Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Best type 2 extension cable for Model 3?

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Hi all - hope you’re good!

I’ve just put a new driveway in so we can get the baby in and out the car (long story!) and my 10m cable doesn’t reach the car anymore.

What is the best solution for me to get another 10m in cable length (I need 17.5-20m in total) so I can charge my car? Extension or new cable? And if you recommend one or the other, would you be so kind as to link me to the product?

thanks in advance!
 
I’ve just put a new driveway in so we can get the baby in and out the car

I was expecting to read "So I can get my baby in and out of the garage" :D

I think I would get a longer Type-2 lead, and have Sparky / someone competent replace the existing one (assuming tethered). If your existing one is plug-in, rather than captive, then it will just be a straight replacement.

Euro Series Charging Cable Type 2 to Type 2 32Amp - up to 25 M and in a range of colours (but plugs on both ends) ... eye watering price for 20M :(

EV Cable 62196-2 32A Female Electric Vehicle Tethered Charging Plug and Lead Plug on one end only; there must be a length on the web page but I'm blowed it I can see it ... they also do "ends" if you want to make your own cable (obviously avoid a bit of lighting flex :) )

Type 2 Extension Cable | 5 Meter | 16/32 Amp | Extension Cable ... personally not sure I'd want to do that ... both your existing and the extension need to be sized for the combined length ... but maybe they would both be sufficient.

@arg will give you a far better answer than mine.
 
I was expecting to read "So I can get my baby in and out of the garage" :D

I think I would get a longer Type-2 lead, and have Sparky / someone competent replace the existing one (assuming tethered). If your existing one is plug-in, rather than captive, then it will just be a straight replacement.

Euro Series Charging Cable Type 2 to Type 2 32Amp - up to 25 M and in a range of colours (but plugs on both ends) ... eye watering price for 20M :(

EV Cable 62196-2 32A Female Electric Vehicle Tethered Charging Plug and Lead Plug on one end only; there must be a length on the web page but I'm blowed it I can see it ... they also do "ends" if you want to make your own cable (obviously avoid a bit of lighting flex :) )

Type 2 Extension Cable | 5 Meter | 16/32 Amp | Extension Cable ... personally not sure I'd want to do that ... both your existing and the extension need to be sized for the combined length ... but maybe they would both be sufficient.

@arg will give you a far better answer than mine.

thanks for the answer! I should have said - I have an untethered box, so at the moment I have a 10m cable; which was pretty expensive in itself! Hence why I’m trying to work out the most cost effective way of extending. That extension you posted looks great, but unfortunately it’s a little too short, I need at least a few metres longer than that....
 
thanks for the answer! I should have said - I have an untethered box, so at the moment I have a 10m cable; which was pretty expensive in itself! Hence why I’m trying to work out the most cost effective way of extending. That extension you posted looks great, but unfortunately it’s a little too short, I need at least a few metres longer than that....

Is it feasible to move the charge point nearer? If so it would be potentially be cheaper as well as more convenient.
 
I don't have any really different advice.

20m is towards the limit for these cables. The standards don't specify a maximum length as such, but they do specify a maximum total capacitance of cable + chargepoint of 3100pF, at least 300pF of which must be inside the chargepoint. So say 2500pF left over for the cable. As a rule of thumb for estimating cable capacitance, I'd normally guess at 100pF per metre, so that would say max 25m. Obviously someone could make a cable out of exotic materials to make it longer, but for ordinary cables the limit for reliability is going to be somewhere around there.

Clearly, the ideal would have been to move the chargepoint, but that would probably have been much easier done as part of the earthworks for the new drive rather than an afterthought. A 20m cable should work OK.

I really wouldn't recommend extensions - they are frowned upon generally (and usually illegal to sell), but maybe borderline acceptable for emergency use. The two significant hazards are protecting the junction between cables against water ingress, and the fact that the connectors are (typically) not locked to prevent unplugging (arc hazard) while charging. Here it's not emergency use, it's your day-to-day charging solution and you are pushing the maximum possible cable length, and have a baby who will soon be crawling around unplugging cables.
 
And if you recommend one or the other, would you be so kind as to link me to the product?

See here. Use the pulldown menu and select 10m.
Postage to UK might be a deal breaker - use the contact page and get a quote.
I'm using a 10m extension bought from them with no issues - 16A 3 phase.
The connection between the Type 2 connector and the extension cable is not IP rated so I only use indoors.
Alternatively ask them to quote a custom 20m Type 2 to type 2 and try to sell your existing 10m.