although it might 2 and 2 (2 series in parallel with 2 series). I meant that these outlets are probably in series, meaning this outlet is probably in series with the outlet 5 parking spaces down. So if there is an EV at one outlet and another EV 5 parking spaces down, plugged in to a different outlet, it might be putting strain on the overall circuit.
Getting a little off topic, and I don't want to belabor this, but it's your thread, so...
No. What you are describing would still be in parallel. That would increase the load on that circuit (specifically, the breaker and the wires, at least for part of the run). Two identical parallel loads would draw twice as much current and could definitely throw the breaker. That's the issue that you're describing, but you're using the wrong terminology.
If there's just one phase of 120V, everything is in parallel! All of the outlets. They may be on different circuits, and go through different breakers, but they are in parallel
with respect to the service entrance and the service breaker. Normally we care more about the individual breakers and the wires after them of course, so the loads separated by breakers technically being in parallel is not much of a concern. Alternatively, with 240V service (there are other setups too, especially for commercial service, which may apply here - you'd have to tell us what voltage you actually see for us to know, but I'll ignore that, since it is slightly more complicated and less familiar to me), you have two phases, 180 degrees out of phase, of 120V. It's possible they run 240V (two wires) and a neutral (one wire) to this box and connect one outlet to one phase and the other to the other phase. (Saves a bit of wire - you only need one neutral of normal size, since it can't exceed the rating of the breaker, even with two maximum loads (when both circuits are maxed out the return current in the neutral would be approximately zero).) In that case, they're not technically in parallel or series (you could argue that they're
virtually in series on a 240V circuit
when both loads are equal, because the neutral return
in that specific, precise, imaginary, temporary condition would have zero current and could be removed in that specific condition without impacting anything). Anyway, I have no idea whether this type of wiring is what is done or whether that would be to code. Probably. People love to save copper and share neutrals.
I'm sure others can speak to the vagaries of commercial wiring and the code constraints (but probably we should drop this topic) - I very well may not have all those details correct. My main point is that cars connected on the same circuit, which produce too much load, are connected in
parallel. Not in series. If they were actually connected in
series, it wouldn't overload the circuit, but cars are not designed to charge that way, nor is the electrical infrastructure set up for it, and there would be a variety of other issues (if they were drawing equal load, each would have 60V at 12A or whatever, but you can see the problems with that setup...)! Except for the special virtual case above, which is just a thought experiment.
But anyway, I don't think that has anything to do with your problem, which it sounds like you've hopefully definitively identified as worn out outlets or possibly some sort of GFI problem. Glad it is back to working for you.
I'm a little surprised, if there are a bunch of EVs that charge in this location, that people aren't blowing the breakers all the time. Guess it depends on how many breakers are allocated to these outlets.
