California Leaf drivers: What plug do you use?

[brucedp]

My question is for California Leaf EV drivers that carry with them an EVSE so they can use non-J1772 AC power sources.

The EVSE could be a low cost home unit or a EVSE Upgrade
http://evseupgrade.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I want to know what plug you put on the end of your EVSE so I know what
outlets to provide power to for any visiting Leaf EVs attending our annual EVent.

What do you 'long rangers' use?
14-50
6-20
L6-20
10-30

Please let me know.

The Square D panel box I am working to upgrade by switching out
some of the level 1 outlets (5-20) for the 3kW level2 power Leaf and
Volt pih use. Right now, the panel has 8 too many 120VAC 20A
breakers, I want to change out to provide power to 3kW EVs/pih.

My alternative is to just put in 6-20 outlets, and also make 1 ft adapter
pigtails for vehicles with other plugs.

Either way, I will still need to know what Leaf drivers that might drive
to the Palo Alto, CA EVent would be using.

Please let me know what you have even if you do not plan to come.
This will help me know what drivers are using.

-Bruce

 

[smkettner]

Mom's house has a 6-15 outlet so that is all I carry so far. Will make others as needed.

 

[gascant]

I carry the modified EVSE (240 V) around in the back and have several adapaters:
L6-20 to NEMA 5-15 (for 120 V charging, comes with the modified EVSE)
L6-20 to NEMA 10-30 (my home dryer outlet, houses built before 1996)
L6-20 to NEMA 14-30 (home dryers after 1996, cut off neutral pin to be useful for 14-50 and 14-60)
L6-20 to NEMA 6-30 (large room AC, can be adapted to 6-50 in a pinch)

Haven't needed them myself, yet, but have lent them to fellow LEAF owners when we're at an event where they require charge.

 

[91040]

I carry the modified EVSE (240 V) around with several adapters:
L6-20 to NEMA 5-15 (for 120 V charging, comes with the modified EVSE)
L6-20 to NEMA 10-30/50
L6-20 to NEMA 14-30/50/60
L6-20 to NEMA 6-20
L6-20 to NEMA 6-50 (can be adapted to 6-30 in a pinch)

 

[LindaK]

Pardon my ignorance, but I have NO idea what you are all talking about. I thought outlets came in 110 and 220 V. What are all those other numbers? And should I care? (My ESVE is a J1772 in my garage.)

 

[planet4ever]

Pardon my ignorance, but I have NO idea what you are all talking about. I thought outlets came in 110 and 220 V. What are all those other numbers? And should I care? (My ESVE is a J1772 in my garage.)

Actually, most outlets provide 120v and 240v, rather than 110v and 220v, but that's a side point. The real point is that plugs have different layouts of prongs for different amperages and grounding. And, no, you probably don't need to care unless you have a portable 240v EVSE. (Well, you do have a 120v EVSE that came with the car, and you can't plug that into a NEMA 1-15 outlet, which is the kind with only two slots and no third round hole, but that's pretty obvious.)

If you are curious, though, here are two tables that show you more than a hundred different configurations for outlets and plugs:
http://www.stayonline.com/reference-nema-straight-blade.aspx
http://www.stayonline.com/reference-nema-locking.aspx

Ray

 

[TonyWilliams]

Pardon my ignorance, but I have NO idea what you are all talking about. I thought outlets came in 110 and 220 V. What are all those other numbers? And should I care? (My ESVE is a J1772 in my garage.)

The numbers you quote are the voltage. Actually, in the USA, it's 120v and 240v.

The other numbers are the NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) numbers that identify the actual plug interface.

 

[johnr]

@LindaK: The OP is referring to the different types of 220V outlets. For example, dryer outlets with 3 slots are usually 10-30 and if they have 4 slots they're 14-30.

I carry an assortment of adapters, but usually I use a 14-50. It's a common connection at campgrounds. Sometimes I use a 10-30 which works with the old style dryer outlets.

Not planning on attending the Palo Alto event though.

 

[91040]

Pardon my ignorance, but I have NO idea what you are all talking about. I thought outlets came in 110 and 220 V. What are all those other numbers? And should I care? (My ESVE is a J1772 in my garage.)

Here are some other links with information:

All these strange numbers refer to different plug types that are used in various circuits. NEMA is the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The portable Nissan EVSE upgraded to handle both 120v and 240v (http://evseupgrade.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false uses a L(ocking) 6-20 (amp) plug. With these adapters, one has the ability to charge at many more locations.

 

[brucedp]

smkettner thanks, whatever EVSE you are using you say you have a
6-15 plug on the end. A 6-15 can plug into a 6-20 outlet, so you
are a vote for a (straight-blade) 6-20 outlet. The 6-15 and 6-20 have
the same amount of metal to metal contact, so a 6-15 can handle the
3kW's 16Amps of current same as a 6-20.


gascant & 91040 thanks, because you both use the modified EVSE with
a (locking) L6-20 and have similar adapters, with this small sample,
so far it looks like offering the following would work:

6-20
L6-20
14-50


I hope other 'long ranger' Leaf drivers continue to post what they
use so I have a better sample size. Afterward, I will be asking the
Volt pih drivers the same thing (I wonder if they were wise enough to
take advantage of the the modified EVSE made just for Volt pih use?)

Keep those answers coming in please.


...
Sidebar: I am really old-school, way-way back before EVSE of any kind.
Here's what I did that might be of use to "Today's" driver.

I always carried with me two 12-3 extension cords (you never knew
back then how far away the outlet was). I had a 50ft and a 25ft, so
I always had a 75ft ability.

After a while of exploring and pushing my range envelope, I found
what the most common plugs needed were. Instead of building up
adapter pig-tails of each and every type of Nema plug, I only
many about three of the most common, and kept a small gym bag full
of the 'makings' of the plugs I might need. This meant I could
fairly quickly build up an adapter using a screw driver to whatever
I found available.

So, instead of carrying the world of adapters with you, Today's driver
may want to only have made-up the adapters that are most used,
and carry the components of what they think they might need.


...
The panel I am upgrading was also put together way-way back in the EV
dark-ages (the 1990's) when level1 was most common. The EAA man that
did all this wonder work has since past away, but I hope to put new
life and use into it with this upgrade for Today's EVs/pih.

So, the panel has too many 5-20 outlets, and associated 120VAC 20A
breakers. I will be removing about eight of them to put in whatever
your posts show your needs are.

Not all the L1 will be removed, and the eaasv.org EAA Chapter also
has another smaller panel that has L1 power (5-20) outlets available.
These two panels were used to charge the GM EV1, Honda EVplus,
Toyota RAV4-EV, and many other older Production EVs at Stanford
University. Those were pretty cool days (until the automakers did a
bait and switch, and stopped offering EVs ... but I digress).

Now that there are many Leaf EVs and Volt pih on SF bay area roads,
and more types of EVs/pih coming, I can see our EVent chocked full
of vehicles hungry for electrons while at, or participating with, our
annual EVent.

I'm also thinking of how to get the power to all those vehicles.
-Am I right in thinking that most drivers plan to only have short
distances to reach an outlet?

I might want to make some adapted 12-3 extension cables on
hand to provide power to EVs/pih that are three or more vehicles
away from the power panel's outlets.

I hope more responses occur as that will let me know type of
receptacle to put on the end of those extension cables I would
build up.

My thanks to you all,

. ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(= Get Amp'd
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
brucedp.150m.com
*Originator of the above ASCII art
% Renewable Energy for your Electric Vehicle %

 

[hpage]

OK, how many have ever plugged into (or ever seen, for that matter);

L14-20, L14-30 ?
6-20, 6-30, 6-50 ?

OK, let's see a show of hands! Thx.

 

[91040]

OK, how many have ever plugged into (or ever seen, for that matter);

L14-20, L14-30 ?
6-20, 6-30, 6-50 ?

OK, let's see a show of hands! Thx.

My Blink plugs into a 6-50.
The 6-20 is at my mother-in-laws house.

 

[LindaK]

Thanks all!

 

[garygid]

What is the 6-20 at her house used for?
Garage shop, or possibly Air Conditioning?

---------
The most common 120v is:
The 5-15, with RV parks often having a special TT-30, which is rarely found elsewhere, I suspect.

