I like a company that catches problems early, accepts responsibility, openly works with officials to make and take corrective action. Kudos to Lectron.
Got my adapter a couple of days ago. Tried it out today for the first time at a Tesla V3 Supercharger with my 2022 Mach E GTPE. Worked perfectly, no issues connecting/disconnecting/ charging. Nice to have more chargers now available even though I charge at home 99% of the time.
@Tom I ordered and received my Vortex adapter. I was able to disconnect the NACS plug during charging as described which was an eye opener. I tried multiple times because before I heard about the recall I figured it was my user error. I contacted Lectron customer support and the technician acted like there was no recall. I had to dig up the NHTSA safety recall PDF and send it along with my original invoice before the customer support technician admitted I should receive a new one after I sent in my old one. I sent in my defective unit and received the replacement unit. I can confirm the replacement unit does work as intended.
Wow, as Tom says, it's how the company deals with it that wins or loses customers. That tech's response is a losing one. As is the failure to put info on the website.
Update: yesterday (May 29th) I received the safety notice via physical mail. Included was a letter and a pre-paid label for return of the defective unit. @stateofcharge
16:44 - I had this issue with not being able to remove the NACS, even if it were connected to my car. It helps if you press in on the NACS before pressing the release lever. When you do that, it does help if the vehicle is there to give resistance to pushing it. The spring on the release level is really strong too, which can cause some difficulty in removal. Following Lectron's instructions on removal is definitely the path of least resistance.
Hi Tom, this is my first time writing a post. After watching this and reading all of the other post, there’s TWO things that no one is telling you or sharing. I too have just received my lectron vortex adapter . My first try was a disaster , and very frustrating to say the least. The Tesla plug would not snap in the adapter . After many try’s the charging started , but after the charging finished I could not disconnect the Tesla plug from the adapter just like the video I have seen. My wife was holding the adapter and I on the other end holding the Tesla plug and pressing the unlock tab on the adapter and both of us pulling, with no luck and saying a few words, like get the saw and cut it off. Then a Tesla owner next to me HELP me after a good 8 mins of embarrassment. So here go’s, First lock in the adapter to the car, press and hold the unlock tab and press the Tesla charging plug into the adapter, This makes the Tesla plug snap in much easer. After charging ,this is the grand slam ready. On the Tesla CHARGING HANDLE your see a round circle, this is the unlock to disconnect the cable from the adapter or the charging port if you own a Tesla, press it down a few seconds, be patient. Press the hold the unlock switch on the adapter at the same time and pull the Tesla plug out. Now u can unlock your lectron adapter from your vehicle. The next day we went to try again, and now it went so much better with no problems .I hope this helps.
I am going to do a follow up review and include these customer comments. Please finish the comment so I can include it. It seems you didn't finish writing and the end is cut off.
Hello Tom, I have been waiting anxiously for this vlog. Great video as usual, thank you for following up on this and clearing up the rumors and speculation that has circulated on social media. I pre-ordered my Lectron Vortex adapter back in November of last year pre-production. I received my adapter in March which had the defective locking mechanism. I contacted Lectron via email, and spoke with Veronica (Lectron CSR) who immediately apologized for my inconvenience and emailed me a prepaid return label. I sent my defective adapter back and received my replacement adapter within a week. I'm extremely happy with how transparent Lectron has been with me about the situation, and how quickly they reacted in getting me my replacement adapter. It works fantastic and despite the issue, I'm still very confident in Lectron's products.
Hi Tom. Thank you. I am glad I watched your previous video before I received my pre-ordered Lectron Vortex last week. It was confirmed by Lectron that it is not part of the recall. That being said, I experienced the opposite problem that caused the recall. Instead of easily disconnecting, the adapter I received gave me a hard time disconnecting it on my initial use. It took more than 30 minutes and an extra pair of hands to finally detach this adapter to the NACS plug. I informed Lectron about this problem and requested a return. I am quite hesitant to use it again. Just letting you know. Hopefully, the issue(s) will be resolved soon.
I am having a similar issue. I didn't want to try at supercharger and get stuck. Hence I tried at my home Tesla NACS charger to inspect the locking mechanism. Now its stuck to my charger and I am unable to charge my R1S. Luckily it didn't happen at supercharger, otherwise I would have let it sit there or used saw to cut the charger off. I reached out to Lectron and they asked me to send the video which I did. But no response so far. Good thing I ordered A2Z as well. I am sending it pack to Lectron for refund but I need to take it off 1st.
I have this problem right now. I can't get the Tesla plug out of the adapter. What did you do to get it to let go? I've tried all the non-destructive things I could think of
@@markroberts6546 Just brute force and a prayer. I was glad another person helped me or else I ended up abandoning my $199 adapter at the parking lot.
I have an original Lectron NACS to J1772 and it is excellent quality and it is going 4years with excellent durability, and since my Juice box charger died I am using it every day to charge my 2020 Kia Soul EV with my Portable Tesla adapter. Great company and trustworthy products.
Thanks Tom, the procedure for installation and removal from the cars CCS Socket makes much more sense as it appears to be a better way to decouple both adapter and NACS plug.
Lectron's quick response and open process of fixing it does more to my perception of them than the initial problem. I'm quite pleased that they responded immediately to address this at launch. Many companies will stick their heads in the sand and not do anything until some very high profile accident happens and their forced to fix what they knew about for ages. Good on Lectron to get after this and fix it immediately.
Hey Tom. A2Z ev told me , the reason GM have not gotten the access to Tesla is because GM is still working on on software updates for access to Tesla superchargers.
Thanks, Tom. 19:00 I worked in QA/QC for 12 years albeit in environmental testing and pharmaceutical manufacturing, "setbacks...are opportunities" was not our motto. Our motto was always "Zero defects".
Just tried to use the vortex adapter for my lightning and could not separate it from the tesla charging station. Emailed Lectron to see what they can offer to me.
