An essential travel tool I just added to my Lightning - voltage tester

[p52Ranch]

This weekend, I realized I was missing an essential tool for EV travel.

A simple voltage tester is something I'm going to keep in my console at all times. I'm thinking about adding a receptacle tester too.

You visit someone and they are willing to let you plug in for a charge but then things don't seem to work right. Many folks seem to have electrical outlets that don't function as expected.
Examples I have run into.
Is that old 240 volt outlet still connected?
It looks like a 240 volt outlet are both legs connected?
What breaker powers what outlets?
Is the polarity reversed on an outlet?
I ran into a 120V outlet the other day that had an open ground. The receptacle tester would confirm an open ground.

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[HaroldCal]

It's funny just how much electrical I've learned in recent years as an EV owner.

And yes, a basic tester, and clamp-ammeter/multimeter are always with me.

 

[Pioneer74]

Those tick tracers are dangerous. I wouldn't trust them. Get something with physical leads.

 

[SmokingtheMeats]

Those tick tracers are dangerous. I wouldn't trust them. Get something with physical leads.

What makes them dangerous? I’ve seen numerous electricians and contractors use them. I have one myself, and I’ve never heard anyone say they are dangerous.

 

[Pioneer74]

What makes them dangerous? I’ve seen numerous electricians and contractors use them. I have one myself, and I’ve never heard anyone say they are dangerous.

I find them to be unreliable, and easily fooled. I won't use them. I got hit with 277 once because it didn't recognize it, but was set off when I put it up to 480.

Use at your own risk, and always remember to check your checker. Test something 100% known to work, do your check, then go back to the 100% known circuit.

 

[Maquis]

Those tick tracers are dangerous. I wouldn't trust them. Get something with physical leads.

I agree. If it indicates power present, there is, but if it doesn’t light up, you can’t be sure the circuit’s dead. They have their uses (tracing switch loops, for example) but shouldn’t be relied upon to tell you a circuit is safe to touch.

 

[Ostrichsak]

If you use the Klein Tools one pictured you should be alright. Don't compare any of the knock-offs though as they are unreliable and this is a device you want to be reliable. I still have several of these kicking around from my past life as a sparky and I've found two things 1) spend more and get the Klein Tools version and 2) in all of the years of owning Teslas exclusively and traveling all over the country to include remote areas I haven't yet had the need for one of these. That's not to say it's not a bad idea to keep one as it will pay for itself if you need it even once but more to demonstrate how frequently you'll actually have use for it.

You can do an awful lot of things "just in case" with an EV and before you know it... you'll have like a hundred things you do and after years you'll discover that EVs are far less worry than people realize. I was the same way when I first started and I think focusing on all the unlikely occurrences can be a deterrent to EV entry. I've been making more of an effort lately to try to demystify and declutter EV ownership because it really is dead simple if you let it be. FAR less complex than ICE ownership and it's not even close.

Summary: Not a bed idea to throw one in the glovebox if you want just in case but don't lose any sleep over not having one. You'll be fine.

 

[p52Ranch]

If you use the Klein Tools on pictured you should be alright. Don't compare any of the knock-offs though as they are unreliable and this is a device you want to be reliable. I still have several of these kicking around from my past life as a sparky and I've found two things 1) spend more and get the Klein Tools version and 2) in all of the years of owning Teslas exclusively and traveling all over the country to include remote areas I haven't yet had the need for one of these. That's not to say it's not a bad idea to keep one as it will pay for itself if you need it even once but more to demonstrate how frequently you'll actually have use for it.

You can do an awful lot of things "just in case" with an EV and before you know it... you'll have like a hundred things you do and after years you'll discover that EVs are far less worry than people realize. I was the same way when I first started and I think focusing on all the unlikely occurrences can be a determent to EV entry. I've been making more of an effort lately to try to demystify and declutter EV ownership because it really is dead simple if you let it be. FAR less complex than ICE ownership and it's not even close.

Summary: Not a bed idea to throw one in the glovebox if you want just in case but don't lose any sleep over not having one. You'll be fine.

