Changing Portable EVSE Plug from 14-30P to 14-50P

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AdamFist

Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2013
Messages
13
EV: 2015 Nissan LEAF S (6.6 kw onboard charger)

Current charging setup

Portable EVSE: Zencar (Duosida) L2, 16a, 14-30p (with adapter)

Mode 2 EV Charging Cable
Type: 3030-PSE-16-7.5AC-AS
Input: 110-220V AC 50/60Hz
Output: 110-220V AC 16AMPS 50/60Hz
Protection: IP55
Reference Standard: SAE J1772-2010


Based on these specs, I believe this portable EVSE supports L1/L2 charging.

Home Receptacle: 14-30r, 50a circuit
Work Receptacle: 14-50r, 50a circuit

Desired charging setup

Same Portable EVSE: Zencar (Duosida) L2, 16a, rewired to 14-50p with $11 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GY3WMKF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Home Receptacle: 14-50r, 50a circuit with $40 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083LFF2Q1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Work Receptacle: 14-50r, 50a circuit

Reasons for this approach:
  • Prioritizing a least cost approach to replace 14-30p on portable EVSE with 14-50p rather than spending another $200+ on a new portable EVSE
  • Standardize receptacle between Home and Work locations with 240v / 50a circuit
  • Eventually will want to install a 40a wall mounted EVSE at home with 14-50p

Questions for the forum:
1. Can my portable EVSE spec support both 120v and 240v charging?
2. Given my current and desired charging setup, will this configuration work?
3. Given that the NEMA 14-50 supports 240/120v, can I also charge on 120v with $13 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PMJB14V/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A26OASPQYU1JXQ&psc=1 ?
 
1: yes, the input specs are 'Input: 110-220V AC 50/60Hz' but I'd guess that it really means 120-240V

2: yes, I don' see anything wrong with this setup since the Zencar will limit the charging current to 16A. If that wasn't true I'd be concerned about the current carrying capacity of the EVSE since it is nominally a 30A device. Your Leaf can draw up to 27.5A which requires a 35A or greater circuit and wiring when running at full capacity.

3: no: That adapter is only rated for 15A and the Zencar/Leaf combination will be pulling 16A at 120V in this configuration. This is also a 'continuous load' so you should use at least a 20A circuit with the nominal 16A Zencar EVSE.
 
Personally, I would not replace your 14-30r at home receptacle with a 14-50r, not code and just as easy to make an outlet adapter with a 14-50p, short piece(1-2') of 3 conductor cable of at least 12G and a 14-30r. This would allow you to plug your 14-30p EVSE into a 14-50r outlet with the adapter. I've made many such adapters and they allow me to plug my portable EVSEs into just about any outlet I find in the wild. I personally standardized on the L14-30 standard for my <30a EVSEs and the 14-50 standard for my higher than 30a EVSEs but you can standardize on what you want. Most of my outlet adapters cost <$30 or you can purchase ones generally used for motorhomes for about $20 more. Just be cautious about the non-EV outlet adapters that go from a 120v outlet to a 240v outlet, RV ones won't work because the neutral isn't used in L2 EVSEs but is in RVs.
AFA that outlet adapter, sure it should work just fine for 120v charging on your EVSE, While true as goldbrick said your EVSE can draw 16a @ 120v you'd just have to be SURE the outlet you plug into has a 20a breaker and has at least 12g wire, you would pop the breaker if it were only 15a. The outlet adapter pictured is sure to have 12g wiring, if only 14g(not likely) you would be overrating the wire by an amp or so and probably wouldn't be good for continuous use. Never mind, just looked and they use 10G wire, more than enough :cool:
My favorite 14-50p https://www.amazon.com/Camco-PowerGrip-Replacement-Transform-55255/dp/B000PGVZ30/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2C91IH37FSDRZ&dchild=1&keywords=14-50r+plug&qid=1632231006&sprefix=14-50r%2Celectronics%2C203&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExWFBPOVdGU1kyR1hTJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzA4MDA0MzI3NFc2Tkc4MVIxNCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzU2MTEzNEg5MktERTQ1ODdNJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
My favorite 14-50r https://www.amazon.com/Camco-55353-Female-Replacement-Receptacle/dp/B00192QB9M/ref=sr_1_19_sspa?crid=2552IEOQVDIEQ&dchild=1&keywords=14-50r+plug+female&qid=1632231070&sprefix=14-50r+plug%2Caps%2C240&sr=8-19-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzTTJCTTEzUFA5T0JTJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTEzMTAyMklCSzVWSlpHUzFOVyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzU2MjM3MjJXUlI2VE9VNlpWOSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX210ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Amazon is THE place to get these plugs, SO much cheaper than B&M it's not funny!
 
FWIW, I believe that 14-30 and 14-50 differ only in the neutral pin. And an EVSE generally doesn't use the neutral, it's a straight 240V device. So if you install a 14-30p without a neutral pin, you have a plug end that will fit in either a 14-30r or 14-50r.