@Tom, I ordered the Vortex and received in early July, but had not had a chance to open the box yet. I just saw these videos about the recall, so I immediately opened and tested it in my garage as I have a NACS home charger for my Tesla. While my Vortex does not come off the NACS charger by simply pulling on it, I was shocked that I could not remove the adapter at all! I clicked and held the release button on the bottom of the Vortex as instructed and tried many times to release it, but it will not release. So, now my Vortex is permanently attached to my NACS charger. I reached out to Lectron, but they simply sent me couple of instruction videos on how to use and release. I hope Lectron will address this problem quickly because both the Vortex and my home NACS charger are now useless.
Tom, Thank you for updating us regarding Lectron’s Vortex recall. We have two EV’s and two Lectron Telsa to J1772 adaptors and use them with confidence when adapting is necessary. Because of your interview with Lectron’s CEO I have renewed faith in the Vortex connector and the steps they have taken to resolve their recall issue. I’m one of the many whose Vortex order is Back Ordered and I look forward to receiving mine when ready. I have been in touch with Lectron on two occasions in the recent past and their Customer Service has been excellent.
Great video, Tom! I had ordered a Vortex adapter but ended up cancelling the order because of the delays with no communication. Now I know. In any case, I have an A2Z adapter, which I still need to try out.
I got an email yesterday saying my adapter had been shipped. I placed the original order about 8 weeks ago. I haven't been negatively impacted by the delay since my 2024 Lightning has been sitting in a lot around Dearborn, Michigan on a quality hold since 2/21/24. I am looking forward to trying the adapter as soon as Ford can correct the issue with my new Lightning
Thanks for the video, Tom. Excellent as always. I ordered one of these in mid-April before the recall and still haven’t received it. They’ve had my money for six weeks and I have no product in hand. Hopefully I’ll receive one of the redesigned products soon.
I ordered towards the end of March and literally just received my shipping notification email today. I did email them to complain so not sure if that sped things up, hope that helps.
I was wondering why my order was delayed. Thanks, Tom, 👏🏾👏🏾State of Chsrge, for taking the bull by the horn. The link to this video was sent with the cancellation email. No kuddos points from me as this reaction from the CEO is damage control. It’s a non-starter for me. No communication = no trust.
Nearly half of 2024 is over and we only have two brands, Ford & Rivian, able to use NACS. Due to Elon dismissing entire charging department , we are over one year away from BMW, MB, VW, Audi, Kia, Hyundai, and others capable of using this adapter at a supercharger.
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Completely agree. Maybe I’m too close to EV charging, but frequently hear buyers say they are afraid we don’t have enough places to charge. They fear waiting a hour in line at a 4-stall charger.
What’s your basis for saying it’s over a year away? Let’s see some proof. Do you work for Tesla or one of these OMs? Tesla has already hired back several of their charging team.
@@davemayo70 OEMs called their Tesla charging contacts to find they no longer work there. With 500 fired, hiring a few back is insignificant. Software development & testing is needed for each EV brand added. It is not trivial. GM compatibility was expected in May, so let’s see how much it is delayed in order to gauge timing the other brands.
How do you know it’s a few? Also, you said over a year away. That’s clearly speculation. Posting that type of speculation isn’t productive. I agree that it may be delayed but no one knows for sure if it’s a month or longer.
I finally received my order of this adapter and over the Memorial Day weekend I tested it every chance I could make. For the most part it worked as advertised, but when I used it in Lubbock Texas I had a problem. The temperature was reported to be 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The sun seemed to focus on the adapter and after about 1 minute the station posted an error and shut off. When touched the adapter it was hotter than a pistol. I backed away and let two other (Tesla) vehicles go ahead of me. Their vehicles had no temperature problems and successfully charged from the same station I couldn’t. I tried again but the computer de-rated my connection to 32kWh, which took me over two hours to get enough to move on to next station. I should also inject that I used the same adapter twice earlier that same day with no problems. Because of the lack of stations in West Texas often travel the edge of 50 miles left in battery. That I had 3 miles in the battery when I reached Roswell. I was wondering if painting the adapter white would keep this kind of overheating from happening.
Tom you did a very good job with your interview with Chris. Lectron kept this problem they encountered in the spot light, Chris should be given credit for that. I did receive a non-defective adapter about 2 weeks ago. The spring in the J3400 inlet is strong and takes a higher level of effort to release the pin. I quickly learned that the tolerance Chris refers to is indeed slight between success and failure on the J3400 side of the adapter. I also found that if you press down on the top of the Tesla handle while simultaneously pulling the handle out of the Lectron vortex plug the Tesla handle does come free with little effort. Keep in mind the spring trigger on the vortex adapter must be fully engaged while you perform this disconnect. My neighbor also found this useful when he tried this method at his visit to a Tesla super charger station. Since the ship date of the manufacturer is months away, I plan to continue to use the Lectron adapter.
I just ordered a Vortex plug on Friday with your link, and it came today. I'm happy to report it fits perfectly, very snug, but slides right out with very little effort as long as the release latch is pressed in fully. I did noticed the Tesla male plug wouldn't go in to the adapter more than 1/2 way at first, but I pressed the release latch like halfway in and it slid right in. So make sure and tell them, they nailed the tolerances perfectly this time, or maybe I just got lucky?? Anyway, it works perfect on my Ford E-transit. I just had to plug it in, then activate the stall I was at with the Ford Pass app, and it started charging immediately. Just plugging it turned the lights blue, but in vehicle it said charging paused, until I activated the stall number in the app, then it started working immediately even though the app screen said up to 2 minutes.
I have not been very happy with Lectron. Deliveries have been very slow. Products do not always work as advertised. Customer service is not strong. Although I have 9 EVs/plug-in hybrids I rent on Turo, they have not been reliable enough to continue giving them money.
I bought a lectron NACS TO J1772 adapter and the NACS socket is defective! The Tesla NACS DOES NOT FIT! If you look inside you can see bulges in the plastic mounding that prevents the complete insertion. Serious quality control issues at lectron! Buyer beware
I have faith in Lectron, they got on the problem and fixed it right away. I have a unit on order from your show and am glad to hear it will be coming soon. Thanks for the update.
Good to know! I like Lectron, and own one of its V2L adapters for my Ioniq 5. That said, I kinda prefer A2Z's Typhoon adapter more than Lectron's Vortex. Still, we need different options, and the more the merrier.
