TT-30 Adapter Plug Charging Adventures

[NineElectrics]

Yeah they said Rivian didn’t provide a charger to charge at an RV park. Which they do. No one provides all the various adapters to charge with any plug. That’s ridiculous.

They don’t provide an adapter for the most common RV plug.

And if you read the Rivian owners manual, they tell you not to plug the portable charger into any kind of power adapter. At all! So even if you found and bought a compatible adapter, you’re not supposed to charge with it.

I wonder if doing so voids your battery warranty. That would be a bad outcome. It probably at least voids your portable charger warranty, and that’s $400 (and currently out of stock).

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[mikehmb]

Thanks to someone in this thread for recommending the dongle on amazon - ordered.

Having never used an RV site in my life, I’m excited to not have to worry (much) about the lack of electrons when I give it a shot in a few weeks.

Have always done dispersed camping. Campgrounds are a new-ish thing for me, even after camping since I was a kid (which is an increasingly long time ago). Just ordered an RTT, too. Fancy!

 

[NineElectrics]

Rivian also could have followed the J1772 spec and limited 120V to 16A, but they didn't.

You the user could be forward thinking enough and build an EVSE that has a TT-30 whip and advertises 24A, because that's what I did. I also put a longer cord on it because the Rivian portable isn't long enough for a lot of sites to get optimal parking position.

But it still takes an entire weekend to recharge on it. Way better off picking sites and campgrounds with full 50A/240V outlets. Then your Rivian already has what you need as well.

Are you sure the Rivian is really your 10th EV?

10th EV, first trip into the Sawtooth mountains. The Model X could make it up there. All of the other cars had insufficient storage capacity.

You’re right in that I will probably need a custom EVSE. The Rivian owners guide specifically forbids attaching an adapter to the included portable charger.

I’m not incapable of building a custom EVSE, buying a custom adapter and risk voiding my warranty, or any of that.

However, I am getting pretty tired of bending over backwards to accommodate EV quirks. It’s bad enough EVs restrict your freedom compared to ICE, with limited range, especially in mountainous climates. I want to go where I want to go. I want to explore the Salmon River. I’m not going to change my life plans to mollify my car. And I just need enough charge to make it to Boise or Missoula. But Rivian can at least make it easier or supported to use the most common RV sites. Tesla has a great aftermarket community and thank heavens for that. But I expected more from Rivian. It’s an outdoor adventure vehicle! Isn’t it?

It’s OK to want a better experience. Are you sure you’re not a Rivian fanboy/apologist?

 

[sub]

Yeah they said Rivian didn’t provide a charger to charge at an RV park. Which they do. No one provides all the various adapters to charge with any plug. That’s ridiculous.

Tesla's mobile charger can be used with a dozen different types of plugs. The car doesn't come with every possible plug pigtail. But they are available for just about any outlet you would ever come across.

Rivian's charger can only be used with 2 types of plugs unless you hack something together yourself and are willing to give up the safety of having a charger that tells the car how much current it is safe to draw.

Rivian's charger is a big disappointment. Mine was immediately replaced by one from Tesla.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

10th EV, first trip into the Sawtooth mountains. The Model X could make it up there. All of the other cars had insufficient storage capacity.

You’re right in that I will probably need a custom EVSE. The Rivian owners guide specifically forbids attaching an adapter to the included portable charger.

I’m not incapable of building a custom EVSE, buying a custom adapter and risk voiding my warranty, or any of that.

However, I am getting pretty tired of bending over backwards to accommodate EV quirks. It’s bad enough EVs restrict your freedom compared to ICE, with limited range, especially in mountainous climates. I want to go where I want to go. I want to explore the Salmon River. I’m not going to change my life plans to mollify my car. And I just need enough charge to make it to Boise or Missoula. But Rivian can at least make it easier or supported to use the most common RV sites. Tesla has a great aftermarket community and thank heavens for that. But I expected more from Rivian. It’s an outdoor adventure vehicle! Isn’t it?

