Did I Make a Mistake Buying a Quick 220 w/L6-20 Outlet?

[Ostrichsak]

Noo

Noooo! Danger Will Robinson!

Ground to ground, yes, but wire each of the lines from each the hots on the NEMA L6-20 to each of the terminals on the NEMA 5-20, i.e. L1 to the line side and L2 to the Neutral side.

That makes more sense. Whew, this is why I post these things to get input before I start hacking anything up. So you are replacing the neutral in this case with one of the 120v hots and the other one is as it would be normally. The UMC sees both of these as a hot supply line and just goes to 240v even though they're not coming in on a single terminal like a 5-20 normally would be.

Yeah, that fact that the car will just detect and use whatever voltage has made these kinds of adapter situations much easier.

Awesome. Great to know.

No, that is not how you wire it. You sure don't combine two of anything. You need to put the two wires that have voltage potential from one outlet type onto the two wires that have voltage potential of the other outlet type. Does that make more sense of what the goal is?

So the L6-20 has Hot1 and Hot2, which has a 240V difference. You connect those two wires onto the Hot1 and Neutral pins of the 5-20 side, because those are the wires where it is trying to see a voltage difference. Ground is always just Ground and should never be part of any of the two pins where you're trying to hook up the voltage for charging.

Good, that just felt... off typing it. lol

Yeah, explained that way & the previous post before yours I just quoted it makes more sense. I just need to go ground to ground, Hot wire 1 to one of the pins on the 5-20 and then the other hot wire 2 from the L6-30 to the other hot pin on the 5-20. Even though one of those pins is normally a neutral the UMC will see both 120v hots and allow 240v at 20A which it will set to 16A automatically.

Does that all sound accurate?

 

[Rocky_H]

So you are replacing the neutral in this case with one of the 120v hots and the other one is as it would be normally. The UMC sees both of these as a hot supply line and just goes to 240v

Yes, that's correct.

even though they're not coming in on a single terminal like a 5-20 normally would be.

No--that's not a thing. You're not understanding how electrical circuits work, unfortunately, which is why you were thinking the Neutral didn't do anything. Electricity can't come from a single point in an alternating current circuit like this. You are talking about this, like you think 120V comes from just one point and 240V comes from two points. But that's not correct. A circuit sounds like "circle" because that's what it is. There always has to be a complete circle, so there are two connection points. So on a 120V circuit, like if you're plugging in a toaster or anything, it is the hot AND the neutral pins that make up the two sides that have the voltage across them. Both have to be connected to complete the circuit. So it's just like transposing which two have the voltage you want from one side to which two need to have that voltage on the other side.

Now this other part won't apply to your situation, but is kind of an interesting fact. Putting a 240V electrical source into a 120V type Tesla adapter looks identical no matter which way you apply the Hot1 or Hot2. But if you're going the other way, like with a 120V source hot and neutral into a Tesla 240V type adapter, it is particular about which side is which. It does notice that the neutral is at 0V and wants it on a particular side, but I don't remember which. It's not dangerous if you get the wires reversed. One way will work, but the other way, the UMC will just refuse to do anything or show an error.

 

[Ostrichsak]

Yes, that's correct.

No--that's not a thing. You're not understanding how electrical circuits work, unfortunately, which is why you were thinking the Neutral didn't do anything. Electricity can't come from a single point in an alternating current circuit like this. You are talking about this, like you think 120V comes from just one point and 240V comes from two points. But that's not correct. A circuit sounds like "circle" because that's what it is. There always has to be a complete circle, so there are two connection points. So on a 120V circuit, like if you're plugging in a toaster or anything, it is the hot AND the neutral pins that make up the two sides that have the voltage across them. Both have to be connected to complete the circuit. So it's just like transposing which two have the voltage you want from one side to which two need to have that voltage on the other side.