I've have had emails, comments and tweets from people that say their replacement adapter is also very tight, and some that have even gotten stuck like mine. Yesterday there was a tweet that somebody tagged me in that shows an abandoned Lectron adapter stuck on a Tesla supercharger handle at a supercharger site. Mine is starting to loosen up now after the initial time that it got stuck I've kept working with it and now while it's still harder than the original adapter I can remove it without the assistance of a second person now and also without it being plugged into the car. So if you get one and it's tight (I don't think you should have to do this but) if you work with it it does get looser over time.
Did you try the removal procedure in the video? Their instructions indicate that the CCS portion must be installed in the vehicle to first remove the nacs plug per the pending ul guideline.
Well, unfortunately, it seems like Lectron is STILL shipping out faulty units. I ordered mine in March. It shipped on May 23, and arrived today (May 27). I just tried it out, and I can easily unplug the NACS cable from the adapter without depressing the latch. I will contact their customer service right away.
@@gregpochet4812 Yup. I just sent a video of the issue to Lectron (and also to Tom and Lectron's CEO via Twitter/X). I'm pretty concerned that new shipments are still exhibiting the problem.
I received one from Lectron and couldn't remove it from the supercharging station. I freaked out because I was forced to leave a $200 adapter behind. They were great. Sent me another one and didn't force me to return the first. But the second one didn't disconnect either!! Worse is that they don't have a customer support line you can call. You have to email them and wait 20 minutes or so for someone to return the email. Now, I'm still out $200. I can't travel more than 270 miles, and I haven't heard from them in 18 hours!
I ordered mine after your first video 7 so haven't received anything. I had two concerns after you reported the recall, but again, I had not and still have not received anything and it's been several weeks. God bless
Tom, I returned our nacs to ccs1 vortex adapter after I saw your notification about the issue a few weeks ago. It turns out it was one of the bad ones and lectron returned my money. Very nice people to deal with. Professional, quick turnaround on questions and nice apology. We are still waiting for the adapter that Rivian said they’d send us which is why we purchased Lectrons. FYI, we have had problems with the Rivian charger we purchased with our R1S over a year ago. Have you done a review on it?
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney we’ve had a problem with our R1S showing the charging history with the Rivian charger. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. We’ve reinstalled the charger, made sure it’s on a 2.4Ghz frequency WiFi and the WiFi node is only 20 ft from the charger. We’ve had the Rivian charger team check it out but they’ve never solved it. We’ve also never been able to get the charger to upgrade its software from the original VO3.04.09. The current firmware version is 3.01.49. This charger is at our cabin just north of Duluth MN. In the last month it’s charged our R1S, our Model Y LR, and son’s BMW. So the charger charges just fine and shows up on the Rivian screen and the iPhone app. One other thing, it’s got that heavy cable like the old Grizzl-E. I much prefer the lighter cable like the one on our Tesla wall connector at home. So, we love our R1S launch addition we’ve had since January 2023 plus the Rivian people have been great. I hope you’ll have the chance to talk with the Rivian charger team and find out more about what they’re there up too. Still waiting on the NACS to CCS adapter…
Have received a recall letter and a second unit already. Guessing it is the replacement - bought for when I was planning to keep my i-pace but went model x after reasons I can not disclose.
With no official testing standard for these adapters, we are left to TRUST that the manufacturer has made it safely. If this error was able to pass by their quality control, why should we trust that the internals of the device are manufactured correctly??
@Tom Do you have any plans to review Tesla/NACS or J1772 extension cords such as those offered by Lectron? These extend on the car side of the EVSE rather than the wall side of the EVSE. Seem like a better solution for those of use that travel to destinations with home outlets in odd places.
They need to set it up so that the new plug is shipped with a return label for the recall the item. If they don't ship the recalled item back then they need to be charged for a second adapter, as a punitive process so that the recall adapters are returned so that they are not out there floating around. But there should be no time when they have zero adapter.... But I do understand them getting a credit card or something set up to ensure that the faulty ones are returned and the person doesn't keep both due to liability out there.
Everyone screwed up with these adapters, Tesla, Ford, Rivian etc.. They should have had a supply of them BEFORE cars started gaining SuC access. What good is having access if you don't have the adapter to go with it?
Ordered mine weeks ago. After a week of “carrier waiting for item” I emailed them they said “many were not picked up but would next day.” It’s now been another week and they will not update you unless they ask. And site has no warning of delays so I had to cancel my trip. Super bummed with the company.
Lectron handled this in the best way they could. Still would be my preference but it’s probably useless for me. By the time Tesla incorporates Hyundai my lease will be up in 2026 and I’ll not buy another unless J3400 keeps the same charging curve and those providers have twice the J3400 plug count as they have CCS currently. Tesla didn’t release 800V for CyberTruck and I know they are even less concerned about letting me charge at NEVI required voltages. That will never happen on V3’s so only V4’s cabinets will charge like EA does for me. If I wanted to charge far below 100kW on V3’s I’d bought the cheapest EV and saved 30K. So adapters probably will never be used by me. 💯 22:24
Well, had one of the recalled adapters. Went through the process of returning it for a replacement. New one came yesterday and I hooked it up to my Tesla Universal Wall Connector to make sure it was safe. It was hard to get on and that should have been a warning sign. Now it's stuck on the Tesla Wall connector plug. I am able to remove it from the vehicle. Anyone have any idea how to make it release? I have tried all the combinations of button pushing and pulling on the adapter. Man I'm not happy right now. What a shit show with all of this.
I just received it today. I wanted to check it on home charger but now stuck. It seems they over did it. I cannot take out the adopter from my home Level 2 charger. I inserted just to make sure I don’t have recalled adopter. What should I do?
I have the exact same problem. Please let me know if you figure it out. I have to say this just makes me mad after all that I've been through with this so far.
@@markroberts6546 I was able to take it out. I used zip tie to press the NACS and plugged it back to my vehicle. Make sure you turn off the power on your charger. Then gently wiggle up and down while plugged into vehicle for extra leverage. I reached out to Lectron requesting refund. I am done with this company. I have A2Z arriving coming tuesday that I will be keeping it.
