3.6 kw charging for RV camping

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Wildcow

New member
Joined
Aug 29, 2024
Messages
2
Location
Midwest USA
Hi everyone. I live in a motorhome and travel for work midwest USA. I tow my 22 Nissan leaf S plus and charge on level 1 charger 1.4 kw. My charger is factory and in a pinch I can connect to the RV 50 amp at the camp sites. I want to use the 3.6kw charging ability of the car. I use a outlet 120 volt on the RV to charge it now. If I get a 3.6 kw charger and hook up a 6-20 outlet and circuit to the RV will the Leaf only charge at 3.6 kw. The goal is to charge at 3.6 kw since I connect the RV to 50 amps and only use about 30 amps to run all the RV functions. I want to use the remaining 20 amps to charge the car. I don't have enough extra power to run the 6.6 kw 30 amps charger off the RV. Any advise would be great!
 
Wow, a lot to unpack and address here.
1st and foremost continuous draw on a circuit is limited by NEC (code) to 80% of max rated capacity.
SO
that 50 amp circuit is only able to supply 40 amp continuous, so if your RV is really drawing 30 amps, that leaves 10 amps leftover. This assumes the RV parks wiring is up to code and the cables are heavy enough for the distance from the supply.
Given that at 20 amps, you would be overloading a 15 branch circuit and a 20 amp branch along with overloading the 50 amp input when the load is continuous.
If you got an adjustable EVSE that could be set to 10 amp max draw, you could power it off a 15 or 20 amp branch circuit without overloading the system.
The real question is: what is the actual draw on the system? Are you drawing 30 amps when you also want to charge the car?
To use 20 amp draw, it has be on a 30 amp branch circuit for continuous load.
Still charging on a 240 volt line, even at 10 amps is better than charging on a 120 volt line at a max of about 12 amps.
 
The EVSE sends a PWM signal to the car which tells it the maximum current. So the 3.6 kw charger will draw a maximum of 3.6 kw or 15 amps at 240 volts.
 
I had a 2018 SL and now have a 2022 SL+ and both came with the 6kw charger that draws about 28 amps on 220. No adjustment possible AFAIK
 
If I get a 3.6 kw charger and hook up a 6-20 outlet and circuit to the RV will the Leaf only charge at 3.6 kw. The goal is to charge at 3.6 kw since I connect the RV to 50 amps and only use about 30 amps to run all the RV functions.
In order to use the 6-20 outlet, you're going to need to do some complex wiring in your RV since there are no 240 VAC breakers in an RV, only 120 VAC. Even though the 50 Amp 240 VAC RV connection is available at the campground, RVs use this connection to produce two separate 120 VAC, 50 amp circuits. As other have said, you'll only have 10 amps at 240 VAC available so 2.4 kW of charge power. So you'll need an adjustable EVSE that's able to limit the charge current to 10 amps at 240 VAC. You'll also need a NEMA 6-20 to NEMA 14-50 adapter.
 
In order to use the 6-20 outlet, you're going to need to do some complex wiring in your RV since there are no 240 VAC breakers in an RV, only 120 VAC. Even though the 50 Amp 240 VAC RV connection is available at the campground, RVs use this connection to produce two separate 120 VAC, 50 amp circuits. As other have said, you'll only have 10 amps at 240 VAC available so 2.4 kW of charge power. So you'll need an adjustable EVSE that's able to limit the charge current to 10 amps at 240 VAC. You'll also need a NEMA 6-20 to NEMA 14-50 adapter.
If there are indeed no 240v breakers in an RV the OP could also get an EVSE capable of putting out 24a @ 120v and still get 2.88Kw of charging. I'd suggest using a 120v 30a twist lock plug like the L5-30 or even the very common RV outlet TT-30. It's also possible the RV outlet post might have both a 120v TT-30 and 14-50 240v outlet but I'm not sure if they would be 2 separate circuits so you still might not want to exceed 40a combined on either of the 120v sides.
Now I'm not 100% sure the newer Leafs are capable of pulling more than 12a @ 120v but the second generation('13-'XX'?) Leafs with the 6.6Kw chargers would and I often used that feature. Note most all the cheaper/generic dual voltage Chinese EVSEs are capable of putting out the same amperage at 120v as they do 240v, it's just I'm not sure the newer Leafs can pull more than 12a @ 240v........
 
It's also possible the RV outlet post might have both a 120v TT-30 and 14-50 240v outlet but I'm not sure if they would be 2 separate circuits so you still might not want to exceed 40a combined on either of the 120v sides.
The RV parks I've worked on are only rated for either the 30 amp or the 50 amp plug but not both.
Now I'm not 100% sure the newer Leafs are capable of pulling more than 12a @ 120v but the second generation('13-'XX'?) Leafs with the 6.6Kw chargers would and I often used that feature. Note most all the cheaper/generic dual voltage Chinese EVSEs are capable of putting out the same amperage at 120v as they do 240v, it's just I'm not sure the newer Leafs can pull more than 12a @ 240v........
Since the RV pedestal is only good for 40 amps, (80% of 50 amps), and the RV is using 30 amps, there are only 10 amps left for the Leaf, either 120 VAC or 240 VAC.
 
