[Taoshum]

Here's a question for the charging experts... I have a 220V/50amp welder that plugs into a 3 conductor 220V socket. There's an adaptor that will also plug into the 3 conductor socket and provide a 4 conductor socket that fits the NOX charging cord. Will this be OK?

 

[aamyotte]

Here's a question for the charging experts... I have a 220V/50amp welder that plugs into a 3 conductor 220V socket. There's an adaptor that will also plug into the 3 conductor socket and provide a 4 conductor socket that fits the NOX charging cord. Will this be OK?

The receptacle should be changed for a Hubbell or other that are specific for the continuous high load of a charging session. They have a car and plug symbol on them. The cheap ones can melt and cause a fire.

 

[Steverino]

I agree with Aam, Tao. Make/buy an adapter for the welder instead. We are assuming there are 4 wires in your line: 2 hots (typically black),one neutral (white), one ground (bare or green).

 

[Taoshum]

Here's a question for the charging experts... I have a 220V/50amp welder that plugs into a 3 conductor 220V socket. There's an adaptor that will also plug into the 3 conductor socket and provide a 4 conductor socket that fits the NOX charging cord. Will this be OK?

Well, I tried it and it works great... adds 23 miles/hr according to the charging display when the battery goes from 78% to 85%; I'm wondering if I run the battery down to 45-50% and then charge, maybe I'll get 40 miles/hr? I've read that the last 15% takes a long time...?

 

[Jim99]

Well, I tried it and it works great... adds 23 miles/hr according to the charging display when the battery goes from 78% to 85%; I'm wondering if I run the battery down to 45-50% and then charge, maybe I'll get 40 miles/hr? I've read that the last 15% takes a long time...?

From what I experienced with my Bolt, the charging rate on a 220-240 volt line is consistent and doesn’t have the trail-off that happens at a DCFC.

 

[Steverino]

I'm wondering if I run the battery down to 45-50% and then charge, maybe I'll get 40 miles/hr? I've read that the last 15% takes a long time...?

I'll 2nd Jim. In my experience with the 2011 Volt, 2017 Bolt EV and now Equinox EV, AC charging doesn't do the slow down you get with DCFC, Tao.

 

[bignick]

All AC charging is basically slow-charging.

On an 85 kWh pack, 11.52 kW charging (48A@240V) is only about 0.14C rate, so there's nothing to slow down as the pack fills up. 19.2 kW (80A@240V, unavailable in 2024 models but optional in 2025?) is still under 0.25C charging.

 

[zippyzoe]

I want to use the cable that comes with my car and the 240w cable extension. The electrician refuses to install 240w outlet (14-50r) w/50 amp breaker unless I buy the breaker with GFCI which adds $350 to the $450 240V outlet install. I showed the diagram of the cable with GFCI interrupt but he still won't install. I called GM Energy and all they want to do is sell the $599 GM wall charger. There are cheaper versions on Amazon from $175-$250. Sorry if this is a repetitive question. Please help.

 

[Nebula1701]

There is currently contradictory code in the latest versions of NEC. They call for a GFCI Breaker for EV chargers, I believe they assume most chargers will not have GFCI in them while many do. So this can cause the braker to trip unexpectedly with two GFCI on the same circuit.

I'd look for other opinions from local Electricians.

 

[zippyzoe]

Mr. Nebula.....I took your advice and shopped around. $350 for a 240v 50 amp plug. I plugged the "stock" cable that came with my car. I'm went from 3 miles/per hour on 120v (3 days to get to 80%) to 240v - 25 miles/per hour about 10 hours. It works. Thanks for the advice!!!!

 

[16falcon]

I want to use the cable that comes with my car and the 240w cable extension. The electrician refuses to install 240w outlet (14-50r) w/50 amp breaker unless I buy the breaker with GFCI which adds $350 to the $450 240V outlet install. I showed the diagram of the cable with GFCI interrupt but he still won't install. I called GM Energy and all they want to do is sell the $599 GM wall charger. There are cheaper versions on Amazon from $175-$250. Sorry if this is a repetitive question. Please help.

I see you found a solution, but for the sake of other people reading the thread, I’ll throw in my $0.02.
I think the reason the electrician was insisting that you buy the expensive circuit breaker with the GFCI built in is because you were installing a receptacle. I believe code requires the GFCI breaker when installing the receptacle. Even though your EVSE clearly shows that it already has its own GFCI, there is no way to know what will eventually be plugged into that receptacle. For example, you sell your house, unplug your EVSE and take it with you. The new owner has a welder (no built in GFCI) and he plugs it into the outlet. That circuit is no longer protected by a GFCI. I also believe that if you elect to hardwire the EVSE into the house wiring, a GFCI breaker is no longer required because of the EVSE’s internal GFCI now has that requirement covered and nothing else could be “plugged in” to that circuit at a later date.