Ordered the Vortex back in March. Received shipping notification today. Outside of testing the adapter on Tesla SC, is there a serial or batch number that identifies it as a recalled unit?
Lectron is sending out recall notices and return labels to people with units that are not part of the recall. I received one but my adapter is not even close to the serial number range affected. How confusing is that? Am I supposed to send it back or not?
I canceled my Lectron order. Taking too long then this recall. I placed an order with A2Z. $177 with OutOfSpec discount code. Lectorn, sell it for $150 and I would have re-ordered it. You can't sell it at $200 with this recall hanging over your head.
I’ve purchased the Vortex Adapter and received it with fix. Sadly the adapter has not worked and the Tesla cable is hard to remove from the adapter. I’ve followed the instructions provided and I received a fault indicator error 😢bye bye $200
Hi, I bought a grizzle 80 Amp charger with max output of 80 amp-19.2 KW but when I charge my 2024 Audi q8 I only get max charge of 47.26 amp 11.41 kw .I thought I would get around 80amp / 19.2 kw, any idea's
The faster all manufactures switch to NACS the less adaptors needed, the less charging problems people will have. Also manufactures need to put their charge ports in the ideal locations to use NACS charges. The longer the cable the easier it gets damaged.
My guess is that won't be allowed by the standards-setting bodies. They have a maximum allowed cord length, which could potentially be exceeded by such an adapter.
I wouldn't say frozen, but its definitely in a slow-down period until things settle down a bit and new employees are back to working with the other OEMs.
This feels so much like a Lectron ad rather than anything approaching a journalistic investigation. Tom spends so much time talking about how great and awesome Lectron is it makes me wonder about his motivations.
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Its not what you missed, is that you spent minutes at a time saying how great the company is. It really felt like you were working for them in this video rather than acting as independent press.
@@KlueBat Ok, I appreciate the comment. But so you know, I'm definitely not working with Lectron. In fact, they weren't very happy with my last video about the recall.
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughneywhat I find strange is the references to them being a company with a good reputation, where in my mind, there are notorious for selling chargers without safety certification, and only recently having some of theirs safety certified. But in the actual interview, I think you did a good job of asking tough questions. And catching him having no good response to the question about having information on the website. You could have pushed a little harder on the spring question-it seems that they revised more than just the tolerances, which was his claim. It also seems problematic that they revised it after UL testing was underway. Some of those tests probably need to be redone or at least have a review of those changes with UL to make sure they don't affect the completed tests.
What a weak “apology“ by the Lectron CEO. Of course he would have preferred that nobody screwed up. And nobody cares about their positive feedback. This was his opportunity to take ownership and restore confidence in his brand. A missed opportunity for this consumer who has two other Lectron products that may be the last.
He did take responsibility even though the error was by his supplier. He said no matter what the root cause, Lectron is responsible. Maybe you missed that part. I give him props for doing this video and owning up to the issue.
TLDNR State of Charge is on my short list of channels to watch. Except when Tom is interviewing CEOs. I have no interest in listening to a 20 minute sales job by a guy looking for free advertisements. Ever.
I'am Sorry. This type of Equipment is purchased and used in people's HOME'S, and on People's Property! This kind of mistake "could" cause someone's Life to be BURN'T right down to the GROUND.... GONE!!! Asta La Vista. Sorry, after seeing this type of Poor Quality Control, and It's the Other Guy's Fault is just Totally Unacceptable practices! EV's at this Point are NOT In my Future! Sorry. I'll BURN FUEL! ⛽.....
You must have watched a different video than I did. Firstly, this was a video on the adapter for Tesla DC fast charging. People don’t have that in their homes. Secondly the CEO clearly stated that regardless of whose “fault” it was, since it has the LECTRON name it is Lectron’s fault and they changed their quality checks to make certain that it can’t happen again. And no, I’m not saying this as an EV supporter. My family doesn’t even own a hybrid vehicle, let alone an EV.
@kendavis1198 I do not think this is an accurate assessment of how things work. ICE vehicles compared to BEV's are twice as likely to catch fire during their service life on the road.
Honestly, these are all theoretical of the concerns. That said rarely peoples cars will burn with ICE and rarely peoples cars will burn with EV’s. Both are dangerous situations in rare cases. That said your statement that you burn gas seems a bit opportunistic. As I have no idea why you’d be watching this video.
I like a company that catches problems early, accepts responsibility, openly works with officials to make and take corrective action. Kudos to Lectron.
Got my adapter a couple of days ago. Tried it out today for the first time at a Tesla V3 Supercharger with my 2022 Mach E GTPE. Worked perfectly, no issues connecting/disconnecting/ charging. Nice to have more chargers now available even though I charge at home 99% of the time.
@Tom I ordered and received my Vortex adapter. I was able to disconnect the NACS plug during charging as described which was an eye opener. I tried multiple times because before I heard about the recall I figured it was my user error. I contacted Lectron customer support and the technician acted like there was no recall. I had to dig up the NHTSA safety recall PDF and send it along with my original invoice before the customer support technician admitted I should receive a new one after I sent in my old one. I sent in my defective unit and received the replacement unit. I can confirm the replacement unit does work as intended.
Wow, as Tom says, it's how the company deals with it that wins or loses customers. That tech's response is a losing one. As is the failure to put info on the website.
Big fail on their tech support… 👎
Thank you for sharing your story.
Update: yesterday (May 29th) I received the safety notice via physical mail. Included was a letter and a pre-paid label for return of the defective unit.
@stateofcharge
16:44 - I had this issue with not being able to remove the NACS, even if it were connected to my car. It helps if you press in on the NACS before pressing the release lever. When you do that, it does help if the vehicle is there to give resistance to pushing it. The spring on the release level is really strong too, which can cause some difficulty in removal.
Following Lectron's instructions on removal is definitely the path of least resistance.
