30 amp campground charging question

[Thebandit]

TT-30 only provides 120V right? Are there portable chargers that can do >16 amps on 120v?

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[SwampNut]

TT-30 only provides 120V right? Are there portable chargers that can do >16 amps on 120v?

I haven't run into one that can't. What you may be mixing up is that an EVSE with a dedicated 120v pigtail would be told to run at 12a. One with a 14-50 will be told to run at 32a. The EVSE doesn't know or care about the voltage, and can actually run anywhere in the range of ABOUT 100v-250v, per the J1772 spec. When I plug into my generator or a campground, it goes to 32a and I have to dial it down.

 

[Meltdwn]

Short answer is no. But what do you perceive as "interference" or risk here? The trick to EV charging from a 120v source is that the neutral from the TT-30R has to go to one of the hots on the EVSE's 14-50P. The hot from the TT goes to the other hot on the EVSE. The neutral is unused. Ground is still ground.

Well, I am actually thinking about physical interference. The link went to an adapter with the male 30A plug pointing the same direction as the cable from the 14-50 plug would run... off the ground pin. I haven't physically tried this device, but if you plug it into a wall or box outlet, wouldn't the 14-15 cord run into the wall and prevent full insertion?

 

[SwampNut]

Well, I am actually thinking about physical interference. The link went to an adapter with the male 30A plug pointing the same direction as the cable from the 14-50 plug would run... off the ground pin. I haven't physically tried this device, but if you plug it into a wall or box outlet, wouldn't the 14-15 cord run into the wall and prevent full insertion?

I see, depends on the location, for most, and done properly, no. But that's why I don't recommend this type because many installations are slightly or very off kilter (and code).

 

[hammick]

Every EV, including your Lightning, does have adjustable charging current. Some very low-end or simpler models may depend on the EVSE's adjustability, such as my motorcycle does, and Smart cars do.

Neither the Lightning nor the MachE have adjustable AC charging current. I had my Lightning Lariat ER for two years before I lemoned it back to Ford. Lots of bitching and moaning about it on the respective forums.

The charger included with the Lightning draws 30 amps. For some reason the charger that comes with the MachE draws 32 amps which would trip 30a campground pedestals. Go figure.

 

[SwampNut]

30a will also trip the 30a outlet eventually in most cases; the maximum allowed is 24a long term and 30a is only a short term load.

I guess what you are saying is that Ford should be forced to include an EVSE with a button though they do not. But if you get one of those, it does the job. And it can do it BEFORE you plug the car in.

 

[azbill]

TT-30 only provides 120V right? Are there portable chargers that can do >16 amps on 120v?

GM sells a TT-30 pigtail for their portable adapter that will do 24A at 120V.

Since this plug is 120V there is no need to dial down the charge rate in the truck, it should default to 12A.

 

[Thedude]

Wouldn't this adapter cause interference between the portable 14-50 pigtail coming off the ground pin side and the 30amp receptical?

I didn’t run into any issues using it at all bunch of different state park campgrounds.

 

[SwampNut]

I didn’t run into any issues using it at all bunch of different state park campgrounds.

State campground seem likely to have been built to proper standards. When you go to random campgrounds in the middle of nowhere, you run into some crazy bullshit wiring, and pedestals.

 

[hammick]

30a will also trip the 30a outlet eventually in most cases; the maximum allowed is 24a long term and 30a is only a short term load.

I guess what you are saying is that Ford should be forced to include an EVSE with a button though they do not. But if you get one of those, it does the job. And it can do it BEFORE you plug the car in.

Ford most likely could have done it with a software update. But for whatever reason Ford and GM don't give a rat's ass about software. Our Sierra EV can be adjusted to either 8 or 12 amps or left at full current. No 24a setting. Obviously, the software guys at Ford and GM don't know anything about L2 charging at campgrounds.

In addition to the OEM charger, we travel with a charger from our totaled Ioniq 5 that only has a NEMA 5-15p cord. Some brave soul on the Ioniq forums figured out that it has the same guts as the European version. So with a simple adapter it will charge from 240v at 12 amps or lower with it's current adjustor button. At some point I'll get a 24a charger assuming GM doesn't add more current options.

 

[hammick]

State campground seem likely to have been billed to proper standards. When you go to random campgrounds in the middle of nowhere, you run into some crazy bullshit wiring, and pedestals.

The one that almost fried my Lightning charger was a private campground with older pedestals. After the smoke cleared,I discovered that the 50a breaker was also feeding the 50a pedestal next door. My neighbor had his AC cranked and so did I. Lightning was charging at 30a. 50a breaker didn't trip and the wires smoked. Glad I was there to catch it in time.

 

[SwampNut]

Same with the adapter that came with my electric motorcycle. I took it outside and built a rig so I could apply 240 V to it, which it accepted gladly.

 

[VandalSibs]

State campground seem likely to have been built to proper standards. When you go to random campgrounds in the middle of nowhere, you run into some crazy bullshit wiring, and pedestals.

I did run into a State Park campground in Oregon where even pulling 32 amps on a 50 amp plug was causing things to get too hot & trip my Tesla Mobile Charger's safeties and stop charging. I ended up having to lower the amperage to 16 just to be safe. That being said, I think that particular park has since had major renovations done, hopefully including the electrical.

All the other State Parks I've been in with 50amp plugs (Oregon and Washington) have been great!

 

[Wayne]

You'll only get level 1 charging, as campground 30 amp service is single phase - 120 volts.

 

[VandalSibs]

You'll only get level 1 charging, as campground 30 amp service is single phase - 120 volts.

It's better than Level 1, which is considered to be 120v/12amps (up to maybe 16 amps depending on the breaker), so no more than 1.9kW - more often 1.4kW. A TT30 outlet when camping is gonna get you 2.8kW, which is over 30% more juice being shoved into the battery than even the best home outlet - really more like 50% more. That's a big jump.

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