--------
For 240 volt use:
The 14-50 at trailer parks or the 14-30 for since-1996 electric dryers (only the Neutral pin differs) woyld be the most commom.

The 10-30 (a socket for pre-96 electric dryers) is common, but I would not install that, since it has no "real" ground.

The 6-xx series has a real ground, and although the Blink uses 6-50, I have not seen 6-20 or 6-30, but we tend to have central A/C here, instead of Window-Box A/C (that MIGHT have 6-20???).

------
So, generally a "no" vote for the 6-xx and 10-xx series, which leaves the 14-xx series, primarily the 14-30 or 14-50 depending upon the ratings of your Breakers AND the total supply to your Panel.

 

[91040]

What is the 6-20 at her house used for?
Garage shop, or possibly Air Conditioning?

The 6-20 is in the garage wired from her unused dryer junction box. It was there when she moved in.

 

[essaunders]

Any wide use of 14-20?

I'd like to run a circuit to the edge of my garage - mainly for 120V tools (tiller, snowblower, lawn mower etc) but would like to be able to plug in a 20A EVSE. I was thinking a NEMA 14-20 circuit would let me do that. For 120V use I could have a short cord that just picks up the 120V. 240V use would go direct.

 

[fooljoe]

To best answer OPs question, the clear answer is L6-20! Almost any leaf driver that carries an EVSE with him will be carrying the EVSEupgrade, which has an L6-20 plug. Sure, lots of those people carry adapters for all sorts of other plugs, but if you have the choice of which outlet to install it should clearly be L6-20.

Is there anyone out there who carries an EVSE in the trunk that is not the EVSEupgrade (or of course the unmodified panasonic EVSE)?

Also, to add to the discussion about what adapters people use, having two non-gfci 20amp 120v outlets on different legs is nice to have also for those of us that carry quick220-style devices. That's actually the only "adapter" I regularly carry with my EVSEupgrade, while I have a 10-30 adapter permanently plugged in in my garage.

 

[smkettner]

smkettner thanks, whatever EVSE you are using you say you have a
6-15 plug on the end. A 6-15 can plug into a 6-20 outlet, so you
are a vote for a (straight-blade) 6-20 outlet. The 6-15 and 6-20 have
the same amount of metal to metal contact, so a 6-15 can handle the
3kW's 16Amps of current same as a 6-20.

The 6-15R I have available is for a central vacuum system mounted in the garage. 6-15 & 6-20 may be built the same but this circuit is on a 15a breaker and #14 wire in a fully finished garage. Also the moulded 6-15 plug and pigtail is constructed with #14 wire. I went with revision 1 to draw only 12a because of this. And still I think that is plenty adequate for my purpose.

I also have an apartment building that I periodically spend time at so I added L6-20 in the laundry rooms and I will just need an L6-20 extension cord.

I also have visited freinds camping at local RV parks and I will eventually need a 14-50 adapter next time.

BTW, at home I have a Schneider home wall unit. It is plugged into the 14-50 installed by the builder for EV use as required by city code.

 

[fooljoe]

Any wide use of 14-20?

I'd like to run a circuit to the edge of my garage - mainly for 120V tools (tiller, snowblower, lawn mower etc) but would like to be able to plug in a 20A EVSE. I was thinking a NEMA 14-20 circuit would let me do that. For 120V use I could have a short cord that just picks up the 120V. 240V use would go direct.

Whatever receptacle you want to put on it, if you're going to run a new circuit it's definitely a good idea to run 4 wires, as you suggested. Most would also suggest that if you're going to go to the trouble of running a new circuit that you upsize the wire enough for at least 40 amps (#8 I believe), so you're "future-proofed" if you upgrade your leaf's charger / get another EV that's capable of 6.6kw charging. Also, if you ever want to use that circuit to install a wall unit like the AV or Blink, et al, you'll need a circuit rated at 40 amps to be up to code, even though your Leaf will only draw 16. Since most of the cost of installing a new circuit is labor, you might as well spend a few dollars more so you have bigger wire in place, even if you still only want to put on a 20 amp breaker and receptacle for now.

 

[GPowers]

This is what I carry around. From left to right. Standard residential dryer plug, L6-30 for my house, this one is for work, and the standard 110v plug.

All are on short pig-tails.