Melted 240V outlet (Major Disaster Avoided) -- PSA: only highly rated charging equipment

[devmach-e]

I don't think people understand and what nature the plug was designed for. If you wash your clothes, you dry your clothes. The dryer is only on an hour. Two tops a deep freezer cuts on shuts off every so many hours. Same as any other household item that you use like your stove, your stove cuts on and cuts off. It's not on for 10 hours straight 100% of the time but an EV charger an evse whenever is charging. It's a minimum 5 hours at 100% of the time and the plugs cannot handle that they were only designed for maybe 80% usage and it's not 5 hours. Maybe an hour or two

a high quality install and correct gauge wire will lower your risk, but pulling more than 32 amps for more than 3 hours thru a nema 14-50 is not a great idea.

if you really really really WANT to pull more than 32a, you should hardwire.

If only there was a national standards organization that governed this kind of stuff. An organization dedicated to preventing fire hazards by creating regulations that local jurisdictions could use when deciding what sort of electrical wiring to deploy in homes, businesses, factories, etc, and how much amperage was safe to draw based on application and expected use case.

A shitty 14-50 install is just as likely to cause a problem with a 32A EVSE as it is with a 40A EVSE. There's plenty of people on this forum, and others, who used the stock 32A EVSE that came with an EV, plugged it into a cheap 14-50 outlet, and ended up with a melted socket. The issue isn't drawing more than 32A. The issue is crappy cheap outlets that people are buying from home improvement stores.

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[SteveMach-ee]

Just to others don't get confused or worried if they have it installed. As I posted earlier, all my local Home Depot stores have, in-stock, a second Leviton outlet that is specified for continuous duty EVSE applications. It has the same beefy "industrial quality" as the Hubbell mentioned. Same torque specified hex screws. Also, as a bonus, the green EV car logo on it makes it legit ?.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/50-Amp-...k-Heavy-Duty-1450R-B0-R10-1450R-0B0/330996322

For some reason Home Depot didn't have the matching faceplate but Amazon and some Ace hardware stores have it.
2.465" Wall Plate:
https://www.acehardware.com/departm...witches-outlets-and-plugs/wall-plates/3272952
-or-
https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-SL701-Wallplate-Stainless-Steel/dp/B07F82KT8V/ref=asc_df_B07F82KT8V

 

[Space_Pony]

Just to others don't get confused or worried if they have it installed. As I posted earlier, all my local Home Depot stores have, in-stock, a second Leviton outlet that is specified for continuous duty EVSE applications. It has the same beefy "industrial quality" as the Hubbell mentioned. Same torque specified hex screws. Also, as a bonus, the green EV car logo on it makes it legit ?.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/50-Amp-...k-Heavy-Duty-1450R-B0-R10-1450R-0B0/330996322

For some reason Home Depot didn't have the matching faceplate but Amazon and some Ace hardware stores have it.
2.465" Wall Plate:
https://www.acehardware.com/departm...witches-outlets-and-plugs/wall-plates/3272952
-or-
https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-SL701-Wallplate-Stainless-Steel/dp/B07F82KT8V/ref=asc_df_B07F82KT8V

Wow, $60 for an outlet. Another reason to just hardwire it.

 

[SteveMach-ee]

Wow, $60 for an outlet. Another reason to just hardwire it.

Yes, It's strange. I got that outlet in the store for $39 which is the price which I see in the link. There is another Home Depot listing for the exact same outlet for around $59.99 but "ship-to-store". The Amazon price is $59.99 and store.Leviton.com is $66.85.

 

[MightyMike]

Now I’m in the market for a new charger. Watched Tim Malogahney’s 2024 review, but am open to suggestions on chargers. This one will be hard wired!!!!

Yes! This is exactly what I recommend to people. Never install a plug. Always hard-wire. It is not worth the risk (risk that it melts, risk that the installer picks a lower quality plug, etc),

 

[DennisD]

Wow, $60 for an outlet. Another reason to just hardwire it.

How would you hard wire the Ford Charger that comes with the car?

 

[Space_Pony]

How would you hard wire the Ford Charger that comes with the car?

That's a mobile charger for occasional use on the road. It's not recommended for daily use. It will fail eventually.