It’s OK to want a better experience. Are you sure you’re not a Rivian fanboy/apologist?

It sounds like you might be better off with an ICE Tacoma. Personally my Rivian is the best and most convenient car I've ever owned. EVS are way better for my lifestyle and as such I'm glad I made the switch.

Apparently you are unwilling or unable to deal with the negatives like having to think ahead a little bit to reap the rewards like being able to fuel up in your own garage 99% of the time. That's fine, they aren't for everyone, but bitching about the downsides of EVs isn't going to make them disappear.

 

[Thedude]

10th EV, first trip into the Sawtooth mountains. The Model X could make it up there. All of the other cars had insufficient storage capacity.

You’re right in that I will probably need a custom EVSE. The Rivian owners guide specifically forbids attaching an adapter to the included portable charger.

I’m not incapable of building a custom EVSE, buying a custom adapter and risk voiding my warranty, or any of that.

However, I am getting pretty tired of bending over backwards to accommodate EV quirks. It’s bad enough EVs restrict your freedom compared to ICE, with limited range, especially in mountainous climates. I want to go where I want to go. I want to explore the Salmon River. I’m not going to change my life plans to mollify my car. And I just need enough charge to make it to Boise or Missoula. But Rivian can at least make it easier or supported to use the most common RV sites. Tesla has a great aftermarket community and thank heavens for that. But I expected more from Rivian. It’s an outdoor adventure vehicle! Isn’t it?

It’s OK to want a better experience. Are you sure you’re not a Rivian fanboy/apologist?

I didn’t realize bending over backwards included a five minute visit to Amazon and ordering an adapter that fits in your palm and in the portable charger bag for storage. I’ve run thousands of kWh through mine without issue.

 

[Dark-Fx]

I didn’t realize bending over backwards included a five minute visit to Amazon and ordering an adapter that fits in your palm and in the portable charger bag for storage. I’ve run thousands of kWh through mine without issue.

Also includes a lack of understanding about how the adapters you might be purchasing are wired. Once you understand that it's obvious why the RV specific ones won't work for an EVSE.

And obvious why the EV specific ones need to stay FAR away from an RV.

 

[Zathras]

Confirmed both of my TT-30 adapters work with Rivian mobile charger. Putting a disclaimer here that you need to set the amperage to 24a in the vehicle every time. Just unplugging the mobile adapter to try another TT-30 adapters the vehicle went back to 48 amps and started pulling more than 24 amps. That concerns me in case of power outages, etc. I will do some more testing to see if that is also because I unplugged the cable from the vehicle.

Safer bet would be to is the regular 120v plug, or find a 50a circuit.

Here is the link to the one I think is best as it fits in the charging bag and the matching Rivian yellow is icing: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07XNSXWM4

Never mind what I wrote. I just RTFM and now I undersatnd that when I schedule a charging session I can set the amperage and it sticks. This issue is for charging at campgrounds where you don't have a regular session.

And I greatly appreciate the input here. I do plan to take my R2 camping right away! More accessories to buy before I get the dang vehicle!

 

[VSG]

I thought the Rivian Portable Charger's maximum output was 32 amps?

Yes

Does this mean I have to set the vehicle to 32 amps every time I charge at home with the Portable Charger

No. The vehicle will automatically limit the current to 32A if you're plugged into a 14-50, and will automatically limit the current to 12A if you're plugged into a 5-15.

The caution in this thread about manually limiting the current is only because this thread is about using a TT-30 adapter, and the portable charger is being fooled into thinking it's plugged into a 14-50 when it's not.

 

[dduffey]

I thought the Rivian Portable Charger's maximum output was 32 amps? I am planning to use it with my R2 since I'm getting it for free with my Performance. The person at the Del Mar Rivian space told me that's what they use in the showroom every night to keep their cars charged.

Does this mean I have to set the vehicle to 32 amps every time I charge at home with the Portable Charger to avoid it trying to pull 48 amps?