Hi Tom, this is my first time writing a post. After watching this and reading all of the other post, there’s TWO things that no one is telling you or sharing. I too have just received my lectron vortex adapter . My first try was a disaster , and very frustrating to say the least. The Tesla plug would not snap in the adapter . After many try’s the charging started , but after the charging finished I could not disconnect the Tesla plug from the adapter just like the video I have seen. My wife was holding the adapter and I on the other end holding the Tesla plug and pressing the unlock tab on the adapter and both of us pulling, with no luck and saying a few words, like get the saw and cut it off. Then a Tesla owner next to me HELP me after a good 8 mins of embarrassment. So here go’s, First lock in the adapter to the car, press and hold the unlock tab and press the Tesla charging plug into the adapter, This makes the Tesla plug snap in much easer. After charging ,this is the grand slam ready. On the Tesla CHARGING HANDLE your see a round circle, this is the unlock to disconnect the cable from the adapter or the charging port if you own a Tesla, press it down a few seconds, be patient. Press the hold the unlock switch on the adapter at the same time and pull the Tesla plug out. Now u can unlock your lectron adapter from your vehicle. The next day we went to try again, and now it went so much better with no problems .I hope this helps.
I am going to do a follow up review and include these customer comments. Please finish the comment so I can include it. It seems you didn't finish writing and the end is cut off.
Hello Tom, I have been waiting anxiously for this vlog. Great video as usual, thank you for following up on this and clearing up the rumors and speculation that has circulated on social media.
I pre-ordered my Lectron Vortex adapter back in November of last year pre-production. I received my adapter in March which had the defective locking mechanism. I contacted Lectron via email, and spoke with Veronica (Lectron CSR) who immediately apologized for my inconvenience and emailed me a prepaid return label. I sent my defective adapter back and received my replacement adapter within a week.
I'm extremely happy with how transparent Lectron has been with me about the situation, and how quickly they reacted in getting me my replacement adapter. It works fantastic and despite the issue, I'm still very confident in Lectron's products.
Hi Tom. Thank you. I am glad I watched your previous video before I received my pre-ordered Lectron Vortex last week. It was confirmed by Lectron that it is not part of the recall. That being said, I experienced the opposite problem that caused the recall. Instead of easily disconnecting, the adapter I received gave me a hard time disconnecting it on my initial use. It took more than 30 minutes and an extra pair of hands to finally detach this adapter to the NACS plug. I informed Lectron about this problem and requested a return. I am quite hesitant to use it again. Just letting you know. Hopefully, the issue(s) will be resolved soon.
I am having a similar issue. I didn't want to try at supercharger and get stuck. Hence I tried at my home Tesla NACS charger to inspect the locking mechanism. Now its stuck to my charger and I am unable to charge my R1S. Luckily it didn't happen at supercharger, otherwise I would have let it sit there or used saw to cut the charger off. I reached out to Lectron and they asked me to send the video which I did. But no response so far. Good thing I ordered A2Z as well. I am sending it pack to Lectron for refund but I need to take it off 1st.
I have this problem right now. I can't get the Tesla plug out of the adapter. What did you do to get it to let go? I've tried all the non-destructive things I could think of
@@markroberts6546 Just brute force and a prayer. I was glad another person helped me or else I ended up abandoning my $199 adapter at the parking lot.
Same issue. Forced it out
I received my replacement several weeks ago. Works great now!!
I have an original Lectron NACS to J1772 and it is excellent quality and it is going 4years with excellent durability, and since my Juice box charger died I am using it every day to charge my 2020 Kia Soul EV with my Portable Tesla adapter. Great company and trustworthy products.
I believe that we should not punish companies that do the right thing. Reward it, when it happens. Soooo many do not.
Thanks Tom, the procedure for installation and removal from the cars CCS Socket makes much more sense as it appears to be a better way to decouple both adapter and NACS plug.
Lectron's quick response and open process of fixing it does more to my perception of them than the initial problem. I'm quite pleased that they responded immediately to address this at launch. Many companies will stick their heads in the sand and not do anything until some very high profile accident happens and their forced to fix what they knew about for ages. Good on Lectron to get after this and fix it immediately.
Hey Tom. A2Z ev told me , the reason GM have not gotten the access to Tesla is because GM is still working on on software updates for access to Tesla superchargers.
Yeah, that's pretty much the case with most of the OEMs that don't have access yet.
Thanks for the follow up on this important issue! I've still got my Lectron unit on order and looking forward to getting it!
Thanks, Tom. 19:00 I worked in QA/QC for 12 years albeit in environmental testing and pharmaceutical manufacturing, "setbacks...are opportunities" was not our motto. Our motto was always "Zero defects".
Thank you, Tom!
Just tried to use the vortex adapter for my lightning and could not separate it from the tesla charging station. Emailed Lectron to see what they can offer to me.
@Tom, I ordered the Vortex and received in early July, but had not had a chance to open the box yet. I just saw these videos about the recall, so I immediately opened and tested it in my garage as I have a NACS home charger for my Tesla. While my Vortex does not come off the NACS charger by simply pulling on it, I was shocked that I could not remove the adapter at all! I clicked and held the release button on the bottom of the Vortex as instructed and tried many times to release it, but it will not release. So, now my Vortex is permanently attached to my NACS charger. I reached out to Lectron, but they simply sent me couple of instruction videos on how to use and release. I hope Lectron will address this problem quickly because both the Vortex and my home NACS charger are now useless.
Tom, thanks for the follow up video. looks like I won't get the Vortex adapter in time for my trip but good for them replacing bad ones first.
Thx Tom, great interview. Love Lectron products and your guest coming on says a lot about the company.
Tom,
Thank you for updating us regarding Lectron’s Vortex recall. We have two EV’s and two Lectron Telsa to J1772 adaptors and use them with confidence when adapting is necessary. Because of your interview with Lectron’s CEO I have renewed faith in the Vortex connector and the steps they have taken to resolve their recall issue. I’m one of the many whose Vortex order is Back Ordered and I look forward to receiving mine when ready. I have been in touch with Lectron on two occasions in the recent past and their Customer Service has been excellent.
Great video, Tom! I had ordered a Vortex adapter but ended up cancelling the order because of the delays with no communication. Now I know. In any case, I have an A2Z adapter, which I still need to try out.
Thanks Tom! This was very informative. Now the big question is when will Tesla restart the integration of non-Tesla EVs.
