Portable EVSE recommendations 110/220

You've got the right idea. Our BMW i3-REx has a dual-voltage, adjustable current, EVSE that I've added a couple of grid-power adapters. I've already outfitted the various interface adapters to the Tesla portable. My signature has the makes and models we use.

GOOD LUCK!

Bob Wilson

 

Mustart Travel has all 4 plugs available and designed just for that situation.

 

The new Flexible Fast Charger included with 2023 MINI Cooper SEs is about the best choice on the market, not sure if it can be ordered as a separate part yet (you can order alternate adapters and there's also a BMW version). Another good choice is the Tesla Mobile Connector (plus a J1772 adapter), but it's out of stock. Maybe find it on eBay?

 

Have you ever found a 220V outlet that you can plug in to, that wasn't in a campground?

 

The one I have at my home?

There have been times when one of us forgot to leave her car port unlocked and I needed a charge. So I unplugged the JuiceNet 40 and used my portable, Tesla with the NEMA 14-50 plug. But you may want to use PlugShare to see how common NEMA 14-50 sockets are. In Huntsville, there are a bunch where the food trucks plug in on holidays.

Bob Wilson

 

When I got my 2011 Leaf ... yeh that long ago ... I found an outfit called EVSEUPGRADE and sent my L1 110V to them and they rewired it so it worked with 110 or 220. Then I got a Quck220. I used the QUCK220 at work for 10 years without a hitch. Plug it in to the closest 110V receptacle and then take an extension cord and keep trying nearby 110v receptacles until you find one on the opposite phase and presto ... you have 220 and charge a bit better than half the time.
The original EVSE that came with the Leaf was actually a re-branded Panasonic unit. I think a good technician should be able to do the dual voltage fiddle with just about any 110v EVSE

PS EVSEUPGRADE is no longer around. The web site is gone.

 

As members of InsideEVs' Clarity forum discovered, the L1 charging cord supplied with the Clarity PHEV will provide more watts when plugged into a 240-Volt outlet through an adapter cable.

Other EV manufacturers' OEM charging cords have also proven to have the same ability to run on 240 Volts. In the early days, everyone was waiting for the other guy to be the first to try their L1 charging cord on 240 Volts, but eventually a brave soul opened the door for others to take advantage of this capability.

That trick of using two 120-Volt outlets to tap into 240-Volts is clever, but I doubt it achieved UL certification.

 

On the Quick220 web site
https://quick220.com/collections/voltage-converters/products/model-a220-20d-plus-2-adapter-cords

and
1. Certification. The Quick 220® Power Supplies conform to the fire and safety standards of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), CSA (Canadian Standards Association), and OSHA (United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.) UL and CSA publish product safety and testing standards for use in the United States and Canada. Quick 220® Power Supplies conform to UL Standard for Safety Power Units (UL1012) and to CSA Standard for General Use Power Supplies (CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 107.1.) Intertek Testing Services, an OSHA/CSA recognized laboratory, tested and certified the Quick 220® Power Supplies to both UL and CSA standards. Additionally, Intertek regularly inspects Quick 220® Systems to assure continuing compliance with the standards. Quick 220® Power Supplies are listed In the Directory of Intertek Certified Products and bear the Intertek "Listed" Certification Mark for both the US and Canada. UL, CSA, OSHA, and the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories address the safety of products that are brought into the home or business. The NEC (National Electrical Code) addresses the permanent wiring of buildings and other facilities. In general, if it is in the walls or a permanent part of the facility, NEC defines how to do it safely. If you can plug it in, then UL, CSA, OSHA, and the testing laboratories handle product safety.

 

That text implies the two-outlet/240-Volt solution "conforms to the fire and safety standards of UL," which is a good thing. The only thing missing is actual UL certification. Perhaps Intertek Testing Services is just as good.

 

One the subject of electrical approvals we just got a letter from the Canadian Electrical Safety Authority to cease and desist use of our OpenEVSE unit. It does not have either CSA or UL approval. OpenEVSE offered a refund and that they are working on the approvals

 

My sympathies.

Bob Wilson

 

It’s been a good charger so far, OpenEVSE said the only issue that needed update was that the current version monitor to ground only when charging but UL / CSA require that it monitors the ground continuously. Still trying to work out a solution other than sending it back and buying another brand

 

I went through a similar dance with my GoPlug [a preassembled variant of OpenEVSE with some extra bits].
They sent me a new current-sensor "donut" that goes around both output AC wires, to sense imbalance that
would imply a ground fault. The old one was false-triggering every so often. I replaced it myself and re-enabled
the ground-fault power-up test, and it's been fine so far.

The test actually sends a calibrated current through an extra winding wrapped into the donut, with orange
insulation [fairly distinctive], to simulate a ground fault without creating a real one. That power-up test was
what was failing. I believe the GF detection is active any time the output is active.

_H*

 

Tesla mobile connector is back in stock, it comes with both 5-15 (standard wall outlet) and 14-50 (available at most RV campgrounds) adapters all for $200. I figured even though it will require me to buy the TeslaTap adapter (made in USA, at least) for around $!50, that's still only $373 once you count taxes and shipping, for a 32A capable, plug it in almsot anywhere charger. Tesla also sells adapters for other plug types for around $50.
For me, that was the best choice because the tesla-J1772 adapter will also be useful at the many tesla charging stations around the country. Lots of those are free. And some hotels have only tesla, or like 4 tesla and 1 J1772 stations. The adapter will allow me to better utilize those resources as well.

For home fast charging, I'm just goign to buy an extra 14-50 adapter to leave plugged in all the time.

 

It's unclear to me why it would be easier or faster for you to leave the 14-50 adapter plugged into the wall rather than leaving it plugged into the Mobile Connector, eliminating the expense of a second 14-50 adapter.

Out of curiosity, I looked up this support link and this sales link for the Tesla Mobile Connector to see if it had changed. The sales page reminds prospective Tesla buyers that their cars are no longer delivered with the Tesla Mobile Connector. It's a great deal to get a 32-Amp EVSE for $200.

I wonder if Tesla will bring back the short-lived J1772 version for other EV owners who like the price and sleek design of this unit?

 

14-50 plugs are generally not meant to have a huge number of pulls. Dryers pretty much don't get unplugged unless they are being replaced. RVs get plugged in a few times a year, maybe? So in my discussions with the electrician on the plug that gets installed at home their advice was "go with the cheaper one and jsut never unplug. The "standard" outlet is around $40, but the heavy duty one made for daily (or at least frequent) plugging and unplugging is $180 based on McMaster Carr (I won't install knock-off products from Amazon, especially for something that is high voltage and high current). The cost of a second adatper is $55.

Of course, if I can find one of the industrial strength outlets at a scrapyard or swap, I'll use that, but we have a timeline to work with.

 

The generic Leviton surface-mount 14-50 outlet box seems robust enough, for use as the female head on
the end of a feed or portable extender. A periodic shot of DeOxit will work wonders for longevity and
ease of use.

_H*

 

There are two different Leviton 14-50 receptacles. Those made prior to 2020 and the later one that was improved due to EVSE equipment failures. The early ones were not recalled as there was no proof that they were the problem. However, they did change the alloy in the contacts to improve them.