Adapters for upgraded Nissan EVSE

[johnr]

Currently I have the following adapters for sale. I'll update this list as I get more types available.

http://www.evseadapters.com

• NEMA 14-30/14-50/14-60 (208 or 240V, dryer & campground outlets)
• NEMA 10-30/10-50 (208 or 240V, dryer outlet)
• NEMA L14-30 (208 or 240V, generator plug)
• NEMA L6-30 (208 or 240V, welders, industrial)
• NEMA 6-50 (208 or 240V, welders, farm equipment)
• NEMA 5-15 (120V standard outlets)
• NEMA TT-30 (120V RV Plug)

The must-have adapters would be the NEMA 10 and NEMA 14. With them, you're covered most anywhere.

All items include free shipping within the US.

Do you need a different type of adapter? Let me know - maybe I can make it for you!

 

[GeekEV]

I'd love to know where you get the pre-molded 5-15 and 6-50 adapters, we currently make them by hand. Due to the low volume of orders, and the fact that these are not parts we wouldn't have on hand anyway since we're not a business, buying the parts and assembling the adapters is not nearly as cheap as your prices. If you have the business resources to continue to produce these at such low prices, that's great for the community - though we'll probably have to hang up our hats. We can't compete with that...

See also: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3085" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Volusiano]

Wow, I wish these had been around earlier at this price so I didn't have to buy the parts and make them myself. Even building my own adapters was more expensive than these prices. It makes me want to buy a second set just because they're cheap and some of them are the molded type. Except I can't justify having 2 sets of adapters. But if you can find a good reason why I should have a second set of adapters like these handy, you'll have my order.

 

[tps]

Wow, I wish these had been around earlier at this price so I didn't have to buy the parts and make them myself.

+1

 

[arnolddeleon]

I'd love to know where you get the pre-molded 5-15 and 6-50 adapters, we currently make them by hand. Due to the low volume of orders, and the fact that these are not parts we wouldn't have on hand anyway since we're not a business, buying the parts and assembling the adapters is not nearly as cheap as your prices. If you have the business resources to continue to produce these at such low prices, that's great for the community - though we'll probably have to hang up our hats. We can't compete with that...

See also: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3085" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=5222&start=10" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for my sources for 5-15 and 6-50 adapters.

arnold

 

[mitch672]

The only issue I see is the 5-15 and 6-50 molded adapters are built with 14 gauge wire and therefore are rated at 15AMPs. If you used the upgraded 16AMP EVSE from http://www.evseupgrade.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you will technically be overloading the wiring. Granted, it isn't by much, but it is out of spec for the adapters. That is one reason to make your own adapters, you can use 12 gauge wire and it will have the same ampacity of the circuit, for safety.

 

[johnr]

The only issue I see is the 5-15 and 6-50 molded adapters are built with 14 gauge wire and therefore are rated at 15AMPs. If you used the upgraded 16AMP EVSE from http://www.evseupgrade.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you will technically be overloading the wiring. Granted, it isn't by much, but it is out of spec for the adapters. That is one reason to make your own adapters, you can use 12 gauge wire and it will have the same ampacity of the circuit, for safety.

According to this chart - http://www.armstrongssupply.com/wire_chart.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - 14 gauge wire has an ampacity of 20 amps.

 

[mitch672]

The only issue I see is the 5-15 and 6-50 molded adapters are built with 14 gauge wire and therefore are rated at 15AMPs. If you used the upgraded 16AMP EVSE from http://www.evseupgrade.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you will technically be overloading the wiring. Granted, it isn't by much, but it is out of spec for the adapters. That is one reason to make your own adapters, you can use 12 gauge wire and it will have the same ampacity of the circuit, for safety.

According to this chart - http://www.armstrongssupply.com/wire_chart.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - 14 gauge wire has an ampacity of 20 amps. Besides, have you looked at the wire that Phil uses on the upgraded EVSE itself? You guessed it - 14 gauge!

read "note 1"

" The load current rating and the overcurrent protection for conductor types shall not exceed 15 amperes for 14 AWG"

the upgraded EVSE is set to draw 16AMPs, that exceeds 15AMPS, at least with the math I learned in school

Phil is using molden L6-20 plugs from the same supplier, they seem to have 14AWG wire with them, to be correct, it should be 12AWG wire. Also, it depends on the insulation rating and if the wire is "open air" or in a bunde, SJ cord is bundled, so the ampacity is actually lower, as heat buildup occurs, and it can't radiate as easily as open air.