Now this other part won't apply to your situation, but is kind of an interesting fact. Putting a 240V electrical source into a 120V type Tesla adapter looks identical no matter which way you apply the Hot1 or Hot2. But if you're going the other way, like with a 120V source hot and neutral into a Tesla 240V type adapter, it is particular about which side is which. It does notice that the neutral is at 0V and wants it on a particular side, but I don't remember which. It's not dangerous if you get the wires reversed. One way will work, but the other way, the UMC will just refuse to do anything or show an error.

Some of my rushed posts have been worded poorly so I appreciate you taking the time to explain the details and correct my mistakes. I think I had it all right in my mind after some light was shed on the topic but my conveyance to text wasn't accurately reflecting what I was thinking. Not the first time I've done that and certainly won't be the last much to my wife's shagrin. lol

It's also good to know that the Tesla UMC is picky about which pin is hot and which pin is neutral going from a 120V source to a 240V adapter as a future adapter DIY may depend on knowing that fact should I ever make one.

 

[brkaus]

I think everyone is on the same page, but I always like to refer to this diagram about the power coming into the majority of houses in the USA.

http://www.oempanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/120V-240V-Single-Phase-Power-Sketch.png

What I’m not 100% sure of is how many places the ground and neutral are bonded together. I’m pretty sure they are connected in the primary breaker panel. Not sure where else.

 

[Rocky_H]

What I’m not 100% sure of is how many places the ground and neutral are bonded together. I’m pretty sure they are connected in the primary breaker panel. Not sure where else.

That is an electric code requirement that in the one main panel is the one place they must be bonded, and they must not be bonded anywhere else.

 

[brkaus]

That is an electric code requirement that in the one main panel is the one place they must be bonded, and they must not be bonded anywhere else.

Thanks. Does the power company also bond it in/at the transformer?

 

[gsteele]

You're saying that I can make a short adapter that will go from a L6-20 plug to a 5-20 socket making the chain work (once I source that 5-20 UMC adapter) and the UMC Gen 1 will see this as 240v @ 20A, 16A cap but automatically set by the UMC in this case, right? By my math that could get me in the 10-12mph charge rates? This might be the solution I've been looking for as I wasn't aware that I could do this if I'm reading your post right.

This is correct, and exactly what I’m doing with my 10 gauge extension cord. I made a pigtail with a 6-15 plug on one end and a 5-20 receptacle on the other. The I use the 5-15 or 5-20 UMC plug as appropriate to the original source. Yes, this runs the 6-15 at 16 amps, but the construction is identical to the 6-20 except for the direction of the one blade, so I think it should be safe enough.

 

[gsteele]

This is correct, and exactly what I’m doing with my 10 gauge extension cord. I made a pigtail with a 6-15 plug on one end and a 5-20 receptacle on the other. The I use the 5-15 or 5-20 UMC plug as appropriate to the original source. Yes, this runs the 6-15 at 16 amps, but the construction is identical to the 6-20 except for the direction of the one blade, so I think it should be safe enough.

I responded too quickly and didn’t notice your erroneous wiring discription. Fortunately I see others have provided correct instructions.

 

[Rocky_H]

Thanks. Does the power company also bond it in/at the transformer?

Hmm, I don't know about that part. Electric utilities kind of do whatever they want and don't have to follow electric code, so I don't know that we could find a clear requirement for that. I don't know what their standard practice is.

 

[davewill]

Suffice it to say that you want to keep a VERY close eye on that adapter so that nobody ever tries to use it for any other purpose!!

 

[tga]

That is an electric code requirement that in the one main panel is the one place they must be bonded, and they must not be bonded anywhere else.

Technically, bonded at the service entry, which is usually, but not always, what you'd consider the main panel.

My 200A main breaker is in my meter pan, and is the only breaker there. Neutral and ground are bonded there, with 4 wire SER running from the meter to the main panel. Neutral and ground are isolated at my 200A main panel, and both 100A subpanels.

 

[Tc911]

What I carry in our 14 S85. Looked at the Quck 220 and didn’t see the benefits (need to 120 volt circuits from each side of the house feed available). Used most of these one tome or the other. The 14-50 extension cord is the most frequently used item...

