Using the Primes 120v Charger at 240 Volts, Cost $20 !!!

This adapter should honestly be a standard accessory from Toyota.

I went and looked at Teslas the other week and they have adapters for the standard 120V charging cord they give you for a NEMA 6-50 (thats what I have) for $35. I'll be honest and say I didnt actually see the adapter, but I imagine its just a standard plug -> 6-50 adapter.

FWIW I was looking at replacing my 2010 Prius (not the Prime!!! I love it). We ended up not doing it since we've literally only driven a combined 2700mi since December and it didnt make any sense to get a new car. Wanted a Rav4 Prime, but the dealerships were charging $11k over MSRP (which is why we looked at Teslas)

 

I've got 98,000 miles on my 2019 Prius. I could never get 25 miles charge with 110v when it was new. I got 27-28 miles charging it with 220v when new. Now I can only get about 22 miles charge and only get about 18 miles of actual driving. If I turn off the air or heat the mileage will jump up to 25 miles or so. I've read other people have been getting 36 miles range. For only being 2 years old I'm disappointed in the range.
I charge mine up everyday and sometimes 2-3 times a day.

 

I made that post about two weeks after getting my 2-year old Prime. Since then, it takes the exact number of kWh to do a full charge as when I first got it. (I'm now at about 53,000 miles.) I also charge mine almost every day and often more than once. Today will be three charges. Miles per charge is totally meaningless without knowing how many miles per kWh you get. Whether you charge at 120 or 240 volts, the battery will hold the same, but it will take a little more electricity to charge at 120V since the charger will be running its fan more than twice as long.

It boils down to the miles per charge being a result of multiplying the miles per kWh by the kWh held in the battery. A change in EITHER the m/kWh OR the battery capacity will change the miles of range. So if the range has changed, it could be either the capacity or the driving efficiency. I get anywhere from 24 to 35 miles per charge depending on which roads I'm driving and what the weather is. Your range is mostly affected by your right foot.

 

we get about 32 in summer. and it all depends whether you're driving freeway or local. Driving slow, saves battery.

 

So bought this on Amazon and cut some plastic away to use the Toyota 120v plug and works great.

 

Does anyone know if it is possible to make an EVSE adapter for a 14-30r plug?

 

Notice that there is a "vertical" brass contact on the right side T-slot opening. After you cut away the plastic to make the left side into a similarly shaped T-slot, is there a similar contact to press against the face of the inserted plug? If not, the contact area may be inadequate and will over-heat, cause a voltage drop, and possibly arc.



It's unlikely that the internal construction of both left and right sides of your "adapter" are the same.

However, if you confirm that they are, you're probably OK (with, of course, all the other warnings posted here about someone unwittingly plugging a 120v device into a 240v circuit.)

Just be careful because you may be creating a fire hazard.

 

Fire hazard, or an exploding shop vac or fan when Aunt Bea comes over and plugs into that dangerous adapter.
Maybe it will just be sparks if she plugs in a space heater.

The old broad probably won't get hurt and it will all just be a funny story years from now!!

Too bad she didn't sign up to be a member of Cheapsville. She want's you to buy a proper L2.

 

So I’ve been looking around for the parts Rob listed in his first post, but I’m a bit confused. The dryer and stove plugs/receptacles around here are 4 prong/4 wire , not 3 prong/3 wire. The only 3 prong flat angled ones that he lists in his OP that I can find are RV plugs and are listed as 125V/30A rating. Will these work?

 

No. What you need for the 240V end of your adapter -- if you're planning to plug into a dryer outlet -- is a NEMA 10-30P. That's assuming it's a 30A outlet like most dryers.

Let me repeat the strong caution to keep the adapter attached to the EVSE and not left dangling from the 240V outlet so no one accidentally thinks they are connecting to 120V.

 

O Canada; You've got a NEMA 14-20 or 14-30 or 14-50 as laid out on Jerry's chart above. The states adopted the 4-wire 240AC rule less than a decade ago, and only on new builds. It's very common to see NEMA 10-30 in houses here, which lacks a ground wire.

