Tesla Charger Holder [MakerID-16]

For the School Maker Faire, I used Tinkercad, Cura, and the Ultimaker 3D-Printer to design, perfect, and print a Tesla charger holder that can be attached to the garage wall.

I decided to build a Tesla charger holder because when my dad wants to use his car, we have to disconnect it from the power outlet and move it out of the way which is annoying.  The holder would enable us to hang the charger on the wall.

I was inspired to design and build the charger in order to solve a problem that has annoyed us and may be a problem for others too.  I haven’t found a ready-made holder that I liked and that was cheap.

I only had about two weeks to design, print and test my prototype.  I also was limited by the resources available to me since the school 3D printers were also being used by others and I did not have time to print more than two versions or to do re-designs.

I researched on the Internet possible designs and read Tesla owner forums.  I decided that the holder should be shaped like a circle that can attach to the wall with a clip inside to keep the charger from falling out.

I used the actual Tesla charger as an example to see how big I had to make the holder and measured the charger.  I had to make the holder bigger than the actual charger so that it would fit inside. I broke up the design into three pieces so that it would be easier to 3D print.

In this process I learned how to print the correct sizes for the holder.   I thought this process would be easier but it was challenging to design the holder and to print such a big project in a short period of time.

I designed and printed two versions of the charger holder.  One has a hollow interior and the other has a solid interior.  Theoretically the version with the solid interior should be sturdier but it takes longer to print, uses more filament and is heavier.  I will test to see whether it is necessary for the charger holder to be so sturdy.

If I had more time, I would have added specific holes to fit the charger exactly. If you want to complete this project (or any project), my advice is to put a lot of time into your design for the best performance. Time pays off.  For others who want to make a charger holder, I suggest that they use a stronger type of 3D filament so that you don’t have to worry about the charger holder snapping.

The project did not cost me anything because I used free resources on the Internet and my school’s resources - such as the 3D printer.  If you did not have access to a 3D printer and filament, this project could be expensive to make.