50 AMP Extension Cord--important to Have??

[MorrisonHiker]

Since the official 6-50 adapter isn’t available anymore, that may be difficult. If you want versatility, yes, the 14-50 extension cord would be the way to go. I have a 30 foot Camco 14-50 extension cord (search Amazon), and some pigtail adapters I got from EVSEadapters.com that go to 10-30, 14-30, and TT-30. They also have 6-50 ones as well.

So that is a very useful solution. However, I do have a recommendation. At 30 feet or 50 feet, a real 14-50 extension cord is very heavy, stiff, and difficult to work with. I would recommend making your own cord because of this:

A 14-50 has four pins: hot1, hot2, neutral, and ground. The Tesla charging system doesn’t use the neutral in a 14-50 and doesn’t even have it connected in their adapter. So if you buy a real 14-50 cord, that is 30 or 50 feet of a pretty heavy extra wire that you don’t need, and it adds a few extra pounds and makes it less flexible. So I would recommend to just buy a length of copper 6/2 cable, and the Camco plug and receptacle ends and build your own. It’s not very hard to strip the wire and attach the ends. That will give you a cord with all of that usefulness, but it’s easier to work with.

Thanks. I'm still on the lookout for a Tesla 6-50 adapter but I think I will get the 14-50 extension cord along with a NEMA 14-50R to 6-50P Adapter as this would be the most versatile solution and enable me to use 14-30, 14-50 or 14-60 outlets.The extension cord doesn't have the neutral wire so it saves weight and is more flexible than a true 14-50 extension cord. I don't plan on using it with 14-30 since I already have that Tesla adapter but if I ever do, I'll be sure to select 24 amp charging in the car.

 

[linkster]

I always verify a proper electrical install when charging on a friends or relatives 30+ amp circuits by re-torquing all electrical connections and I check for proper circuit breaker and wire gauge. Beware, not all 6-50s and 14-50s are what they appear to be! There are 60,000+ homes in my 'hood with code adhering downpowered (8 Romex on a 2-pole 40) 14-50s. Many 6-50s (aka welder outlets) are downpowered as well. I carry (1) of my (3) different "sized" extension cord charging kits that I use in conjunction with my QCP stretched 50' UMC depending on my destination and I much prefer the safer machine crimped molded end extensions and adapters over hand assembled ones.

 

[Charlotte-NC]

As many others have suggested, the use of an extension cord is a necessary part of owning a Tesla for some of us. Travel often dictates we use power other than our home charger or Supercharger. After a lot of research, I opted for a 50ft NEMA 6-50 cord designed for a welder. The cord is an 8 gauge, 3 conductor and is easily twice the diameter of our Tesla charger line. The cord is rated for 50A and voltage drop is only about 3-4% across the entire run including the charger (as measured by the car). I typically see 235-238V readings at 40 A. Adapters are available for NEMA 14-50 but I use the 14-30 or 10-30 most commonly since many folks have accessible dryer outlets where I travel. Do not forget to dial back your charge rate at the car to 24A. If your 6-50 is plugged in to the charger, your car will attempt to draw 40A causing (hopefully) a tripped breaker and not a more severe overload condition. The car remembers the locations where you have manipulated the charge amperage. So, the next time you attempt to charge at that location, your car should automatically adjust to your previously manually set amperage. By the way, the cord stays very cool and is far less warm than the cord feeding the charger. I purchased my adapters on EBay, Amazon, and Tractor Supply. The cord is available many different places but I bought mine from Amazon for $129.

 

[S100D]

You definitely need to have a 50 amp extension cord with you when you travel. About a month ago, I met my friend at a timeshare that he rented. He told me that he was going to rent a car and I thought he was planning on keeping it for the week. When I arrived he told me that he was going to return the rental car the next day. I was 60 miles from the Richmond VA Supercharger, and 40 miles away from the Norfolk VA Supercharger. Fortunately the timeshare had a laundry room on the first floor. I opened the window, unplugged the electric dryer and used the 50 amp extension cord to charge my car.

On another trip to Memphis, my cousin told me that she had a 6-50 receptacle. When I arrived at her house, the 6-50 receptacle was at the back wall of the garage and there was a short steep concrete ramp to get into the garage. There was a boat in the garage and my Model S could not have gone up the concrete ramp without tearing up the bottom of the car. The extension cord saved me again.

Alway be prepared, you never know when you will not be able to reach a receptacle to charge your car. I also have all of the Tesla adapters and I have made many others. They are always in my car.

 

[n2mb_racing]

I'm thinking of getting this one:
Heavy-duty NEMA 14-50R extension cord for Tesla, 20 ft.

I have the Camco 15ft extension and I cut the neutral pin off, but this one should be lighter and more flexible since it omits the neutral wire all together.

I might travel with both. I've been in situations where the 15 ft extension was just barely enough and could have been bad if I needed a few more feet.

 

[kort677]

Re cord:
I've had one for years and I've made road trips of many thousands of miles and my 50 amp cord still has the original tie wraps on it.
YMMV