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[JaimeC]

Okay, this is PROBABLY a stupid question but I don't think I've ever seen this discussed here.  I'll be getting mine sometime today (according to the shipping company) and I wanted to know:  How do I use it?  I know the directions say it needs to be plugged into the EVSE FIRST, I have to wait for an indicator light to signify the EVSE recognizes the tap and is ready to go, and THEN I plug it into the Charge Tank.  Is that it?  Do I have to join some network in order to be able to pay for using these stations?  I have accounts with ChargePoint and EVConnect...  I'm assuming Tesla doesn't allow just anyone to use their chargers for free.  How does this work?

[JaimeC]

Got my answer over on Facebook.  There is no "network" to join.  Although most destination sites are free, sometimes they are turned off until you ask the property owner to turn them on for you.  Sometimes this involves a payment, other times it just means you need to spend some money in their establishment (a restaurant, for example).

And now that I think of it, at the Custer Observatory in Southold, NY they had "donation boxes" for people who used their Tesla stations.  They also had Chargepoint J1772 stations which charged a nominal fee.

[DonTom]

Okay, this is PROBABLY a stupid question but I don't think I've ever seen this discussed here.  I'll be getting mine sometime today (according to the shipping company) and I wanted to know:  How do I use it?  I know the directions say it needs to be plugged into the EVSE FIRST, I have to wait for an indicator light to signify the EVSE recognizes the tap and is ready to go, and THEN I plug it into the Charge Tank.  Is that it?  Do I have to join some network in order to be able to pay for using these stations?  I have accounts with ChargePoint and EVConnect...  I'm assuming Tesla doesn't allow just anyone to use their chargers for free.  How does this work?

Telsa destination chargers need to switch to a J1772 mode. That usually takes 30 seconds (I find it often takes longer).

The time starts when the Tesla tap is connected to the live Tesla Station with NO load.

So, use it like this:

1. Make sure you have a green light on the Tesla Wall Connector or the Tesla Destination Charger before doing anything at all.

2. Connect the Tesla tap only to the Tesla charge station, NOT to the vehicle.

3. They say wait at least 30 seconds (but really wait at least a full minute or longer)

4. Now plug the Tesla Tap, along with the rest of it,  into the vehicle.

5. Make sure the green light is still on the Telsa charge station.

6. Until you're used to the charge station, wait about six minutes to make sure the green light is still on at the Telsa Station AFTER your bike is charging normally.

Not all Tesla charge stations are compatible and some will go off in five minutes, especially with Zero's that have charge tanks like my SR. That is why they sell this. See what it says there about the pilot signal with Zeros that have a charge tank installed.

I do not know why they cannot add an LED light to the Tesla Tap itself to show when it is ready. That would save a lot of hassle. But it is the Tesla station you're waiting for, to change modes, not the Tesla Tap itself.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[JaimeC]

Okay, another stupid question then:  What am I supposed to do with the NEMA outlet??  I'll need something else to connect it to the J1772 port on the bike?

[DonTom]

Okay, another stupid question then:  What am I supposed to do with the NEMA outlet??  I'll need something else to connect it to the J1772 port on the bike?

I made my own cables  to use with my external chargers and bike. I prefer the simple NEMA 14-50R over anything. That way I have full control and the max possible power to charge with. The real problem is that we find more charge stations than we do 240 VAC outlets on the road.

I know a 14-50R is good for my full 8.4 KW charging on my SR. That is more than most EV cars can charge  with on AC.

I always look at the ratings of the charge stations before I plug in. I have no use for that pilot signal to confuse things. With 14-50R, I don't even have to look. It can provide more power than I can use. That is better than a Tesla charge station and better than J1772. At least for me.

With that Tesla to 14-50R adapter I have on order, I assume it has a built-in pilot signal to tell the Tesla station to provide the max power and the output is just a plan simple NEMA 14-50R with no pilot signal involved.

What is your complete setup?  I see the bike is an "S", if no charge tank, you are unlikely to have a problem with the Tesla-Tap and will probably have no need for the NEMA outlet.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[JaimeC]

I have an "S" with the 6kW Charge Tank.  I only use it for local riding and although there are PLENTY of J1772 stations around where I live (most of them free) out in the more "exclusive" areas (such as the Hamptons) I see more Tesla stations than plain old J1772.  I only use the Zero for day rides.  But if I wanted to take long trips, carrying that adapter PLUS the necessary cable would take up most of my luggage capability even if I added saddle bags.  My TeslaTap 60Amp mini just arrived and it stores handily in the little tankbag I have.  I think I'll give it a test "run" tomorrow at the local shopping mall.  Not the one by me, the "upscale" one further away.  The only available charging stations are Tesla... probably part of the agreement when they opened the store inside.

[DonTom]

I have an "S" with the 6kW Charge Tank.  I only use it for local riding and although there are PLENTY of J1772 stations around where I live (most of them free) out in the more "exclusive" areas (such as the Hamptons) I see more Tesla stations than plain old J1772.  I only use the Zero for day rides.  But if I wanted to take long trips, carrying that adapter PLUS the necessary cable would take up most of my luggage capability even if I added saddle bags.  My TeslaTap 60Amp mini just arrived and it stores handily in the little tankbag I have.  I think I'll give it a test "run" tomorrow at the local shopping mall.  Not the one by me, the "upscale" one further away.  The only available charging stations are Tesla... probably part of the agreement when they opened the store inside.

Be sure to check after around ten minutes after the start  of the charge at every Tesla Destination charge station you use for the first time.

