-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
What are all the adapters one should keep in their car during a road trip for emergencies?
- Thread starter ChimpledPot
- Start date
NEMA 5-15 is REALLY slow. You'll only be able to get 1.44 kW out of the wall at best (120 volts * 12 amps = 1440 watts = 1.44 kW).
If you have decent/reliable CHAdeMO charging where you might go (check Plugshare web site and/or app), you could consider CHAdeMO Adapter for $450. You will be able to charge way faster than on J1772. Most public J1772 charging is only 30 amps max and a lot is only 208 volts, not 240 volts, so at 208 volts, you'd hit 6.24 kW at max. At 240 volts, 30 amps, you'd hit 7.2 kW.
You should be able to hit 35 to ~44 kW when using most CHAdeMO chargers.
If you have decent/reliable CHAdeMO charging where you might go (check Plugshare web site and/or app), you could consider CHAdeMO Adapter for $450. You will be able to charge way faster than on J1772. Most public J1772 charging is only 30 amps max and a lot is only 208 volts, not 240 volts, so at 208 volts, you'd hit 6.24 kW at max. At 240 volts, 30 amps, you'd hit 7.2 kW.
You should be able to hit 35 to ~44 kW when using most CHAdeMO chargers.
All you need in 99% of the time comes with everything you need.
Supercharger is widely spread.
J1772 and NEMA 5-15 cover you in a pinch.
If you don’t mind blowing money on adapters you’ll mostly almost never, but just to have in case, then buy the entire adapter kit plus the CHAdeMO adapter. I mean sure you’re spending upwards of $1000 on a suitcase full of adapters you’ll likely never use... but if you have money to burn and no patience for slower methods and want to cover 100% of your bases.
NEMA 5-15 trickle charging while I sleep, supercharging and the occasional J1772 is all I’ve ever needed with years of driving, multiple Tesla’s and half a country.
Get what you can afford, over prepare at any cost, or be sensible. Depends on what you want and what you need, personally.
Supercharger is widely spread.
J1772 and NEMA 5-15 cover you in a pinch.
If you don’t mind blowing money on adapters you’ll mostly almost never, but just to have in case, then buy the entire adapter kit plus the CHAdeMO adapter. I mean sure you’re spending upwards of $1000 on a suitcase full of adapters you’ll likely never use... but if you have money to burn and no patience for slower methods and want to cover 100% of your bases.
NEMA 5-15 trickle charging while I sleep, supercharging and the occasional J1772 is all I’ve ever needed with years of driving, multiple Tesla’s and half a country.
Get what you can afford, over prepare at any cost, or be sensible. Depends on what you want and what you need, personally.
The 5-20 adapter can be handy to have. They are common in hotel/motel parking lots and garages. It will give a couple extra mph over the 5-15. Significant when charging overnight.
I bought the most common six adapters for gen 1 mobile. The RV park and other 240v adapters are really handy for emergencies as well as similar plugs for visiting folks with welders. I hàve used these in a pinch. I also keep the dryer plugs but have not needed them at rural motels yet.
Are you traveling to visit friends and family? I wont tell you what to buy but let's cover what outlets are used for and you can decide if you might find them available.
14-30 is 30amp 240volt commonly used for dryers, in the south you might find this outlet in the garage.
5-15 standard wall outlet is slow but everywhere, and overnight can add up to real miles gained.
5-20 fairly standard, often used as 120volt outlets on exterior of homes, in garages and kitchens.
14-50 is sometimes available as EV charging but "emergency" wise opens up RV parks.
TT-30 is available aftermarket is 30amps of 120volt. TT is travel trailer some campgrounds have this available for campers that don't need the big 14-50 RV plug.
I would use Plugshare and Chargepoint and see what is available on your route. Maybe you find a hotel, or a park or something.
On buying adapters, if buying a few $35 adapters "just incase" is a financial burden then buying a $50k car was amazingly idiotic. I can see balking at the $450 Chademo, but I just looked and am impressed at how available it has become in the last year or two since I looked.
Again I would look at Plugshare and Chargepoint along my expected route, maybe Chademo opens up a different route or is even offered at an attraction you might not have considered. Then again of you only find them near superchargers then it offers you nothing.
A car is a depreciating asset, accept that, embrace the fact a Tesla is a luxury option not a money saving one. If you think a $35 or $450 adapter will lower your stress on roadtrips, buy it.
The spend $50k on a car then balk at a $35 adapter mentality you see is stepping over dollars to save dimes.
If you want a newish car and to spend as little as possible might I suggest a year old Malibu or something else that has garbage 1 year resale due to prevalence as a rental.
14-30 is 30amp 240volt commonly used for dryers, in the south you might find this outlet in the garage.
5-15 standard wall outlet is slow but everywhere, and overnight can add up to real miles gained.
5-20 fairly standard, often used as 120volt outlets on exterior of homes, in garages and kitchens.
14-50 is sometimes available as EV charging but "emergency" wise opens up RV parks.
TT-30 is available aftermarket is 30amps of 120volt. TT is travel trailer some campgrounds have this available for campers that don't need the big 14-50 RV plug.
I would use Plugshare and Chargepoint and see what is available on your route. Maybe you find a hotel, or a park or something.
On buying adapters, if buying a few $35 adapters "just incase" is a financial burden then buying a $50k car was amazingly idiotic. I can see balking at the $450 Chademo, but I just looked and am impressed at how available it has become in the last year or two since I looked.
Again I would look at Plugshare and Chargepoint along my expected route, maybe Chademo opens up a different route or is even offered at an attraction you might not have considered. Then again of you only find them near superchargers then it offers you nothing.
