Extension Cord Charging Questions

Username1

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Nov 26, 2013
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I'm looking for some advice on EV charging with an extension cord....

The distance is over 75ft so I'll need a 100ft cord. I need to retract it after each use, so I want a flexible/light cord that I can wind up on a reel. For that reason I've decided that 30a power (24a charging) is sufficient. The only 100ft 30a extensions cords I've found are the twist lock variety, L6-30 and L14-30. That's not a problem because I could install a receptacle for either one, and use an adaptor on the EVSE side. A couple of questions...


• Is there any problem with using a cord this long to charge an EV? They seem to use 10AWG. Will that sustain 24a for hours without overheating?

• Am I correct to assume that twist lock receptacles are more durable? They seem to be used with generators and RVs which are unplugged frequently. This is important since it'll be unplugged almost daily.
 
Here's a cord I'm looking at. It's a flexible rubber (SJOOW rated) L6-30 cord, available in 100ft. I'm leaning towards L6-30 because the 4th wire isn't needed for EV charging, making it slightly thinner/lighter than L14-30.
https://conntekisi.com/l6-30-rubber-extension-cords

0002146_l6-30-rubber-extension-cords_625.jpeg
 
10 gauge copper should be just fine. Make sure all your plugs are high quality and that your current wire in the wall and breaker are heavy enough.

I've used these type of cables for welding extensions and they work great. But they are very heavy so expect a workout.

Edit: make sure it's copper and not copper clad aluminum. If it's aluminum you should go even heavier or find copper.
 
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