The point is its only 1AMP beyond the limit, assuming no more than 16AMPs are drawn, so it will probably be ok. If you are building your own adapters, I would just use 12 gauge wire, thats all.

 

[tps]

The main issue with ampacity is not overheating the insulation. I think 14 AWG THHN can handle 20A in free air, but in cables 14 AWG is usually limited to 15A. And, as a matter of fact, 12A for a continuous load. And then their's the voltage drop consideration for longer cables, which may be a reason to further derate things.

I doubt a 14 AWG adapter is going to burst into flames just becase you put 16A though it. These things are rated conservatively, given normal operation. However, I'd worry about the effects of long-term operation at high temperatures. I think I'd worry as much about a long black cable operating day after day in hot temperatures in the sun on a blacktop driveway. This might tend to heat the cable more than 16A through a 1 foot section of 14 AWG. (There's likely axial heat loss as well as radial heat loss in the 1 foot section.)

All of this is more complicated than just an "in spec" or "out of spec" thing. However, I usually tend to be more conservative rather less conserative. I built the extension cables to use with the portable EVSE from 10 AWG cable...

 

[dgpcolorado]

FWIW, a calculator for wire size:

http://www.csgnetwork.com/wiresizecalc.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Volusiano]

The only issue I see is the 5-15 and 6-50 molded adapters are built with 14 gauge wire and therefore are rated at 15AMPs. If you used the upgraded 16AMP EVSE from http://www.evseupgrade.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you will technically be overloading the wiring. Granted, it isn't by much, but it is out of spec for the adapters. That is one reason to make your own adapters, you can use 12 gauge wire and it will have the same ampacity of the circuit, for safety.

According to this chart - http://www.armstrongssupply.com/wire_chart.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - 14 gauge wire has an ampacity of 20 amps. Besides, have you looked at the wire that Phil uses on the upgraded EVSE itself? You guessed it - 14 gauge!

What are you talking about? The wire that Phil uses on the upgraded EVSE itself is 12 gauge, NOT 14 gauge. So are his pigtail adapter and 5-15 adapters. I know because I bought them myself and I just verified them again to be sure.

Also, is mitch672 talking about arnolddeleon's 5-15 and 6-50 adapters being 14 gauge, or is he talking about JohnR's 5-15 and 6-50 adapters being 14 gauge? Those mentioned by arnolddeleon are indeed 14 gauge, but those sold by JohnR don't really say what wire size they are. They appear to be 12 gauge, but can JohnR confirm if they're 14 or 12?

 

[mitch672]

I'm not sure, but someone posted they get them from here:

http://www.americord.com/5-15p-to-5-15r-locking.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Those are 14AWG, so is there other adapter (6-50), perhaps Phil is using a different supplier and is using 12AWG, thats what is supposed to be used.

I am building my own, I found a seller on eBay for the L6-20R cord mount receptacles for $8.65/each after shipping, if you buy 4 at a time, they are Pass & Seymour as well.

 

[arnolddeleon]

The only issue I see is the 5-15 and 6-50 molded adapters are built with 14 gauge wire and therefore are rated at 15AMPs. If you used the upgraded 16AMP EVSE from http://www.evseupgrade.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you will technically be overloading the wiring. Granted, it isn't by much, but it is out of spec for the adapters. That is one reason to make your own adapters, you can use 12 gauge wire and it will have the same ampacity of the circuit, for safety.

According to this chart - http://www.armstrongssupply.com/wire_chart.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - 14 gauge wire has an ampacity of 20 amps. Besides, have you looked at the wire that Phil uses on the upgraded EVSE itself? You guessed it - 14 gauge!

What are you talking about? The wire that Phil uses on the upgraded EVSE itself is 12 gauge, NOT 14 gauge. So are his pigtail adapter and 5-15 adapters. I know because I bought them myself and I just verified them again to be sure.

