Tested: Lectron 48 Amp Tesla Charging Adapter

Original Post Date: July 28, 2023
Source: Forbes Home
Read the full article here

Drivers of electric vehicles that don’t bear the Tesla name can often find themselves at a disadvantage when overnighting during a road trip. While growing numbers of hotels, inns and motels are installing charging stations to accommodate EV drivers, there are far more 240-volt, Level 2 Tesla destination chargers than Level 2 chargers for non-Tesla vehicles.  

It’s frustrating to sit in a nearly empty EV that needs the J1772 charging connector that’s standard for every EV but Tesla and staring at unavailable J 1772 wall chargers while one or more of the hotel’s Tesla destination chargers sit empty.  

Tesla-to-J1772 charger adapters can remedy that situation by opening up the world of Tesla Level 2 charging to drivers of J1772 EVs, which is every other brand.

One of the top selling charging adapter models is made by Lectron, a Hong Kong-based company that manufactures in China. The company was started in 2017 by mergers and acquisitions specialist Christopher Maiwald as an outgrowth of a larger consumer electronics company. Lectron’s purpose, he told Forbes Garage, was to make the public charging infrastructure less complicated for drivers with J1772 EVs and to increase the availability of affordable home and workplace chargers.  

To that end, Lectron started developing portable Level 1 (120 volt) and Level 2 charging equipment for Teslas and J1772 EVs as well as charger adapters for both. In 2022 it introduced its own wall charger with models that work with both Tesla and J1772 EVs.  

We tested the Lectron 48 Amp Tesla-to-J1772 adapter, the company’s most powerful charging adapter.

Pros:

• Ergonomic design
• Solid construction
• Competitively priced 

Cons:

• Can’t be locked onto Tesla charging nozzle
• Some user complaints about connectivity issues
• Customer service accessible via email only 

Like other Tesla-to-J1772 adapters, like the TeslaTap Mini, the Lectron 48 amp won’t work with Tesla Superchargers – they are in a different league of extremely high power. Tesla has said it is opening its Supercharger network to non-Tesla EVs, but the process is slow and, so far, only Tesla makes the necessary adapter.

Tesla charging equipment is designed to what Tesla calls the NACS, or North American Charging Standard, and connectors have a unique five-pin connector. All other EVs use a different five-pin arrangement for 120 and 240 volt charging, designed to the J1772 standard. Without a Tesla-to-J1772 adapter to connect the two, the systems aren’t compatible.

We found a small number of user complaints about the connectivity of the Lectron 48-amp adapter—mostly from owners of Volkswagen ID .4 and Kia EV6 EVs, and most dated to 2021 and 2022. 

The gist of the complaints was that the adapter wouldn’t always make a firm connection or otherwise interfered with communication between the vehicle and the charging station (commonly called a charger but actually a communication device). The company studies online reviews and tries to address issues relating to its products, Maiwald said, noting that connectivity issues from vehicle software updates and problems with the EVSE itself.

How Did the Lectron 48 Amp Perform?

We tested the Lectron 48 Amp Tesla-to-J1772 adapter, which was loaned to us by the company. Although rated at 48 amps, there’s a warning on the box that says users should make sure the output of a Tesla destination charger is “less than 48A.” Maiwald said that’s “poor language” and should say “not more than 48 amps.” 

We plugged-in at a hotel with older Tesla destination chargers. To get started, we plugged the Tesla charger nozzle into the end of the Lectron adapter that had the corresponding connector pins, waited the recommended 30 seconds for the charging station to recognize the adapter, then inserted the end with J772 pins into the vehicle’s charge port. We had no issues with the connections as the pieces fitted together smoothly and effortlessly.

There’s a spring-loaded latch on top of the J1772 end. It hooks onto the EV’s charging port to hold the adapter tightly in place, and can be fitted with a padlock to prevent unauthorized removal. The end that connects to the Tesla charging cord latches securely to the nozzle but can’t be locked. That could be a problem as it would allow someone to disconnect the Tesla EVSE and interrupt the charging session prematurely.

The adapter-to-vehicle lock works, though, and would keep someone from stealing the adapter. It is a clunky solution, though, requiring drivers to carry and attach a padlock each time the adapter is used. An integrated locking system built into the adapter would be a nice improvement. 

We tried the Lectron adapter at two different Tesla destination chargers and with two EVs—a 2018 Nissan Leaf SV and a 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited—and it worked perfectly in every combination.

It allowed the Tesla EVSEs to deliver a full 48 amp charge at an average 9.6 kWh to the Hyundai. It worked just as well, but at a slower pace, on the Leaf, which is restricted by a 6.6 kW on-board charger that maxes out at 30 amps.

A long-term test, which we haven’t done, would reveal any issues with durability and long-term reliability.

Is the Lectron a Good Value?

There are a number of Tesla-to-J1772 48-amp adapters available, and prices are all over the place—we found one from a Chinese company listed at a sale price of just $53.96. But buying an unknown brand from an unknown supplier may not be the wisest move when problems could compromise an expensive EV.

