Adapters

[JoeS]

I can't believe that we didn't already have a thread dedicated solely to adapters, so I started this one...

Don sent me an email and wondering what adapters I would recommend for an extended trip with his Volt. Good question, as, despite having a collection of adapters that will cover everything except a California Plug (I'm working on it), reality is that very few are really needed for our i-MiEV (or Volt). I'll discuss adapters and extension cords for 120vac and 240vac and J1772 and Tesla EVSE.

120vac ADAPTERS

I think the everyday NEMA 5-15 plug is sufficient and there is no need for a fancier 20A NEMA 5-20 adapter. After all, our i-MiEV EVSE is limited to 8A or 12A (newer i-MiEV or EVSEUpgrade.com mod) at that voltage. See below for combined 120vac/240vac adapters.

240vac ADAPTERS

Note that the following discussion is only about adapters for low-power (~3.3kW) EVSEs. If you're planning on a more-modern BEV (with 6.6kW or greater charging capability) in the future, then don't waste your money on these recommendations and simply standardize on NEMA 14-50.

For use with the i-MiEV or Volt, start off with a basic L6-20P as a plug on the end of the 240v (16A or less) EVSE cable as this will be the basis for the following NEMA-connector adapters:

L6-20R to three-prong 14-30/14-50/14-60 plug
We've discussed this extensively on other threads and we are talking about cutting off (or simply not installing) the Neutral pin on this male connector, which will allow this plug to work with any of the three above outlets. 14-50 is common in RV campgrounds, newer home ovens, and newer welders; 14-30 is used in modern home dryers. I've never seen a 14-60.

L6-20R to 10-30P
The 10-30 was the standard dryer connector in US homes until 1996, at which time it was replaced by the four-wire 14-30. I think that I have used 10-30 more than any other outlet as most of my friends have older homes and these outlets are very common either in the garage or in the laundry room adjacent to the garage.

L6-20R to 6-20P
On my cross-country trip I had two instances where I utilized a 6-20 receptacle: a friend had a lathe in his garage and a boatyard had a shop vacuum plugged into it. It's small and inexpensive enough that I'd carry this in my bag of tricks.

L6-20R to 6-50P
The 6-50 connector was used for older ovens and as an outlet for a welder. Surprisingly, I've used this a number of times as I've run across at least two homes that had these in their garages, and an RV park had one in their repair shop for welding (but did not have a 14-50 outlet at their campground). Although I've never actually gone to a welding shop, in my cross-country jaunts I always had that possibility as a backup plan in case I got into trouble, as welding facilities exist in virtually every town in this country.

5-15P to L6-20R and L6-20P to 5-15R
This pair of adapters will allow the use of a 240vac extension cord on 120vac. The 5-15P to L6-20R adapter is used with a multi-voltage (120vac and 240vac) EVSE and mates with its L6-20P plug.

EXTENSION CORD REVISED
Given the above set of adapters, one good 25' #12AWG extension cord with a L6-20 plug and socket should suffice for just about any eventuality, as this can be used for both 240vac and 120vac. Although I've had a couple of situations whereby I ran a 100' extension cord from a dryer outlet in the back of the house, this is so rare as to not merit carrying around the weight and volume of such a cord. Disclaimer: check the wire rating to ensure it can handle at least 300vac. It is ok to use 240vac connectors for 120vac but not ok to use 120vac connectors on 240vac. This modifies my previous suggestion of using a 120vac extension cord for 240vac.

J1772 EXTENSION
I have one that's 20' long and have used it a number of times, primarily to plug into a public station that was ICE'd or occupied by a BEV/PHEV that had finished charging, but also useful when curb-charging the Tesla (and Volt and Bolt) which have their power inlet located on the driver's side. Without endorsement, here's an example of one such extender:
https://shop.quickchargepower.com/JLONG-40-Amp-J1772-extension-cable-JL40A.htm

Tesla UMC and HPWC J1772 ADAPTER (240vac NOT SuperCharger)
I bought one for my i-MiEV as it allows me to utilize my two Tesla EVSEs (UMC and HPWC). With the proliferation of Tesla High Power Wall Chargers (HPWC) around the country at hotels, restaurants, and (especially) wineries, this is a handy 240vac adapter to have on long trips. Again, without endorsement, here's an example -
https://www.ebay.com/itm/142544249020
It's my understanding that such an adapter may not be compatible with the latest version of Tesla's HPWC. Proper etiquette would be to both ask at the desk to be able to use that EVSE and also leave a note on the windshield should a Tesla show up. If anyone locally wants to borrow mine to take on a trip, you're welcome to it.

