that just disappeared off the Android. Most of the things I like about the iphone, but there are some things I don't like. The charger cord is one of the things I don't like!
texie
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Occupation
- Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
And, as I mentioned in my previous post, I think Apple is going to go to USB C as almost everybody likes USB C like all the other device makers have gone to. You are the typical user that hates the lightning connecter.
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
Well, I have to stand corrected on not seeing any Teslas around here. Just today I passed by one of the charging stations. I think there are 10 spots and all were full and all were Teslas! In my defense, all of the cars were out of State, with the most from Florida. I didn't see anything on the sign about whether anything but Teslas could be charged.
GeorgeB
ElectroHydraulics engineer (retired)
- Location
- Greenville SC
- Occupation
- Retired
I'm 100% sure that even Apple's USB Type C chargers are not restricted to 5V. The fast charge capable phones require 9V. My MacBook Air requires 15V. Other APPLE chargers for MacBook Pros include 20V. These can charge at up to 100W. There is an extension to the spec getting to 240W at, I THINK, 48V.
The device being charged "tells" the charger what its capabilities are. I can plug my iPhone 12 mini into my 45W (5/9/15 capable) and it will charge at up to 20W. On industry standard wireless (Qi) chargers, it is limited to 7.5W. My wife's iPad 9th gen has a 20W charger with USB Type C and a USB Type C cable to lightning. She uses that charger on her iPhone 12 Pro.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
Sorry if I mischaracterized you. I thought you had posted some Apple bashing posts in the past, but it must have been someone else. My apologies.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
OK, that makes sense, I guess. What happens if you plug an Android phone into an Apple charger?
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
The cord from the wall wart seems to be the only issue. I inter change the two often enough. My old Samsung tablet tells me it will not charge well with anything but the original supply. Never checked to prove it.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
That's what I mean. It used to be that all the manufacturers had their own charging electronics which were not interchangeable but now not so much. I anticipate that in coming years EV charging will follow suit.
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