Adapters - Master GuideUpdated 6 months ago
Adapters Master Guide
Content:
- When to Use a NEMA Adapter
- Special Considerations for:
- Tesla Drivers
- Lucid Drivers
- VW, Ford, Nissan, Chevy, and Audi Drivers
- Most other EVs and EV Chargers
We hope this guide will help you in deciding what kind of NEMA adapter you might need for your EV charger and EV. We understand there are a lot of adapters out there and want to make this as easy as possible for you!
When to Use a NEMA Adapter
If the plug on your EV charger looks different than the outlet in your wall (commonly seen in older appliance types), you can use a NEMA adapter to make your outlet and charger compatible. Safety is our top priority at NeoCharge, so to comply with the highest safety standards and our Underwriters Laboratory (UL) safety certification, the input (plug) and outputs (outlets) on the Smart Splitter itself cannot be mismatched.
If your wall outlet is different from your EV charger, you can order a high-quality NEMA adapter to allow any of the other Smart Splitter models to match with the NEMA 14-50 that most chargers use.
Please do NOT plug an adapter directly into your wall outlet to go from the wall outlet to your Smart Splitter. Adapter outputs should only be directly connected to the EV charger. This can look like (wall outlet -> adapter -> EV charger) or (wall outlet -> Smart Splitter -> adapter -> EV charger).
Example:
If you have have a dryer that plugs into an existing NEMA 10-30 outlet, and an EV charger with a NEMA 14-50 outlet prong, you would purchase a NEMA 10-30 Smart Splitter to plug into your outlet and then a NEMA 10-30 to NEMA 14-50 adapter to allow your charger to be compatible with the NEMA 10-30 Smart Splitter your setup requires.
Tesla Drivers
Tesla drivers most commonly use the Tesla Mobile Connector that comes with the car. Tesla has switched up their policies on whether the mobile charger comes with the car or not, and as of September 2023, its website mentions that the Tesla Mobile Connector is sold separately from the car.
As of September 2023, the Tesla Mobile Connector now comes standard with a NEMA 14-50 plug adapter for Level 2 charging, and a NEMA 5-15 plug adapter for Level 1 charging (this is the standard wall outlet you'd find anywhere around a home).
The Tesla Mobile Connector automatically sets the charge amperage based upon what adapter is plugged in, so for that reason we do not recommend using a NEMA adapter with the Tesla Mobile Connector as that will automatically set the charge amperage to 32A, possibly tripping the breaker if it's used with a NEMA adapter on a 30A breaker.
Instead, it is better to use a Tesla Adapter directly with the charger to convert to your desired plug type. This will automatically set the charge amperage to match the breaker limits.
Most Common:
- NEMA 14-50 (4 prong EV outlet) ($45)
- NEMA 14-30 (4 prong dryer outlet) ($45)
- NEMA 10-30 (3 prong dryer outlet) ($45)
Other:
Something to keep in mind is that the NEMA 14-30 and NEMA 10-30 adapters automatically reduce your charge rate to 24 Amps which will improve your experience with the respective Smart Splitter you purchase to stay within the safe limits of your dryer outlet.
Lucid Drivers
If using the mobile EV charger that comes with the car, it will likely use the NEMA 14-50 EV charger outlet (4-prong).
If you are looking to utilize this charger with your NEMA 14-30 dryer outlet you will need to get their NEMA 14-30 adapter, this adapter automatically reduces the EV charge limit to 24 amps which is safe to use on your dryer outlet.
Lucid does NOT offer a NEMA 10-30 adapter as of September 2023, and we hope they will release one soon for those trying to use a NEMA 10-30 dryer outlet.
VW, Ford, Nissan, Chevy, and Audi Drivers
These EVs commonly come with a mobile EV charger that looks like the picture below, which is a non-adjustable charger that will pull 32 amps. In most cases, this will come with a NEMA 14-50 adapter which plugs straight into the NEMA 14-50 Smart Splitter or wall outlet. However, if you have a 30A dryer outlet, this charger will not work as it will continuously try to pull more power/amperage than the circuit is rated for and will trip the breaker. We would recommend a lower-cost UL-listed charger such as the Grizzl-E adjustable EV charger ($349, Amazon), and utilizing one of the NEMA adapters on our website, to solve this challenge and ensure you have the smoothest experience.
Most other EVs and EV Chargers:
Most other EVs and EV chargers besides the ones listed above include, but not limited to BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Porsche, Mini, Land Rover, Polestar, and Toyota AND Plug-in EV Chargers such as Grizzl-e, Wallbox, Chargepoint, the Juicebox can use one of the relevant adapters we sell directly on our website. Keep in mind that most EV chargers are a NEMA 14-50 4 prong plug so you will need an adapter to plug into your dryer outlet:
Most common:
- NEMA 10-30 Dryer Wall Outlet: NEMA 14-50R EV Charger to NEMA 10-30P Dryer Outlet ($34)
- NEMA 14-30 Dryer Wall Outlet: NEMA 14-50R EV Charger to NEMA 14-30P Dryer Outlet ($34)
Other:
- NEMA 6-50 Wall Outlet: 14-50R EV Charger to NEMA 6-50P EV or Welder Outlet ($34)
- NEMA 10-50 Stove Outlet: 14-50R EV Charger to NEMA 10-50P Stove Outlet ($34)
STILL UNSURE?
If you still have questions please feel free to reach out to the NeoCharge Support Squad via the chat bubble on our website to help you get set up with the best solution for you!