Oh, and here's my personal list of all my adapters. I keep updating it with the same link as I acquire more... this is a hodge-podge lifetime collection, many adapters which I would not make if I were starting from scratch.
http://www.katiekat.net/Vehicles/Mitsi/EVSEAdaptersJoeS.pdf

Well, that's my first shot. I'm sure I left something out... :roll:

 

[bradleydavidgood777]

Thanks Joe! Awesome post and very comprehensive.

I like the idea of using a 12AWG extension cord. When I was only charging 120v at home I would throw the stock EVSE in the car and always had an extension cord in the car, maybe 50 foot. And it was probably not 12.

Now that I'm charging 240v at home I've been thinking about leaving the stock EVSE in the car because the 120v 5-15 can get me a charge and I've got no other adapters yet. But then I was thinking, would I carry another whole long cord for 240V? Your solution solves that problem. I like it.

I still need the stock EVSE tho in case I need to use 120v. I don't think the Amazing-E does 120v. I am wondering if any EVSE does both. Like if you get your stock one upgraded, does it do both 120 and 240? This is something you could address here - what EVSE(s) do you carry? Do you ever do 120v charging on the go?

As I read all of your adapters, I thought it was a very good list and would be a good idea to work on creating them one at a time, over time, starting with the most common. The one thought I had was that if I was going to carry a 5-15 extension cord, and it was going to be used infrequently, why not eliminate the L6-20 from the equation and just use 5-15 for all of the adapters? Would be much cheaper too and take up less space in the car. May be a good option for people like me who don't plan on traveling far very often at all.

 

[bradleydavidgood777]

Another question...what do you use for the wire in your adapters? I guess for the dryer ones you use a dryer plug and wire and cut it.... but what about the 5-15 ones? I guess 12AWG?

You might want to add that info into each adapter description.

 

[JoeS]

I still need the stock EVSE tho in case I need to use 120v. I don't think the Amazing-E does 120v. I am wondering if any EVSE does both. Like if you get your stock one upgraded, does it do both 120 and 240? This is something you could address here - what EVSE(s) do you carry? Do you ever do 120v charging on the go?

We've discussed many 120vac/240vac EVSEs on this subforum, the most common being the modified OEM Mitsubishi (Panasonic) EVSEUpgrade.com, which I carry on my i-MiEV trips. Overnight on my long Tesla trips I've often charged on 120vac.

As I read all of your adapters, I thought it was a very good list and would be a good idea to work on creating them one at a time, over time, starting with the most common. The one thought I had was that if I was going to carry a 5-15 extension cord, and it was going to be used infrequently, why not eliminate the L6-20 from the equation and just use 5-15 for all of the adapters? Would be much cheaper too and take up less space in the car. May be a good option for people like me who don't plan on traveling far very often at all.

Please note that using a 120vac extension cord on 240vac can be dangerous, and I offered it as a bare-minimum to have along on a trip to save weight and volume. Normally for 240vac do use a proper L6-20 (or larger) connector at both ends. Although I think a 5-15 can handle the voltage, it is not certified for that, and the risk of inadvertently plugging in a 120vac appliance into a 240vac powerline is always there!
Edit: Note that I have modified my recommendation to show L6-20 connectors at both ends. This cable can be used on 120vac with the two L6-20<-->5-15 adapters.

Another question...what do you use for the wire in your adapters? I guess for the dryer ones you use a dryer plug and wire and cut it.... but what about the 5-15 ones? I guess 12AWG?

Edit: for 15A and 20A circuits I use #10AWG if it will fit into the connector; otherwise, #12AWG.

 

[Don]

Not all extension cords are created equal either - There are 12/3 cords out there which are basically junk and I wouldn't recommend anyone buying one to use for charging, especially not if you are thinking of using it for 240 volts - If you found it at Harbor Freight, I would leave it there . . . . it's cheap connectors won't last you very long

At a minimum, make sure it's made with cable labeled for 300 volts. High quality molded ends are what you're looking for. You don't have to pay a fortune to get a good cord. The Utilitech 25 foot cord at Lowes is an example of a high quality cord - It's $38.50 plus tax, so roughly $40

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-Pro-25-ft-15-Amp-120-Volt-1-Outlet-12-Gauge-Yellow-Outdoor-Contractor-Extension-Cord/3203691

As I'm always looking for bargains, I bought this nearly identical cord a month or so ago for $20.99 with free shipping. I don't see a nickel's woth of difference between this one and the one at Lowes for $40. I see now though that they have raised the price a bit to $24.80 - Still a bargain in my book

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Prime-Wire-and-Cable-Heavy-Duty-Outdoor-Extension-Cord-EC511825-25ft-12-3-SJTW/302452302662?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

If you're looking at the $15 NEMA 14-50P plugs at Lowes, I found these Chinese ones for less than $6 ($5.29 to be exact)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/50A-125-250V-Industrial-Grade-NEMA-14-50p-Straight-Blade-US-Four-Holes-WKs/222862371770?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

It takes about 2 weeks to get them, but well worth the wait. I took one into Lowes to compare with the ones they sell - It's quite obvious who is manufacturing the ones they're selling. How in the world do they sell something like these with free shipping from halfway around the world for $5?? - USPS would charge me more than that just to ship it back

I buy all my Twist Lock connectors and all the NEMA 5-15 plugs and sockets on eBay also - Usually for less than half the prices at the big box stores

Don

 

[JoeS]

Whoa! I realize that I gave some bad advice.

It is ok to use 240vac connectors for 120vac

It is not ok to use 120vac connectors for 240vac

I'm modifying my first adapter post to show that the extension cord should have L6-20 connectors on it and not 5-15.

Sorry.

 

[JoeS]

...If you're looking at the $15 NEMA 14-50P plugs at Lowes, I found these Chinese ones for less than $6 ($5.29 to be exact)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/50A-125-25...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Wow, Don, thanks for this lead as it was becoming pricy to make adapters now that I'm changing over from L6-30 to 14-50 and putting together a smaller Tesla-dedicated box of adapters instead of lugging my lifetime collection around with me.

 

[bradleydavidgood777]

Same video as my last post - just updating this thread for those who found the Adapters thread later...

https://youtu.be/KrnsDU404Yw

 

[JoeS]

bradleydavidgood777, thank you for your post. I see that you took the inexpensive way out and are using your 120vac extension cord for 240vac without changing the connectors over to 6-20. Just pay attention as to which voltage you have at the other end when you use it. :roll:

 

[Aerowhatt]

bradleydavidgood777, thank you for your post. I see that you took the inexpensive way out and are using your 120vac extension cord for 240vac without changing the connectors over to 6-20. Just pay attention as to which voltage you have at the other end when you use it. :roll:

Plus also - you should have (read as must have) a circuit breaker box at the supply end of your extension cord when plugging into any circuit that is higher amperage than 15 or 20. Drier plugs, Rv plugs and others like them. If you don't have over-current protection in your set up. Any damage to the cord or a fault in the EVSE or car that causes a short circuit results in the cord wires becoming the "fuse" Basically the cord will catch fire and when that happens most likely it will start something nearby on fire too. It slips my mind what temperature copper melts. It all happens in a few seconds with 30 amps shorted through such a cord. The 30 amp breaker in the electrical panel will not trip due to the resistance of the too small gauge wire and length of the extension cord.

12 gauge extension cord can be protected with 20 amp breakers

14 gauge extension cord can be protected with 15 amp breakers. (not recommended (wire gauge is too small for the application but would meet code)

I would use a 10 gauge or 12 gauge extension cord and 20 amp breaker box upstream of it.

Aerowhatt

 

[Don]

It is true that any source must be fused (or breakered) for the size of the wire downstream of the fuse in order to meet code - No argument there. It's the 'law' and for good reason

When I added the third EVSE in my garage after we bought the Chevy Volt, I planned to power it using the 6-50 outlet which is breakered at 40 amps that my wife's ceramic kiln runs off of. She uses the kiln only once or twice a year, so plugging and unplugging would seldom be a problem. One of my other EVSE's runs off a 20 amp, 240 volt outlet in the far wall used for an air conditioner. I probably only use that garage air conditioner 3 or 4 times per year and unplugging the EVSE pigtail to plug in the A/C isn't any hassle. For this latest one, I made about a 6 foot pigtail which runs from the outlet up to near the ceiling in my workshop where the kiln is located and I mounted a pair of ceramic fuse holders with 20 amp fuses for the 12/3 line which runs out into the garage to the plug for the EVSE. The installation may or may not meet the 'letter' of the code, but it's completely safe and that's the important part

If it was just a 30 amp dryer outlet, I don't think I wouldn't have bothered. Short out a 12 gauge extension cord and you will trip a 30 amp breaker or blow a 30 amp fuse almost instantly, long before the conductors in the extension cord even have a chance to get warm, let alone hot. But . . . . who is to say that someday down the road, someone might plug in a 16 gauge extension cord and have a problem?? You could maybe melt something with a lighter gauge cord. THAT'S WHY THERE ARE CODES. Things need to be safe no mater what happens and that's why the code book is full of absolute, unbreakable rules . . . . to protect the unwary from themselves