A car is a depreciating asset, accept that, embrace the fact a Tesla is a luxury option not a money saving one. If you think a $35 or $450 adapter will lower your stress on roadtrips, buy it.
The spend $50k on a car then balk at a $35 adapter mentality you see is stepping over dollars to save dimes.
If you want a newish car and to spend as little as possible might I suggest a year old Malibu or something else that has garbage 1 year resale due to prevalence as a rental.
Don't overthink this. Everyone's needs are unique. I bought adapters based on requirements gleaned from several years of ownership, so I recommend that you start with the basics and buy what you need as you gain experience with the car. For example, my son's home has a NEMA 10-50 receptacle installed by a previous owner, so I bought a NEMA 10-50 to NEMA 14-50 adapter. This is an adapter 99.9% of Tesla owners would never need, but prior to the pandemic, I used it several times a month and will continue to do so in the future. Few people will ever need a Chademo adapter, but when we venture north of the border we use ours a lot. I have never needed to plug into a dryer outlet and don't have a NEMA 10-30 or 14-30 adapters, but others find this capability very useful. I don't camp, but I already have the NEMA 14-50 adapter that came with my early build Model 3 if I ever do need to charge at a campground. I used the NEMA 5-15 adapter that came with the car only once just to verify that it worked. It hasn't been used since then. If you live in a large metro area, travel locally and on interstates exclusively, and stay at hotels with destination EVSEs, you may only a J1772 adapter. Don't clutter your trunk with adapters you will never use.
The J1772 should come with the car and is an obvious one to have. The 5-15 is ubiquitous and surprisingly useful.
Beyond that, you really have to think about what you will have available. If you see 5-20 outlets in your home (this seems to be becoming more common), its nice to have. Its still slow, but ~25% faster than the 5-15. Also, 14-30 is the common dryer outlet size, so can potentially be handy. An extension cord can sometimes get you charging in odd places with this.
Other A/C adapters are going to depend on what you see on your trips. I don't visit RV parks or camping sites, so 14-50 has been pointless so far.
If you have a lot of superchargers nearby, Chademo will be similarly pointless. OTOH, I have some routes that are reasonably well covered by Chademo and have poor supercharger coverage. Its expensive, so just keep in mind how situation dependent it is.
Beyond that, you really have to think about what you will have available. If you see 5-20 outlets in your home (this seems to be becoming more common), its nice to have. Its still slow, but ~25% faster than the 5-15. Also, 14-30 is the common dryer outlet size, so can potentially be handy. An extension cord can sometimes get you charging in odd places with this.
Other A/C adapters are going to depend on what you see on your trips. I don't visit RV parks or camping sites, so 14-50 has been pointless so far.
If you have a lot of superchargers nearby, Chademo will be similarly pointless. OTOH, I have some routes that are reasonably well covered by Chademo and have poor supercharger coverage. Its expensive, so just keep in mind how situation dependent it is.
Ahem...
Necessary charging accessories.
I would say the answer is "nothing", or if you don't like that answer, then "everything".
Necessary charging accessories.
I would say the answer is "nothing", or if you don't like that answer, then "everything".
The 5-15 plug adapter that comes with the Mobile Connector kit can is the most flexible plug adapter as this plug adapter also be used anywhere you can plug into a 5-20 receptacle. Using the 5-15 plug adapter and a 5-20 receptacle you would be limited to 12A instead of 16A when used with the 5-20 adapter.
I suggest just buying the whole kit. It doesn't take up much space and it is better to be prepared than get stuck.
NEMA Adapter Bundle
But if you want to know which ones I think are most useful.
14-50. Compatible outlets found at nearly every campground.
14-30 & 10-30. If you are staying with someone who has a laundry machines in/near the garage, one of these two will let you charge from their dryer power outlet. You also might want to consider a 14-30 or 10-30 extension cord in case their laundry room is too far for the cable on the mobile connector to reach.
NEMA Adapter Bundle
But if you want to know which ones I think are most useful.
14-50. Compatible outlets found at nearly every campground.
14-30 & 10-30. If you are staying with someone who has a laundry machines in/near the garage, one of these two will let you charge from their dryer power outlet. You also might want to consider a 14-30 or 10-30 extension cord in case their laundry room is too far for the cable on the mobile connector to reach.
Wow first I have seen that adaptor, I heard that Tesla was going to come out with one I am surprised it works as they had to upgrade the car for the chademo as it did not work at first.
I have the chademo comes in handy sometimes and also using Plugshare you can find a lot of free places to charge.
I think at least most places I have been have the chademo and CCS I don't recall ever seeing at least in my travels a CCS only charger.
The problem is, chademo is being phased out and CCS is the most common and faster charging new equipment being built. Most of the Electrify America equipment is CCS. There is only one chademo cord at each of their sites. Pretty easy for that one charge cord to be busy in the near future. Also, the one chademo machine at each of their sites is only 50kW.
My son happened to find it online right before I posted it here. I am tempted to buy it but the price is steep and I need to check how secure it is to pay by credit card. Having CCS would be great. I tow, so having as many charging opportunities as possible is paramount. When towing cargo or travel trailer you can figure that you will get only one third of normal range.
What’s the difference between the $520 Corded mobiles connector and the $275 Gen 2 Mobile Connector Bundle aside from the included wall plug and carrying bag?
First the $520 comes with 14-50 attached.
The $275 comes with only 5-15. So you need to pay an extra $35 for the 14-50 adapter to reply compare.
The $275 is also Gen 2 which charges slower than Gen 1. But the $520 charges faster like the discontinued $275 Gen 1.
The specifics are on Tesla website somewhere.
The $520 is more comparable to the wall charger but in a portable form. Maybe someone that doesn’t want to deal with wall mounting.
The difference isn’t huge but for some people, ehh.