Can I use a level2 charger (e.g 2019 leaf) to charge on a 120 outlet?

[zarni00]

I've seen some selling on ebay that support bothand the level1 is actually just an adapter to plug into a regular wall outlet.
I am wondering if the original one that comes with the leaf one can plug into 120v (with adapter) and will it work?
Below he is plugging in the adapter for 120v charging.

 

[cornbinder89]

SOME, but not all of the OEM ESVE are duel voltage. The ones that are have a 14-50 four prong plug and an adapter plug for 120 volt. If your EVSE has NISSAN on it and a 4 prong large plug, then yes you could use it. If it is like mine, and only has the common 120 volt plug on it, then no.

 

[henrydehoja]

The Nissan OEM (L1/L2) portable EVSE should have come with a special adapter for connecting the NEMA 14-50 plug into it.
You can read more about it in the following post thread:
https://mynissanleaf.com/threads/ne...r-for-240-120-volt-charger.34888/#post-638199

I haven't used the ebay adapter you mentioned. If it was designed properly for use on EVs, then it may work.

 

[popgoesweasel]

With the adapter it needs to be plugged into a GROUNDED 115v outlet. It will NOT work on an ungrounded outlet!

 

[zarni00]

The Nissan OEM (L1/L2) portable EVSE should have come with a special adapter for connecting the NEMA 14-50 plug into it.
You can read more about it in the following post thread:
https://mynissanleaf.com/threads/ne...r-for-240-120-volt-charger.34888/#post-638199

I haven't used the ebay adapter you mentioned. If it was designed properly for use on EVs, then it may work.

as far as i know there is not much difference between a dryer type nema 6-50P and a 14-50R other than the latter has 2 grounds and the former 1 ground and latter is 240v and former is 120v. AFAIK there is nothing special about an EV vs other type of adapter for this that I know of. Correct me if i'm wrong though

 

[coulomb]

as far as i know there is not much difference between a dryer type nema 6-50P and a 14-50R other than the latter has 2 grounds and the former 1 ground...

No socket has two grounds; a 14-50R has one ground and a neutral. While a neutral and a ground are usually at roughly the same potential, they are very different and are in no way interchangeable.

 

[cornbinder89]

as far as i know there is not much difference between a dryer type nema 6-50P and a 14-50R other than the latter has 2 grounds and the former 1 ground and latter is 240v and former is 120v. AFAIK there is nothing special about an EV vs other type of adapter for this that I know of. Correct me if i'm wrong though

a 6-50 is 240 volt, two hots and a ground, no neutral. a 14-50 is 240/120, two hots one neutral and one ground. both are 50 amp max, 40 amp continuous.
The 14-50 can have 120 volt load on the circuit as it has a neutral, the 6-50 can not as it does not have neutral.
few EVSE's require a neutral, so can use a 6-50, but if they come with a 14-50 plug you should check with the mfg before assuming you can use an adapter and feed only 240 via a 6-50.
My EVSE came with a 6-50 plug, and I used an adapter to a 14-50 outlet. I could have replaced the outlet with a 6-50 but because it was already cabled with 4 conductors, I didn't see the point in deadheading the neutral in the box, I may need that for a future item.
A 10-30 or 10-50 have two hots and a neutral and no ground, they were used on older dryers and ranges respectively and are not for new installations, only to service older equipment.

 

[Stanton]

as far as i know there is not much difference between a dryer type nema 6-50P and a 14-50R other than the latter has 2 grounds and the former 1 ground and latter is 240v and former is 120v. AFAIK there is nothing special about an EV vs other type of adapter for this that I know of. Correct me if i'm wrong though

You are wrong...but then others have pointed that out.
My concern is giving incorrect advice about something that could result in injury to the person asking the question...let alone the additional confusion it generates in the thread.

 

[zarni00]

Well I don't know why I would be wrong. I just made myself an adapter and it works perfectly well.
Here is the wiring diagram
https://getgoplug.com/cdn/shop/products/120VAdapterWiringDiagram_grande.png?v=1637956145
Here is a photo of the adapter I made:


Tested and works fine.
A lot of untruths on this thread

 

[zarni00]

No socket has two grounds; a 14-50R has one ground and a neutral. While a neutral and a ground are usually at roughly the same potential, they are very different and are in no way interchangeable.

right but the W is not used in evs anyway

 

[cornbinder89]

All I'll say is:
In electrical, things can work, not be correct, safe or to code. That doesn't make it right.
If I say more, it wouldn't be nice.

 

[duncan-s]

A lot of untruths on this thread

Those taking issue with "AFAIK there is nothing special about an EV vs other type of adapter for this that I know of" are right to do so. I'm pleased that your gadget is working for you, and you haven't yet burned down your house or injured yourself. But it doesn't mean people can grab something from their hardware store or amazon that has a grounded household plug on one end and a 14-50R on the other, and then succeed in charging their Leaf with it. If it is not designated specifically for use with electric vehicle charging, it's likely set up in another configuration that is common for recreational vehicle use: G to G, X to X, and W to W with the Y conductor going nowhere. Those devices provide no voltage between X and Y, which is where an EVSE wants it.

