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What's actually in your bag for a trip with no home charger anywhere along the way

Driving from the Midwest to see family for two weeks, staying at a mix of hotels and a cabin with no charging listed anywhere on the usual apps. Already have the mobile connector that came with the car. Trying to figure out if I need to also buy a dedicated portable unit or if that's redundant. Mainly worried about the cabin -- no idea what's actually in that outlet box, could be a dryer plug, could be nothing usable at all. What do people actually pack for this kind of trip versus what sits in the trunk unused the whole time?
Filed under: RV & Road Trip Charging
011 answers
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11 ANSWERS
gpetersen
@gpetersenOctober 03, 2026
The mobile connector you already have is a portable unit. A "dedicated portable unit" would just be a second one that does the same job and sits in the trunk next to the first. My trunk for trips like this holds the mobile connector, the 14-50 and 14-30 adapters, and a J1772 adapter for the hotels that have Clipper Creek or ChargePoint units in the back lot. Of those, the 14-30 has gotten more use than the 14-50, which surprised me. For the cabin I'd just ask the owner to send a photo of whatever is in the laundry room.
jkimura
@jkimuraOctober 06, 2026
I wouldn't plug into an unknown outlet in a rental cabin for 10 hours. You have no idea what's behind it. Find the closest DC fast charger and plan around that.
gpetersen
@gpetersenOctober 07, 2026
@jkimura a 30A dryer circuit is a different animal from a 15A outlet behind the couch with an extension cord on it. Dial the car down to 24A or less and check the plug after an hour. People have been doing this for a decade. The bigger risk is a worn-out receptacle, and that's true of any outlet.
jkimura
@jkimuraOctober 07, 2026
It's built for a dryer that cycles, not a continuous load all night. Your call though.
jschultz
@jschultzOctober 07, 2026
In ten years I've only ever used the mobile connector and a 14-50 adapter. Everything else I bought rode around in the trunk until I took it out.
tobiasr82
@tobiasr82October 07, 2026
We've only had Level 1 for our daily charging for over a year and it's been fine. The only problem I ever had was the plug slowly working itself loose, so I'd check that it's seated all the way. Two weeks is a long time. Even 4 miles an hour overnight adds up if you aren't driving much once you get there.
scottmack
@scottmackOctober 08, 2026
Should have said, it's a Kia, not a Tesla. I'm pretty sure the cord that came with it is 120V only, I'll have to dig it out of the frunk and look. So maybe the adapter thing doesn't apply to me anyway.
jschultz
@jschultzOctober 09, 2026
If it only has a 120V plug then you have your answer for the cabin. Plug it in every night and don't worry about the dryer outlet.
mlarsen_
@mlarsen_October 09, 2026
The cord that came with my Ioniq 5 is 120 only. Pretty sure Kia uses the same one.
mdonnelly_
@mdonnelly_October 11, 2026
Yup... the Hyundai/Kia cord is 120V only, at least the ones they ship in the US. It sits in my frunk with a 14-50 adapter I never needed because it doesn't fit that cord anyway lol. Bought it before I knew better. If it's an EV6 it's the same E-GMP platform as my Ioniq 5, same ICCU too. I'm on my second one at 120k miles. Not trying to scare you... 99% of trips nothing happens. But I'd save the Kia roadside number in your phone and know where the nearest Kia dealer is to the cabin. When mine went, the 12V died with it and that was the end of the day. On L1 over two weeks you'll be fine. Slow, lossy, but fine!
scottmack
@scottmackOctober 17, 2026
Dug it out. Yep, 120V, regular three prong plug on the end. Kind of annoyed at myself for reading half this thread thinking I needed adapters lol. ICCU thing is news to me, will look that up.