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

Extension cord suggestions please

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
I'm in need of an extension cord for the Tesla mobile charger and I wanted something that minimizes need for adapters.
Does anybody have experience with this cable from Lectron? I have a NEMA 14-50 adapter and the standard 120v connector and I wanted to extend the Tesla mobile charger rather than purchase a 50 amp RV camper cord with adapters.
 
Don't have any firsthand experience with that type of extension cable, but it can be a better solution than trying to extend power from the NEMA outlet. They are bit pricey but the Lectron cord is cheaper than the one from evseadapters.com.
Ya good to know! I bought a gen 2 wall connector and am debating about mounting it to the house and using an extension cord vs running cabling under ground and direct wiring the wall connector where the car will be parked.

The wall connector is 8.5 feet and I would need a total of 30 feet to cover the distance. That’s 30 feet of cable I have to **** with on the regular too.
 
Ah, then a 24' Gen2 wall connector would not work for you either. Were it me, I'd go the Tesla extension route. You'd have to pay the cost to underground the power and then have to worry about how the mount/weatherize the wall connector. Just make sure that the mating connectors are not exposed to the elements (i.e., water from rain runoff, snow, etc.).
 
Ah, then a 24' Gen2 wall connector would not work for you either. Were it me, I'd go the Tesla extension route. You'd have to pay the cost to underground the power and then have to worry about how the mount/weatherize the wall connector. Just make sure that the mating connectors are not exposed to the elements (i.e., water from rain runoff, snow, etc.).
The gen2 units are weatherized and rated for out door use. In my head the safest and most convenient thing is to do a short underground run of the power to the wall connector which minimizes the power run and removed need for extension cable.

The car will be parked out side and I’m a little uncomfortable about extension cables exposed to the elements. I’m told it’s best to have the charger wired as close to the car as possible.

I guess I could build some sort of overhang on the mounting pole to help reduce overhead exposure to the wall connector as if it were mounted to the house
 
Yeah, I realize that the wall connector is rated for outdoors but still... with Montana weather, you'd probably be safer if you at least made a small attempt at keeping direct water and snow off the unit.

Hardwiring the wall connector, is of course, the preferred method. I don't know what the requirements are in your case but undergrounding will add more cost to the project but does eliminate one potential point of failure/problem that using an extension cord causes.
 
Yeah, I realize that the wall connector is rated for outdoors but still... with Montana weather, you'd probably be safer if you at least made a small attempt at keeping direct water and snow off the unit.

Hardwiring the wall connector, is of course, the preferred method. I don't know what the requirements are in your case but undergrounding will add more cost to the project but does eliminate one potential point of failure/problem that using an extension cord causes.
Yup agreed. I guess I’m debating between the least risky of options.

Meaning 30 foot extension from house to car or wall connector at car.

Currently I’m backing it up in the yard just enough to use the mobile charger and I thought about doing that but with a nema 14-50 outlet on the house. But I was told the mobile connector isn’t meant for chronic outdoor charging to a vehicle parked outside.
 
I have three of those Lectron 20' extensions, they work great. They are a bit overpriced but allows an extension for my driveway. Also when traveling I can use UMC adapters which has temperature sensor at the plug. I don't need any other 14-50 extension cords, adapters, etc.

I was surprised, each extension has very little voltage drop at 240v, maybe 1v each.
 
Yup agreed. I guess I’m debating between the least risky of options.

Meaning 30 foot extension from house to car or wall connector at car.

Currently I’m backing it up in the yard just enough to use the mobile charger and I thought about doing that but with a nema 14-50 outlet on the house. But I was told the mobile connector isn’t meant for chronic outdoor charging to a vehicle parked outside.
You're right, it's not. Considering that you don't have the outdoor 14-50, yet, anyway, I'd just bite the bullet and have the wall connector installed where you need to use it. You can probably save money by doing the trenching yourself, if you feel able to do that (or hire it done). You might also be able to put the post in yourself.

Since you're able to charge at the present, take the time to get a couple of estimates, asking them to break the trenching out separately, and asking the how deep and wide the trench needs to be.