what's needed to plug the mobile charger into 220?

[acal]

Recently took the X half-way across the US and we'll be staying put where we are for several weeks, likely months.

I brought the mobile charger, since this house doesn't have a wall-charger installed. I forgot to bring whatever adaptor it needs for 220. :/ Since we aren't going _anywhere_ for the next 2 weeks, it'll have plenty of time to recharge. But longer term, 110 isn't going to cut it.

Do you actually need Tesla's special adaptor? Could I just stick an adaptor on the end? for ex:

Plug Adapter NEMA L6-30 Plug to 6-15/20 Connector Block Adapter

does that still hold if I installed a 30A 220 outlet for this?

 

[mswlogo]

That won’t work. You need a real adapter. You can go down from high amp adapter (not advised) and limit in the car. But you can’t go up from a low amp adapter.

 

[Steinmetz]

Any adapter configuration you make that results in a 6-15/20 receptacle is going to give you 120 volts. The adapter you linked will not work. The Tesla mobile connector has it's own receptacle and I know of no alternatives other than purchasing the Tesla adapters. I would evaluate what receptacle options you have at your destination, be it electric dryer, 240 shop receptacle, etc. and order the respective adapter from Tesla and have it shipped to your destination.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Recently took the X half-way across the US and we'll be staying put where we are for several weeks, likely months.

I brought the mobile charger, since this house doesn't have a wall-charger installed. I forgot to bring whatever adaptor it needs for 220. :/ Since we aren't going _anywhere_ for the next 2 weeks, it'll have plenty of time to recharge. But longer term, 110 isn't going to cut it.

Do you actually need Tesla's special adaptor? Could I just stick an adaptor on the end? for ex:

Plug Adapter NEMA L6-30 Plug to 6-15/20 Connector Block Adapter

does that still hold if I installed a 30A 220 outlet for this?

If you only have the regular wall receptacle adapter (NEMA 5-15), then you can't upsize from there. Does your house have 20A receptacles instead of 15A receptacles? See here for a chart (CarCharging.us)

If so, then you can get Tesla's NEMA 5-20 adapter and charge about 42% faster than from your 5-15 adapter. That way you probably wouldn't have to install anything new, and if you aren't driving much, this would probably work.

Otherwise, get the adapter you need for the receptacle you want to install.

 

[mswlogo]

If you only have the regular wall receptacle adapter (NEMA 5-15), then you can't upsize from there. Does your house have 20A receptacles instead of 15A receptacles? See here for a chart (CarCharging.us)

If so, then you can get Tesla's NEMA 5-20 adapter and charge about 42% faster than from your 5-15 adapter. That way you probably wouldn't have to install anything new, and if you aren't driving much, this would probably work.

Otherwise, get the adapter you need for the receptacle you want to install.

I bought the 5-20 Adapter to keep in the car for just that reason.

 

[ShawnA]

Hi Acal,

You mentioned above installing a 30A 220Volt outlet...
If this is a vacation place or (friendly) relative's place why not install the 14-50 outlet and be done with it???

Shawn

 

[Myevcar]

If you only have the regular wall receptacle adapter (NEMA 5-15), then you can't upsize from there. Does your house have 20A receptacles instead of 15A receptacles? See here for a chart (CarCharging.us)

If so, then you can get Tesla's NEMA 5-20 adapter and charge about 42% faster than from your 5-15 adapter. That way you probably wouldn't have to install anything new, and if you aren't driving much, this would probably work.

Otherwise, get the adapter you need for the receptacle you want to install.

Hi
If I buy the NEMA5-20 I can charge faster with the regular wall adopter?

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Hi
If I buy the NEMA5-20 I can charge faster with the regular wall adopter?

Yes, assuming you use it in a 5-20 outlet.

 

[Two-rocks]

Correction BOT:
The US uses 120/240 not 110/220.

now off to correct people who say “I seen”

 

[Cosmacelf]

Hi
If I buy the NEMA5-20 I can charge faster with the regular wall adopter?

Yes, assuming you have a receptacle that has the notch on the neutral blade like this (this Tesla Nema 5-20 adapter uses that horizontal notch):

 

[Steinmetz]

Yes, assuming you have a receptacle that has the notch on the neutral blade like this (this Tesla Nema 5-20 adapter uses that horizontal notch):

View attachment 653928

I would not assume that seeing the 5/20 duplex that it is indeed wired with 12 ga wire and served by a 20 Amp breaker. If it were a single, non duplex, than I would feel better about the likelihood that it is on a 20 Amp circuit, perhaps even dedicated, such as a whole house vacuum outlet located in a garage. It is not a code violation to use a 5/20 receptacle on a 15 Amp circuit but would be unusual since a 5/20 is less common and more expensive than a 5/15. Remember too, that in the case of a duplex 5/15 receptacle, each outlet is rated 15 Amps, and also rated for 20 Amp pass through.

Bottom line is you may well have 20 Amps available but the Tesla "Smart" adapters will not let you exceed 80% of the ratings of the receptacle, or 12 and 16 Amps. Were you to use the 5/20 adapter, and find and/or replace a receptacle with a 5/20, that really is on a 20 Amp circuit, than you could increase your charging level from 1.4kW to 1.9kW.

 

[Cosmacelf]

I would not assume that seeing the 5/20 duplex that it is indeed wired with 12 ga wire and served by a 20 Amp breaker. If it were a single, non duplex, than I would feel better about the likelihood that it is on a 20 Amp circuit, perhaps even dedicated, such as a whole house vacuum outlet located in a garage. It is not a code violation to use a 5/20 receptacle on a 15 Amp circuit but would be unusual since a 5/20 is less common and more expensive than a 5/15. Remember too, that in the case of a duplex 5/15 receptacle, each outlet is rated 15 Amps, and also rated for 20 Amp pass through.

Bottom line is you may well have 20 Amps available but the Tesla "Smart" adapters will not let you exceed 80% of the ratings of the receptacle, or 12 and 16 Amps. Were you to use the 5/20 adapter, and find and/or replace a receptacle with a 5/20, that really is on a 20 Amp circuit, than you could increase your charging level from 1.4kW to 1.9kW.

Well yes, I assumed the the house was wired correctly, which in the case of someone installing a 5-20 outlet, isn't a big assumption. So I guess I would disagree with you. I WOULD assume a 5-20 outlet was wired correctly.

You are also incorrect, I believe, that it isn't a code violation to install a 5-20 outlet onto a 15 A circuit. It is a code violation for a very simple reason. A 20A outlet allows you to plug in a device that can draw 20A, and if you have 15A wire in there (14 gauge), then you are drawing more current that the wires allow. I'm not an electrician, but I think this applies: