NEMA 14-30 EV Chargers

A frequent question we are asked at EV Chargers is if a NEMA 14-30 EV Charger is a good option.  The answer is nearly always yes.     Anyone who lives in the U.S. will have likely seen a NEMA 14-30 socket.  Now that EV charging is becoming more mainstream, plug types such as NEMA 14-50 and NEMA 14-30 EV charging are increasingly being understood.   NEMA relates to the specification of a plug and with the growth of electric vehicles, more homeowners are tapping into these sockets as EV plugs for their electric vehicle charging.

We sell many NEMA 14-30 EV chargers particularly for Kia, Hyundai, Volvo, Nissan, MINI Toyota and Ford.

• You often have these already installed in the garage or in other accessible areas
• Charging can start immediately without having to wait on plug installs or panel upgrades  
• Offers level 2, 240-volt powerful charging without the costs and disruption of installs
• More cost effective compared to 14-50 EV chargers and a lot faster than level 1 EV Chargers

• You may move it more easily if circumstances change
• It is not hardwired into the panel, which requires more extensive work and an electrician (also harder to move)
• The current 14-30 plug location may not be well suited for a larger wall box
• The cable lengths on portable 14-30 EV chargers are generally longer than wall box chargers
• The technology such as delayed charging and charging information is now on most car apps

This socket replaced the traditional NEMA 10-30 which was used traditionally for dyers. It is estimated to be in 50 million+ of U.S garages so there is a reasonable probability that you do have a NEMA 14-30 already.   Avoid companies selling 10-30 EV chargers, which is common on 3rd party seller sites.  These are against electrical codes and are a major electrical hazard.

It can fully charge a long-range (over 230 miles) EV in 8-11 hours depending on battery size.  For example, a Kia EV 6 all electric (standard battery size 58 kWh), will charge in exactly 10 hours from empty and 5 hours from a 50% battery (in practice when most EV owners will charge up to avoid range anxiety).

Yes, especially on vehicles prior 2020 when most companies supplied a level 1 “trickle charger.  Many manufacturers still do not always provide an EV charger such as Hyundai or Kia.

It is 24amps or 5.8 kW.   The plug and often the circuit is 30 amps, but the charger should only pull around 80% of the available power to avoid tripping the breaker.  Avoid companies that market 28 amp or 30-amp chargers as it will frequently trip the breaker since breakers are not designed to run at their full capacity on a continuous load. 

At EV-Chargers™ our mission is to make the complex more simple and to reduce the jargon in the EV industry.  Please use our EV-Selector tool and in 3 clicks we can recommend the right level 1 or level 2 ev charger for you at https://evchargersusa.com/ev-charger-selector-tool/.  You will see the NEMA 14-30 plug on that page

Note: This FAQ section was not written by an electrician.  It is intended to provide an overview and explanation of NEMA 14-30 in the context of EV chargers .  The article is not intended to be construed as electrical advice or to replace advice and consultation with a certified licensed electrician, which is highly recommended