 

[medic2442]

I tried this awhile back by buying a 240 to 120 adapter from Amazon and although it worked initially, after a little bit my charger stopped working. Thankfully I didn’t fry my charger and it continued to work after plugging into a regular 240. That adapter got returned to Amazon. Never will I try that again. If I want to do level 1, I’ll buy a level 1 charger.

 

[cornbinder89]

Some Nissan supplied EVSE's came with an adapter that would allow to be plugged into a 120 volt socket for level 1 charging and had a 14-50 plug permanently on the cord for level 2 charging.
Many of the Nissan supplied EVSE's only had the 120 volt plug and were not able to Level 2 charge
The JDM had a EVSE that was only for 200 volts.
The Nissan EVSE's were not all the same, and were distributed based on where the car was sold.
Aftermarket EVSE's could do what ever their mfg set them up to.
In North America, the NISSAN OEM EVSE"S with the 14-50 plug did have the adapter, whether it stayed with the EVSE or got lost along the way is another story. NON OEM EVSE's with the 14-50 plug may do fine with the adapter, may not work at all, may draw too much for the 120 volt socket, or may fail, you could be using them in a way they were not meant to be used.
To place 120 volts on the 14-50 socket, the load must be between one of the hots and the neutral, that is NOT how the NIssan EVSE adapter does it, so by definition, it violates code, but is designed for that one item only, and that EVSE determines when it is in use and limits the draw to what the circuit can handle.
Don't assume because Nissan did it, that all EVSE's work this way, Not even all Nissan supplied EVSE's work like that.

 

[duncan-s]

it violates code, but is designed for that one item only, and that EVSE determines when it is in use and limits the draw to what the circuit can handle

This is the first I've heard electrical code mentioned, but it makes sense with regard to your "that one item only" observation. My first Leaf was missing that adaptor piece, and lacking a 240v supply at the time, I was able to substitute one of the EV-designated adaptors available on Amazon without issue. The second car, the one I kept after exchange, did come with the adaptor. The fact that it has a hinged interlock to the EVSE plug and is recessed on its receptacle side seemed like overkill to me at first glance, as if just for mechanical stability/security, but in light of what you're saying it must be done that way to also make it difficult to use the adaptor with anything else. Thanks for elaborating.

 

[moapys]

Well I don't know why I would be wrong. I just made myself an adapter and it works perfectly well.
Here is the wiring diagram
https://getgoplug.com/cdn/shop/products/120VAdapterWiringDiagram_grande.png?v=1637956145
Here is a photo of the adapter I made:
View attachment 3591

Tested and works fine.
A lot of untruths on this thread

Some EVSE's "auto-switch" (e.g. determine input voltage and adjust accordingly). If your spec's confirm this, then you're good to go. 'Put some strain relief on those wires, tho - ok? It's likely to get tugged hard, and you want that stress to go to the socket structure, not your screwed-wire connections

 

[cornbinder89]

It is kind of like the charger for a laptop, says 100 v to 240v AC on the back, Input is via a three pin staggered plug and what cordset gets shipped depends on the local market. As long as the cordset is correct for the voltage, it is ok. I could replace my 120 volt cordset with a 240 one and plug it in and all would be legal.

Some EVSE's "auto-switch" (e.g. determine input voltage and adjust accordingly). If your spec's confirm this, then you're good to go. 'Put some strain relief on those wires, tho - ok? It's likely to get tugged hard, and you want that stress to go to the socket structure, not your screwed-wire connections

How about some insulation on the socket???

 

[zarni00]

Those taking issue with "AFAIK there is nothing special about an EV vs other type of adapter for this that I know of" are right to do so. I'm pleased that your gadget is working for you, and you haven't yet burned down your house or injured yourself. But it doesn't mean people can grab something from their hardware store or amazon that has a grounded household plug on one end and a 14-50R on the other, and then succeed in charging their Leaf with it. If it is not designated specifically for use with electric vehicle charging, it's likely set up in another configuration that is common for recreational vehicle use: G to G, X to X, and W to W with the Y conductor going nowhere. Those devices provide no voltage between X and Y, which is where an EVSE wants it.

OK i agree. but there is only so many ways you can wire this and i followed the diagram for EV. And it works. So I don't know why everybody makes it out to be such a complex thing. There are 3 wires only to be connected to 4 other connecting points on the other adapter configuration. There is really nothing special about connecting wires properly. If you can connect wires you can do it.

 

[zarni00]

All I'll say is:
In electrical, things can work, not be correct, safe or to code. That doesn't make it right.
If I say more, it wouldn't be nice.

well please tell me where the diagram is wrong then.

 

[zarni00]

You are wrong...but then others have pointed that out.
My concern is giving incorrect advice about something that could result in injury to the person asking the question...let alone the additional confusion it generates in the thread.

I agree there is confusion. Nobody has pointed out what is the actual diagram that is any different from the diagram I have provided. Essentially this is connecting 3 wires to 4 connecting points properly. It's not rocket science. The rest is using the right gauge wires and properly insulating. If you have specific criticism about what is wrong please advise. Otherwise saying don't do something that can result in injury is just a platitude that everybody knows. Doing anything can result in injury if you do not know what you are doing.