30 amp campground charging question

[RPG]

The Rivian portable charger includes two plugs: NEMA 14-50 and NEMA 5-15. The NEMA 14-50 plug works great when the campground has a 50 amp receptacle. What is the best approach if the campground only has 30 amp receptacles (NEMA TT-30)? Should I use the NEMA 5-15 plug with a 15 to 30 amp adapter, or the NEMA 14-50 plug and a 50 to 30 amp adapter? Or, is there a NEMA TT-30 pigtail available for the portable charger?

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[VandalSibs]

The Rivian portable charger includes two plugs: NEMA 14-50 and NEMA 5-15. The NEMA 14-50 plug works great when the campground has a 50 amp receptacle. What is the best approach if the campground only has 30 amp receptacles (NEMA TT-30)? Should I use the NEMA 5-15 plug with a 15 to 30 amp adapter, or the NEMA 14-50 plug and a 50 to 30 amp adapter? Or, is there a NEMA TT-30 pigtail available for the portable charger?

I'm not aware of anyone that makes a pigtail for the Rivian Portable charger that would work with the TT30 plug. Which is why I sold my Rivian portable charger to my sister to use with her ID.4 (it's portable charger is hard-wired 120v/5-15) and kept my Tesla one with a large collection of pigtales.

There are EV specific, non-pigtail 14-50 to TT30 adapters, but you have to remember to adjust the amperage in your Rivian so you don't blow the circuit.

 

[Thedude]

This is what I used. Just remember to adjust down to 24amps on the charging screen before plugging in.

https://www.amazon.com/Parkworld-885378C-Adapter-TT-30P-14-50R/dp/B07MD41D45

 

[RPG]

Thanks very much for the tips. I'm going to order an adapter.

 

[DeanB1452]

Here’s the adapter that I use at campgrounds with only 30-amp service: https://a.co/d/05Fybjv0

I like the first one that was suggested since it is smaller, but there can be issues if the orientation of the socket interferes with the pedestal cover.

 

[josh0]

I’ve got a Grizzl-e mini, or whatever they call it, which came with a bunch of adapters, including the TT-30.

The main thing is to make sure you adjust your max amperage if you’re using an adapter, so you don’t try and pull 50A from a 30A circuit.

 

[VandalSibs]

I’ve got a Grizzl-e mini, or whatever they call it, which came with a bunch of adapters, including the TT-30.

The main thing is to make sure you adjust your max amperage if you’re using an adapter, so you don’t try and pull 50A from a 30A circuit.

The pigtail on the Grizzl-e mini doesn't automatically change the amperage when swapped to?

 

[VSG]

Here’s the adapter that I use at campgrounds with only 30-amp service: https://a.co/d/05Fybjv0

I have been using this one for three years without a problem.

 

[josh0]

The pigtail on the Grizzl-e mini doesn't automatically change the amperage when swapped to?

The Grizzl-e mini doesn’t have pigtails. It just has a 14-50 plug, and comes with a number of adapters. (I don’t recall if the TT-30 adapter came with it, or if I had to order it separately.) so if you use an adapter for a lower amperage socket, you need to manually adjust the max amperage it will pull.

 

[1stPlace]

Both Parkworld adapters linked to earlier on this page are sufficient for what is needed. Always adjust the amperage before plugging in. I bought the 90deg adapter but from my experiences with it at this point, I would suggest the short cord so you are able to better avoid weight pulling down the adapter at the outlet.

 

[tragicmonkey049]

As others have pointed out in this thread and also here, there are TWO DIFFERENT adapters for NEMA 14-50 to TT-30 and they LOOK IDENTICAL. One is for appliances/RVs and the other is for EV chargers.

At some point, the electrical engineers from USB must have contributed some ideas to the AC adapter space.

 

[hammick]

IMHO every EV should be required to have adjustable charging current. I smoked a campground 50a hookup charging my Lightning ER with the charger that came with it. If I hadn't noticed the smoke I think it would have caught on fire. No idea why the 50a breaker didn't trip.

 

[Meltdwn]

This is what I used. Just remember to adjust down to 24amps on the charging screen before plugging in.

https://www.amazon.com/Parkworld-885378C-Adapter-TT-30P-14-50R/dp/B07MD41D45

Wouldn't this adapter cause interference between the portable 14-50 pigtail coming off the ground pin side and the 30amp receptical?

 

[SwampNut]

IMHO every EV should be required to have adjustable charging current. I smoked a campground 50a hookup charging my Lightning ER with the charger that came with it. If I hadn't noticed the smoke I think it would have caught on fire. No idea why the 50a breaker didn't trip.

Every EV, including your Lightning, does have adjustable charging current. Some very low-end or simpler models may depend on the EVSE's adjustability, such as my motorcycle does, and Smart cars do.

As others have pointed out in this thread and also here, there are TWO DIFFERENT adapters for NEMA 14-50 to TT-30 and they LOOK IDENTICAL. One is for appliances/RVs and the other is for EV chargers.

At some point, the electrical engineers from USB must have contributed some ideas to the AC adapter space.

Yeah, this. And I put a big tag on my EVSE-only TT-30 to 14-50 adapter since it could smoke other things if used for anything else.

Here's the adapter pigtail that I use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2ZT1Z16

I would not buy the one that is just an adapter with no pigtail because pedestals vary greatly in configuration, position, and clearance. The pigtail may help. Also I've run into a residential TT-30 that was upside down.

I also use that adapter on my generator along with a ground-to-neutral tie plug (home made).

 

[SwampNut]

Wouldn't this adapter cause interference between the portable 14-50 pigtail coming off the ground pin side and the 30amp receptical?

Short answer is no. But what do you perceive as "interference" or risk here? The trick to EV charging from a 120v source is that the neutral from the TT-30R has to go to one of the hots on the EVSE's 14-50P. The hot from the TT goes to the other hot on the EVSE. The neutral is unused. Ground is still ground.

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