 

Yes, my dryer receptacle is the NEMA 14-30, but I won’t be plugging into that. I’m installing a brand new outlet that will only be used for the Prime charging, so I can get the NEMA 10-30 or 10-50 like In Rob’s list. Does it makes a difference between 30A or 50A?

 

What about NEMA 14-50?

 

Absolutely.

If you really, really want to do this right, I'd suggest making up a short cord with a standard 5-15R connector on one end and a 20-amp twist-lock plug on the other. Plug the end of your Prime OEM EVSE into the 5-15R connector and firmly attach it with lots of tape and maybe a nice heat-shrink covering so that it's virtually impossible to take apart. In other words, make that a permanent part of your EVSE cord so that you can only plug it into a twist-lock connector.

Then, make two short adapter cords each with a female twist-lock on one end and with either a standard 120v 20-amp plug or a 240 volt plug of your choice on the other end. If you have to deal with different types of 240-volt outlets, make up additional adapter cords.

Because of the twist-lock style connector, it's highly unlikely anyone will casually misuse your adapter cords. (Twist-lok connectors are rarely found in typical domestic settings.)

Make sure you get a good quality #10-3 flexible weatherproof cable which three #10 conductors, the third of which is the ground.

When you get done, you will have a reasonably safe and flexible system for connecting your little Prime OEM EVSE to whatever kind of 120- or 240-volt outlet you desire.



You also will have spent a few hundred dollars on cable and industrial connectors which you could have used to purchase a Level-2 EVSE suitable for use with your Prime -- and with your next plug-in vehicle (which is likely to want more current than your Prime OEM EVSE can supply.)

But we all know it's not about the cost or the time involved. It's the thrill of the challenge!

 

In that case, you'll want a 14-30 or 14-50. 14-30 is sufficient for the Prime. But you might want more amperage for a newer car someday.

That said, @Old Bear makes two excellent points. One, the twist-lok intermediary will be less dangerous. Two, by that time, you could have bought an L2 EVSE for a couple hundred dollars and been done with it, plus be safer, plus have a spare EVSE. I think I paid about $180 for mine. The more connections in the circuit, the more opportunities for a loose (hot) connection.

 

In case Jerry wasn't clear; any licensed and bonded electrician can-not install a new NEMA 10-xx circuit - it's illegal down here in the states; since that is considered a new build-out. Since your dryer outlet is a 14-30; they can't say that they were replacing a defective receptacle either.
Your second question is dependent on the circuit you install. Yes it does make a difference. Again any licensed and bonded electrician would be questioned by the building inspector, why a 50A receptacle is on a 30A circuit. This isn't even taking into account the wire size difference between the two circuits.

Well that's enough "soap-boxing". You can find converter plugs at Walmart, in the RV section - at least you can down here in the states.

Hope this helps....

 

I was assuming he meant that it was a whole new circuit, not simply replacing an existing receptacle. Otherwise, where would he plug in his dryer?

 

Ok, let’s say I have to get a 14-30 outlet, I’m not sure how to build the adapter cord. How do I go from the 3 wire 120v plug to the 220v 4 wire 14-30 plug?

 

This isn't a hard parts selection issue, is it?

I'm intending to wire my own soon, piggybacking on the electric permit for a second ductless minisplit heat pump. For the future EV, I was planning for a NEMA 14-50 outlet, 6/3-NMB (or UF, as it is cheaper now) wiring, and starting with a 20A breaker, ready to swap up to a 40A or 50A breaker if/when appropriate.

The inspector for past projects was planning on being retired by now, so I'll be facing a new one this time.

 

That should be fine - over-rated on the wire under-rated at the breakers.

FWIW: I've got a gas dryer, so my 10-30R sits empty. I did buy a 10-30P dryer replacement cord after a week or two of purchasing my prime and installed a 5-20R on the other end, to plug-in the OEM charger. It's currently rolled up into the corner. I've got to leave my laundry room door ajar, into my garage to use it - but at least I can do a quick charge if I need it. Running a dedicated, expandable car charging circuit is on my to do list.