Wiring the Garage: be aware of the potential on-line scams for electrical wires and adapters

[frog8]

This is not related to Tesla, but it might help people that are in the process of setting up charging systems with help of an electrician.

A level 2 wiring might require a wire to connect the plug (14-50P for mobile charger) as used by an electrician or a dryer adapter. The issues are that most of these items are in short supply and out of stock, and they are now offered by on-line shady operators.

Wire: ROMEX 8/3 (used by the electrician to connect the 14-50R for the mobile charger) is mostly out of stock in the San Francisco Bay Area. I found it on line for a similar price as the big box retailers, but it turns out that the sellers seems to be scammers. For example, ‘neemomart’ in Richmond, Virginia claims to have 17 ’25 bundle’ in stock, but after debiting my card, they did not answer any email or call. A search of the local BBB shows that ‘neemomart’ is probably a scam. Other outfits offering ROMEX 8/3 similarly do not answer any call: ‘ikaad’ from San Francisco, ‘fastenane’ from Carlsbad CA & ‘amazeo.shop’, etc. Be aware of the ‘on-line wire scams’.

Adapter: a stop-gap level 2 charging uses a dryer wiring (eventually through a splitter) terminating to a 10/30R receptacle (in older house) that requires a 10/30P plug to 14-50R adapter plus a grounding wire. I successively ordered these adapters from 3 on-line sellers, but they all refunded the purchase. While this is not a ‘scam’ per se (I got my money back), advertizing ‘in stock’ for something that is not deliverable is at least false advertising. In any case, I am left without an adapter

 

[White Shadow]

A lot of vendors/online sellers don't actually stock the items they sell. Instead, they rely on their supply chain. And when we see supply chain issues like we've seen for the past two years or so, then it's not all that uncommon to order something and then find out that the vendor can't deliver it. I wouldn't exactly consider that false advertising. Unfortunately, it's just the world we live in now. Hopefully it gets better in time. I know it can be frustrating, but it's happening a lot and we all have to deal with it from time to time.

 

[brainhouston]

You can't wire 14-50 with Romex 8/3
Has to be 6/3

 

[frog8]

A lot of vendors/online sellers don't actually stock the items they sell. Instead, they rely on their supply chain. And when we see supply chain issues like we've seen for the past two years or so, then it's not all that uncommon to order something and then find out that the vendor can't deliver it. I wouldn't exactly consider that false advertising. Unfortunately, it's just the world we live in now. Hopefully it gets better in time. I know it can be frustrating, but it's happening a lot and we all have to deal with it from time to time.

There are 2 kinds of vendors that do not deliver [1] the scammers that take your money but never answer or even acknowledge the order, and have scammed other people per BBB [2] the 'out of stock people' that would accept the order, take the money then refund.

 

[frog8]

You can't wire 14-50 with Romex 8/3
Has to be 6/3

Well noted. I am currently using the 8/3 as an extension to the dryer at 24A.
About 8/3 VS 6/3, there is a very good forum on TMC at 'NEMA 14-50 8 gauge wire'.

 

[brainhouston]

You can't wire 14-50 with Romex 8/3
Has to be 6/3

Let me re-phrase
By code, You can't wire 14-50 with Romex 8/3. Has to be 6/3
Or u can do #8 THHN in conduit

of coarse as a homeowner u can do whatever u want...

 

[White Shadow]

There are 2 kinds of vendors that do not deliver [1] the scammers that take your money but never answer or even acknowledge the order, and have scammed other people per BBB [2] the 'out of stock people' that would accept the order, take the money then refund.

Yeah, that's exactly right. But what I'm trying to explain to you is that a lot of vendors and online sellers don't actually stock anything. They are basically resellers. You place an order from them and then they (try) to fulfill it. When their supply chain can't deliver, then they refund your money. This is the world we live in now. The supply chain is still messed up pretty much everywhere. Nobody knows for sure what they can get or when they can get it.

Your best bet is to deal with a company that actually does hold inventory. Otherwise, you'll often be in a world of disappointment when you don't get what you purchased. And yeah, hopefully you can avoid the scammers along the way. There's a lot of scammers out there and there's also a lot of "fake" items that are sold as genuine, but are not. That's especially true with car related items.

 

[frog8]

Re '

Yeah, that's exactly right. But what I'm trying to explain to you is that a lot of vendors and online sellers don't actually stock anything. They are basically resellers. You place an order from them and then they (try) to fulfill it. When their supply chain can't deliver, then they refund your money. This is the world we live in now. The supply chain is still messed up pretty much everywhere. Nobody knows for sure what they can get or when they can get it.

Your best bet is to deal with a company that actually does hold inventory. Otherwise, you'll often be in a world of disappointment when you don't get what you purchased. And yeah, hopefully you can avoid the scammers along the way. There's a lot of scammers out there and there's also a lot of "fake" items that are sold as genuine, but are not. That's especially true with car related items.

Re 'there's also a lot of "fake" items that are sold as genuine' & 'especially true with car related items'. This is also very true foe electronics e.g. USB keys, SD cards and SSD storage advertised for large capacities faked in their configuration codes.

 

[ColoradoMike]

We consulted a local electrician and 6/30.

It is more expensive but it is the safe way to go.

 

[Earl]

you forgot the counterfeiters who will say they're selling a "Brand X part number XXXX" but, in reality, sell a cheap copy of it. With SD cards, USB chargers, and Panda Express Orange Chicken, the consequences aren't so much but with high power electrical connectors and wiring, it can burn down your house.
Always purchase from a reputable source and, even then, be aware.

 

[terranx]

Let me re-phrase
By code, You can't wire 14-50 with Romex 8/3. Has to be 6/3
Or u can do #8 THHN in conduit

of coarse as a homeowner u can do whatever u want...

You’re allowed to do romex 8/3 even by code. Would have to use a 40A breaker. But using a 40A breaker for a 14-50 is allowable by code. And for the UMC would make no difference since that’s limited to 32A

If I were OP I would see if 6/2 (preferable) or 8/2 is in stock and if they are, go for a 6-50