I did make a 240 volt extension cord to go with my adapter kit by buying a high quality 120 volt 12/3 cord with wire rated for 300 volts, cutting the ends off and installing L6-20 connectors on both ends. Since none of my 3 cars can draw more than 15 amps, I used L6-20 ends on all my adapters. It all began when EVSE Upgrade shipped my OEM unit back with an L6-20 plug on it. Later on, they switched to using L6-30 connectors, as they are about the same size, cost about the same but are rated for 30 amps which gives you larger connector pins, which is always a good idea. NEMA 5-15 connectors may be rated for 15 amps, but they are a poor choice for anything that will be drawing 12 to 15 amps for hours on end - No matter how new or quality the connectors are, they will get warm and eventually they will cause you problems as they age and wear

Don

 

[Aerowhatt]

If it was just a 30 amp dryer outlet, I don't think I wouldn't have bothered. Short out a 12 gauge extension cord and you will trip a 30 amp breaker or blow a 30 amp fuse almost instantly, long before the conductors in the extension cord even have a chance to get warm, let alone hot. But . . . . who is to say that someday down the road, someone might plug in a 16 gauge extension cord and have a problem?? You could maybe melt something with a lighter gauge cord. THAT'S WHY THERE ARE CODES. Things need to be safe no mater what happens and that's why the code book is full of absolute, unbreakable rules . . . . to protect the unwary from themselves

Don

Bad practice and only will trip in some instances. A short 12 gauge wire will trip a 30 amp circuit sure(if it is "dead shorted"). The longer it gets the dicier that gets. Which is precisely why a 30 amp circuit breaker must have no smaller than 10 gauge wire served by it no matter what. A 100ft extension cord is a is calculated as a 200 ft circuit. Most codes will require that you go to a higher gauge for a circuit over 250 ft. So a 300ft 30 amp circuit would be wired with 8 gauge wire (instead of 10 gauge). A 100 ft 12 gauge (200ft circuit) has good odds of not tripping the breaker and starting a hot mess instead (even in a best case "dead Short" scenario). Depends on the shorts character very much too, they come in a plethora of different characters. Arc faults (very common type with extension cords) will easily start a fire without tripping the breaker even in a properly wired and fused circuit. Follow the code period even if you think you know better (because you don't).

Aerowhatt

 

[JoeS]

Good for us to be discussing safety, and we need to be mindful that charging our i-MiEVs is considered a steady-state load which means every connector should be derated to 80% of its specified amperage. This is why 12A should be the maximum EVSE draw on a conventional 120vac 15A outlet.

High amperage can cause fires whereas high voltage can kill you. The presumption in these discussions is that the users understand what they are doing. If in doubt, ask. For example, I personally am uncomfortable with bradleydavidgood777 's intended use of a 120vac power cord with 120vac connectors on 240vac.

It goes without saying that adapters (the topic of this thread) are primarily intended to temporarily allow us to plug into an available outlet to charge up our i-MiEV while away from home. When doing that at a first-time location, after a few minutes of operation I put my hand on every connection to ensure that it's nothing more than slightly warm - preferably stone-cold - and I periodically check the connections while the car is charging if even a slight amount of doubt exists.

For my home car charging installation, my everyday i-MiEV outlet is L6-30 but I feed it using 20A circuit breakers in the breaker panel, with one permanent adapter (L6-30 to L6-20) for the EVSEUpgraded Mitsu EVSE, recognizing that the i-MiEV maximum 240vac draw is 13A.

BTW, it is my impression that the National Electrical Code addresses wiring up to the outlet but doesn't address what's plugged into it. Can anyone clarify?

 

[Aerowhatt]

High amperage can cause fires whereas high voltage can kill you. The presumption in these discussions is that the users understand what they are doing. If in doubt, ask. For example, I personally am uncomfortable with bradleydavidgood777 's intended use of a 120vac power cord with 120vac connectors on 240vac.

I use a similar set up for charging mine. Except I have arc fault breakers in a box between the 240V plug and receptacle where I plug in my 100 foot 12 gauge extension cord. 12 gauge 100 ft cords are rated at 13 to 15 amps depending on where they were made and where they are sold. So either is OK. It would be smarter to to use the same cord but change out the ends for 240 volt ends. Just so that anyone would know it wasn't a regular 125V cord. Bradleydavidgood777 's mentioned his cord was 10 amp. That could be a 14 gauge or even a 16 gauge in some instances. Either way, if it is a 10 amp rated cord, then it is too small for 12 amp 120V charging or 13 amp 240V charging.

