Product Question: quick220 seems like a bad idea?

Level 2 chargers are commonly used up or at least crowded in the area I recharge while not at home. On the other hand Level one chargers are usually available, and usually no one using them - a bay of 6 of them.

It would be nice to charge up more than 20 miles while at the location for 5-6 hours - especially since each leg of the trip is around 50 miles (would like to avoid engaging the REX ;-) )

A search to combine two 120v outlets so I could potentially get 40 miles with a small portable level 2 charger - yielded this product: http://www.quick220.com/220_catalog/voltage-converters.html

However, thinking more about this concept - it seems unsafe - while I'm sure the multiple outlets at the level 1 charging area are on their own individual charging circuit - would that necessarily guarantee they would each be at a different phase and be able to yield a stable 220 volts? Also, would imagine the GFI circuits would trip when connecting two outlets like this?

I would put both the quick220 and the level 2 charger in my car while charging (two 120v cords going in, with the charging cable going out) - so wouldn't want them to catch on fire :shock:

EVBob said:

A search to combine two 120v outlets so I could potentially get 40 miles with a small portable level 2 charger - yielded this product: http://www.quick220.com/220_catalog/voltage-converters.html

However, thinking more about this concept - it seems unsafe - while I'm sure the multiple outlets at the level 1 charging area are on their own individual charging circuit - would that necessarily guarantee they would each be at a different phase and be able to yield a stable 220 volts? Also, would imagine the GFI circuits would trip when connecting two outlets like this?

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You would certainly not be guaranteed of finding 2 available 120V outlets on different phases, both reachable by the Quick220 power cords, and neither likely to be overloaded when used for EV charging.

Some of these devices that combine 2 120V different-phase outlets can expose the user to a 120V shock because after one power cord is plugged in, the other plug has 120V power between its plug prongs. Some of these devices include diodes that prevent electricity from traveling from one plug to the other, but not all of them.

I have concluded that a Quick220 won't be part of my charging equipment.

Thanks for chiming in Art!

I see you are also a fellow Gen 1 Insight owner...come to think about it - I think I recall someone named Art on the Insight forum - are you same guy?


Back to topic about the outlets - I am relatively sure, each individual outlet at the Level 1 charging area is on their own individual circuit, the outlets are fairly close to each other - 6-10' apart and worst case could use a pair of 12 gauge extension cords - but you are very correct about not knowing if two individual outlets will be exactly out of phase from each other...so not a good idea, without the hassle of testing phases, etc... :-/

It looks like this question was addressed on a Tesla Forum a while back: https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/combining-two-110v-12a-circuits.43432/

Mixed opinions there, though I would say more leaning toward the don't use it category:

"...
I have a "Quick220" and besides the safety issues, it's just a pain in the a** to use. The biggest problem is that the "Quick220" will not work with 120V circuits that have GFCI protection. All modern garage, kitchen, bathroom, and outdoor outlets have GFCI protection per code. Because the "Quick220" does not return any current to neutral, it immediately trips a 120V GFCI. Although I have tested the "Quick220" to verify operation, pulling extension cords out of the house from non-GFCI outlets, after owning it for 5 years with Teslas, I have never used it for an actual, needed charge. Don't bother!

The UMC and HPWC include 240V GFCI's for safety. If at all possible, I recommend installing a 14-50 outlet for the UMC or better yet, just put in an HPWC and leave the UMC in the car for when you need it.

Good Luck!
..."

"...
I use a Quick220 for 100% of my charging at home and have used it four times at different homes while on road trips. It is totally safe to use, but like others said, you cannot use it on GFCI outlets. My older home does not have any, so one end is plugged into the garage and another about 20 feet away in my basement. I used the Quick220 because my house does not have enough power for a 50 amp dedicated circuit.

I charge at 246 volts with 12 amps. That gets me 8.8 miles per hour which is plenty for my usage. A single 120 outlet at 12 amps in my garage only yielded 3.4 miles per hour. Plus on road trips, where I am staying for a day or more at someone's house, I can always find two outlets on opposite phases to charge. It makes those desolate destinations without a 240v outlet feasible instead of relying on 120v where it can take 3 days to charge!
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"...
The NEC does indeed cover temporary electrical installations. Article 590. 590.2(A), "Other Articles", says "Except as specifically modified in this article, all other requirements of this Code for permanent wiring shall apply to temporary wiring installations." That includes most of articles 250 (grounding), 300 (wiring methods), and 625 (electric vehicle charging).

The Quick220 suffers from several deficiencies. The primary violation is 300.2(B), stating all conductors of the same circuit and equipment grounding conductors shall be contained within the same raceway, cable, or cord, from the panel. However, there are numerous violations of grounding code because of multiple EGC's from separate circuits; lack of common-trip for all ungrounded conductors; among others.

When two grounding conductors are used, the failure of a neutral in a feeder -- say to a campground pedestal, which is more common than you might think -- can create a situation where return current will flow through the grounds on the Quick220 device, or in some cases, leave exposed parts of the device at 120V to ground.

It's a bad idea, period. Do it right the first time so people don't get killed.
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EVBob said:

I see you are also a fellow Gen 1 Insight owner...come to think about it - I think I recall someone named Art on the Insight forum - are you same guy?

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That's probably me. I joined InsightCentral in 2001-2002 and have been fairly active since.