I got an email yesterday saying my adapter had been shipped. I placed the original order about 8 weeks ago. I haven't been negatively impacted by the delay since my 2024 Lightning has been sitting in a lot around Dearborn, Michigan on a quality hold since 2/21/24. I am looking forward to trying the adapter as soon as Ford can correct the issue with my new Lightning
Thanks Tom, great job with the video explaining the issue and the follow up.
Thanks for the video, Tom. Excellent as always. I ordered one of these in mid-April before the recall and still haven’t received it. They’ve had my money for six weeks and I have no product in hand. Hopefully I’ll receive one of the redesigned products soon.
I ordered towards the end of March and literally just received my shipping notification email today. I did email them to complain so not sure if that sped things up, hope that helps.
I got my shipment email yesterday too!
I was wondering why my order was delayed. Thanks, Tom, 👏🏾👏🏾State of Chsrge, for taking the bull by the horn. The link to this video was sent with the cancellation email. No kuddos points from me as this reaction from the CEO is damage control. It’s a non-starter for me. No communication = no trust.
Nearly half of 2024 is over and we only have two brands, Ford & Rivian, able to use NACS. Due to Elon dismissing entire charging department , we are over one year away from BMW, MB, VW, Audi, Kia, Hyundai, and others capable of using this adapter at a supercharger.
That has definitely played a role. I think GM would have already had access or be very close if the s*** didn't hit the fan.
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Completely agree. Maybe I’m too close to EV charging, but frequently hear buyers say they are afraid we don’t have enough places to charge. They fear waiting a hour in line at a 4-stall charger.
What’s your basis for saying it’s over a year away? Let’s see some proof. Do you work for Tesla or one of these OMs? Tesla has already hired back several of their charging team.
@@davemayo70 OEMs called their Tesla charging contacts to find they no longer work there. With 500 fired, hiring a few back is insignificant. Software development & testing is needed for each EV brand added. It is not trivial. GM compatibility was expected in May, so let’s see how much it is delayed in order to gauge timing the other brands.
How do you know it’s a few? Also, you said over a year away. That’s clearly speculation. Posting that type of speculation isn’t productive. I agree that it may be delayed but no one knows for sure if it’s a month or longer.
I have a Lectron Vbox. I love Lectron products.
I finally received my order of this adapter and over the Memorial Day weekend I tested it every chance I could make. For the most part it worked as advertised, but when I used it in Lubbock Texas I had a problem. The temperature was reported to be 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The sun seemed to focus on the adapter and after about 1 minute the station posted an error and shut off. When touched the adapter it was hotter than a pistol. I backed away and let two other (Tesla) vehicles go ahead of me. Their vehicles had no temperature problems and successfully charged from the same station I couldn’t. I tried again but the computer de-rated my connection to 32kWh, which took me over two hours to get enough to move on to next station. I should also inject that I used the same adapter twice earlier that same day with no problems. Because of the lack of stations in West Texas often travel the edge of 50 miles left in battery. That I had 3 miles in the battery when I reached Roswell.
I was wondering if painting the adapter white would keep this kind of overheating from happening.
Tom you did a very good job with your interview with Chris. Lectron kept this problem they encountered in the spot light, Chris should be given credit for that. I did receive a non-defective adapter about 2 weeks ago. The spring in the J3400 inlet is strong and takes a higher level of effort to release the pin. I quickly learned that the tolerance Chris refers to is indeed slight between success and failure on the J3400 side of the adapter. I also found that if you press down on the top of the Tesla handle while simultaneously pulling the handle out of the Lectron vortex plug the Tesla handle does come free with little effort. Keep in mind the spring trigger on the vortex adapter must be fully engaged while you perform this disconnect. My neighbor also found this useful when he tried this method at his visit to a Tesla super charger station. Since the ship date of the manufacturer is months away, I plan to continue to use the Lectron adapter.
I just ordered a Vortex plug on Friday with your link, and it came today. I'm happy to report it fits perfectly, very snug, but slides right out with very little effort as long as the release latch is pressed in fully. I did noticed the Tesla male plug wouldn't go in to the adapter more than 1/2 way at first, but I pressed the release latch like halfway in and it slid right in. So make sure and tell them, they nailed the tolerances perfectly this time, or maybe I just got lucky?? Anyway, it works perfect on my Ford E-transit. I just had to plug it in, then activate the stall I was at with the Ford Pass app, and it started charging immediately. Just plugging it turned the lights blue, but in vehicle it said charging paused, until I activated the stall number in the app, then it started working immediately even though the app screen said up to 2 minutes.
I have not been very happy with Lectron. Deliveries have been very slow. Products do not always work as advertised. Customer service is not strong. Although I have 9 EVs/plug-in hybrids I rent on Turo, they have not been reliable enough to continue giving them money.
I bought a lectron NACS TO J1772 adapter and the NACS socket is defective! The Tesla NACS DOES NOT FIT! If you look inside you can see bulges in the plastic mounding that prevents the complete insertion. Serious quality control issues at lectron! Buyer beware
Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste
🙏🏻 😊 ✌ ☮ ❤ 🕊
I have faith in Lectron, they got on the problem and fixed it right away. I have a unit on order from your show and am glad to hear it will be coming soon. Thanks for the update.
Good to know! I like Lectron, and own one of its V2L adapters for my Ioniq 5. That said, I kinda prefer A2Z's Typhoon adapter more than Lectron's Vortex. Still, we need different options, and the more the merrier.
I've have had emails, comments and tweets from people that say their replacement adapter is also very tight, and some that have even gotten stuck like mine. Yesterday there was a tweet that somebody tagged me in that shows an abandoned Lectron adapter stuck on a Tesla supercharger handle at a supercharger site. Mine is starting to loosen up now after the initial time that it got stuck I've kept working with it and now while it's still harder than the original adapter I can remove it without the assistance of a second person now and also without it being plugged into the car. So if you get one and it's tight (I don't think you should have to do this but) if you work with it it does get looser over time.
Did you try the removal procedure in the video? Their instructions indicate that the CCS portion must be installed in the vehicle to first remove the nacs plug per the pending ul guideline.
@@LarsDennert Yes I did try plugging it into my car I was still not able to remove the Tesla handle
Well, unfortunately, it seems like Lectron is STILL shipping out faulty units. I ordered mine in March. It shipped on May 23, and arrived today (May 27). I just tried it out, and I can easily unplug the NACS cable from the adapter without depressing the latch. I will contact their customer service right away.
That is a major concern. Thanks for sharing
@@gregpochet4812 Yup. I just sent a video of the issue to Lectron (and also to Tom and Lectron's CEO via Twitter/X). I'm pretty concerned that new shipments are still exhibiting the problem.
I received one from Lectron and couldn't remove it from the supercharging station. I freaked out because I was forced to leave a $200 adapter behind. They were great. Sent me another one and didn't force me to return the first. But the second one didn't disconnect either!! Worse is that they don't have a customer support line you can call. You have to email them and wait 20 minutes or so for someone to return the email. Now, I'm still out $200. I can't travel more than 270 miles, and I haven't heard from them in 18 hours!
I ordered mine after your first video 7 so haven't received anything. I had two concerns after you reported the recall, but again, I had not and still have not received anything and it's been several weeks. God bless
Tom, I returned our nacs to ccs1 vortex adapter after I saw your notification about the issue a few weeks ago. It turns out it was one of the bad ones and lectron returned my money. Very nice people to deal with. Professional, quick turnaround on questions and nice apology. We are still waiting for the adapter that Rivian said they’d send us which is why we purchased Lectrons. FYI, we have had problems with the Rivian charger we purchased with our R1S over a year ago. Have you done a review on it?
Not yet, but it is on my list. What problems did you have?
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney we’ve had a problem with our R1S showing the charging history with the Rivian charger. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. We’ve reinstalled the charger, made sure it’s on a 2.4Ghz frequency WiFi and the WiFi node is only 20 ft from the charger. We’ve had the Rivian charger team check it out but they’ve never solved it. We’ve also never been able to get the charger to upgrade its software from the original VO3.04.09. The current firmware version is 3.01.49. This charger is at our cabin just north of Duluth MN. In the last month it’s charged our R1S, our Model Y LR, and son’s BMW. So the charger charges just fine and shows up on the Rivian screen and the iPhone app. One other thing, it’s got that heavy cable like the old Grizzl-E. I much prefer the lighter cable like the one on our Tesla wall connector at home. So, we love our R1S launch addition we’ve had since January 2023 plus the Rivian people have been great. I hope you’ll have the chance to talk with the Rivian charger team and find out more about what they’re there up too. Still waiting on the NACS to CCS adapter…
@@tomkeyser552 Did you mix up the software versions? Since 3.04.09 is newer then 3.01.49
Have received a recall letter and a second unit already. Guessing it is the replacement - bought for when I was planning to keep my i-pace but went model x after reasons I can not disclose.
Is the Chevy Bolt approved to charge by Tesla? Is there a list of approved brands? Thanks!
With no official testing standard for these adapters, we are left to TRUST that the manufacturer has made it safely. If this error was able to pass by their quality control, why should we trust that the internals of the device are manufactured correctly??
The way the CEO describes their remediation is textbook for how to get it right. I hope Boeing pays attention!
@Tom Do you have any plans to review Tesla/NACS or J1772 extension cords such as those offered by Lectron? These extend on the car side of the EVSE rather than the wall side of the EVSE. Seem like a better solution for those of use that travel to destinations with home outlets in odd places.
They need to set it up so that the new plug is shipped with a return label for the recall the item. If they don't ship the recalled item back then they need to be charged for a second adapter, as a punitive process so that the recall adapters are returned so that they are not out there floating around. But there should be no time when they have zero adapter.... But I do understand them getting a credit card or something set up to ensure that the faulty ones are returned and the person doesn't keep both due to liability out there.
Everyone screwed up with these adapters, Tesla, Ford, Rivian etc.. They should have had a supply of them BEFORE cars started gaining SuC access. What good is having access if you don't have the adapter to go with it?
9:49 looks to have the backlog of adaptors ordered will be in customers hands by the end of the second week of June. YAY!
Ordered mine weeks ago. After a week of “carrier waiting for item” I emailed them they said “many were not picked up but would next day.” It’s now been another week and they will not update you unless they ask. And site has no warning of delays so I had to cancel my trip. Super bummed with the company.
Lectron handled this in the best way they could. Still would be my preference but it’s probably useless for me. By the time Tesla incorporates Hyundai my lease will be up in 2026 and I’ll not buy another unless J3400 keeps the same charging curve and those providers have twice the J3400 plug count as they have CCS currently. Tesla didn’t release 800V for CyberTruck and I know they are even less concerned about letting me charge at NEVI required voltages. That will never happen on V3’s so only V4’s cabinets will charge like EA does for me. If I wanted to charge far below 100kW on V3’s I’d bought the cheapest EV and saved 30K. So adapters probably will never be used by me. 💯 22:24
Well, had one of the recalled adapters. Went through the process of returning it for a replacement. New one came yesterday and I hooked it up to my Tesla Universal Wall Connector to make sure it was safe. It was hard to get on and that should have been a warning sign. Now it's stuck on the Tesla Wall connector plug. I am able to remove it from the vehicle. Anyone have any idea how to make it release? I have tried all the combinations of button pushing and pulling on the adapter. Man I'm not happy right now. What a shit show with all of this.
No Chademo adapter that I can find.
Most charging providers say no adapters anyway.
So you want kudos for a "voluntary" recall!? What else could you do? And now we learned Lectron never ever did 100% QC. Unacceptable!
I just received it today. I wanted to check it on home charger but now stuck. It seems they over did it. I cannot take out the adopter from my home Level 2 charger. I inserted just to make sure I don’t have recalled adopter. What should I do?
I have the exact same problem. Please let me know if you figure it out. I have to say this just makes me mad after all that I've been through with this so far.
@@markroberts6546 I was able to take it out. I used zip tie to press the NACS and plugged it back to my vehicle. Make sure you turn off the power on your charger. Then gently wiggle up and down while plugged into vehicle for extra leverage. I reached out to Lectron requesting refund. I am done with this company. I have A2Z arriving coming tuesday that I will be keeping it.