Generally I would be using my set up for 120V charging at 14 amps so I left my cord standard the way it was made. In an instance where I'm using it at 240V would be in controlled environment where there would be no possible tampering by an unknowing individual.

BTW, it is my impression that the National Electrical Code addresses wiring up to the outlet but doesn't address what's plugged into it. Can anyone clarify?

There are a few specifics in the code about extensions. Mostly it is considered temporary wiring which is to variable to have specific code covering any permutation. So it is generalized (required) that "good practices will be followed". Basically the safest , smartest thing to do with extension cords etc. is to follow the code for permanent wiring as best possible. Considering the end of your cord as being the same thing as the hard wired receptacle that is tied into the breaker panel. You wouldn't be able to hardwire a three prong receptacle with 240V and meet code. So you shouldn't have the same receptacle at the end of an extension cord with 240V present either especially if it isn't protected by fuses or circuit breakers appropriate for the cords wire gauge. You wouldn't be able to hardwire a 12 gauge romex to a 30amp breaker in a permanent circuit and meet code.

Aerowhatt

 

[bradleydavidgood777]

The 30 amp breaker in the electrical panel will not trip due to the resistance of the too small gauge wire and length of the extension cord.
Aerowhatt

I thought 10 gauge wire could handle 30 amps. The wire inside that cord seems much thicker than what goes to my dryer.

 

[bradleydavidgood777]

NEMA 5-15 connectors may be rated for 15 amps, but they are a poor choice for anything that will be drawing 12 to 15 amps for hours on end - No matter how new or quality the connectors are, they will get warm and eventually they will cause you problems as they age and wear
Don

Yes and I plan on using this once a year for about 6 hours so should not get much wear.

 

[bradleydavidgood777]

I use a similar set up for charging mine. Except I have arc fault breakers in a box between the 240V plug and receptacle where I plug in my 100 foot 12 gauge extension cord. 12 gauge 100 ft cords are rated at 13 to 15 amps depending on where they were made and where they are sold. So either is OK. It would be smarter to to use the same cord but change out the ends for 240 volt ends. Just so that anyone would know it wasn't a regular 125V cord. Bradleydavidgood777 's mentioned his cord was 10 amp. That could be a 14 gauge or even a 16 gauge in some instances. Either way, if it is a 10 amp rated cord, then it is too small for 12 amp 120V charging or 13 amp 240V charging.
Aerowhatt

The cord is 10 gauge. Sorry if I said amp. It is very thick - I would think it can handle 30 amps no problem.

 

[JoeS]

Last I checked, 30A dryer cords were #8AWG and 50A oven cords were #6AWG. I think both are considered continuous service.

#10AWG extension cord should be fine for the i-MiEV, even at 100'. Let's check:

#10AWG wire has a resistance of 0.9989Ω/1000ft or 0.09989Ω/100ft
Thus, round-trip 200ft wire has a resistance of 2*0.09989 = 0.19978Ω
At 13A i-MiEV current draw, 13*0.19978 = 2.6vac voltage drop
So, instead of the ideal 120vac and ignoring connector contact resistance, the car will be receiving 117.4vac
A wire that long should have no problem dissipating 13*13*0.19978 = 33.8W

Anyone want to make some assumptions and figure out how warm it will get...?

 

[Don]

Anyone want to make some assumptions and figure out how warm it will get...?

I predict that . . . . it will not get nearly as warm as the 16 gauge wire which runs between the EVSE and the J-1772 connector. On all 4 of my EVSE's, that cord gets pretty warm, especially on a hot day

Don

 

[bradleydavidgood777]

OK so am I safe with the 10 gauge wire because that is good enough for a typical 30A dryer receptacle and I can rely on the house breaker/fuse or do I need additional breakers or fuses in the line?

And secondly, do I need to upgrade my connectors or will they be OK for the very limited use? I was figuring they are pretty beefy looking and even tho rated for 15 amps they could probably easily withstand 30A if a mistake was made. But I'm the only one plugging these things in and am going to check the cord temperature so I thought I'd be OK. But I want to be safe so a few extra bucks may be worth it. But it also adds more stuff to my kit in the car....and also, I've been using 6-20 connectors so they are only rated for 20 amps right? Again I figured those would outlast the 30 amp breaker at the house and be fine. Let me know if I'm wrong and I need to upgrade to 6-30 or whatever.

Thanks