Also, is mitch672 talking about arnolddeleon's 5-15 and 6-50 adapters being 14 gauge, or is he talking about JohnR's 5-15 and 6-50 adapters being 14 gauge? Those mentioned by arnolddeleon are indeed 14 gauge, but those sold by JohnR don't really say what wire size they are. They appear to be 12 gauge, but can JohnR confirm if they're 14 or 12?

Based on an off hand comment while I was looking at his 5-15 adapter I *think* Phil has switched suppliers for the 5-15 adapter and the new ones are 14 gauge. The evseupgrade.com doesn't list the gauge of the wires (I think they used to). Unfortunately archive.org doesn't have a copy of the page so I can't check what they used to say. Certainly for the 5-15 adapter 14 gauge is sufficient.

I did build my adapters using the molded connectors that had 14 gauge wires and I'm pretty comfortable with the ampacity of a short piece of 14 gauge wire in open air.

arnold

 

[fooljoe]

What are you talking about? The wire that Phil uses on the upgraded EVSE itself is 12 gauge, NOT 14 gauge. So are his pigtail adapter and 5-15 adapters. I know because I bought them myself and I just verified them again to be sure.

I got two EVSEs upgraded a few months apart and my first 5-15 adapter came with 12awg wire but the second came with 14awg. A pigtail I received in the interim also came with 14awg, which I found a little surprising. So Phil did change suppliers or something at some point within the last few months. 14awg makes sense for the 5-15 adapters, as you're only drawing 12amps on 120v, but I was a little surprised about the 14awg pigtail, as I share mitch672's concerns about using 14awg wire for a continuous 16 amp load.

I actually took the 5-15 end off the 12awg 5-15 adapter from my first upgrade instead of using the pigtail when I built my first "adapter" (actually a 120v to 240v quick220-like box.)

 

[johnr]

Sorry for my mistake. I thought it was 14 gauge but I double-checked and the cord on the EVSE itself is 12 gauge. For a very short pigtail, I see no issues with using 14 gauge cable. It is still within the wire's current-carrying capacity. Obviously if it is going to be a long cable I'd move to 12 gauge or larger to minimize voltage drop. For voltage drop, the length makes more difference than anything. The 5-15 and 6-50 molded adapters I'm selling are the same ones that are on the americord site, and they are 14 gauge. Of course, you're free to make your own cables if you choose. All the other cables I'm selling are made with 10 gauge wire.

 

[johnr]

Just added a couple more types of adapters on our website. http://www.evseadapters.com/

 

[jomo25]

Anyone have good suggestions for weatherproofing the connection between the EVSE plug and the adapter?

 

[davewill]

Just added a couple more types of adapters on our website. http://www.evseadapters.com/

The description for the TT-30 adapter on your site doesn't match the picture, and I suspect the picture is right...

 

[johnr]

The description for the TT-30 adapter on your site doesn't match the picture, and I suspect the picture is right...

Oops - I copied the text from another item and failed to edit it completely. Thanks for spotting that error. Corrected now.

 

[tps]

Anyone have good suggestions for weatherproofing the connection between the EVSE plug and the adapter?

The "right" way to make weatherproof power connections is to use weatherproof connectors such as the Leviton Wetguard series. A little bulky and expensive, but worth it IMHO. I put a Wetguard L6-20P on the EVSE that Phil modified and make adapters which I think are likely to be used outdoors with Wetguard L6-20R connectors. My 5-15P to L6-20R adapter has Wetguard plugs on both ends. Note that, while my extensions have Wetguard connectors on both ends, many of my adapters do not have waterproof connectors. For example, I don't foresee ever using the 10-30 or 14-50 adapters outdoors, and they are made using normal plugs. Back last summer when I used this stuff with the rental LEAF, the 10-30P to L6-20R adapter was inside the laundry room, and I had a 40 foot L6-20P to L6-20R extension made with Wetguard plugs running out through the laundry room window. Thus the connections outside the laundry room were Wetguard.

And don't forget to use cord that is rated for service in wet locations when making weatherproof adapters...