Ordered the Vortex back in March. Received shipping notification today. Outside of testing the adapter on Tesla SC, is there a serial or batch number that identifies it as a recalled unit?
Lectron is sending out recall notices and return labels to people with units that are not part of the recall. I received one but my adapter is not even close to the serial number range affected. How confusing is that? Am I supposed to send it back or not?
I canceled my Lectron order. Taking too long then this recall. I placed an order with A2Z. $177 with OutOfSpec discount code. Lectorn, sell it for $150 and I would have re-ordered it. You can't sell it at $200 with this recall hanging over your head.
I’ve purchased the Vortex Adapter and received it with fix. Sadly the adapter has not worked and the Tesla cable is hard to remove from the adapter. I’ve followed the instructions provided and I received a fault indicator error 😢bye bye $200
Hi, I bought a grizzle 80 Amp charger with max output of 80 amp-19.2 KW but when I charge my 2024 Audi q8 I only get max charge of 47.26 amp 11.41 kw .I thought I would get around 80amp / 19.2 kw, any idea's
The faster all manufactures switch to NACS the less adaptors needed, the less charging problems people will have. Also manufactures need to put their charge ports in the ideal locations to use NACS charges. The longer the cable the easier it gets damaged.
I ordered my vortex in early march, still haven't gotten it
What can they do to "restore" faith? Maybe stop selling EVSEs that aren't listed and can't be because they don't meet safety standards.
Since the Tesla supercharger cords are so short the adapter should have a 1 to 3 foot cord attached. Would make like simpler
I think the challenge is set that cables are cooled and cooling the adapter would be harder.
@@charliesullivan4304 makes sense
*liquid-cooled
@@lemongavine yes, thanks
Lectron just got a little loose in the rush.
Any word when Chevy will be able to charge at superchargers. Chevy's customer service doesn't know when this will happen.
No. Tesla firing its Supercharger team has delayed it for sure
I would think a more useful adapter would have 3 or 4 ft of cable in it to solve the short Tesla cable problem
My guess is that won't be allowed by the standards-setting bodies. They have a maximum allowed cord length, which could potentially be exceeded by such an adapter.
Supercharger cables are liquid-cooled. An extension cable problem would be difficult to solve
the network is frozen to being open. thanks qElmo!
I wouldn't say frozen, but its definitely in a slow-down period until things settle down a bit and new employees are back to working with the other OEMs.
What is the state of charge discount code?
it was "stateofcharge' but since the recall, I don't think it's active. I think they suspended all discount codes
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney thanks, I went with A2Z adapter. I don’t like the idea of putting the adapter in first. Seems counterintuitive
This feels so much like a Lectron ad rather than anything approaching a journalistic investigation. Tom spends so much time talking about how great and awesome Lectron is it makes me wonder about his motivations.
What questions would you have liked me to ask that I didn't? I thought covered all of the pertinent topics here - maybe I missed something?
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Its not what you missed, is that you spent minutes at a time saying how great the company is. It really felt like you were working for them in this video rather than acting as independent press.
@@KlueBat Ok, I appreciate the comment. But so you know, I'm definitely not working with Lectron. In fact, they weren't very happy with my last video about the recall.
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughneywhat I find strange is the references to them being a company with a good reputation, where in my mind, there are notorious for selling chargers without safety certification, and only recently having some of theirs safety certified. But in the actual interview, I think you did a good job of asking tough questions. And catching him having no good response to the question about having information on the website. You could have pushed a little harder on the spring question-it seems that they revised more than just the tolerances, which was his claim. It also seems problematic that they revised it after UL testing was underway. Some of those tests probably need to be redone or at least have a review of those changes with UL to make sure they don't affect the completed tests.
What a weak “apology“ by the Lectron CEO. Of course he would have preferred that nobody screwed up. And nobody cares about their positive feedback.
This was his opportunity to take ownership and restore confidence in his brand. A missed opportunity for this consumer who has two other Lectron products that may be the last.
He did take responsibility even though the error was by his supplier. He said no matter what the root cause, Lectron is responsible. Maybe you missed that part. I give him props for doing this video and owning up to the issue.
Would this work on 2024 Nissan Ariya? Thanks
black eye, no need to buy. competition is good.
TLDNR State of Charge is on my short list of channels to watch. Except when Tom is interviewing CEOs. I have no interest in listening to a 20 minute sales job by a guy looking for free advertisements. Ever.
But you took time to comment on said "long" video.
I'am Sorry. This type of Equipment is purchased and used in people's HOME'S, and on People's Property! This kind of mistake "could" cause someone's Life to be BURN'T right down to the GROUND.... GONE!!! Asta La Vista. Sorry, after seeing this type of Poor Quality Control, and It's the Other Guy's Fault is just Totally Unacceptable practices! EV's at this Point are NOT In my Future! Sorry. I'll BURN FUEL! ⛽.....
You must have watched a different video than I did. Firstly, this was a video on the adapter for Tesla DC fast charging. People don’t have that in their homes. Secondly the CEO clearly stated that regardless of whose “fault” it was, since it has the LECTRON name it is Lectron’s fault and they changed their quality checks to make certain that it can’t happen again.
And no, I’m not saying this as an EV supporter. My family doesn’t even own a hybrid vehicle, let alone an EV.
@kendavis1198 I do not think this is an accurate assessment of how things work. ICE vehicles compared to BEV's are twice as likely to catch fire during their service life on the road.
@@kelviskelvis7140 Sure???
@@davidroddini1512 Ya.
Honestly, these are all theoretical of the concerns. That said rarely peoples cars will burn with ICE and rarely peoples cars will burn with EV’s. Both are dangerous situations in rare cases. That said your statement that you burn gas seems a bit opportunistic. As I have no idea why you’d be watching this video.
Are you doing an update on the Tesla Universal charger that has the power sharing for the house, from the cyber truck ?
h theTesla.Supercharger team firings,have another other cars other than Ford and Divine been authorities to use Superchargers?
Not yet. It has caused delays