Cheers, Wayne
 
wwhitney said:
FWIW, I believe that 14-30 and 14-50 differ only in the neutral pin. And an EVSE generally doesn't use the neutral, it's a straight 240V device. So if you install a 14-30p without a neutral pin, you have a plug end that will fit in either a 14-30r or 14-50r.

Cheers, Wayne

That's exactly what I did when I deployed my Zencar EVSE. Works perfectly and it took only a few minutes to take apart the stock plug to remove the neutral blade. Very handy for campground charging too, as you can plug into either a 14-30r or 14-50r with no need for an adapter cable.

In my case, I had a 14-50p going into a 14-30r.
 
alozzy said:
you can plug into either a 14-30r or 14-50r with no need for an adapter cable.
And just to be clear, that's fine as long as the EVSE is set to no more than 24A. Which it sounds like the EVSEs under discussion are.

Cheers, Wayne
 
alozzy said:
wwhitney said:
FWIW, I believe that 14-30 and 14-50 differ only in the neutral pin. And an EVSE generally doesn't use the neutral, it's a straight 240V device. So if you install a 14-30p without a neutral pin, you have a plug end that will fit in either a 14-30r or 14-50r.

Cheers, Wayne

That's exactly what I did when I deployed my Zencar EVSE. Works perfectly and it took only a few minutes to take apart the stock plug to remove the neutral blade. Very handy for campground charging too, as you can plug into either a 14-30r or 14-50r with no need for an adapter cable.

In my case, I had a 14-50p going into a 14-30r.

To clarify the discussion around my 14-30p adapter, my EVSE terminates to a L14-30p (which I want to replace with the product below) then I have another L14-30r/14-30p adapter that plugs into my 14-30r.

The wiring in my current charging setup:
  • Red
  • Black
  • Green/Yellow - Which I assume goes to Ground

This is great feedback given that all I would need to do is to remove the Neutral blade at the bottom, which I can with this replacement plug:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GY3WMKF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1


I can keep my 14-30r until I get the wall mounted EVSE.
 
AdamFist said:
alozzy said:
wwhitney said:
FWIW, I believe that 14-30 and 14-50 differ only in the neutral pin. And an EVSE generally doesn't use the neutral, it's a straight 240V device. So if you install a 14-30p without a neutral pin, you have a plug end that will fit in either a 14-30r or 14-50r.

Cheers, Wayne

That's exactly what I did when I deployed my Zencar EVSE. Works perfectly and it took only a few minutes to take apart the stock plug to remove the neutral blade. Very handy for campground charging too, as you can plug into either a 14-30r or 14-50r with no need for an adapter cable.

In my case, I had a 14-50p going into a 14-30r.

To clarify the discussion around my 14-30p adapter, my EVSE terminates to a L14-30p (which I want to replace with the product below) then I have another L14-30r/14-30p adapter that plugs into my 14-30r.

The wiring in my current charging setup:
  • Red
  • Black
  • Green/Yellow - Which I assume goes to Ground

This is great feedback given that all I would need to do is to remove the Neutral blade at the bottom, which I can with this replacement plug:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GY3WMKF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1


I can keep my 14-30r until I get the wall mounted EVSE.
Since your EVSE has a L14-30p then all you'd need is a L14-30r(female plug) along with a ~1' piece of 10g 3-wire cable along with the plug you linked, leaving the neutral blade out so you could plug it into either a 14-30 or 14-50 outlet, easy peasy, or just purchase something like this and use a hack saw to cut off the neutral blade which would allow you to plug it into either a 14-30 or 14-50 outlet, this is what I'd do.
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Prong-Adapter-Generator/dp/B076ZTWL4K/ref=sr_1_18?crid=2S7KO1MI2HPZ6&dchild=1&keywords=l14-30r+to+14-30p&qid=1632262951&sprefix=L14-30r+to%2Cindustrial%2C189&sr=8-18
 
wwhitney said:
alozzy said:
you can plug into either a 14-30r or 14-50r with no need for an adapter cable.
And just to be clear, that's fine as long as the EVSE is set to no more than 24A. Which it sounds like the EVSEs under discussion are.

Cheers, Wayne

Yes, the Zencar EVSE he has only draws 16A.

In my case, I can program the amperage draw of my Zencar 32A (max) L2 EVSE based on the supply available. At home, it's always set to 24A, but at campgrounds that have a 14-50R and a 40A breaker, I'll bump that up to full charge rate. Having said that, we usually take our 2011 Hyundai Elentra Touring when camping as we usually take along our 14' boat and the LEAF isn't recommended for towing. My gut tells me that the LEAF would tow our boat no problem, but my wife doesn't share that point of view :lol:
 
Follow up question for the forum: Would an RV surge protector be of any value when connecting the EV to the receptacle?

Was thinking of getting something like this...

Progressive Industries 50 Amp RV Surge Module, RSM-50 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088D2LF7S/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_0JWXC9XX7KWA3MA7JK13
 
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