It all started in my Brother in law’s garage. We were visiting for a weekend and I was looking for some L1 juice. His house is old with a lot of ungrounded outlets.
Then this past weekend a visit to a friends. Similar situation with looking for a suitable outlet in the garage and I got to thinking that it would have been helpful to have a receptacle tester, a multimeter or a voltage stick handy.

 

[VTbuckeye]

It all started in my Brother in law’s garage. We were visiting for a weekend and I was looking for some L1 juice. His house is old with a lot of ungrounded outlets.
Then this past weekend a visit to a friends. Similar situation with looking for a suitable outlet in the garage and I got to thinking that it would have been helpful to have a receptacle tester, a multimeter or a voltage stick handy.

Get some friends/relatives with level 2 EVSEs already in their garages. If they don't have one, now you know what you are getting them for Christmas (or whatever gift giving holiday/birthday you celebrate).

 

[p52Ranch]

Get some friends/relatives with level 2 EVSEs already in their garages. If they don't have one, now you know what you are getting them for Christmas (or whatever gift giving holiday/birthday you celebrate).

I've already offered to update both brother in law's garages with 50 amp circuitry and a NEMA 1450 outlet. Both have declined that option so far. One really needs a new main panel if I go above 30 amps so I'm less inclined to do that. The other would require about 70' of 6/3 Romex so would be a pretty significant investment on my part.

 

[VTbuckeye]

I've already offered to update both brother in law's garages with 50 amp circuitry and a NEMA 1450 outlet. Both have declined that option so far. One really needs a new main panel if I go above 30 amps so I'm less inclined to do that. The other would require about 70' of 6/3 Romex so would be a pretty significant investment on my part.

My brother in law is having a new house built (my mother in law is moving in with him and his wife....Good,uck, better them than us). I hope they put in a 14-50 outlet in the garage (it would be foolish not to with a new build). I don't envy them watching the cost of their mortgage going up all summer and into the fall as the house is being built.

 

[Zprime29]

My brother in law is having a new house built (my mother in law is moving in with him and his wife....Good,uck, better them than us). I hope they put in a 14-50 outlet in the garage (it would be foolish not to with a new build). I don't envy them watching the cost of their mortgage going up all summer and into the fall as the house is being built.

Had my home built in 2016 and at the time I was trying to think ahead and asked them to add outlets in the garage for future EV's. Unfortunately I didn't know they would need to be the 14-50 so I have basic outlets on either side of the garage now. Oh well...at least one of the walls has the main breaker panel on the other side of it so adding something for L2 should be simple.

 

[VTbuckeye]

Had my home built in 2016 and at the time I was trying to think ahead and asked them to add outlets in the garage for future EV's. Unfortunately I didn't know they would need to be the 14-50 so I have basic outlets on either side of the garage now. Oh well...at least one of the walls has the main breaker panel on the other side of it so adding something for L2 should be simple.

My 1960s house has the old main panel in the basement, about 10 feet from the corner of the garage. We added solar panels to our house and upgraded service to 200amp. The old main panel is now a sub panel, the new main panel is in the garage, about 1 foot from one evse and it will be about a foot from my fcsp when it arrives. Adding to it is super easy (other than making sure the solar is turned of, the grid feed is turned off and the power wall feed is off).

 

[Solar_EE]

I've already offered to update both brother in law's garages with 50 amp circuitry and a NEMA 1450 outlet. Both have declined that option so far. One really needs a new main panel if I go above 30 amps so I'm less inclined to do that. The other would require about 70' of 6/3 Romex so would be a pretty significant investment on my part.

Even the 240V, 30Amp circuit should be sufficient if you are visiting overnight. I found a 30A dryer outlet in my in-laws garage. That works perfectly for the Split-Volt 24A charger- just make sure you get the matching plug, newer dryers use 14-30, older models are 10-30. It is much more likely to find a dryer outlet (or 30A available as you said) and 10 AWG wire is pretty cheap. Charging at 5.7 kW has been enough for me to leave with a full charge after an overnight visit (usually 16 hours)

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