1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Cable for Level 2 charging?

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by Rieuk, May 29, 2019.

  1. Rieuk

    Rieuk Member

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2018
    103
    53
    0
    Location:
    Pasadena
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Hey guys,
    So at my workplace they're very slow on the adoption of EV charging stations. However I did find several 208V outlets around the parking area (typically used for machinery and charging their forklift). My question is: is there a cable I can get to be able to charge my car using this outlet?

    Have attached a picture of the outlet in question. It's a twist-lock outlet.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2008
    2,306
    1,328
    0
    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    You’ll need to get a level-2 EVSE. I’ve seen some portable ones on Amazon, but I don’t have any personal experience with them.

    A poorly-researched, quasi-arbitrary example:



    Make sure you get one with the right kind of plug...
     
    #2 mr88cet, May 29, 2019
    Last edited: May 29, 2019
    jerrymildred likes this.
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    and the voltage parameters include 208v
     
  4. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2008
    2,306
    1,328
    0
    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    (Dang, why does it keep giving me an unsupported-media URL when I try to paste in an Amazon web page URL?!)
     
  5. Tha_Ape

    Tha_Ape Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2019
    271
    161
    0
    Location:
    Washington, DC
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Looks like a NEMA L15-20, you want an EVSE (or adapter?) That fits it.
     
  6. Rieuk

    Rieuk Member

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2018
    103
    53
    0
    Location:
    Pasadena
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Ah ok, thanks. Couldn't really find an EVSE with that outlet, though. On the other hand I found another outlet here (image attached). I think this one is more common, though I can't exactly identify it. Based on the rating (30A, 250V) it's either NEMA L6-30R (2 pole, 3 wire) or L11-30P (3 pole, 3 wire). Any ideas?

    Have also attached a reference sheet for NEMA outlets..
     

    Attached Files:

    #6 Rieuk, May 29, 2019
    Last edited: May 29, 2019
  7. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The Duosaida that @mr88cet mentioned is offered with several different connectors. I have one to fit my dryer outlet.
     
  8. Rob43

    Rob43 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2014
    1,373
    1,044
    0
    Location:
    VA, BMW Race Car, BMW R1200R, BMW 330Ci, Ford F350
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Build your own conversion cable for ~$25 dollars & use your OE Toyota EVSE unit for L2 charging, you'll get a full charge at work in about 2 1/2 hours.

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


    Rob43
     
    garglo likes this.
  9. smyles

    smyles Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2019
    332
    229
    0
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
  10. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    I need to stress that 208 volt outlets in the US are three phase, no EVSE is set up for three phase electricity:

    Level 1 is 120 single phase
    Level 2 is 240 single phase
    Level 3 was supposed to be three phase but was dropped as an idea.

    If you find an electrician who can make it work, expect 15% slower charging, But I would not mess with converting my employers three phase to single phase without their knowledge!

    Electrical Service Types and Voltages – Continental Control Systems, LLC
    Charging station - Wikipedia
     
    mr88cet likes this.
  11. Rieuk

    Rieuk Member

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2018
    103
    53
    0
    Location:
    Pasadena
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Ooh nice. So I basically need a conversion cable from 6-30P to 5-20R, then I can use the OEM EVSE to plug-in...

    Hm okay - are you saying that what I said above is *not* possible?
     
  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Possible if you know how. Pretty iffy on the electrical code. I don't have time to look it up. But it won't charge quite as quickly at 208 as at 240.
     
  13. Rob43

    Rob43 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2014
    1,373
    1,044
    0
    Location:
    VA, BMW Race Car, BMW R1200R, BMW 330Ci, Ford F350
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    This is the first reference to a " Non Locking" NEMA 6-30P, is this what you have at your home ? Or did you omit the "L" ?


    Rob43
     
  14. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2008
    2,927
    782
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm very confused - we've charged our Tesla at plenty of commercial EVSEs with standard J1772 plugs that are three-phase. The most common (until a couple years ago) was a 208V/30A ChargePoint. We've charged our Prime at (at least) a couple of these.
     
  15. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    a commercial charger designed to be three phase, will not use a plug, and will only send single phase to any one car.
     
  16. PT Guy

    PT Guy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2016
    1,074
    707
    0
    Location:
    Washington, the state
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    The receptacle in the photograph is labeled L15-20. Count the poles: four, 3 hot legs (3 phase) plus ground.

    I'd contact Brad at BSA Electronics (the Duosida guy) and ask if his $210 portable charging station will work with 208 volts. If so, he can connect an L15-20 plug across just one phase (any two hot wires) to give single phase 208. I don't think this minor 16 amp imbalance will upset the 3 phase system. Dostar Duosida 16A 3.84kW Portable Charging Station - EVSE D25-16A – BSA Electronics

    "commercial EVSEs with standard J1772 plugs that are three-phase" Huh? the J1772 connector has five pins. Two hot legs, a ground leg, a signal leg (the car's charger communicates with the EVSE's controller), and a proximity pin that tells the system whether the connector is plugged in.
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  17. KCWhitney

    KCWhitney Member

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2017
    91
    102
    0
    Location:
    Connecticut
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    That Duosida works great and is a good value. I have been using it daily fortwo years, now.
     
    jmarkd7 and jerrymildred like this.
  18. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Three phase systems supply single phase loads all the time. Our factories were all 480V 3 phase, but the lights were 277V single phase. Our radio station in Honduras was 208V 3 phase. But all our loads were single phase. On those rare occasions when the utility managed to keep it above 190-200V, even the 220V stuff worked well. We had LOTS of line conditioners since that didn't happen often. LOL! You do want to try to keep all those single phase loads evenly distributed across the system, though.
     
    jb in NE likes this.
  19. Rieuk

    Rieuk Member

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2018
    103
    53
    0
    Location:
    Pasadena
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Reviving since I didn't get an answer on this – is the above receptacle for a three phase or single phase? Seems like it's L6-30R which means single phase, right?
     
  20. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    L6-30 is single phase.
     
    jerrymildred, Raytheeagle and Rieuk like this.