Keeping EV Charger Receptacle Raintight

[Ravenvalor]

Hello,

I have a customer who has a Chevy charger MODEL: EVSE-CSSS56600012-1003.

The cord that plugs into the raintight NEMA 14-50R receptacle comes out of the bottom of the charger and is only about 10" long. It is not long enough to bend upward to plug into the receptacle and the instructions recommend not bending the cord at all. This means that it has to plug in from above the receptacle thus blocking the receptacle cover. Is there a raintight receptacle on the market that will allow this? If I install a cover that is designed to stay open will water run down the cord and into the receptacle?
Thanks for the help.


Thanks for the help.

 

[wwhitney]

The cord that plugs into the raintight NEMA 14-50R receptacle comes out of the bottom of the charger

Why do you call that end of the EVSE the bottom? The usual design is for the cord to hang down from receptacle, to work with normal weathertight in use covers, and so that would be the top of the EVSE.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Ravenvalor]

Why do you call that end of the EVSE the bottom? The usual design is for the cord to hang down from receptacle, to work with normal weathertight in use covers, and so that would be the top of the EVSE.

Cheers, Wayne

The customer is telling me that the receptacle goes below the charger. I will have her double check. Thanks for the help....

 

[Ravenvalor]

Here is an illustration from the manual.

 

[hbiss]

That doesn't mean that you HAVE to install the receptacle that way. I could see if it was indoors, but yeah, outdoors that is a problem. Turn it over. And is that charger waterproof?

-Hal

 

[retirede]

My opinion - The reason they show that orientation is because it makes the plug pins align with the most commonly installed receptacle orientation (ground down). And they don’t want to suggest that the user rotate their receptacle.

It’s not required to be mounted above the receptacle.

 

[James L]

My opinion - The reason they show that orientation is because it makes the plug pins align with the most commonly installed receptacle orientation (ground down). And they don’t want to suggest that the user rotate their receptacle.

It’s not required to be mounted above the receptacle.

I always install the receptacle with ground up. Just like dryer receptacles.

It can be hard on cords and receps for cord to start in an upward direction and tgen hang down.

And that's what you'd have coming out if your charger.

 

[Ravenvalor]

That doesn't mean that you HAVE to install the receptacle that way. I could see if it was indoors, but yeah, outdoors that is a problem. Turn it over. And is that charger waterproof?

-Hal

Yes sir, it is a NEMA 4x rated charger. However the power cord can be replaced with a 120-volt cord. It's just as simple as unplugging one cord and plugging in the other. If I install the charger below the receptacle the power cord side of the charger is pointing upward which is a water entry risk into the charger. If I install the charger above the receptacle there is a risk of water flowing down the cord and into the receptacle.

 

[drcampbell]

Horizontally, with a drip loop in the power cord?
Or almost horizontal, to assure that water drips out of the power-cord receptacle? It'll look a little funky, but that might be the evil of two lessers.

 

[retirede]

Yes sir, it is a NEMA 4x rated charger. However the power cord can be replaced with a 120-volt cord. It's just as simple as unplugging one cord and plugging in the other. If I install the charger below the receptacle the power cord side of the charger is pointing upward which is a water entry risk into the charger. If I install the charger above the receptacle there is a risk of water flowing down the cord and into the receptacle.

If it’s rated 4X, the rating doesn’t depend on orientation.

 

[Ravenvalor]

If it’s rated 4X, the rating doesn’t depend on orientation.

That solves my problem. Thanks for the help.