Level 2 Charging for under $20

What about the adapter looks fishy?

 

Can you elaborate on your plan?

I may be interpreting the messages incorrectly, but it sounds as though Newbie@EV is attempting to use the L1, OEM cable and a 240V power source.

Wouldn’t changing the existing outlet to another 240V outlet still require an adapter to use the OEM cable?

 

It depends on how fishy (illegal) @newbie@EV wants to be to avoid the cost of an adapter cable or a 240-Volt EVSE.

 

The words I’ve read, indicate that newbie@EV would prefer to buy, and use, a 240V to 120V adapter, but is having difficulty locating one or has concerns about using a particular UL approved adapter that is available. They seem to want to avoid the cost of a L2 cable, not necessarily, the cost of an adapter.

I was curious to hear any details you could provide about your plan or ideas for changing the outlet to avoid the need to use an adapter. Can you help me out with that?

 

Some people advocate wiring in a 5-15R on a 240V circuit instead of using an adapter.
"I live alone and am the only one that will use it"
"I've labeled it for EV use only"
"The worst that will happen is the fuse will blow/the 120V device won't work"
The list of justifications goes on...

 

Yes, that was the only conclusion I could reach as well. I’m eagerly awaiting insightman’s response to see if his hints were suggesting such a modification.

I honestly don’t understand why someone who is willing to use the OEM cable on a 240V supply would be reluctant to use an adapter for that application.

 

I know what you’re saying but some of us may be purists and say that using an adapter introduces three more “connections” or terminations which must be made. Probably not a big deal as far as electrical resistance is concerned but it creates more of a chance for a problem. Not much, but a little more.

Edit: I just thought about this and there are actually six more connections or terminations involved in using an adapter.

 

I have removed the plugs and hardwired my EVSE's to 240v.

I previously burned the end off an extension cord, and melted a 110v outlet before I decided to hard wire.

I installed one at home, and one at work. Both are $120 Chinese 16-amp and have been installed for about 2 years.

 

It sounds as though newbie@EV has already melted one adapter and would prefer to replace the melted one with another of the same type. Using an adapter isn’t the issue in this case.

I agree that every additional connection becomes a potential trouble spot. The risk can be minimized by examining the equipment, prior to and after each use, for signs of overheating, corrosion or poor connections.

 

I wouldn’t fault the concept of a plug in connection. Honda specifically recommends against the use of an extension cord with the charging cable. A melted 110V plug could easily have been caused by a loose “hard wired” connection on the outlet.

What method did you use to connect the stranded wire on the charger cable to the hardwire in the wall? I would recommend inspecting this connection on an annual basis.

 

The OEM charger charges at about 11 amps @ 110V or 220V if you use an adapter to plug it into a 220V outlet. 11 amps is not a lot folks. My toaster or air fryer use more power than that. The stranded wire near the plugs of extension tends to break as they get pulled, pushed, twisted,etc. So the effective size of the cable get reduced. The cord might be listed as 14 gauge but after a few years of use might become a 18 gauge. it will heat up when you put enough current through it and will melt if it carried too much current.
Another are where melting could occur is the metal contact itself. The shinny metal contacts could oxidized or become dirty, which will cause excessive heat to generate and melt the plug. I seen that happened before with my pool pump.

So i think you can safely use an extension cord or whatever else you want to use to charge the car as long as you check the connections, and feel the cable for excessive heat on a regular basis. Using the OEM charger is no different then using your microwave, toaster, air fryer, hot plate, etc .

 

Do you typically run any of those appliances for 12 hours at a time?

Do you typically use an extension cord to power those appliances?

 

I agree with pretty much everything you’re saying except the comparison of the EVSE to common appliances like a toaster. The EVSE in many cases is plugged in for 11-12 hours and pulling 11 amps for most of that time. A toaster, hair dryer, or air fryer may use slightly more amperage but is almost never pulling that much current for more than a few minutes.

 

I have a portable electric heater that is on in 1 of my kid's room so it wont be too cold at night. It cycles on and off for about 10 hours every night.

 

Yes that's exactly my concern. And the quality/build of the adapter determines how robust the 6 connections would be, during the daily use. Mainly, how tight the fit is and how long it will last. The main issue of those travel adapters is they have too many holes to accommodate different type of plugs. So it's not very stable/likely to be loose.

I actually have been using a 25 ft extension cord to plug in a 110V receptacle. After a whole day of charging, the receptacle feels slightly warmer than my finger. The cord feels the same. I don't need extension cords to plug in 220V receptacle due to its proximity.

The hours don't matter. As long as the ambient temperature is not too high, the heat will not build up and the temperature rise is negligible. The thermoset material's melting point is at least 400 deg. F.

 

Having worked with temporary power for nearly 40 years, my personal choice for your application would be the one with the 6-20P and 5-15R, connected with the short length of 10ga wires. It is much more robust and user serviceable. Either end could be replaced if necessary.

Unless, you are constantly changing from 120V to 240V charging, you will not need to connect and disconnect the adapter on a frequent basis. It has no more connections than the extension cord that you’ve been using.

 

So where can I buy "one with the 6-20P and 5-15R, connected with the short length of 10ga wires" or you actually mean I need to make one on my own?

 

You posted an Amazon link to one earlier. It was $45.

 

I had a 15 amp space heater plugged into a chain of two additional extension cords in my garage running for 48 hours to prevent a specific pipe from freezing. Thing is, I know how electrical resistance works, so given the quality of my cables and connectors, it was not the least bit worrisome. I put Vick's vapo-rub near my nostrils, too...

 

If you calculate the resistance of the cords and the heat it would produce, you might be pleasantly surprised. A 25 ft 14AWG cord only produce (and waste) about 13.5 Watt at 15 amps. That about half watt per foot. The problem is the loose contact.