 

[rpo]

I have the Quick 220 and have used it at some remote AirBNBs on about a dozen occasions. It's nice to charge at ~8-9 MPH instead of 3 from a typical wall outlet and can be a life saver in rural areas. I typically take that, two extension cords, and some 5-20 and 6-60 to 14-50 adapters and then manually adjust the amps to match the circuit I am plugged into.

 

[Ostrichsak]

I decided to keep the Quick 220 in the charge adapter kit with the knowledge that it may not be used often and there will need to be additional considerations given when deploying it. I figured having it with caveats for use is better than not having it all and wishing I had it if the time ever arises.

To that end I'm building a L6-20p adapter using a locking adapter from Home Depot made by Ridgid that cost only $10. I will cut the female/socket end off that is a 5-15 and wire it to a 5-20 socket adapter instead. This way I can use the Tesla 5-20 adapter and it will automatically set the draw to 16A which will be perfect for the Quick 220 given all of the other specific parameters required for use are met of course.

Suffice it to say that you want to keep a VERY close eye on that adapter so that nobody ever tries to use it for any other purpose!!

The plan is it label everything clearly with not only a warning to be used on Tesla only but also with a note about what the amps should be manually set to. This way, even if the wife finds herself in the middle of nowhere and needs juice from an ancient outlet and can't reach me on the phone she can pick the one that fits the outlet, read the instructions and safely juice up.

What I carry in our 14 S85. Looked at the Quck 220 and didn’t see the benefits (need to 120 volt circuits from each side of the house feed available). Used most of these one tome or the other. The 14-50 extension cord is the most frequently used item...

I already have one of these 14-50 extension cords that we currently use in conjunction with the UMC to charge up every night as my wife would have to back in to use the charger otherwise and she's not super big on backing into the garage. I do it all of the time but she's not comfortable and I'd rather not have her do something she's not comfortable with in a Tesla. That being said, the 14-50 extension cord was relatively inexpensive and the thought process was when we travel it would go along with in case we wanted to use an outlet that wasn't right next to the charge port. I'm sure we'll get our money's worth out of this purchase.

Your picture will look awfully similar to what my loadout will probably end up looking like right down to the gray cabled 10-30 dryer cord I pulled off of a dryer 2 decades ago that I couldn't bring myself to throw out in case it came in hand someday. I found it when digging through and old box and laughed to myself about how I pack rat stuff I think will have use someday and my wife says I'm crazy. Now not only will this dryer cord serve as the new 10-30 to 14-50 adapter but I've got 6' of wire coming off it and need only a foot. This means I've got plenty of wire to make several adapters and needed only to buy a foot of 10/3 in order to make my 14-30 to 14-50 adapter.

I have the Quick 220 and have used it at some remote AirBNBs on about a dozen occasions. It's nice to charge at ~8-9 MPH instead of 3 from a typical wall outlet and can be a life saver in rural areas. I typically take that, two extension cords, and some 5-20 and 6-60 to 14-50 adapters and then manually adjust the amps to match the circuit I am plugged into.

Good feedback. I realize we may not use it monthly or even annually but in the rare instance we need it I'm sure I'll be glad that we have it and it will pay for itself if we use it even once most likely. I also have a standard 15A extension cord (not to be used in conjunction with the Quick 220) as well as a 20A extension cord plus a little dongle to adapter the male end of the 20A extension cord to a 15A plug effectively making it an over-engineered 15A extension cord.

This just gives us a little bit more flexibility to get creative should we need to. I've also got a box full of parts sitting here that I've been acquiring over the past few weeks to make various adapters. After much deliberation and trying to keep the amps the same as utilize Tesla Adapters as far as amperage goes to remove any human error out of the equation I decided that going to 14-50 on all of the adapters 30A and up would be ideal due to the ability of being able to use the 14-50 extension cord as well. The need to manually enter the amperage on 30A plugs is a negative but I think that with proper labeling & advance explanation the positives of being able to extend the distance will outweigh the requirement to manually set the draw ultimately.

I also plan to make a slew of 20A adapters for various 20A plugs that will go to the 5-20 Tesla adapter and can be used in conjunction with the 20A extension cord as well.