 

[ipca204]

That's a mobile charger for occasional use on the road. It's not recommended for daily use. It will fail eventually.

lol...everything fails....eventually....

 

[67 Stang Convertible]

lol...everything fails....eventually....

I don't know.......Death and Taxes seem to be undefeated!!!

 

[J5hort]

So, pulled up my Ford Pass App this morning expecting to see it at 80% SOC just like every time I home charge for the last 40 months of life; and yet I see “Charge Error” with a red banner or writing, can’t recall now.

So, I go look at my Juice Box and there are no lights on. Never seen that unless it was unplugged. I glance at the outlet & you can see what I see. What appears a melted crumbling outlet.

The 240 was installed by a licensed electrician but I did switch the receptacle to one that fit the Juice Box over 3 years ago (January 2020). The receptacle was from Home Depot & I’m assuming that is the weak link ?.

I’m fully aware this could have escalated into a serious house/EV fire ? in the middle of the night ( as the car is set to start charging at midnight).

I am posting this primarily as a warning since I’ve seen a lot of new avatars on the forum this year. Please use only highly rated charging equipment ( not the $15 Home Depot) outlet like I did let only Certified & experienced electricians install these Home EV chargers!!!

Now I’m in the market for a new charger. Watched Tim Malogahney’s 2024 review, but am open to suggestions on chargers. This one will be hard wired!!!!

For those newbies go to YouTube and search “State of Charge” for best and latest charger info.

Do you know what guage wire was used? and how long the run was? And was copper wire being used? The temperature rating on the receptical is probably well within the temperature range you would experience if wiring was spec'ed out correctly. People tend to skimp on the wire, which is the most important piece in the system.

 

[67 Stang Convertible]

Do you know what guage wire was used? and how long the run was? And was copper wire being used? The temperature rating on the receptical is probably well within the temperature range you would experience if wiring was spec'ed out correctly. People tend to skimp on the wire, which is the most important piece in the system.

Unsure of the gauge, but it looks pretty beefy coming out of the wall. Electrician didn't seem to have an issue with it (although, he looks really young....hope he knows what he's doing). The run is about 16 feet from the panel.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Yes! This is exactly what I recommend to people. Never install a plug. Always hard-wire. It is not worth the risk (risk that it melts, risk that the installer picks a lower quality plug, etc),

There is zero risk if it’s done correctly with the correct hardware. My 6-50R has been on my garage wall since 2014. I don’t even bother to check torque on a schedule since it never changed. ??

 

[J5hort]

Unsure of the gauge, but it looks pretty beefy coming out of the wall. Electrician didn't seem to have an issue with it (although, he looks really young....hope he knows what he's doing). The run is about 16 feet from the panel.

I ran 6ga for 2 runs (one a little shorter, one a little longer). I think it was spec'ed out at 8ga, but I went larger to lower resistance and to future proof. It was a b*tch to run. Another thing that is important is the torque on the connectors, gotta make sure that they are tight. Also using a 40 amp breaker for the Mach-E.

 

[RonBme]

If only there was a national standards organization that governed this kind of stuff. An organization dedicated to preventing fire hazards by creating regulations that local jurisdictions could use when deciding what sort of electrical wiring to deploy in homes, businesses, factories, etc, and how much amperage was safe to draw based on application and expected use case.

A shitty 14-50 install is just as likely to cause a problem with a 32A EVSE as it is with a 40A EVSE. There's plenty of people on this forum, and others, who used the stock 32A EVSE that came with an EV, plugged it into a cheap 14-50 outlet, and ended up with a melted socket. The issue isn't drawing more than 32A. The issue is crappy cheap outlets that people are buying from home improvement stores.

Then take a chance with ur life and ur property I'm only an Electrician for 2 different states

 

[RonBme]

I ran 6ga for 2 runs (one a little shorter, one a little longer). I think it was spec'ed out at 8ga, but I went larger to lower resistance and to future proof. It was a b*tch to run. Another thing that is important is the torque on the connectors, gotta make sure that they are tight. Also using a 40 amp breaker for the Mach-E.

Can use a plug the 14/50 nema plug at 40 amps it's when you go above that 40 amperage with the chargers pushing out constant power. They melt and catch on fire

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