Odds are if it is okay the first time, that one will stay okay. But always check at every new Tesla station after around ten minutes. I find many shut off at five minutes with my SR. And the same model Destination charger right next to it, may or may not have the same problem with a  Zero. But some models of Tesla stations are more flaky than others on Zeros.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[JaimeC]

Odds are if it is okay the first time, that one will stay okay. But always check at every new Tesla station after around ten minutes. I find many shut off at five minutes with my SR. And the same model Destination charger right next to it, may or may not have the same problem with a  Zero. But some models of Tesla stations are more flaky than others on Zeros.

-Don-  Reno, NV

Thanks for the warning.  I think you're the first person I've seen mentioning this issue (not that I'd been paying a lot of attention to Tesla charger issues before).

[DonTom]

Thanks for the warning.  I think you're the first person I've seen mentioning this issue (not that I'd been paying a lot of attention to Tesla charger issues before).

I learned the hard way. This is the first place I noticed the issue, see my negative check-in there.

Since then, I have found others with the same problem with my SR. But never at home or many others.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

Thanks for the warning.  I think you're the first person I've seen mentioning this issue (not that I'd been paying a lot of attention to Tesla charger issues before).

Since you have the charge tank and not the power tank, you probably will never have the problem. I think it is only a Power Tank issue, and probably the Charge Tank will be fine with the regular Tesla-Tap. But I would still check to be sure after ten minutes or so.

Another handy thing I learned is to not start a charge when above 80% SOC.  You will save charge time by riding it off. When you start the charge at above 80% SOC you cannot get past a 2 KW charge to the end of the charge. But if you start the charge at 75% or below (this may or may not be the exact same SOC on your bike) you will then get the max charge possible all the way to the end of the charge.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[vinceherman]

On a group ride we had a line of bikes charging at a line of chargers.
All but one hooked up following the existing protocol.  One gave us fits.  Plug in the TeslaTaps and wait 30 seconds, then plug in to the bike.  Nothing.
Several attempts with several different TeslaTaps.  Several cycles of increasing the  wait time.  It was not until we waited more than a full 60 seconds before plugging in to the bike that it started charging.
Then lunch.  Lunch was extra tasty because I was starving by that point!

So, extend the wait time if you do not succeed the first time.

[DonTom]

So, extend the wait time if you do not succeed the first time.

In my reply number two in this thread, see my number "3" listed, which is:

"3. They say wait at least 30 seconds (but really wait at least a full minute or longer)"

Sometimes even a longer wait time than a full minute is necessary.

I wonder why they cannot put a light on these to show when they are ready. Even if the light is on the Tesla Destination station  to show which mode it is in. The green light on the Tesla station is useless for showing when ready for the J1772 mode. It's not the Tesla-Tap that causes the delay. It's the Tesla Destination Station needing the time to  switch into a J-1772 compatible mode. It's probably not possible to have the light on the Tesla-Tap itself (without running another wire inside the cable) as it needs to be connected to get the output voltage. Or just have a switch on the Tesla station. There has to be a better way than a very random & unknown waiting period where trying  it too soon  means we have to start all over with the even longer wait time.

BTW, what I do is before I set up my chargers, is get the Tesla-Tap on the Tesla charge station.  By the time I get my two external chargers ready with all the cables (and all locked up to the bike with a lock cable) it is usually more than enough time.

I wonder if the wait time will be more consistent and shorter with my Tesla to NENA 14-50R box. The pilot signal probably has a lot to do with the wait time. I am hoping to find that it works MUCH better than a Tesla-Tap.

I will post here after I use it a few times at the more troubling Tesla Destination Station locations.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

One gave us fits.

Did that one have a Power Tank?  Perhaps the only one in the group that did?

-Don-  Reno, NV

[JaimeC]

Don, NOW I know why you confused me.  In your original response you had indicated a problem with Teslataps and CHARGE tanks (scroll up to see).  However, when you click on the link you provided, the site does say POWER tanks.  And I now remember from previous posts that your SR has a POWER tank, NOT a CHARGE tank (like mine).

But since I also frequently confuse the terminology (Hell, how many days ago did you post that and I just realized it NOW??) I'll give you a pass.  I'll also breathe a little easier knowing I probably won't have a problem using the Tesla destination chargers as long as I have a little patience.

[DonTom]

Don, NOW I know why you confused me.  In your original response you had indicated a problem with Teslataps and CHARGE tanks (scroll up to see).  However, when you click on the link you provided, the site does say POWER tanks.  And I now remember from previous posts that your SR has a POWER tank, NOT a CHARGE tank (like mine).

But since I also frequently confuse the terminology (Hell, how many days ago did you post that and I just realized it NOW??) I'll give you a pass.  I'll also breathe a little easier knowing I probably won't have a problem using the Tesla destination chargers as long as I have a little patience.

Yes, I had the power tank and charge tank confused at first. I realized it a bit later. But it's still a good idea to check all is okay ten minutes later, regardless of which you have, Some Tesla Destination stations  are more flaky than others, for whatever reason, on some non-Teslas when using a Tesla-tap.

And even with the POWER Tank that I have, on many Tesla Destination Stations it will work perfectly, such as with the Tesla Wall Connectors I have at my houses.  Not all destination chargers are the same, they come in different capacities and designs over the years.

I would assume  you're less likely to have the problem with your charge tank than I am with my Power Tank, but that doesn't mean you will never see it happen.

-Don-  Reno, NV