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Need Adapter for 240V Dryer Outlet

5K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  sonovolt 
#1 ·
I just purchased a 2017 Chevy Volt LT and I am trying to learn about charging in my garage. The outlet in my garage is a standard 110 volt, but I have a 240 volt outlet (10-30R, 3-prongs) for my dryer that is just inside the house right next to the garage, so a 20-foot cable will reach it easily. (I tried to post a picture of my dryer outlet, but this forum will not allow it because I am new here, apparently)

I've been reading the forums about using the EVSE that comes standard with the car and plugging it into a 240-volt (dryer) outlet using an adapter for faster charging.

My question is about the adapter. I read some postings from three years ago that said you cannot simply buy this adapter. Some people in the Volt forums were apparently making their own adapters. Is it still the case that I cannot simply buy an adapter at Home Depot or somewhere like that? I found one adapter at Home Depot that seems to "almost" suit my purpose, but it has 4-prongs rather than the 3-prong plug I need. Even if I can find a 3-prong adapter, I don't know if this will serve my purpose. It looks like it might "downgrade" the 240-volt outlet to 110-volt power, and that's not what I'm trying to do. Please excuse my terminology. I am a novice at electrical issues, obviously.

I would like to get an adapter rather than pay $395 at Clipper Creek for their 240V EVSE. Please let me know if I can purchase an adapter at any retail outlet or perhaps through someone on this forum.

Thank you, in advance, for your help.

MCoad, Florida
PS - Is this forum the same as the one at voltforums? They seem VERY similar!
 
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#2 ·
It is correct that you can't simply go into a home depot or other similar store and buy an adapter, however, you can certainly get a 10-30 plug and 5-15 receptacle and make your own with a short length of wire to attach the new plug and receptacle together so you can plug one end of the adapter into the dryer plug, and the OEM Gen 2 EVSE into the other end. As for the 3/4 prong question. The 4 prong usually includes a neutral line which won't be used. You will use the two hot lines (usually red and black), and the green or bare wire for the ground to make the 3 prongs of the "120V" plug end that your OEM unit will use. Just make absolutely certain to mark this adapter appropriately so no one attempts to plug a standard 120V device into it.

To clarify, you will have two 120V wires making your 240V source and the ground rather than the traditional hot, neutral and ground for standard 120V 3 prong.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I'm not trying to be condescending, but your quest to find an adapter based on the configuration of the ends - rather than the configuration of the connections inside -- makes me feel REALLY uneasy. Even if that Home Depot NEMA 14-50 to 5-15 did fit, it would have only supplied 120V.

What you want to purchase is not code compliant. Ebay is always a good place to find non-compliant goods and there are adapters like you want for $55-$65. Search for "NEMA 10-30 to 5-15". Like freshet said, be sure to label it EV USE only. If you hook up a normal 120V something it's going to go *poof* really quick.

Here's the bigger question: Are you going to just live day-to-day with door between the house and garage open and the EVSE cable running through the doorway? That sounds questionable for the integrity of your heated/cooled space. Also, if the door gets shut on the cable and the insulation gets nicked, you or your family could end up injured or come home to find your house on fire. Seriously.

Also know that typical NEMA 10-30 receptacles (and 14-50, 6-50, etc) are not rated to be plugged/unplugged frequently.

And another thing to know... that NEMA 10-30 receptacle doesn't have a ground and could create an issue where the car could become energized by stray voltage bleeding back on the neutral and then into the car. Thats also dangerous.

Sounds like you need a dedicated 240v circuit in the garage with a NEMA 14-50 or NEMA 6-50 receptacle. If the circuit breaker box is in or near the garage, adding a circuit would be quick and not terriably inexpensive. And you could still use your OEM EVSE with the appropriate adapter if you still wanted to.
 
#7 ·
OP stated 10-30R, which that cable will not fit. Search this forum for the discussion on 10-30 adapters. EVSE manufactures vary on whether they support 10-30 or not, apparently Clipper Creek does not.
 
#8 · (Edited)
You are correct! I got confused with the post above it talking about 6-50. Thanks!

NEMA 10-30 is a safety issue since it has no ground... especially so if the house has squirrelly neutrals. Also not sure how OP is going to get the EVSE cord from inside the house where the NEMA 10-30 receptacle is out to the garage where the car is without adding more safety issues. This needs a dedicated 240 receptacle in the garage.

OP doesn't necessarily need a new EVSE per se. The 2017 OEM EVSE's are wired internally for two phase 240V, but they need a new plug end or an adapter to send hot-hot-ground down the NEMA 5-15 plug. It's janky, but it will work.
 
#9 ·
Thank you for helping to educate me. I do have a pet door in the door that goes to the garage, so running a cable through it would not be a problem. I am concerned about the lack of ground on my 10-30 receptacle. I am willing to make my own adapter, as some have suggested. If I do, will that solve the ground issue? Will I be building a ground into the adapter? Please excuse make lack of knowledge and terminology. Thanks, again, for your help. Also, I found a type of switch, or splitter, that would avoid my having to repeatedly plug/unplug my adapter and dryer cord.
 
#10 ·
I am concerned about the lack of ground on my 10-30 receptacle. I am willing to make my own adapter, as some have suggested. If I do, will that solve the ground issue? Will I be building a ground into the adapter?
The plug ground has to connect to the house ground inside the breaker panel. That is usually done with a ground wire from the receptacle to the breaker box. Since ground ins't an option with the 10-30 receptacle, you can't make it work. Depending on the wire gauge and how it's run, you can likely convert the 10-30 to another code-compliant receptacle, change out the dryer cord, and do whatever you are doing with the EVSE.

No idea where your breaker box is, but it sure would be cleaner to just leave the dryer alone and add a dedicated 240 in the garage. No switch to flip when you need the dryer, no doggie door thing, no messing with the existing 10-30 receptacle. It's something you can use for years in the future with whatever new EV you get... and once you go EV, you never go back ;).
 
#13 ·
Bentbiker, I have been unable to source a good pre-made"adapter" that actually transfers the 220 power to charge the factory EVSE, the adapters I have seen allow the stock charger to be used in a 220 outlet but only discharge the same amount as 110v plug would. I guess my question is he linked some plug ends to amazon(one even has a video) that would make the pigtail work and seems straight forward. Wanted opinions of others. I have considered the dedicated charging units also, but traveling away from home it would be nice to have more options than the 110v and charge stations. Thanks
 
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