So apparently the reason it’s so hard to find longer charging cords is that they’re not actually code-legal… the NEC limits their max length to 25 ft: Article 625 |
Article 625.10 Electric Vehicle Coupler
Part C, Section 3.3:
Overall Cord and Cable Length. The overall usable length shall not exceed 7.5 m (25 ft) unless equipped with a cable management system that is part of the listed electric vehi‐ cle supply equipment.
- Not Fastened in Place. Where the electric vehicle supply equipment or charging system is not fastened in place, the cord-exposed usable length shall be measured from the face of the attachment plug to the face of the electric vehicle connec‐ tor.
- Fastened in Place. Where the electric vehicle supply equipment or charging system is fastened in place, the usable length of the output cable shall be measured from the cable exit of the electric vehicle supply equipment or charging system to the face of the electric vehicle connector.
Well, I guess extension cord is the way to go, then… no telling if the longer chargers you can find online are safe and real =/ (I think longer lengths are legal in Europe and you can find some ETL listed ones, but I don’t really trust the random Amazon listings…)
Is there a reliable source for “hospital grade” electrical stuff? I don’t necessarily want to build my own cable, both out of laziness and because it would be a huge hassle to explain to insurance, etc. if anything ever happened…
Short of that, I’m probably going to go with this: https://www.platt.com/p/0161258/southwire/all-weather-extension-cord-25-12-3/029892825874/swc2587sw8802
It’s a 25’ 12/3 SJTW 15A cord rated for 1875W (unclear if peak or continuous). I’ll set the EV to only pull 8A (on a 15A circuit reserved for the garage). At under a kilowatt, I think that should be enough of a safety buffer.
I also found a GFCI outlet in the garage, and we’ll use that instead, so most of the assembly will be indoors and out of the weather. Only the end of the charging cable and the J1772 connector will be outdoors while charging (because the car is in the driveway).
It feels a bit overkill — we take less precautions for space heaters and electric cooktops that draw more power — but better safe than sorry, I suppose.
Long-term, if she keeps the vehicle (it’s currently leased), we’ll definitely look into getting a hardwired and properly installed level 2 charger if we can. For now, though, this will hopefully suffice…
Thank you all!