TT-30 Adapter Plug Charging Adventures

[Casper]

I had delayed a long-planned trip in the RV while waiting for my R1T to arrive, and once it did, I got to work and go going. I planned on storing my R1T in my RV storage garage, where I have a TT-30 outlet. At the last minute (of course!) I parked the R1T and plugged it into one of the adapters I have handy in my storage unit that I use to power various devices. The charger started up, went from white...to green...to RED! Attempted changing settings, different adapters, etc. but no dice.
I'm using a common generator-style adapter that I bought awhile back when I got the RV storage unit. I've yet to have it fail in any situation, until the Rivian. I suspect that the adapter keeps the neutral and ground wires discreet (i.e. not bonded) and perhaps that is why the portable charger isn't happy. I ran out of time and left everything unplugged, and now my beloved R1T is sending me warning notices telling me the it's hungry!
The problem is that the truck is securely locked up and unaccessible until I return, at which point, it will be D-E-A-D.
I'm trying to anticipate a solution so I can revive I upon my return. I'm thinking of buying another one of those adapters so I can measure how they are connected together, and will also contact Rivian support for help, but thought I would seek the collective wisdom of the group to see if anyone has any experience attempting to charge via a TT-30 plug and adapter.
Perhaps a neutral bonding plug on one of the adapter legs will work - I'll confirm if that's what the portable charger needs to see to be happy when I talk to Rivian. (wouldn't it be nice if there was a (very commonly used) TT-30 adapter available for the portable charger?)
Anyway, speak up fellow Riviots! I'm hoping that my problem and eventual solution will help others in a similar situation down the road. Thanks, C.

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[Aardvark]

If you're using a TT-30 adapter for an RV or appliance, it's not wired properly for an electric vehicle.
You need to either purchace an EV-specific TT-30 adapter, or build your own. I did the latter for my Tesla. I used instructions I found on the Tesla forum years ago, but couldn't locate that post to send to you. I'm sure the instructions can be found elsewhere on the internet.

 

[ajdelange]

You need to either purchace an EV-specific TT-30 adapter, or build your own.

To do your own you need to wire X from the TT-30 to X on the 14-50, Y on the TT-30 to Y on the 14-50 and G (round pin on both) to G.

 

[Dark-Fx]

TT-30 needs to have the neutral wired to the other hot for a 240V adapter. Neutral on the 240V side should be not connected, ground to ground as normal.

 

[pc500]

will fix you up.



However, you should just plug it into the standard 120/15-20 amp outlet if its being stored for several days.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Here to confirm the Rivian will happily charge at 24A on a TT-30 with the right adapter. I made mine. Neutral wired to the other hot on a 14-50 receptacle. Ground to ground. Hot to hot. Leave the neutral on the 14-50 empty.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Here to confirm the Rivian will happily charge at 24A on a TT-30 with the right adapter. I made mine. Neutral wired to the other hot on a 14-50 receptacle. Ground to ground. Hot to hot. Leave the neutral on the 14-50 empty.

With keeping the fridge on, occasionally running our induction stove, and escaping the heat in the cabin a couple times, over the course of 35 hours at the 24A rate, the truck added 51kWh of charge and 133 miles of range. Less than I expected, but still got us back nearly up to a full charge from where we were at.

 

[HA-Opec]

So, I'm having this same issue.. can't get a tt30 to 14-50 adapter to charge the R1t. Seems like the best solution is ditch the Rivian Mobil connector, buy a Tesla Mobil adapter and tt-30 connector, and use a Lectron Tesla to J1772..
Sad but is that the best way to do it right now until Rivian makes the correct adapter?

 

[dduffey]

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

 

[Dark-Fx]

So, I'm having this same issue.. can't get a tt30 to 14-50 adapter to charge the R1t. Seems like the best solution is ditch the Rivian Mobil connector, buy a Tesla Mobil adapter and tt-30 connector, and use a Lectron Tesla to J1772..
Sad but is that the best way to do it right now until Rivian makes the correct adapter?

I'm guessing your tt-30 adapter is marketed as an RV one, because my self-built one works just fine with the OEM Rivian portable charger.

 

[ajdelange]

Seems like the best solution is ditch the Rivian Mobil connector, buy a Tesla Mobil adapter and tt-30 connector, and use a Lectron Tesla to J1772..

Tesla does not sell a TT-30 pigtail for the UMC but EVSEafapters.com does. It behaves just as the Tesla ones do. It programs the car for the requisite 24A max and incorporates the thermister in the plug which will shut things down if the plug gets hot which may not be that uncommon in a beat up receptacle in an RV park.

I'm beginning to get the idea that I will indeed buy an extra Tesla UMC (they are only $200) and an extra adapter kit (or,more likely, take the kit from the Tesla) and put them, with a Lectron or TeslaTap adapter and the EVSEadapters TT-30 pigtail, in the Rivian. The Rivian supplied kit lets me charge from 2 kinds of receptacles. What I have outlined here lets me charge from 8.

I carried all this stuff (adapters, extension cords...) in the Tesla in my early Tesla days because I thought I might well wind up charging in some farmer's barnyard or RV park. My confidence in the Tesla SC network has, of course, built over the years as more and more SC were added to it and they proved to be reliable. I do not have this confidence in the public networks available to me with the Rivian. We hope it will come but for now carrying as many charging options as practical seems prudent.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Last night when we got to the RV park, plugged in at 9:45. Now at 9:15 am, the truck has added 49 miles and is at 37%.

 

[bhopkins]

will fix you up.

Highly recommend this as it works perfectly for charging the R1T on a TT-30 plug. As others have mentioned, be sure to drop the charging amp to 24 or you’ll likely pop the breaker.

 

[atebit]

Tesla does not sell a TT-30 pigtail for the UMC but EVSEafapters.com does. It behaves just as the Tesla ones do. It programs the car for the requisite 24A max and incorporates the thermister in the plug which will shut things down if the plug gets hot which may not be that uncommon in a beat up receptacle in an RV park.

I'm beginning to get the idea that I will indeed buy an extra Tesla UMC (they are only $200) and an extra adapter kit (or,more likely, take the kit from the Tesla) and put them, with a Lectron or TeslaTap adapter and the EVSEadapters TT-30 pigtail, in the Rivian. The Rivian supplied kit lets me charge from 2 kinds of receptacles. What I have outlined here lets me charge from 8.

I carried all this stuff (adapters, extension cords...) in the Tesla in my early Tesla days because I thought I might well wind up charging in some farmer's barnyard or RV park. My confidence in the Tesla SC network has, of course, built over the years as more and more SC were added to it and they proved to be reliable. I do not have this confidence in the public networks available to me with the Rivian. We hope it will come but for now carrying as many charging options as practical seems prudent.

I’ve thought for a while now that the Tesla UMC is the most versatile portable EVSE available today. Even tacking on another ~$250 for a TeslaTap, price wise is a good value for what you get IMHO, at least until there are more similarly-versatile J1772 versions available.
Dave @Teslatap, are you listening?

 

[pc500]

With keeping the fridge on, occasionally running our induction stove, and escaping the heat in the cabin a couple times, over the course of 35 hours at the 24A rate, the truck added 51kWh of charge and 133 miles of range. Less than I expected, but still got us back nearly up to a full charge from where we were at.

Not surprised. Unfortunately efficiency is pretty poor at low charge rates.

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