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Anyone ever use a 240 volt dryer outlet to charge when visiting relative or friend? do set max amp rate in car to safe amount.
- Thread starter RidgeRunner
- Start date
Um... it depends on where you start(home) and where you finish(relatives house)
In theory, you shouldn't need to limit the charge rate. Most dryer outlets are 14-30, which means if you are using the right adapter(direct from the UMC) it'll limit the car to 24 amp charging.
The only place this gets a bit sticky is when you use the 14-50 adapter(assuming you have a 14-50 receptacle), and the car won't know if its on a 50 amp circuit or a 40 amp circuit, and even then it doesn't matter because your UMC has a hard-limit of 32 amp charging.
If you are using a 14-30 to 14-50 adapter and then plugging the umc into the 14-50, it'll try to get 32 amps out of the 30 amp circuit and after a while the breaker will trip. You should manually turn the charge rate to 24 amps in this case.
In theory, you shouldn't need to limit the charge rate. Most dryer outlets are 14-30, which means if you are using the right adapter(direct from the UMC) it'll limit the car to 24 amp charging.
The only place this gets a bit sticky is when you use the 14-50 adapter(assuming you have a 14-50 receptacle), and the car won't know if its on a 50 amp circuit or a 40 amp circuit, and even then it doesn't matter because your UMC has a hard-limit of 32 amp charging.
If you are using a 14-30 to 14-50 adapter and then plugging the umc into the 14-50, it'll try to get 32 amps out of the 30 amp circuit and after a while the breaker will trip. You should manually turn the charge rate to 24 amps in this case.
You'll need either the 10-30 or 14-30 adapter from the Tesla store for your UMC. It will automatically set the max amps to 24. The 1996 National Electrical Code changed the requirements for the receptacle. So if the house was built before 1996, it will likely be 10-30 (3 blades). After that, 14-30 (four blades).
TomServo
Active Member
I would after a friend used the dryer outlet at his sisters home and started smelling something funny and when they checked it was the outlet. He bought a new one and changed it out but reduced his charging amps to be safe. I wouldn’t gamble on some else’s wiring.
When I drove my Bolt to my sisters place and needed to charge over night, she said, "no problem, we have a 240V outlet in the garage from when we had an electric water heater"... when I got there and looked at the outlet, it looked melted.... so I made sure the breaker was turned off, made sure it was dead with a multi meter and disassembled it. The wire ends at the breaker looked like they were in perfect condition, and the wire ends at the outlet were fine, but the outlet itself looked like it had an internal fault that caused the damage. I replaced it with a new outlet, and used my "home built" 240V extension cord coupled with an adjustable amperage L2 EVSE set to 24 amps and everything worked out fine. If I didn't know how to do wiring I would have been SOL though!
Keith
PS: I always recommend a stout 240V extension cord (mine is a welding extension with different plug and socket attached) when charging at a relatives house off of their dryer plug... it is seldom in a convenient location for plugging in the car.
Keith
PS: I always recommend a stout 240V extension cord (mine is a welding extension with different plug and socket attached) when charging at a relatives house off of their dryer plug... it is seldom in a convenient location for plugging in the car.
I've charged on all kinds of outlets - dryers, welders, air conditioners, ovens. I'll always make sure I inspect the outlet before plugging in. I'll also keep an eye on the voltage drop as the car loads up the circuit and reduce my amp draw if the voltage drop seems excessive.
Plugged in many times to family and friends 240 dryer outlet. Usually no problem. I have a 50 amp fuse at home, usually charge 30 amps or so. Plugging into my father-in-laws and the car dial did not down the amperage and popped the breaker. No big deal, but embarrassing, especially at night trying to locate the breaker box. I usually reduce amperage to 20A to be safe, and check the wiring for any excessive heat. I carry a thick, 50 amp extension cord.
Rice&Curry
Member
If you use the Tesla connector ( purchased from Tesla current price $ 35 plus tax) ) then it will automatically set the current to 24A, or else you may need to check and set it manually to 24A if it does not set itself to 24A.
The one I bought is 50'. Most of the time 25' would be fine... but once at my wife's cousins house the dryer outlet was in the back of the house and I lead the extension cable through the house and out a front window in order to charge the car, in that case I needed the full 50'.
Keith
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