TT30 Adapter at EVSEadapters & Home Depot

[yeahsci]

In preparation for our first cross-country Model S camping trip, I was about to build a homemade NEMA 14-50 to TT-30 adapter, when I found the 'NEMA 14-50R to TT-30P' product that's apparently Tesla-compatible. I found it at EVSEadapters.com and was surprised to also find it at homedepot.com.

Has anyone used this? Does it signal the proper amperage to the Tesla? With the homemade adapters, I understand you have to be very careful to first dial down to 24A before plugging in to avoid blowing a circuit or starting a fire since the Tesla will try to draw 40A. I don't see anything in the product description about this and I'd prefer not to experiment with it.

 

[iluvmacs]

You will definitely have to adjust the current limit manually with these.

 

[BerTX]

I would say that, if they don't tout it as a feature, then it isn't there.

The signal that sets the amperage comes from the adapter on the Mobile connector. The adapter on the Mobile Connector is the NEMA 14-50 adapter, which will tell the Mobile Connector that 40 amps is available. I doubt there is anything that could be done prior to the MC plug that would change that.

It isn't a big deal to remember to set the amperage when using an adapter like this. It isn't something you do on a regular basis, so you will have to think about it. Also, it is unlikely that you would do any real damage. That is what the breaker is for, to protect the circuit and avoid fires. It will likely trip the local breaker at the outlet. Many campgrounds have breakers that are old and trip too easily, so even if the MC was set to 24 amps automatically, that would still be too much. I usually start much lower and ramp up the amperage to 24A slowly if it can handle it.

 

[qadaemon]

I don't use that specific one, but I do have one of the 2' corded one from EVSEadapters, which works fine. There is no signaling to set it back down. You do have plenty of time to set it down to 24a after plugging it in; the ramp up takes maybe 30 seconds or so. The worst that happens is you trip the breaker. Or I guess you find out the breaker is broken. One of the ends on mine is surprisingly not outdoor rated, which is a bit of a letdown since I use it camping. Luckily most campgrounds have plugs that are waterproof in-use, but not all of them.

I personally would stick with the corded one rather than the style you linked to since you're using it for camping. There might not be enough room with the lift-up covers depending on the orientation of the TT-30. Frustratingly often, the ground plug is at the bottom in my experience.

Our 90D X charges about 3Mi/hr with the UMC's NEMA 5-15, 4mph with the UMC's NEMA 5-20, and 5-6mph with the TT-30 adapter plus the UMC 14-50.

 

[yeahsci]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll go the homemade route with an 18" tail after @qadaemon 's point about the campground box covers being in the way. I can just see myself trying to disassemble a rusty box in a campground if I can't manage to fit an adapter in.

 

[brkaus]

Yes, they work. I have pigtail one from EVSE adaptors... Was too lazy to build.

 

[CmdrThor]

You would be better off making an adapter to a NEMA 14-30 receptacle. That way you can use the 14-30 Mobile Connector adapter and you don't have to worry about manually setting the amps.

 

[yeahsci]

You would be better off making an adapter to a NEMA 14-30 receptacle. That way you can use the 14-30 Mobile Connector adapter and you don't have to worry about manually setting the amps.

That sounds like a good idea.

 

[Rocky_H]

You would be better off making an adapter to a NEMA 14-30 receptacle. That way you can use the 14-30 Mobile Connector adapter and you don't have to worry about manually setting the amps.

First, I am really surprised to see Home Depot selling that. It's such a unique product, I thought there's no way they would offer that. EVSEadapters actually has that exact same one now too. I guess they're just marking it up a little.

Second, now that these are being made and offered in more places, and Tesla does actually sell a real 14-30 adapter, I REALLY wish places would make those correctly with a TT-30 plug and 14-30 receptacle. Back when I bought mine, Tesla wasn't selling most of the adapter types, so places were converting everything to 14-50.

Third, Yes, as @CmdrThor mentions, using the official Tesla 14-30 will set the current level correctly for you, but there is a decent way to make this happen if you already have one of these that goes to a 14-50 receptacle. With a Dremmel tool, you can cut the neutral pin off of your Tesla 14-30 plug. It's internally disconnected anyway and isn't used for charging. Without that L shaped neutral, it can plug into the 14-50 receptacle part of these TT-30 adapter devices. Then, you get that proper 30A to 30A setting. This would also apply if you have one of the EVSEadapters cords that go from 10-30 to 14-50. I haven't done the Dremmel thing to mine yet, but I am going to.

 

[BerTX]

First, I am really surprised to see Home Depot selling that. It's such a unique product, I thought there's no way they would offer that. EVSEadapters actually has that exact same one now too. I guess they're just marking it up a little.

Second, now that these are being made and offered in more places, and Tesla does actually sell a real 14-30 adapter, I REALLY wish places would make those correctly with a TT-30 plug and 14-30 receptacle. Back when I bought mine, Tesla wasn't selling most of the adapter types, so places were converting everything to 14-50.

