How often do we have to park our Tesla outside? Not much, right? But in the rainy season, it’s inevitable to park a Tesla outside without letting it get drenched.
Although rain doesn’t damage our Tesla cars. But would it be risky to charge our Tesla during rain? Can you charge a Tesla in the rain?
These sorts of questions arise just because Tesla is an electric car. You don’t have to be afraid when you charge a Tesla in the rain. It’s safe to do so. Even if you use a portable convenience charger, it’s still safe to charge the Tesla during rain.
But is it only applicable to moderate levels of rain? What will happen if there’s a thunderstorm?
Charging Tesla in heavy rain
Sometimes, people become indecisive while buying a Tesla just because they are afraid of charging it for rainy reasons. We can’t blame them, we often get scared when any electric device comes to touch the water. But they shouldn’t worry much, not even during heavy rainfall.
You can definitely charge your Tesla during rain without shorting out the extravagant battery of yours or risking possibly fatal electric shocks. You will be glad to know that Tesla cars and their chargers can interface well even in the rain.
The entire charging process of Tesla would go just fine in any circumstances if you follow through the instructions given in the Tesla manual accordingly. It will work fine in the heavy rain too.
Now, is it fine to use a charger while charging the Tesla? Of course, it is. The chargers that come with Tesla are more or less safe to use in the rain.
You can plug the charger into the charging port during rain. But be careful not to obstruct the connector in the charging port while it’s wet. If your Tesla’s charging system identifies even a little power leakage, it won’t let any current flow via the cable. As a result, you can’t charge your batteries.
You have to keep in mind that water is a good escort of electricity. So, when you are charging your batteries, EV batteries are most likely to accept voltages up to 240V from the adapter. If it contacts the rainwater, severe damage might be caused to your Tesla.
Although this might not be the case with Tesla cars. It’s because we’ve never heard of anyone getting electrocuted by Tesla cars when they are charging the batteries in the rain. So, for now, we can say that Tesla cars are safe to charge in the rain.
Cautions to prevent any damage by charging Tesla in the rain
Even though we didn’t hear anyone getting electric shock by Tesla cars when charging in the rain, there are still some measures we should take in order to keep ourselves safe in that scenario.
Not letting rainwater run along the charging cable
Due to our carelessness, we may overlook that the rainwater is running through the charging cable. Sometimes it’s dangerous because the rainwater may drench the cable’s adapter and when you put it into the port, the port will get electrocuted and serious damage will be caused to your Tesla.
Not charging your Tesla in snow, ice, and water-covered outlet
When a Tesla charging outlet is all covered up with ice and water, it’s not a safer place to charge your Tesla.
The charging cables and handles are most likely to be wet due to snowfall and rainfall. It’s better not to use those cables to charge your Tesla.
Using a mobile connector
Try to use a mobile connector instead of a Wall connector or a supercharger. It’s better if you don’t use charging adapters during rainfall to keep your safety at the maximum level. You can still use the cables in the rain, but it’s not as safe as the mobile connector. And also try to keep the car in a dry and clean place.
FAQs
1. Should I unplug Tesla during thunderstorms?
During thunderstorms, it’s not recommendable to charge your Tesla. For safety measures, park your Tesla inside your garage or inside some building. Otherwise, the storm may damage your Tesla. And yes, of course, you should unplug Tesla during thunderstorms.
2. Can lightning damage a Tesla?
Tesla is an advanced technology-based vehicle. Thus, it’s more exposed to damage by lightning compared to other vehicles. In our honest opinion, EVs are at most risk of getting damaged during thunderstorms.
3. Can you supercharge Tesla while raining?
Of course, you can. Supercharger outlets are available for service even in the rain. So, you won’t be facing any difficulties to supercharge your Tesla in a Tesla Supercharger outlet. Just make sure not to charge it in a snow-covered outlet and check if the charging adapters are wet or not in rainwater.
Conclusion
We understand that people are afraid to purchase a vehicle that is at high risk to charge when it’s pouring rain. It’s alright to get all worked up. And now that you know that Tesla vehicles are safe to charge in the rain, there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Just take the necessary steps to prevent yourself from getting electrocuted and also make sure not to damage your Tesla. Electric malfunction can cause severe damage to the mechanisms of an electric vehicle like Tesla. And finally, don’t try to charge a Tesla during a thunderstorm.
If your Tesla gets damaged due to charging it in the rain, contact the Tesla Customer Support group as soon as possible.
