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I have single wall plug NEMA 14-30 which is currently sometimes (rarely) occupied by the drier.

I want to add Tesla Mobile charger with 14-30 adapter (from Tesla) to the same outlet of course not at same time.

I do not want to have to unplug one to plug the other than repeat.

Is it according to code and can I split the 14-30 with switchable outlets.

I do not have a budget to install separate run from Main panel (30 feet away) to dedicated outlet in the garage and use Tesla wall charger, since the mobile charger on 14-30 will give me enough charging.

This question is probably asked and answered but I can not find it.

asinine
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4 Answers4

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There are devices available which do this. One well known (but not UL listed) device is the Dryer Buddy. The UL-listed option is the Neocharge Smart Splitter. Either will automatically load shed the EVSE when the dryer is running, then resume charging as soon as the dryer load is done. Both are available in a wide variety of connection types.

There's a couple of items you want to take note of if doing this. First: make sure the dryer outlet is in good shape. EV charging is a much more demanding load than a dryer. If the outlet is at all loose, replace it. Second: you may be tempted to use extension cords as well depending on the placement of the dryer. Try to avoid this if possible. If for some reason it is necessary to use an extension, it's safer to do so on the car side of the EVSE than on the dryer side, because the EVSE has GFCI protection.

KMJ
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  • No extension cord, other the 20' charging cable supplied by Tesla.. – asinine Feb 12 '23 at 05:21
  • The dryer room is right next to the garage. Good to know the EVSE has a GFCI build in. – asinine Feb 12 '23 at 07:52
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    All UL listed ones do. Some of the Amazon brands may not - the giveaway is if they say 'must be used on RCD protected circuit' on the back or similar. – KMJ Feb 12 '23 at 08:17
  • I found the `Neocharge Smart Splitter` it looks like what I want – asinine Feb 12 '23 at 08:21
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I think the interlock gadgets are gross overkill, and only necessary if you have people in the household who are irresponsible and can't see that you're charging the EV / can't see that you're using the dryer / can't coordinate your activities.

Indeed we have searched for years on this forum and never found any rule forbidding multiple 30A receptacles on a general-use 30A receptacle circuit. They work just like normal ones, it's up to you not to carelessly overload them.

So go ahead and extend the circuit into the garage with another outlet. Or just come off the existing outlet with Legrand Wiremold surface conduit to another box.

If you use extension cord/splitter products make sure they are UL/ETL/CSA listed. CE is not a testing lab, it's a fake mark.

Harper - Reinstate Monica
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  • `if you have people in the household who are irresponsible` **obviously you are not married** For $350 I will not risk the wrath of disconnecting **Her** dryer and tell her she can not use it. – asinine Feb 12 '23 at 18:00
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As I understand it (I am 99% I have seen this elsewhere on DIY but I can't find it at the moment), you can have multiple receptacles on a 30A 240V circuit, just as you can on a 15A or 20A 120V circuit. Assuming that's the case, the simple answer is to wire up a second receptacle and leave the EVSE plugged in all the time. However, that puts the onus on the user to make 100% certain the dryer is not running at the same time as the EV is being charged. Another answer listed some ways to have it all work automatically, at an extra equipment cost.

My take on the real issue

While I understand everyone wants to save money (myself definitely included), I think that budgeting for charging should be part of everyone's EV purchase decision.

For someone with their own home that means the cost of installing a separate circuit for charging, the cost of proper hard-wired EVSE (like the Tesla Wall Connector) and, if necessary, panel upgrade or even a service heavy-up. That cost could range from a few hundred $ to a few thousand $. Which seems like a lot, but is a tiny fraction of the cost of the EV itself. Is $1,000 too much to pay for a Tesla Wall Connector and running a circuit 30'? It is on the order of 2% of the cost of the vehicle, and is the equivalent of getting your own gas pump for an ICE, which would cost a whole lot more than $1,000!

Alternatively, for someone who lives in an apartment or other location where their own private charging station is simply not an option, that means including the cost of using Tesla Superchargers or other publicly available, but not free to use, charging equipment. Estimate the cost over the first few years of ownership and factor that into the estimated total cost of ownership.

Obviously electric vehicle manufacturers aren't going to add in this cost - it would make the cars cost more, and some people don't have any additional cost (e.g., 2nd electric car) or minimal cost. But it should be a part of everyone's purchase process.

manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
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NO and NO! Dryers by code are to have a dedicated circuit. You might be able to manage not using the dryer and EV charger at the same time, but the next owner might not be as smart. They could end up trying to pull 60 amps on a 30 amp circuit or more!. If you want to use the high power Tesla charger , it will need a separate circuit. The alternative is to use a 120v outlet for the EV charger, but that would result in a much sower charging rate.

George Anderson
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    There's absolutely *nothing* in the NEC that requires an electric clothes dryer to be on a *dedicated* circuit. – ThreePhaseEel Feb 12 '23 at 04:42
  • @ThreePhaseEel darn you for the DV, I"ve never seen a dryer circuit shared, maybe it's not in the code, but it's certainly best practice to have a dedicated circuit for a dryer. – George Anderson Feb 12 '23 at 04:44
  • Yeah -- its generally not done because there aren't any other loads that can make use of the circuit, but there *are* boxes that can do what the OP asks, even if they want dynamic load shedding – ThreePhaseEel Feb 12 '23 at 04:45
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    Until EV charging, for the vast majority of people there simply wasn't any reason to have a circuit that size or larger except: (a) oven/etc. in the kitchen, (b) water heater, (c) HVAC. So it just wasn't an issue. All of a sudden, it is an issue with EV charging. – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Feb 12 '23 at 05:19
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    @manassehkatz-Moving2Codidact I have seen people do shared 240V 20A and 240V 30A circuits when they have a few tools in their home wood shop. It always struck me as a reasonable approach since they can't run more than one tool at a time. – KMJ Feb 12 '23 at 06:37
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    AFAIK ThreePhaseEel isn't really the DVing type (I've put my foot in it more than once lol). Neither am I. – Harper - Reinstate Monica Feb 12 '23 at 09:11
  • Think most of us non electricians thought 30 amp circuits were dedicated since spliting the circuit is not that easy. The receptacles usually are one wire screws and do not not have a second set of screws, requiring a separate junction box plus wire connectors. – crip659 Feb 12 '23 at 13:23
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    @crip659 The reason 30A have one set of screws instead of two has nothing to do with line/load. It has everything to do with *single* receptacle instead of duplex. Confirmation: Look at a [typical single 20A 120V receptacle](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-20-Amp-Commercial-Grade-Tamper-Resistant-Single-Outlet-White-R52-T5020-0WS/202066676#overlay) and see that it has a single hot and single neutral screw. Why? You can certainly daisy-chain those (there are *reasons* why you might want a single while still daisy-chaining to another location). But no second set of screws because (I posit) – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Feb 12 '23 at 15:29
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    the *main* reason for the second set of screws is *not* for line/load but to allow for 1/2-switched receptacles and MWBC. Which is why others (e.g., USB) don't bother because limited space and limited need. But typical GFCI duplex *do* include specific "load" screws because there is a special use for a true load connection there which can't be satisfied by the alternative here of pigtails. **TL;DR You can pigtail here just fine, no separate box needed, as long as your box has sufficient space (box fill)**. – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Feb 12 '23 at 15:31