I have a 2022 Model Y and have a Nema 6-50 plug on a 30 amp breaker on a 10gauge wire in garage. Yes I know that I have a 50amp receptacle on a 30a breaker but my question is can I charge my Y using the Gen 2 adaptor for the 6-50 R? I have read that the adaptor signals to the car to pull 50 amps because of the adaptor being used and will continuously trip the breaker. Does anyone have any similar experiences with this?
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Charging on a 6-50R on a 30a breaker.
- Thread starter Wpg3
- Start date
while not the ideal option, you need to manually go into your Model Y charging settings and lower the Amps to 24 when you are charging. Otherwise, yes, it will attempt to draw more amps than your circuit can handle at continuous load.
What you should do is replace the receptacle with the proper NEMA 6-30 to match the breaker. Then buy a 30 amp adapter like the one below.
spsheridan
Member
I'm curious, how and why did this happen? I'm guessing a licensed electrician did not do the installation.
No doubt. I also have a 6-50r on 10awg and 30a breaker but not for charging.
The reason in my case is both Miller and Lincoln use 6-50 plugs on their smaller migs and tigs. They call for 30A breakers. I am not saying this is proper, just explaining one way it could have happened.
Since I plug in the Tesla every night I hardwired my WC to code.
That is exactly the reason. I wired for Mig welder. I can replace receptacle with 10-30 or 14-30 but the Gen2 adaptors for these are backordered from Tesla currently. Anyone know another source for these adaptors?
tdeno
Member
Guessing you have signed up for notification when the needed adaptor is back in stock from the Tesla Shop? One idea - call your local service center and see if they might have one?
I found a few on Ebay and Facebook marketplace but your miles will vary (and would recommend the Tesla brand only). While not ideal in this use case, the NEMA Adapter Bundle - can be yours right now.
Tha_Ape
Active Member
Technically, yes, no issues, just set your car to limit the amp draw to 24A. That said, the "real" solution is to upgrade the setup
davewill
Active Member
Yes, you can override the amperage in the car, and if you were doing this as a one off, I'd say go for it. The problem with using it every day is that the setting can be reset in odd circumstances, software updates, service calls, failure of the car to recognize that you are at home... In that case, the best outcome would be that the breaker trips and you don't get a charge that night. All other outcomes are not worth risking.
Put in the right outlet and get the right adapter.
Put in the right outlet and get the right adapter.
Ryanflynn
2021 MSLR to the moon
I had a licensed/bonded electrician install the 6-50 nema 6-50 plug on a 2 wire 30amp line over 10/3 cable. When testing the car, I told him I was getting 32amps, he said it was no problem. Wouldn’t trip the breaker, 10/3 can handle it and it wouldn’t damage the car.
He was right, the car is fine, and I’ve never tripped the breaker. Am I missing something?
He was right, the car is fine, and I’ve never tripped the breaker. Am I missing something?
Where to start?
First, a 30 amp circuit must be limited to 80% (24 amps) when charging an EV. Charging at 30 amps or 32 amps on a 30 amp rated circuit is a code violation.
For a 30 amp circuit if using NM-B wiring, 10 gauge NM-B is limited to 30 amps. 32 amps is over the limit for 10 gauge NM-B type wire. If using 10 gauge THHN wire in conduit the limit for 10 gauge THHN supports a maximum of 35 amps.
You don't need 3 conductor wire with a 6-50 receptacle as there is no neutral connection on a 6-50 receptacle or 6-50 plug. 2 conductor wire would have been sufficient.
One typical 30 amp receptacle (commonly known as a dryer receptacle) would be the 14-30. (The 14-30 does have a neutral connection so this would require 3 conductor wire.) The 14-30 receptacle would enable charging at up to 24 amps. Tesla sells a 14-30 power plug adapter for the Tesla Mobile Connector.
There is a 2-conductor receptacle, the NEMA 6-30. Tesla does not offer a 6-30 power plug adapter for the Tesla Mobile Connector but this adapter is available from EVSE Adapters.
NEMA 6-30 Adapter for Tesla Model S/X/3/Y Gen 2
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Yeah. The electrician's an idiot.
So, it's not immediately clear from your post, but I'm presuming that the duplex breaker in the breaker box is a 30A model. Under a steady load, those are supposed to trip at 30A, plus or minus an amp or two.
Thing is, nearly all breakers use thermal elements to trip. Some or all of the current in the breaker goes through that thermal element, causing it to heat and expand. At some point, it'll pop. There are hard limits: For example, at 2X the rated current, there will be some maximum and minimum time for the breaker to pop. At 4X those times will be much shorter.
But what this does mean is that you're flexing the thermal element when you run a 30A breaker at 32A. This leads to metal fatigue.
Now, if you're lucky, when (not if) the breaker fails, it'll fail open. If you're not lucky, it'll fail short. And then you don't have a safety leg to stand on when there is a short. This is how houses get burnt to the ground.
A breaker is a safety device and not to be trifled with.
There's more. Let me check the current ratings on 10/3 cable... Found this link. Not sure, but depending upon the cable, that cable's good for 30A to 40A, depending, and I don't know which one you've got.
Thing is, the 10Gauge wire sits in the cable. The wire is surrounded by plastic kind of resists the flow of heat from the power dissipated in the copper wire (I*I*R). The cable itself is surrounded by even more insulation, dry wall, wood, and all that. The more thermal resistance there is between the copper and the ambient, the hotter the wire is going to get. So, the question is, given the thermal resistivity of all those different kinds of insulation, Just How Hot Is That Wire Going To Get? There are reasons they wires have ampacity limits, and they all have to do with the copper getting hot enough to singe things and set the Darn House On Fire.
NEC says: The breaker, the wire, and the socket should all match. There's one exception of which I'm aware: One is allowed to put a 50A socket on a 40A line, with a 40A breaker, to handle things like clothes driers and electric stoves that present a 40A load. You are running a 30A breaker and 30A wire on a 50A load and are so far out of code you can't see it from here. There's more: The National Electric Code (NEC) states that, with a heavy, steady load, one is not supposed to run more than 80% of the maximum current for the circuit. With 30A wire, 30A breaker, that would be 24A.
And your electrician is an idiot. And maybe trying to kill you. Did you offend him somehow?
Did the electrician give you his/her real name, and a real phone number? Or are they just hoping that Nobody Finds Out before they move to Florida?
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That electrician is a dumb sh!t. Turn the car down to 24 amps and it will be fine.
A better solution is install a 30 amp outlet and then buy a 30 amp adapter. (Tesla does not make a 6-30). EVSEadapters does make one.
NEMA 6-30 Adapter for Tesla Model S/X/3/Y Gen 2
Ryanflynn
2021 MSLR to the moon
Yeah, I messed up and used my 240V extension cord that I use with my Model Y on my wifes Chevy Bolt. The cable has NEMA 14-50 plug ends so it can be used with the Tesla NEMA 14-50 adapter on the mobile connector. I am using this at the house I am renting with a NEMA 10-30 to NEMA 14-50 adapter at the receptacle end of the extension cord. This isn't a problem with the Tesla because I have it manually dialed down to charge at 24 amps... but when I plug in my wife's Bolt it requests the full 32 amps that the Bolt can take. Due to this being close to the breaker rating, the outlet actually heated up before the braker did and caused some damage to the outlet. The wires in the wall were fine, so I replaced the outlet and will remember to not use the 240V extension cord with my wifes car in the future.
Keith
Keith
You should correct this problem before a fire happens. I'm not an electrician, so this isn't advice, but I would think that the breaker could be reduced to match the allowed current on the wiring.
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