5-15 to 10-30 outlet adapter

evmustache · Jun 14, 2015

I recently purchased a 2012 i and it came with the standard SAE J1772 charger for a regular 5-15 outlet (normal house socket). No chademo option.

My garage has an unused dryer outlet (10-30) that I would love to tap into to get a faster charge.

Does anyone know of a good source to buy an adapter that is a 5-15 (female) to 10-30 (male)? Apologies if this is already answered somewhere on the forum, I couldn't find anything out there about it.

Or, does this type of adapter not even exist because it would allow 30amps through a plug/wire designed for 15amps?

kiev · Jun 14, 2015

evmustache said:
this type of adapter not even exist because it would allow 30amps through a plug/wire designed for 15amps?

Welcome to the forum. Such adapter does not exist as you surmised. Shop around you can find level 2 EVSE (240vac 30A chargers) at home depot, ebay, craigslist, etc.

PV1 · Jun 14, 2015

If I'm correct in assuming a 10-30 outlet is 240 volts, the stock charging cable cannot be plugged into this outlet, as the higher voltage will damage the internal components. However, there is a solution. What many of us have done is the EVSEUpgrade. For $250-$300, there is a company that you can send your cord to, they will upgrade the components in the box, and when you get it back, it will have an L6-20 or L6-30 end on it and can charge at up to 240 volts, 13 amps. For the L6-30 end, you can make an adapter to go to 10-30. Plug ends are available at stores like Lowe's.

If you don't like the idea of sending your only means of charging away for a week or would like a backup, Aerovironment's TurboCord is the next cheapest option, IIRC. Then, of course, there is always the option of purchasing a wall-mounted charging station and putting a 10-30 plug on it. Given that the outlet is only 30 amps, you will have to opt for a 16 amp unit to comply with code. That is still plenty of power for the i-MiEV to charge at full speed.

Congrats, and welcome to the forum.

JoeS · Jun 14, 2015

evmustache said:

My garage has an unused dryer outlet (10-30) that I would love to tap into to get a faster charge.

Click to expand...

evmustache, welcome to the forum. The NEMA 10-30 is the older US-standard dryer outlet, and I often use these when I visit distant friends.

Your question has been ably answered but I will emphasize NOT to plug in the unmodified OEM EVSE into 240vac. If you do go the EVSEUpgrade route (which I DO recommend, and their L6-20 plug is more than sufficient and the subsequent adapter will be a little less expensive than if you use the L6-30 plug), be sure to purchase EVSEUpgrade's L6-20R to 5-15P adapter as it is a good price and is a quality molded product.

The next step would then be to make your own adapter: all you need to purchase is one each NEMA L6-20R and 10-30P

There is no concern regarding excessive current draw, as the i-MiEV will only draw around 13A at 240vac, which the 10-30 dryer outlet is very capable of safely supplying.

Whereabouts are you located, as maybe one of our forum members could help you assemble the adapter if you'd like?

Phximiev · Jun 14, 2015

Ok, we bought the Turbocord (Portable), had our electrician install the NEMA 6-20 and 30 amp fuse, and have been quite happy about the installation.

But, the Turbocord does not "fit" into a standard dryer outlet without an adapter. Do I take in right in that the EVSEUpgrade folks have such an adapter? (Dryer to NEMA 6-20)?

This would certainly help with our travel plans.

JoeS · Jun 14, 2015

Phximiev said:

Ok, we bought the Turbocord (Portable), had our electrician install the NEMA 6-20 and 30 amp fuse, and have been quite happy about the installation.
But, the Turbocord does not "fit" into a standard dryer outlet without an adapter. Do I take in right in that the EVSEUpgrade folks have such an adapter? (Dryer to NEMA 6-20)?

Click to expand...

Surprised you didn't go with a larger outlet (for future expansion). Did you go NEMA 6-20 (straight plug) or NEMA L6-20 (locking plug)?

I just checked the EVSEUpgrade website and they only have a ready-made NEMA 10-30 to L6-30 adapter. You can easily make your own 10-30 to 6-20.

Phximiev · Jun 14, 2015

We didn't install anything else, because we didn't know better. ;-)

We installed a straight plug and I just received an email from the EVSEUpgrade folks who said that the Turbocord can be adapted with two adapters that they have in stock:

_______
If you just want an adapter for your Turbocord to work with a three-prong dryer outlet you would need these two adapters:

http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=24

http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=17

Regards,

Mark

EVSE Upgrade
______

So the two adapters would cost about $50.00 or so.

JoeS · Jun 14, 2015

EVSEUpgrade's adapters are high quality molded units. You'all might as well start your collection of adapters if you're going to be into EVs for the long haul. My most-often-used adapter plug is to the dryer 10-30.

evmustache · Jun 14, 2015

Many thanks for the replies! That makes sense now, especially understanding the evse upgrade option.

I have a lot to learn it looks like.

Phximiev · Jun 14, 2015

Here, here, if we'd have known, we would have gone the upgrade route. Now we will have to see if its worth it to even get the adapters if we travel to see friends. Most of course will have the 120v, but how many will have a dryer outlet available and within reach?