Thank you for all the information. The adjustable EVSE sounds like a must. I didn't know they made them. It would be nice to have the adjustable option as I am in a new situation monthly. I go around the Midwest building smaller houses on random lots and do some door dash on the side. The 1.4 kw almost keeps up so if I can get just a little more juice I may not need many fast chargers. On job sites I usually have 200 amp temp. service to run the RV and charge my truck, I mean leaf ;). Its in between jobs when I'm at random RV parks it gets a little harder to keep charged. With the Adjustable EVSE and The 50-30-20 amp options that are on most RV pedestal I would have a whole arsenal of charging options without wiring anything new. I would just need to get some equipment to watch my amperage usage. I LOVE MY LEAF!
 
You can buy 14-50 Y splitters (one 14-50 plug with two 14-50 receptacles) that would be ideal when combined with a 10,16,20,24,32 amp adjustable EVSE. When on jobsite or anywhere with dedicated 50 amp for charging, you can set it to the 32 amp setting, and when you have to share with your RV, you can dial it back to what power is left over. Most adjustable EVSE can be had with the 14-50 plug
 
This sounds like a lot of overcomplication. Just plug your Leaf into the 50a plug, and your RV into the 30a (or even the 20a). Just don’t try to run your RV’s AC(s) while charging your car. Everything will be safe, worst that happens if you try to run absolutely everything simultaneously, you’ll trip the breaker and remember to turn off the AC.
 
This sounds like a lot of overcomplication. Just plug your Leaf into the 50a plug, and your RV into the 30a (or even the 20a). Just don’t try to run your RV’s AC(s) while charging your car. Everything will be safe, worst that happens if you try to run absolutely everything simultaneously, you’ll trip the breaker and remember to turn off the AC.
It's not a good idea to use both the 30 and 50 amp plugs on an RV pedestal since you won't trip the breakers at the pedestal but at the RV park's main breaker panel. You'll then have to go find someone running the park and let them know you blew the site's main breaker which may be a time consuming issue if it happens at night; think no power overnight.
 
It's not a good idea to use both the 30 and 50 amp plugs on an RV pedestal since you won't trip the breakers at the
there’s a breaker there on the pedestal for a reason.

if you’re reeeeeaaaaalllly worried, get a 50a Y-cable, but you’re just searching for a solution to a problem you won’t have.

but really, even if you had a 6.6kw charger AND you ran your 30a RV full out, you STILL probably wouldn’t trip a 50a.
 
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there’s a breaker there on the pedestal for a reason.

if you’re reeeeeaaaaalllly worried, get a 50a Y-cable, but you’re just searching for a solution to a problem you won’t have.

but really, even if you had a 6.6kw charger AND you ran your 30a RV full out, you STILL probably wouldn’t trip a 50a.
The Leaf pulls 27.5 amps added to a 30 amp RV load gives you a 57.5 amp load and will most certainly blow a 50 amp breaker whether it's at the pedestal or the RV park's main breaker panel.
 
The Leaf pulls 27.5 amps added to a 30 amp RV load gives you a 57.5 amp load and will most certainly blow a 50 amp breaker whether it's at the pedestal or the RV park's main breaker panel.
no, the RV could draw 30a, but….. it’s not going to. only heavy electric load in an RV is going to be AC, and maayyybe microwave. Chances are, stove, water heater, furnace on a 30a coach are all LP.

too many people confuse breakers with load. breakers are capacity, not usage. there’s another thread where people are complaining about a bidirectional charger because it has “too much” capacity. again, not realizing that just because you have capacity, that doesn’t mean it’s what it does.

long story short, get a bog standard 16a 240v L2 charger on ebay for $100, just plug it in, and never look back.
 
Its called Load management, and I mentioned that in post #2 on this thread.
"If the RV is using 30 amps while charging"
However, most aren't going to be monitoring their draw the whole time it is charging, and because he wanted the ability to charge faster when on jobsites, and adjustable rate EVSE with a splitter would make the most sense. He could set to 10 amps when using the splitter cord and never have to think about load management, and to 30-32 amps when on a dedicated circuit. May be even 16 or 20 amps, depends on the (RV's) other loads.
A bit more money that a dedicated 20 amp cord, but gives far more options. All with one "plug" 14-50 and one EVSE.
 
no, the RV could draw 30a, but….. it’s not going to. only heavy electric load in an RV is going to be AC, and maayyybe microwave. Chances are, stove, water heater, furnace on a 30a coach are all LP.
Many modern RVs have two ACs, microwave and electric water heater, easily surpassing 30 amps in the summer. Only the OP knows what his load is and then adjust the EVSE amperage accordingly to stay below 40 amps.
 
Many modern RVs have two ACs, microwave and electric water heater, easily surpassing 30 amps in the summer.
Not ones with a 30a main, they don’t. OP said he has a 22’ 30a coach, not a 50a. It’s single AC, I guarantee it. It’s also why I recommended just not running the AC at the same time, though you might even get away with it.

In a pinch, I run mine (a 50A coach with 2ACs) off a 15a circuit and extension cord, even with an AC, though that often does trip 15a with the fridge, but not always.

OP — just try it, I’ll bet everything just works. Worst thing that’ll happen is you trip a breaker, and you’ll know not to run the AC too.
 
OP — just try it, I’ll bet everything just works. Worst thing that’ll happen is you trip a breaker, and you’ll know not to run the AC too.
Just for the hell of it, I wonder how ridiculous it would be to try to pipe AC from the leaf into the RV. Obviously a tremendously complicated task, what with ducting, losses from the car windows, etc, but it would be interesting to see how effective it might be in a pinch. Might be more reasonable to run a lower powered unit with an inverter off the 12v 🤔
 
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