TOO many adapters, what do I really need!

[BigSkies]

All good advice here. You just need the two adapters for L2 charging and DCFC with a Tesla plug.

The only other adapters that come up are ones that are useful if you’re the type of person that stays in RV parks, or you have an obscure plug type somewhere you routinely charge. These are pretty rare scenarios. They’re not worth bothering with unless you have specific plans that involve this type of trip.

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[evnewbie17]

Two adapters should suffice. One L2 and a NACS adapter. I have the J1772 to Tesla adapter and the Vortex Plug both from Lectron

I am struggling figuring out what adapters are necessary.. I have three, but I am sure that is at lease 1 too many...

J1772 to Tesla Charger Adapter
Tesla Supercharger to CCS1 Charging Adapter
80A Tesla to J1772 Charging Adapter

Typically if I am not charging at home I will be charging at my office which is a J1772, if I need to quick charge I would use an EVGo (I am assuming they are some type of CCS combo? but would welcome an education) near my home. I would imagine the Tesla Supercharger is the most beneficial of the bottom two.

I appreciate the help in advance, it has been about 2.5 years since I have had an EV and it seems a lot has changed!

Two adapters should suffice. One L2 and a NACS adapter. I have the J1772 to Tesla adapter and the Vortex Plug both from Lectron. Have had a great experience with Lectron adapters since so when they came out with the Vortex I knew I had to get it.

 

[Ksarat9]

Typically, you will charge your vehicle one of two ways; level 2 (L2) or level 3 (L3) charging.

Level 2 charging is slower, meant for charging where you usually park your vehicle overnight or during the day. This means work or home for most folks. Level 2 charging uses AC power, and your vehicle can level 2 charge at a maximum of 48 amps. You can see this amperage setting in the Energy app on your center screen, bottom right. There is no benefit to having an adaptor that's rated for more amperage than your vehicle can handle.

Level 3 charging is fast, and commonly called DC fast charging (DCFC) because it uses DC power delivery. This type of charging is for roadtrips or quickly charging your battery in under an hour. Usually these chargers are rated between 50kW and 350kW. Your vehicle has a maximum level 3 charge rate of 216kW, but only when your battery is below 40% usually.

Your vehicle has a CCS port for charging. CCS means Combined Charging System because it, well, combines two different plugs into one. A CCS port has a J1772 port on top for AC charging, and two beefy pins on the bottom for DC charging. Most of us have two adaptors, and only for adapting to Tesla (NACS) chargers.

If you want to fast charge at Tesla Superchargers (level 3), you will need a NACS to CCS adaptor. Lectron and A2Z are two reputable brands that make this adaptor. I have the A2Z and love it.

If you want to charge at Tesla Destination chargers (level 2, usually at hotels or airbnbs), then you will need a NACS to J1772 adaptor. Lots of brands make these, including the two above.

Important safety note: you can NOT use these adaptors interchangeably. The NACS to CCS adaptor cannot be used for level 2 charging, and NACS to J1772 adapters cannot be used for level 3 charging.

Thank you for your clear explanation! This topic has left me confused until now. One more question...what would happen if I used my Lectron J1772 adapter at a supercharging station? Will it cause damage or is it just a matter of limited charging speed? Thanks!

 

[SPITmadFIRE]

...what would happen if I used my Lectron J1772 adapter at a supercharging station? Will it cause damage or is it just a matter of limited charging speed?

I doubt the charger and vehicle would allow charging to even start in this scenario, but if they somehow did it would cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle.

Essentially, your vehicle has a set of DC charging pins and a set of AC charging pins. The Tesla plug does not; it uses one set of pins for both, and Tesla vehicles switch between DC and AC charging accordingly. Our CCS vehicles do not have that capability.

If you were allowed to provide a ton of DC power to your vehicle's AC charging pins like the scenario you describe, it would almost certainly blow your vehicle's onboard charger instantly. It's essentially like sticking a fork into an outlet, in simpler terms.

 

[FiverEVSE]

I am struggling figuring out what adapters are necessary.. I have three, but I am sure that is at lease 1 too many...

J1772 to Tesla Charger Adapter
Tesla Supercharger to CCS1 Charging Adapter
80A Tesla to J1772 Charging Adapter

Typically if I am not charging at home I will be charging at my office which is a J1772, if I need to quick charge I would use an EVGo (I am assuming they are some type of CCS combo? but would welcome an education) near my home. I would imagine the Tesla Supercharger is the most beneficial of the bottom two.

I appreciate the help in advance, it has been about 2.5 years since I have had an EV and it seems a lot has changed!

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