Don · Jun 15, 2015

One of the nicest features of the Upgrade is the twist-lock connector they put on the EVSE - With a matching twist-lock socket and a short pigtail you can adapt that to anything you like and when the mating twist-locks are connected and locked, they'll never fall apart. You can buy a mating socket pigtail (either from them or anyplace you like) and then put any sort of connector you like on the other end. With a few of these adapter pigtails, you can be pretty confident of plugging in most anywhere. The two common dryer outlets (the newer 4 prong and the older 3 prong) and the RV plug would be good choices, plus the standard 120 volt NEMA 5-15

I love it when Joe posts the picture of his assorted collection of adapters ;-)

Don

JoeS · Jun 15, 2015

Don said:

I love it when Joe posts the picture of his assorted collection of adapters ;-)

Click to expand...

You asked for it...

This is a very old photograph of just a few of the adapters.

I've standardized on L6-30 for my SPX EVSE input, and have adapters to mate with just about any 120v/240v outlet.

Here is a recent list, although I've made a few more since then:

Really have to make a list of everything and label each end, as it quickly becomes unmanageable.

kiev · Jun 15, 2015

And they all look so new too!

JoeS · Jun 15, 2015

kiev said:

And they all look so new too!

Click to expand...

Most of these connectors were picked up in 'bargain bins' for pennies on the dollar as I couldn't resist the price. Indeed, some have still been unused and I have to question my own sanity when I toss the box with everything into the car. Not long ago I needed to run 240vac from the laundry room way in the back of a friend's house and my collection of 240v extensions was still way short so I commandeered a 120v extension cord to do 240v service but had to cobble together yet another adapter on the spot to do that... hmm, maybe I should make a permanent L6-30P to 5-20R (T-slot) adapter as that's bound to happen again...

PV1 · Jun 15, 2015

Joe, maybe this would be a better extension solution?

http://shop.quickchargepower.com/JLONG-40-Amp-J1772-extension-cable-JL40A.htm

I know someone who has a few of these. They are quality cables.

johnr · Jun 17, 2015

I'm using a portable 240V charging cord from www.evseadapters.com - surprisingly compact but it works great, I'm very happy with it. Mine has a twist-lock connector so I can use various adapters to fit different outlets, but it's also available with a 10-30 plug already attached. The price is the lowest I've seen too.

jray3 · Jul 15, 2015

I'll echo appreciation for Joe's adapter photos and now the spreadsheet.
http://www.katiekat.net/Vehicles/Mitsi/EVSEAdaptersJoeS.pdf
Joe, seems you followed EVSE Upgrade in standardizing on an L6-30 "in the middle"
My 'first generation' adapters daisy chain together, with 14-50 connecting to the portable L2 EVSE and then other 240V plugs from most to least common, then down to the various 120V plugs. Of course a lot of added resistance in that setup, but it was cheaper than buying a whole bunch of quality plugs and outlets at once.

What I'd prefer, however, is a common inlet on the EVSE and a compact, inexpensive connector to the various plug adaptors. I'm leaning towards the Anderson Powerpole, though it has sharp corners that aren't kind to the hands. Any better options out there?

Don · Jul 21, 2015

Phximiev said:
. . . . but how many will have a dryer outlet available and within reach?

A 25 to 50 foot 12 gauge cord with a dryer plug on one end and whatever outlet fits your EVSE on the other would solve that problem

Despite the warnings in the owners manual NOT to use an extension cord, so long as you use a heavy duty one, there is no harm in doing so. A 12 gauge cord would be safe to use for either L1 or L2 even if the cord was 50 or 100 feet long. The car never draws more than about 13 amps and your extension cord will never get warm - The stock pigtail on your EVSE running to the J1772 connector is only 16 gauge and it DOES get warm from time to time

Don

BarryP · Jul 21, 2015

evmustache said:
...My garage has an unused dryer outlet (10-30) that I would love to tap into to get a faster charge....

Does anyone know of a good source to buy an adapter that is a 5-15 (female) to 10-30 (male)?

Sorry for the late response. Didn’t see the question until now.
I have the updated version (cost $287) from EVSEUgrade and it works great at 120 or 240V.
As other have stated you won’t get a faster charge with your stock unit. But a nice thing about the dryer outlet is it may have its own circuit breaker so you won’t have to worry about loading down other garage circuits (maybe).

But theoretically you can make an 5-15 female to 10-30 male adapter. The older 10-30 has two “lines” (called LINE1 and LINE2) and one neutral. Use the LINE1 and neutral. This gives you 120V. Leave LINE2 disconnected. You will have to tie the ground lug of the 5-15 to the neutral for the stock charger to work. But as you noted, if you ever had a short, you don’t want 30A running through a 15A cord. So you will also have to insert a 15A in-line fuse on LINE1.

Just an fyi if anyone wanted an adapter--- howbeit, clunky.
-Barry

Phximiev · Jul 31, 2015

More on charging options, has anyone tried this?

http://www.quick220.com/

In theory, this design allows one to use both 120v plug sockets and convert the two to a single Level 2 charge. This would seem to be a desirable product to have if it works.

5-15 to 10-30 outlet adapter

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