14/50 outlet for EV

[LarryFine]

Larry, what could happen if an RV were plugged in and there was no neutral?

Typical open-neutral symptoms; i.e., imbalanced L-N voltages.

 

[wwhitney]

I think that it's a bad idea too but absent some direct wording in the NEC it's not prohibited.

If there is another 14-50 receptacle on the premises that is wired for 120/240V 3-wire, then (mis)using a 14-50 for 240V 2-wire would be a violation of 406.4(F).

Cheers, Wayne

 

[tthh]

I don’t disagree with anything you’re saying. I was only speaking about code. If people think that code requires a 14-50 receptacle have a neutral wired to it because the neutral terminal exists and the instructions say to land a neutral on the terminal, and also because it’s labeled 120/240 V… then why wouldn’t that same set of code requirements apply to a 120/240 V load center with instructions saying to land a neutral on the terminal and two different legs on the buses and use two pole breakers to make 240 V?

I’m only asking about code. We could all rationalize why code articles are good or bad but we still have to follow it. I’m not looking to do either of these installations myself, just a better understanding of the code.

I'd say it is totally different in that the panel provides circuits and the person wiring the panel is presumed to know what they are doing. If you just used the panel for one leg only, there is no harm in that because you never provided any 240 circuits from that panel.

With that same logic, the 14-50 receptacle is served from a circuit that is presumed to have been wired correctly.

 

[pipe_bender]

The last RV campground I was at
Prohibited EV’s from being plugged in at their sites.

Seen it here also besides
its extremely unlikely a typical EV owner is going give up use of their EVSE receptacle to power my RV.
Grandma and Grandpa visiting are going to get a extension cord off a regular plug because mom works every day and needs to charge her car.
And if the grandparents are visiting often get them their own RV receptacle so they dont have to backup that monstrosity next to your EV.
It just does not make any logical sense to use a 14-50, no EVSE needs one and no EV owner is going to share with an RV, and if your going to charge at a RV park you can use a cheap 14-50 to 6-50 adapter.

 

[JohnHess]

I'd say it is totally different in that the panel provides circuits and the person wiring the panel is presumed to know what they are doing. If you just used the panel for one leg only, there is no harm in that because you never provided any 240 circuits from that panel.

With that same logic, the 14-50 receptacle is served from a circuit that is presumed to have been wired correctly.

You’re talking about logic and rationalizing things. I’m only asking about code. Just code. What does code require or prohibit?

And where is the differential in the code between the two different installations I mentioned?

Again, I don’t disagree with what you’re saying or your reasoning, I’m just asking a code question.

 

[JohnHess]

Seen it here also besides
its extremely unlikely a typical EV owner is going give up use of their EVSE receptacle to power my RV.
Grandma and Grandpa visiting are going to get a extension cord off a regular plug because mom works every day and needs to charge her car.
And if the grandparents are visiting often get them their own RV receptacle so they dont have to backup that monstrosity next to your EV.
It just does not make any logical sense to use a 14-50, no EVSE needs one and no EV owner is going to share with an RV, and if your going to charge at a RV park you can use a cheap 14-50 to 6-50 adapter.

The logical sense it makes for manufacturers to sell EV charging stations and charging cords with a 14-50 plug is very simple: for profit.

Tesla, being an innovative company, has always had 8 to 10 different adapters that the user could click into their Mobile Connector charging cord. The point of this is so that they could charge from any existing receptacle that they had. A standard 15 amp 120 V receptacle, a 20 amp 240 V receptacle typically used for air conditioners, a 30 amp three prong dryer receptacle, a 30 amp four prong dryer receptacle, the same with both configuration 50 amp receptacles, etc.

Other companies didn’t want to do all that work and make all those different adapters and a system to connect them so they just started including the most common receptacle that someone would find, which is by far the 14-50.

It’s not the best plug for an EV charger, it’s the best plug for a manufacturer to sell as many EV chargers as possible.

 

[pipe_bender]

There is a receptacle for that, a 6-50. The only reason why the 14-50 is so popular is because EV charger manufacturers wanted to use a plug that would match the most existing receptacles, which is definitely the 14-50.

When I called the tech support they did not know you were allowed to install anything other than a 14-50.
I think its just ignorance the designers they think that in residences in the US you have to have 120V pin even if its not used. All I can think of is 210.6(A).