[LectricalPotential]

I just bought at 2015 Chevy Volt. Charging on 120 is not my favorite, but my circuit breaker is full, so at this time, I cannot add another 220 outlet. I can, however, get my car close enough to the house to thread the power cord that came with the car through the dryer vent to access the dryer outlet. The dryer outlet is not the same as a regular outlet. I've attached a pic of the outlet and the specs from the dryer.

Can I somehow convert that plug into something that I could safely plug my Volt into? I do not want to permanently convert the outlet. I want to be able to switch from using it for the dryer to using it for the Volt. Please help me figure out what I need to do that, or if it's just not feasible.

Note that the portable charger that came with the car would be inside the house. Only the cord with the connector to the car would be outside. Thank you for any advice.

 

[Steverino]

Can I somehow convert that plug into something that I could safely plug my Volt into? I do not want to permanently convert the outlet. I want to be able to switch from using it for the dryer to using it for the Volt. Please help me figure out what I need to do that, or if it's just not feasible.

Yes, I and a few others do this.

Basically a special switch diverts the power to either the dryer outlet or the EVSE outlet. 1) The breaker feeding the dryer line must be sized correctly for the Volt (20A), or 2) you need to add a breaker box with a 20A breaker between the switch and the EVSE outlet.

My dryer circuit has a 30A breaker (I suspect most do), so I did #2. A 20A breaker is very important, otherwise, if your EVSE went bad and started pulling more than 20A, there would be no protection. Smoke and fire.

See http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread...aring-Dryer-Outlet-quot-Instructions-amp-Pics

And
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread...-14-50-outlets&p=2827882&posted=1#post2827882

And
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?10227-SPX-Voltec-240v-Charger-Installed

 

[hellsop]

I just bought at 2015 Chevy Volt. Charging on 120 is not my favorite, but my circuit breaker is full, so at this time, I cannot add another 220 outlet. I can, however, get my car close enough to the house to thread the power cord that came with the car through the dryer vent to access the dryer outlet. The dryer outlet is not the same as a regular outlet. I've attached a pic of the outlet and the specs from the dryer.

Can I somehow convert that plug into something that I could safely plug my Volt into? I do not want to permanently convert the outlet. I want to be able to switch from using it for the dryer to using it for the Volt. Please help me figure out what I need to do that, or if it's just not feasible.

Note that the portable charger that came with the car would be inside the house. Only the cord with the connector to the car would be outside. Thank you for any advice.
View attachment 132418

That's a NEMA 10-30. The circuit is fine to charge a Volt with. Your EVSE (the cord/box thingy) will need to be altered to take 240 volts or replaced with a real Level 2 combo one. And I'd recommend NOT running stuff through dryer vents as a general principle; those things plug up and catch fire often enough without extra stuff for lint to catch on.

The tricky thing is that those outlets aren't really built for many many pluggings and unpluggings, like the typical 5-15 receptacles are. A switch to handle that kind of power would run like $100-120 though, so you could run power to either the dryer or a second similar outlet on the other side of the wall, and pretend you're Igor doing the master's bidding at the same time.

 

[bentbiker]

LectricalPotential,
There is one other option for those whose panel is out of space -- tandem breakers. They can be used to provide two 120v breakers in the space normally used by one breaker. Thus, two tandem breakers can provide enough space for a new double-pole 240v breaker. Then you can run that dedicated 240v line for your EV.

 

[BAZINGA]

LectricalPotential,
There is one other option for those whose panel is out of space -- tandem breakers. They can be used to provide two 120v breakers in the space normally used by one breaker. Thus, two tandem breakers can provide enough space for a new double-pole 240v breaker. Then you can run that dedicated 240v line for your EV.

My panel was full so that's what my electrician did when he installed my CC LCS-25. It was easy peazy.

 

[Chris TX]

Your Volt's EVSE only needs a Level 2 adapter to use that 240V outlet. No modifications needed. See my signature.

 

[2VoltFamily]

You will need to confirm that the L1 EVSE that came with your 2015 Volt is one that can be used as a L2 EVSE using a simple adapter especially if you bought it used. If so, ChrisTX can build one for you. You should post a pic of your EVSE

You will have to plug/unplug however, unless you buy a dryer buddy in one of Steverino's links above.

Or you could build your own like this:
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?282593-2-Volts-charge-off-split-circuit

 

[voganni]

I would second the idea of using a couple piggy-back 120v breakers to give you room for another 240v breaker. Our electrician did that from the get-go on a bunch of them. This is assuming of course that your 120v breakers aren't already piggy-backs! You could also change your dryer breaker to 60 amp, and run it to a subpanel with a couple 30 amp breakers, one for dryer, one for EVSE.

 

[DMC5180]

I would second the idea of using a couple piggy-back 120v breakers to give you room for another 240v breaker. Our electrician did that from the get-go on a bunch of them. This is assuming of course that your 120v breakers aren't already piggy-backs! You could also change your dryer breaker to 60 amp, and run it to a subpanel with a couple 30 amp breakers, one for dryer, one for EVSE.

Piggy backs are great IF your breaker panel allows for them. Not all panels allow you to use them. The average home typically has a 30 slot breaker panel. There is the Square D Home 3030 (30 breakers 30 circuit) piggy backs are not allowed. However a Square D home 3040 panel does allow for up to 10 split piggy backs. It just depends if the electrical contractor spent the extra $15 for the 3040 panel to allow for future expansion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk