The cord on the charger is too short to plug in my PiP at home. I know the manual recommends not using an extension cord. However, does anyone have any experience using an extension cord and if so what kind of cord do you use? Is it okay to plugin when it's rainy?
I use an extension cord simular to this one: I also charge my car in the rain, so far no issues. it's 12 guage
i use a 12' 16 gauge at work, no deleterious effects in the last year. no gfi either, and charging in the rain and snow. living life on the edge.
Subscribing to this thread so I can come back when I read about fire started by plugged in PiP, in the news
Toyota should have considered the fact that many Plug-in owners will be doing this (not saying they did though). Realistically not all owners necessarily park close enough to an outlet to use the included charger alone. What gets me is how close the charger sits to the end of the cable as it prevents it from resting on the floor in my garage. I too am interested in finding out how dangerous using an extension cable is or if it's something they warn against for liability. If it is a huge danger I'd expect dealerships to be required to tell you so or make you sign a direct liability form or something. Has there been any reports of fires with PiPs?
I considered an extension cord, but it really wouldn't fulfill my need to simply cross the walking path in the garage. In fact, it would have required me to deal with stringing cord along the edge or wall. So, I went with this instead... That's worked surprisingly well. It's really tough, stays in place, and is highly visible. We think nothing of walking over and on it. By happenstance, I now also use it as a marker on the floor to indicate how far to back up. That unexpected benefit worked out great.
I used a heavy duty extension cord too until I got a free charging station fitted. Got very slightly warm, but nothing that caused me any concern (and of course ours is 240v, though the sockets are similarly rated). What I did notice, though, was that if I left the lead in even loose coils, it got slightly warmer, so I always made sure it was well spread out. Obvious to all those of you who know about this stuff, but it was the first time I'd noticed it with extension leads, as I normally only have very low draw appliances on them
If you think about it, your house wiring is just an extension lead from the power station. If the cable and connectors are rated for the current and it is maintained correctly (plugs clean, cable not damaged, etc.) you are OK to use as long an extension lead as you wish.
A lot of the folks on the Volt forums use extension cords, the key thing is the ends. Either buy one with high quality screw on terminals or buy a cord and cut off the molded ends and install your own screw on plugs. Make sure you get a high gauge cord 10 or 12 gauge preferably.
I use a 25' 12 AWG cord as part of my Leaf charging setup (charging both a Leaf and a PIP, but not both at once) and have had no issues. Some warnings in owners manuals are there for liability issues more than absolute safety. The biggest concern when using an extension cord with a PIP is that it be plugged in completely, and that the plug fits tightly in the socket at both ends. Poor connections are what usually cause fires and melted cords.
Toyota is probably more worried about people that use the extension cord for the Christmas lights to charge their EV.
That, and while they can specify a minimum gauge for the cord, they can't make sure you plug it in properly.
When I first got the PiP, I charged while away at our family Thanksgiving gathering. My brother had a run of the mill 16 GA extension cord. It was probably 25'. the ext. cord, it's ends or my OEM cord got the least bit warm. (ambient temp was prob. 65 F). It seems the bottom line is, if it does not get warm (more current draw and causes more resistance than cord is designed for), it should have no ill affect. That said, for your normal charging, I'd go with 12 GA.
A very good point that it is more about good solid connections than the gauge. We have all seen the very old extension cord with ground pin gone, very loose connectors from overuse and maybe even electrical tape over compromised sections of cord. Do not use THAT cord!
ESPECIALLY those running below 12 guage. I switched out the end plug, to a twist lock (L6-20) because our portable EVSE is mod'ed to charge 120v/208v/240v. Then I use one of several adapters kept in the car, when charging on only 120v. Surprisingly, 120v charging creates the largest amount of resistence/heat. Always check your plug temps after an hour or 2 when you 1st make up alternate charge configurations (extensions, adapters, etc) so you don't end up having a melt down. .
