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A simpler solution: change the breaker to 30 A for a 5-15 plug will charge faster?

MyFirstElectricTesla

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My other thread is about new built of 14-50 but my sister's house has a 5-15 plug outside: can we just change the breaker from 15A to 30A to charge my CT faster?
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akenis

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I'm not an electrician, but this may help

https://community.fs.com/article/nema-connectors-in-power-cords.html

My degree was in physics. You could theoretically change the plug if the wire gauge and breaker support 50 amps (10 below rating yields 40 amps). Depends on how long the wire is.

If you do have a big enough wire for the length of the run, then you could swap to a 50 amp breaker that delivers 40 amps.

Based on other threads, you would want a high quality 14-50 outlet....not Lowe's or Home Depot. I've seen pictures of those fried....

Google 14-50 home charger master thread.
 

electricAK

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My other thread is about new built of 14-50 but my sister's house has a 5-15 plug outside: can we just change the breaker from 15A to 30A to charge my CT faster?
Nope. The wire running to the 15amp plug is almost certainly not thick enough to handle 30 amps without melting, shorting, and starting a fire.
 

CyberGus

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My other thread is about new built of 14-50 but my sister's house has a 5-15 plug outside: can we just change the breaker from 15A to 30A to charge my CT faster?
Short answer: no.

Nuanced answer: components of a circuit should all be similarly rated. You likely have a 15A breaker because the wiring, outlets, etc. are all rated for 15A also. Using a larger breaker does nothing but bypass a safety device.
 


Trekboy

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A 5-15 outlet is probably fed with 14 AWG wire. For a 30 amp breaker you need at least 10 AWG. Look at the wire size difference. WAY too big a risk for fire if you did this.

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Crissa

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If you can swap breakers, you may be able to raise the voltage to 240v - there are low amperage outlets specifically for that.

That's how I charge my Zero; it's plugged into 240v instead of 120v so the wire needed isn't as thick. By doing that, means the kW that I can get through it is doubled for the same current.

But no, you generally cannot just swap the breaker and raise the amperage of an outlet position because the wire is the limiting factor - and you need to know the exact length of the run and smallest gauge of wire in that run, as well that there isn't anything hidden connected to it.

Sometimes there will be loops or curves in the wire run that's hidden from view. So that matters as well as the gauge, because you need that wire to let go of the heat properly.

tl,dr?

You can't just raise the amps you're pumping through! That's bad. Makes fire.

-Crissa
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