For my situation, 32 amps is perfect because I have a 100 amp panel and the maximum I can charge an EV is 32 amps.

What is your outlet, the wiring gauge, and fuse?

Since you replied to my thread about the TT-30 adapter, no you do NOT want to charge at 32a, which the R2 and the Rivian portable charger will happily try to do and then burn your house down!

The Rivian portable charger will automatically limit charging to the correct amperage for 5-15 and 14-50 depending on which Rivian prongs you are using. But if you put another adapter in between like the TT-30, which has a limit of 24a, but using the Rivian 14-50 plug, it will try to full the full 32a it is capable of. You are correct, the Rivian portable charger will only pull 32a even if plugged into a 14-50 that is capable of more, but the danger is it will also pull in 32a if you use a 30a to 50a third party adapter (which is rated for 24a continuous).

If this is for your home I would recommend installing a 14-50, but maybe you don't have the space for that. If you are using the Rivian portable charger then 5-15 (12a) will be the safer bet. I personally would not want to Jerry Rig a 14-50 32a charger to a 30a/24a source and hope for the best that the R2 or some other scenario (power outage) doesn't then try and pull full power.

The other alternative is to use a hard wired dedicated wall charger that allows you to set the amps in the charger via switches, etc. Then you could optimize the most power for the capabilities of your home wiring safely.

Another option is to buy a Tesla portable charger, they have a lot more plug options like the NEMA 10-30 or 14-30, which will limit the Tesla mobile charger to 24a.

 

[VandalSibs]

Another option is to buy a Tesla portable charger, they have a lot more plug options like the NEMA 10-30 or 14-30, which will limit the Tesla mobile charger to 24a.

This is what I have, including a third party TT30 pigtail that properly reports amperage.

 

[Zathras]

Yes

No. The vehicle will automatically limit the current to 32A if you're plugged into a 14-50, and will automatically limit the current to 12A if you're plugged into a 5-15.

The caution in this thread about manually limiting the current is only because this thread is about using a TT-30 adapter, and the portable charger is being fooled into thinking it's plugged into a 14-50 when it's not.

Cool. Thanks for the information. I guess I need to check to make sure my plug is the 14-50, and if not get that taken care of before the R2 arrives.

 

[Zathras]

What is your outlet, the wiring gauge, and fuse?

Since you replied to my thread about the TT-30 adapter, no you do NOT want to charge at 32a, which the R2 and the Rivian portable charger will happily try to do and then burn your house down!

The Rivian portable charger will automatically limit charging to the correct amperage for 5-15 and 14-50 depending on which Rivian prongs you are using. But if you put another adapter in between like the TT-30, which has a limit of 24a, but using the Rivian 14-50 plug, it will try to full the full 32a it is capable of. You are correct, the Rivian portable charger will only pull 32a even if plugged into a 14-50 that is capable of more, but the danger is it will also pull in 32a if you use a 30a to 50a third party adapter (which is rated for 24a continuous).

If this is for your home I would recommend installing a 14-50, but maybe you don't have the space for that. If you are using the Rivian portable charger then 5-15 (12a) will be the safer bet. I personally would not want to Jerry Rig a 14-50 32a charger to a 30a/24a source and hope for the best that the R2 or some other scenario (power outage) doesn't then try and pull full power.

The other alternative is to use a hard wired dedicated wall charger that allows you to set the amps in the charger via switches, etc. Then you could optimize the most power for the capabilities of your home wiring safely.

Another option is to buy a Tesla portable charger, they have a lot more plug options like the NEMA 10-30 or 14-30, which will limit the Tesla mobile charger to 24a.

I have a 240 volt plug that I've been plugging my hybrid into. I just need to make sure the electrician who put in my NEMA plug did a good job. I assume he did because he was a contractor our consultant hired to install our house's solar system. I"m the one who needs education. Thanks for the great info.

And not to worry, I was only concerned about a 30 amp plug for camping, not around the house. So I think I"m good to go this way.

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