Third, Yes, as @CmdrThor mentions, using the official Tesla 14-30 will set the current level correctly for you, but there is a decent way to make this happen if you already have one of these that goes to a 14-50 receptacle. With a Dremmel tool, you can cut the neutral pin off of your Tesla 14-30 plug. It's internally disconnected anyway and isn't used for charging. Without that L shaped neutral, it can plug into the 14-50 receptacle part of these TT-30 adapter devices. Then, you get that proper 30A to 30A setting. This would also apply if you have one of the EVSEadapters cords that go from 10-30 to 14-50. I haven't done the Dremmel thing to mine yet, but I am going to.

Having a system that automatically sets charging to 24A will trip about 10-20% of the breakers at campgrounds.

 

[CmdrThor]

Having a system that automatically sets charging to 24A will trip about 10-20% of the breakers at campgrounds.

Still better than 40A being the default setting which will trip 100% of 30A breakers.

 

[BerTX]

Still better than 40A being the default setting which will trip 100% of 30A breakers.

True. My point was that the best practice was to adjust the amperage manually from a low level, no matter what hardware you have. Personally, I have never needed a NEMA 14-30 adapter so I'd have to get one. If I'm going to be setting the amperage manually anyway, it just seems unnecessary.

I like your solution, though.

 

[Rocky_H]

True. My point was that the best practice was to adjust the amperage manually from a low level, no matter what hardware you have. Personally, I have never needed a NEMA 14-30 adapter so I'd have to get one. If I'm going to be setting the amperage manually anyway, it just seems unnecessary.

I like your solution, though.

But it's fairly obvious that you always have the freedom to adjust the amperage manually in EVERY case. Nothing prohibits you from doing that.
But if you are using a real Tesla 14-30 plug, it puts the safety barrier on the upper limit, so it saves you from any kind of unexpected problem of forgetting or a software rest that could put it at 40A, which could be bad/dangerous. You're saying, "I prefer to just make sure I grab the trapeze bar." This is saying, "Sure, but it doesn't hurt to have a net under you."

 

[BerTX]

But it's fairly obvious that you always have the freedom to adjust the amperage manually in EVERY case. Nothing prohibits you from doing that.
But if you are using a real Tesla 14-30 plug, it puts the safety barrier on the upper limit, so it saves you from any kind of unexpected problem of forgetting or a software rest that could put it at 40A, which could be bad/dangerous. You're saying, "I prefer to just make sure I grab the trapeze bar." This is saying, "Sure, but it doesn't hurt to have a net under you."

The breaker is the "safety net". You want a swimming pool under the net...

I think your idea is a good one, especially if you might need a 14-30 adapter anyway. No such thing as too many adapters!

 

[Rocky_H]

The breaker is the "safety net". You want a swimming pool under the net...

Heh, I suppose so, but I view it a bit differently for a few reasons.
Having the real current limit is preventing it from going wrong.
Relying on the breaker is putting a stop to it once it is already going wrong.

That second one doesn't make me very comfortable.

Here are some other downsides to relying on the breaker tripping. What happens when the breaker trips? Is that in the night, and you didn't know that charging was stopped, and you didn't get charged up that night? Also, depending on the setup at the place where you're charging, do you always have access to the breaker to reset it, or is it in a maintenance room that's locked and you don't have access to during the night? Most campgrounds have them on each pedestal, but a 10-30 outlet at a different kind of building might not be.

 

[Darmie]

I looked on Tesla today and the 14-30 is not available. It was also mention there was a recall on those attachments.

 

[Rocky_H]

I looked on Tesla today and the 14-30 is not available. It was also mention there was a recall on those attachments.

I just looked, and it IS available--right here.
Model S/X NEMA Adapter

They rearranged their shop website some, so now the page for NEMA outlet adapters is just one page, and you use a dropdown box selection to pick which outlet type.

 

[yeahsci]

I just looked, and it IS available--right here.
Model S/X NEMA Adapter

They rearranged their shop website some, so now the page for NEMA outlet adapters is just one page, and you use a dropdown box selection to pick which outlet type.

It showed up on the old site, showed up on the new site, then disappeared from the new site (on the dropdown), then reappeared but apparently out of stock because clicking 'add to cart' didn't do a thing, then 'add to cart' worked but the new store's checkout process had a redirect error that made buying anything impossible. Today everything seems to work and the 14-30 is in stock. I've been trying for five days straight to buy one.

 

[qadaemon]

It showed up on the old site, showed up on the new site, then disappeared from the new site (on the dropdown), then reappeared but apparently out of stock because clicking 'add to cart' didn't do a thing, then 'add to cart' worked but the new store's checkout process had a redirect error that made buying anything impossible. Today everything seems to work and the 14-30 is in stock. I've been trying for five days straight to buy one.

Call your service center and they can get one to you one way or another. The website and relatively non-existent customer service for it are horrid at this time.

 

[Rocky_H]

Heh, so their website reconfiguration comes with glitches? What else is new?
That's why I find it a little funny that there is this big conspiracy that there are new 85kwh batteries that are software locked as 75kwh because some people have seen a few inventory cars that are marked on the website as both. *GASP*
Yeah....no way those are just website info glitches, right?