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Browse conversations about charging, adapters, road trips, troubleshooting, and everyday EV life.

Recent Questions

24 discussions · 977 answers
8votes
Went to unplug my charger this morning and the extension cord had partially melted into the outlet. Car charged fine all night with zero warning.
Using a heavy-duty extension cord to reach my charger from the only outdoor outlet I have, been doing it for a few months without any issue. This morning wen...
rcarrillorcarrillo
18
answers
6votes
Renting again -- bought a portable so my next move doesn't strand me
Third apartment in four years. Every place has had a different outlet situation and I got tired of praying the landlord would install something. Last place h...
hank_delaneyhank_delaney
16
answers
8votes
Anyone actually happy with a 16A portable charger long-term, or does everyone want to upgrade to 32A eventually?
Have had a 16A portable unit since I got the car and it's been fine so far, but I keep seeing people talk about upgrading to 32A like 16A is just a starter t...
jlaurentjlaurent
19
answers
10votes
Running my EV charger's extension cord across the grass to reach my driveway — how much of a fire/safety risk is this really?
My outlet is on the wrong side of the garage for where I actually park, so right now I've got a heavy-duty 6 gauge extension cord running maybe 10 feet acros...
mreyes_84mreyes_84
17
answers
8votes
What's the actual real-world difference between Level 1 and Level 2 charging?
Trying to understand what actually changes day to day between Level 1 and Level 2, beyond just the obvious 'one's faster.' For anyone who's used both -- was ...
danny_hodanny_ho
23
answers
5votes
Is it actually realistic to own an EV long-term with zero home charging in a condo?
My condo association has flatly said no to adding any EV charging infrastructure for the foreseeable future -- not even a shared outlet in the garage. I'm st...
tbeck_14tbeck_14
26
answers
8votes
How reliable is DC fast charging on a long road trip?
Planning a longer road trip and trying to get a realistic sense of how often public fast charging actually goes wrong versus how often it's fine. I've seen s...
kwatanabekwatanabe
48
answers
7votes
Has anyone had a software update wipe their charge schedule without warning?
My car's charging rate and overall charging behavior changed right after the last software/firmware update -- slower home charging, a lower cap, or a changed...
brian_ostranderbrian_ostrander
51
answers
13votes
Breaker keeps tripping (or the plug/cord got hot) while charging -- what was the actual cause?
Had a charging setup trip a breaker or GFCI, or noticed the plug/outlet getting noticeably warm, and I'm trying to figure out how worried to be. Is this usua...
anonanon
27
answers
8votes
Do NACS to CCS adapters work on non-Tesla DCFC stations?
I keep running into 'compatible' claims that don't hold up -- an adapter or an app says it'll work and then the charger just won't start. I've also heard of ...
bschaefer_bschaefer_
33
answers
7votes
Is it common to charge overnight at your hotel or other accommodation?
I've started booking hotels partly based on whether they have a working charger, because I've been burned too many times: one place had a charger but it was ...
chris_halvorsenchris_halvorsen
47
answers
11votes
What do I need to charge at a campground with RV hookups?
Thinking about using RV park power as my charger on a trip, but I'm not sure if the 30A/50A RV pedestal plugs just work with an EVSE or if I need a specific ...
hkasprzakhkasprzak
11
answers
8votes
My First EV & Tesla!
Just got my first EV and I'm overwhelmed by the advice out there -- charge to 80% not 100%, don't trust the range estimate, set up this app, don't do that. W...
pete_ainsworthpete_ainsworth
46
answers
7votes
I'd pay $20-40 more a night for an L2 charger — is anyone else actually weighing it that heavily?
We did a Texas to Massachusetts trip a couple months ago in the Model Y with the family and honestly I never based anything on hotel chargers. I just picked ...
pgallagherpgallagher
24
answers
8votes
Is it normal for EV tires to wear this fast?
I'm roughly 10,000 miles in on my new EV and I'm already noticing the tires look way more worn than I'd expect. This is significantly faster wear than I've e...
jlaurentjlaurent
38
answers
7votes
Used EV battery health: what's actually the reliable way to check?
I'm starting to look at used EVs and keep hearing conflicting things about battery condition—some sellers mention State of Health numbers, people talk about ...
bdoherty_bdoherty_
76
answers
11votes
Workplace EV charging – what's normal now?
My company recently got a charger and I'm trying to figure out if this is normal. I've been hearing different things from other people about their workplaces...
sbergstromsbergstrom
88
answers
11votes
How fast does EV battery really degrade in real life?
I'm thinking long-term about my EV purchase and keep seeing conflicting info online—some say batteries barely degrade, others warn about significant loss ove...
ron_ellisonron_ellison
56
answers
13votes
What actually made you decide Level 1 was (or wasn't) going to work for you long-term?
Not asking about the range math -- I can do that part myself. More curious what the real deciding factor ended up being for people who've actually lived with...
jbouchard_jbouchard_
22
answers
9votes
Why is my 12V battery draining when I don't drive?
I've noticed my 12V battery voltage is dropping pretty noticeably when the car sits idle. I'm not sure if this is normal or if I should be concerned. Has any...
lpham_18lpham_18
146
answers
9votes
Commute is 26 miles each way, 60-90 minutes of mostly stop-and-go -- does Level 1 have any chance here?
Taking delivery of a new EV soon and trying to figure out charging before I commit to anything. My commute is 26 miles one way, so about 52 round trip, but i...
kwatanabekwatanabe
20
answers
11votes
Why won't my EV charging start? Hunting the real cause
I've had my charging fail to initiate a few times, and I'm honestly not sure whether it's a charger issue, something with my car's software, a physical conne...
sgarbersgarber
44
answers
8votes
Why was my public charging bill so much higher than expected?
I got charged way more than I expected at a public charger yesterday, and I'm trying to figure out if I'm missing something about how these fees work. The po...
katie_lundkatie_lund
60
answers
18votes
Is a regular NEMA 5-15 household outlet actually viable for EV charging or just an emergency backup?
Everything I charge with came with a standard household NEMA 5-15 plug and I'm trying to figure out if that's actually a legitimate way to charge long-term o...
jpadillajpadilla
21
answers