Charging a Tesla from a Schuko Socket at Home: Germany, Austria, Netherlands

What a Schuko socket gives you

A Schuko socket is rated 16A, but Tesla lists its Schuko adapter at 6–13A: Tesla says the car sets a default current for household sockets based on local recommendations, because charging is hours of continuous load. At up to 3 kW, about 19 km of range per hour, a night on the socket covers most commutes.

Check the socket first

Charging pulls current for hours, which is very different from a kettle or a vacuum cleaner. Most problems come from the socket and the wiring behind it, not the car.

• The plug should sit firmly; a loose socket heats up.
• Avoid sockets that share a circuit with a washing machine, dryer or heater.
• Never use an extension lead or multi-plug: Tesla's manual warns against them.
• If the plug or socket feels hot, stop and have an electrician check it.

Outdoor and garage sockets

For a socket outside or in a damp garage, use a socket with a hinged lid (IP44) and an adapter rated for it. Keep the Mobile Connector's control box off the ground and out of standing water.

When to install CEE

If you charge every day, ask an electrician about a blue CEE socket on its own circuit. Tesla lists 3.7 kW on 16A and 7.4 kW on 32A, up to two and a half times the Schuko rate, using the same Mobile Connector with a CEE blue adapter.

Set the current in the car

You can lower the charging current in the car's charging screen. If an older socket or a long cable run worries you, charging at 10A instead of 13A takes longer but reduces the load.