If there is a 240v 40A Nema 14-50 plug in my building, can I just get an adapter for the cable that came with the Prius Plug-in and plug it in? Or will it blow up my car?
DO NOT run anything above 120 volts into the non-upgraded L1 EVSE that came w/your car. You will blow it. If you want to run 208+ volts into it, get it upgraded by EVSE Upgrade - Products (run by pEEF here aka Ingineer on mynissanleaf.com). At a meeting a little over a year ago at the Googleplex (which I was at) w/the Leaf's Chief Vehicle Engineer, Mark Perry of Nissan, some other senior Nissan folks and Nissan engineers from Japan, their quality guy brought up people blowing their L1 EVSE by running 240 volts into them via adapters of some sort. Recent posts on this at My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - EVSE Upgrade.
EVSE Upgrade - Products They will upgrade your evse to 240 volts, and sell you a cable with a bare end. You would find a local electrician to put a NEMA 14. 50 amp end on it. Amazon.com: Hubbell Wiring Straight Blade Receptacle, 14-50P, HBL9451C: Home Improvement
Log In | Facebook has an example of a Nissan L1 EVSE (also made by Panasonic, like Toyota's) fried by running it at above 120 volts.
Yep. BTW, pEEf aka Ingineer is a respected member of Priuschat and MyNissanLeaf, although it seems his time and endeavors have shifted over the to the Leaf. He even is featured at http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/16/automobiles/nissan-leafs-true-believers-wont-leave-well-enough-alone.html?pagewanted=all. There are MANY satisfied customers of his upgrade over on MNL.
