Can you charge Mach-E with NEMA 6-50 plug?

CHeil402

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Sep 21, 2020
Threads
8
Messages
723
Reaction score
1,314
Location
King of Prussia, PA
Vehicles
2017 Audi A4, 2021 MME
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
Country flag

timbop

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tim
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Threads
63
Messages
6,729
Reaction score
13,758
Location
New Jersey
Vehicles
Solar powered 2021 MME ER RWD & 2022 Corsair PHEV
Occupation
Software Engineer
Country flag
Yes the Ford Mobile Charger comes with both plugs (unlike Tesla's which decided to be cheap and only provide the 5-15 and charge you for others). And while I agree it's unlikely the charger uses the neutral wire of the 14-50 adapter, I personally wouldn't risk damaging a $50k car and voiding the warranty without confirmation of this.
The contacts on the J1772 are single phase, there is no neutral.
 
Last edited:

timbop

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tim
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Threads
63
Messages
6,729
Reaction score
13,758
Location
New Jersey
Vehicles
Solar powered 2021 MME ER RWD & 2022 Corsair PHEV
Occupation
Software Engineer
Country flag
What is inaccurate?
Firstly your assertion thart the same plug is used for 120 or 240v - they aren't. Secondly that you need a neutral which is wrong - the OP can safely replace the 6-50 outlet with a 14-50. The option to simply get an EVSE with a 6-50 plug (chargepoint, clippercreek, etc) is also completely valid.
 

CHeil402

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Sep 21, 2020
Threads
8
Messages
723
Reaction score
1,314
Location
King of Prussia, PA
Vehicles
2017 Audi A4, 2021 MME
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
Country flag
Firstly your assertion thart the same plug is used for 120 or 240v - they aren't. Secondly that you need a neutral which is wrong - the OP can safely replace the 6-50 outlet with a 14-50. The option to simply get an EVSE with a 6-50 plug (chargepoint, clippercreek, etc) is also completely valid.
I never made that assertion. I said that a NEMA 14-50 outlet, per NEC, must have a neutral. You cannot safely replace a 6-50 outlet with a 14-50 outlet without a neutral. I did recommend using an EVSE that has an OEM 6-50 plug.

The same SAE J1772 Type 1 plug is used for both 120 V and 240 V. The power contacts are L1, L2/N, and Ground otherwise there could not be a 120 V charging option.
 

timbop

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tim
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Threads
63
Messages
6,729
Reaction score
13,758
Location
New Jersey
Vehicles
Solar powered 2021 MME ER RWD & 2022 Corsair PHEV
Occupation
Software Engineer
Country flag
I never made that assertion. I said that a NEMA 14-50 outlet, per NEC, must have a neutral. You cannot safely replace a 6-50 outlet with a 14-50 outlet without a neutral. I did recommend using an EVSE that has an OEM 6-50 plug.
Then you didn't say what you meant to say:

and I wouldn't be certain that the Ford Mobile Charger will work with that adapter. The NEMA 14-50 plug that it comes with provides BOTH 240 V and 120 V compared to the NEMA 6-50 only providing 240 V as the missing prong is the neutral line used to get 120 V.
 


CHeil402

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Sep 21, 2020
Threads
8
Messages
723
Reaction score
1,314
Location
King of Prussia, PA
Vehicles
2017 Audi A4, 2021 MME
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
Country flag
Then you didn't say what you meant to say:
"I wouldn't be certain the Ford Mobile Charger will work with that adapter"
True. Even though the car would only get the +120 V and -120 V signals, without knowing the Ford Mobile Charger design, you cannot say it doesn't have internal 120 V electronics that are expecting the Neutral.

"The NEMA 14-50 plug that it comes with provides BOTH 240 V and 120 V"
True. A NEMA 14-50 plug provides +120 V, -120 V, Neutral, and Ground. The whole point of a NEMA 14-50 outlet is that you can get both 240 and 120 V from the same plug. I provided a link to a more detailed explanation I provided. I didn't say the J1772 plug provides both (which it can, just not simultaneously).

"...compared to the NEMA 6-50 only providing 240 V as the missing prong is the neutral line used to get 120 V."
True. A NEMA 6-50 plug only provides +120 V and -120 V, therefore you can only pull 240 V from it. It is not possible to pull 120 V from a NEMA 6-50 plug.
 

Kamuelaflyer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2020
Threads
9
Messages
7,922
Reaction score
15,845
Location
Hawaii
Vehicles
2021 Premium Infinite Blue. ER AWD. 2020 Raptor
Country flag
Most EVSEs don't use the neutral pin in a 14-50 receptacle. Therefore, such an adapter is OK.

However, be aware that such an adapter could easily damage the appliance and/or lead to a dangerous situation because the neutral pin in the 14-50 receptacle provided by the adapter will be floating.

I recommend getting an EVSE with available 6-50 plug.
That's what I've done. The Aerovironment (now Webasto) charger is plugged into the 6-50 outlet with an appropriate CB on the circuit. Nothing else is on that circuit or uses that plug. The adapter would just be for "emergency" use if the EVSE goes down for any reason. Then you should be able to use the mobile charger. With that said, with as little mileage I'll be putting on the MME, charging via 120 v would be "acceptable" for a few days or a week.

There are a lot of 6-50 chargers available. No need for an adaptor as your primary connection to 240-volt power.
Sponsored

 
 




Top