The Lectron 48 Amp adapter currently is priced at $139.99 on the company’s website— knocked down from the original $179.95—and at $159.98 on various retailer websites including Amazon, where it is listed as the top-selling EV charging station accessory. There are cheaper versions, but the Lectron appears to be a well-made product. 

It carries a one-year factory warranty and Lectron sells one-, two- and three-year extensions.  The adapter is supposed to work with all Level 1 and Level 2 Tesla chargers and non-Tesla EVs rated at 48 amps or less.

How Practical Is It?

The Lectron 48-amp is a compact adapter that’s easy to store and use. It enables drivers of most EVs with J1772 charging ports—that’s everything but a Tesla—to use most Tesla wall and destination chargers. That makes long-distance driving in non-Teslas easier by greatly expanding the number of Level 2 charging stations available. 

If you have problems, though, be prepared for a wait after sending a plea for help to Lectron’s customer service department. The 24-hour customer service operation is based in the Philippines and is accessible only via email. 

Maiwald said the average turnaround time for answers to user questions is 3 hours. We sent two messages and the first reply took almost 11 hours while the second came back in three hours and 40 minutes.

We’ll excuse the delay on the first message because it was identified as a media inquiry and probably required rerouting. But even a three-hour delay can be frustrating, or worse, if you can’t get the adapter to work and can’t find some other way to get your J1772 EV charged up so you can get back on the road. A 24-hour customer-service phone line would be more practical.

Is it a Quality Product?

The Lectron 48 amp adapter uses nickel-plated copper pins and copper wiring to connect the Tesla-side power pins to the J1772 pins. Its clamshell housing is of electrostatically sealed hard plastic that is further secured with screws. The J1772 end is protected from moisture incursion by an O-ring seal. 

Maiwald provided copies of certificates showing the adapter meets the UL (formerly Underwriter Laboratories) 2251 standard for EV connectors and also is certified as conforming to that standard by SGS, the global testing and certification organization based in Switzerland.  

Overall, the adapter has nice heft and a solid feel, is comfortable to use, looks well-made and likely will stand up well to the use for which it is intended.

Is it Weatherproof?

Lectron says its adapters are rain and freeze proof and carry an international IP (Ingress Protection) rating of 54, which means dust resistant and protected from dripping, splashing or spraying water, but not from a heavy water jet or water submersion.

We didn’t toss water on it while in use, to see for ourselves, but we couldn’t find any online complaints relating to weather issues. 

Is it Easy to Store?

The Lectron adapter ships in a thin cardstock box and the company doesn’t sell a protective storage case. But the curved, slightly pistol-shaped adapter is fairly small, just 7.5 inches long and 3.5 inches at its widest, and weighs 1.12 pounds. It can fit in an EV’s glovebox or in most center console cubbies or tossed into a portable charger case. 

Verdict

We haven’t done a long-term test so can’t attest to the Lectron’s durability over the years. But our short-term test showed it to be a handy device for drivers of non-Tesla EVs who’d like to expand the number of Level 2 destination chargers they can access. It appears to be well-built and is weather-proofed, easy to store and easy to use.

Its main drawbacks include a few reports of connection problems and the absence of a system for locking onto the Tesla EVSE nozzle to protect against unauthorized disconnects in the middle of a charging session.

Users who’ve had to contact customer service report that the company has been helpful, but we don’t think communicating by email is the best system when trying to resolve an immediate problem so your EV can be charged and you can make it home. 

The Lectron adapter is more expensive than many other Chinese-made adapters with the same amperage ratings, but Lectron is one of the better-know companies in the charging adapter field and its products are still quite affordable when warranty, customer service, usability and quality are taken into account. 

Methodology

Tesla-to-J1772 EV charger adapters are designed to adapt Tesla Level 1 (120 volt) and Level 2 (240 volt) chargers for use by non-Tesla EVs, and they can vary significantly in quality and usefulness.

Tesla owners get an adapter allowing them to use non-Tesla chargers, often called by the designation of their charging protocol: J1772. But owners of EVs with J1772 ports for 120- and 240-volt ports don’t get free Tesla charger adapters. It’s been left to the aftermarket to provide a connection between a Tesla charger outlet and a J1772 vehicle port.

There are a number of adapters available, but materials, power limits, prices, practicality and quality of construction can vary greatly. None are UL-rated—the independent, for-profit UL Solutions doesn’t certify any consumer electrical equipment rated at 50 amps or more. 

Though we’re only evaluating one product here, we evaluate all EV charger adapters based on these weighted metrics:

• Price (25%)
• Maximum amperage (25%)
• Durability: Ruggedness, Waterproof (15%)
• Manufacturer Reputation (10%)
• Ease of Fit (10%)
• Lockability (5%)
• Warranty (5%)
• Online Assistance/Manufacturer Website (5%)