 

[ITgreybeard]

The stock, included 120/240 volt charger is good enough for now. That limits charge rate to 32 amps, which computes (x 240) to 7.68kw. Having done electrical in the near and far past, I rigged the cable run (3 feet 😂) and 14-50 outlet myself, though another existing cable will support 60 amp charging, when the time comes.

 

[zippyzoe]

The stock, included 120/240 volt charger is good enough for now. That limits charge rate to 32 amps, which computes (x 240) to 7.68kw. Having done electrical in the near and far past, I rigged the cable run (3 feet 😂) and 14-50 outlet myself, though another existing cable will support 60 amp charging, when the time comes.

Good info. The GM electrical team is just an extension of the dealership. Sell Sell Sell.....I asked for charging times with the 14-50 cable that came with the car. They said it varies. After installing the 14-50 outlet I can charge my car at home in less than 8 hours. I don't need the charging station they are trying to sell. I used a plastic water hose hangar to store the cable.

 

[ITgreybeard]

Good info. The GM electrical team is just an extension of the dealership. Sell Sell Sell.....I asked for charging times with the 14-50 cable that came with the car. They said it varies. After installing the 14-50 outlet I can charge my car at home in less than 8 hours. I don't need the charging station they are trying to sell. I used a plastic water hose hangar to store the cable.

Omigosh, that’s fun. I used the same kind of hanger on mine too. So even though the charging brick is located at the 240 outlet at the middle front of the car, the charge nozzle is coiled next to the left front fender adjacent to the chargeport door. Where there’s a will …

 

[Steverino]

The stock, included 120/240 volt charger is good enough for now. That limits charge rate to 32 amps, which computes (x 240) to 7.68kw.

Frankly, for those who want to save some $ or have a limited electrical panel, the 2024 dual level charge cord is perfectly adequate, ITgreybeard. Yes, buying a higher current EVSE will charge a bit faster, but on a day to day basis, it's probably irrelevant for most. Unless you don't charge daily or are always driving 200 miles/day....

 

[martinjlm]

….

The other thing to keep in mind is it's possible the $7500 tax credit will be abolished if a certain candidate wins the White House. He's told the oil industry all it would take is for them to pay him $1B. They have the money to do it. I want to lock in that credit now. Having a NACS plug port is not worth potentially losing the $7500 tax credit.

Some quick thoughts on this…

• POTUS ability to make changes to the Inflation Reduction Act are very limited. It cannot simply be “executive ordered“ away. It will require congressional concurrence. That’s why some of the changes Biden wanted to make were never put in place.
• IRA is much larger than just EV incentives. If the IRA is a big dog, EV incentives are the fluffy tail. Treasury needs to be involved as well as both houses of Congress. I lead an automotive consulting team. We are currently working on various scenarios for a number of our customers to help them strategize how to move forward after Nov. 5th. Scenarios include Republican sweep, Democrat sweep, Democrat POTUS / split Congress, and Republican POTUS / split Congress. None of these scenarios ends in elimination of IRA. There are concerns wrt funds depletion that could drive a move to close or at least tighten the leasing loophole, but wholesale elimination is very low probability.
• WRT the incentives provided to companies for battery technology, mining, manufacturing, recycling and remanufacturing the states that are benefitting the most have been “Red” states, so even in the event of a Republican sweep, congressional Republicans will be hard pressed to support sweeping changes that reduce their windfall from the act as it appears now.

 

[Eric1704]

Mr. Nebula.....I took your advice and shopped around. $350 for a 240v 50 amp plug. I plugged the "stock" cable that came with my car. I'm went from 3 miles/per hour on 120v (3 days to get to 80%) to 240v - 25 miles/per hour about 10 hours. It works. Thanks for the advice!!!!

A 40 Amp is fine with the charger car came with.

 

[hellsop]

A 40 Amp is fine with the charger car came with.

For reference for others in the future, newp, that 50 amp circuit is correct for 40 amp charging, which is why the thing comes with a NMEA 14-50(amp) plug pigtail.

 

[Borntoosoon]

Since I am buying the 2025 NOX which does not come with the EVSE packaged, is there benefit to buying the GM charger versus a comparably priced good quality third-party charger?

 

[16falcon]

Since I am buying the 2025 NOX which does not come with the EVSE packaged, is there benefit to buying the GM charger versus a comparably priced good quality third-party charger?

I already have a Level 2 charger at home but I think it would be a good idea to have a level 1 charger in the car just in case I need a small charge and I am somewhere where a 120V outlet is available. So if I want an EVSE in the vehicle, I believe there is a cutout/spot for the GM version in the storage area. That would be my only reason to get the GM one.