If you aren't already up to speed: Trying to find a Tesla NEMA 14-30 adapter
The short story is that there is still a need for the NEMA 14-30 adapter that Tesla has discontinued. This need is increasing both as a percentage of current ownership that is realizing the 14-30 is useful, and as a total number of new owners where a 14-30 is their fastest/only option.
The longer story is owners and reservation holders are finding themselves in a couple of different situations where there is a legitimate need for the NEMA 14-30 adapter.
1. Their existing wiring in the home or the break box doesn't currently allow for a 14-50 connection to be run at all, or the cost to do so just isn't economical.
2. Those that have gas dryers and therefore the 14-30 is not currently in use, extending that outlet to where the car is parked is a reasonable solution for them as an alternative to a brand new run back to the breaker-box.
3. Owners and future owners find themselves traveling to locations that only have 14-30 connections (I'm looking at you in-laws). Spending the night somewhere, even with a 5-20 adapter just doesn't get the necessary range to continue on a journey or return home. 17mph from a 14-30 is far more useful/acceptable even if not ideal.
So the motivation behind this poll is some real world experience. I came across a couple forum members that posted about having trouble finding a NEMA 14-30. For whatever reason, their local service centers did not have any in stock and were either unwilling or unable to transfer inventory from another service center to their own. So I called my local service center, and sure enough they had a couple. I purchased them, boxed them up and shipped them out to the owners and charged them only the cost to do so. Well, that was 18 adapters ago, within just a 3 week period. Word got out that I was willing to do the legwork to find them and I've been helping where I can. Currently, I have 9 more people waiting to purchase adapters if I can locate them. But unfortunately, it appears as though the well may have run dry. The remaining stock at service centers is being used for warranty replacements for existing owners that may have a 14-30 adapter that goes bad in the future. As a 14-30 owner/user, I support that mentality.
All that to say this, Tesla is currently unaware of this need and so hopefully, an online poll will act as a vehicle to communicate this message to them. They already have the specs and the production figured out. While I'm sure it's not just as easy as flipping a switch, I do expect the hard work is already done. So please comment, please vote. You will be helping currently owners who need this adapter, you will be helping future Model 3 owners that will need this adapter, and you will be helping yourselves if you ever find yourself needing this adapter. The NEMA 14-30 is the 2nd most useful adapter I have at the moment so I'm not just an un-paid actor, I'm also a client.
The short story is that there is still a need for the NEMA 14-30 adapter that Tesla has discontinued. This need is increasing both as a percentage of current ownership that is realizing the 14-30 is useful, and as a total number of new owners where a 14-30 is their fastest/only option.
The longer story is owners and reservation holders are finding themselves in a couple of different situations where there is a legitimate need for the NEMA 14-30 adapter.
1. Their existing wiring in the home or the break box doesn't currently allow for a 14-50 connection to be run at all, or the cost to do so just isn't economical.
2. Those that have gas dryers and therefore the 14-30 is not currently in use, extending that outlet to where the car is parked is a reasonable solution for them as an alternative to a brand new run back to the breaker-box.
3. Owners and future owners find themselves traveling to locations that only have 14-30 connections (I'm looking at you in-laws). Spending the night somewhere, even with a 5-20 adapter just doesn't get the necessary range to continue on a journey or return home. 17mph from a 14-30 is far more useful/acceptable even if not ideal.
So the motivation behind this poll is some real world experience. I came across a couple forum members that posted about having trouble finding a NEMA 14-30. For whatever reason, their local service centers did not have any in stock and were either unwilling or unable to transfer inventory from another service center to their own. So I called my local service center, and sure enough they had a couple. I purchased them, boxed them up and shipped them out to the owners and charged them only the cost to do so. Well, that was 18 adapters ago, within just a 3 week period. Word got out that I was willing to do the legwork to find them and I've been helping where I can. Currently, I have 9 more people waiting to purchase adapters if I can locate them. But unfortunately, it appears as though the well may have run dry. The remaining stock at service centers is being used for warranty replacements for existing owners that may have a 14-30 adapter that goes bad in the future. As a 14-30 owner/user, I support that mentality.
All that to say this, Tesla is currently unaware of this need and so hopefully, an online poll will act as a vehicle to communicate this message to them. They already have the specs and the production figured out. While I'm sure it's not just as easy as flipping a switch, I do expect the hard work is already done. So please comment, please vote. You will be helping currently owners who need this adapter, you will be helping future Model 3 owners that will need this adapter, and you will be helping yourselves if you ever find yourself needing this adapter. The NEMA 14-30 is the 2nd most useful adapter I have at the moment so I'm not just an un-paid actor, I'm also a client.
