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  1. B

    Difficult situation with a Condo, advice appreciated...

    Hi - I'm an electrician - thanks for the 'detailed' question... In general I know what I would do if I didn't want to spend a huge amount of Cash...... 3.8 kw (16 amperes on a 20 ampere circuit) seems to be very do-able. That would add several miles per hour of charging to your car - so...
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    NEMA 14-50 is dead - all hail NEMA 6-50

    The basic problem here is that if a Nema 5-15 (standard ubiquitous 120 volt receptacle) is tapped off of a 14-50 (which most inspectors will not allow anyway), it has to be overcurrent protected at 20 amperes maximum.... Companies sell various 'combo' outlets which - if it is intended to tap...
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    NEMA 14-50 Plug Meltdown / Near Fire

    I wouldn't blame the electrician here... I blame Stores like Home Depot for selling the Leviton Junk. Years ago I installed a Leviton 6-50 and then when installing it, using only moderate torque, the white-metal threads of the attachment lug stripped. I threw the junk in the garbage and...
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    NEMA 14-50 is dead - all hail NEMA 6-50

    I'm really getting sick of Leviton in general. Home Depot as a for instance sells plenty of the Leviton Crap. Pull chain basement ceiling lights break after 4 on-off cycles, after REPEATED replacement - meaning nearly 100% of them are Junk. (The Legrande stuff at Lowe's is also made...
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    Total braking system failure?

    I bought many old junker cars that always had manual brakes, and manual steering. Maybe slightly built women absolutely needed them but it was second nature for any reasonably fit male. The issue he is talking about here seems to have a big safety issue. During any kind of power assist...
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    Why Do Electricians Charge So Much To Install EV Outlets?

    When you are in a bad situation, it matters not what self appointed experts call low voltage. I can tell you that there is a WORLD of difference between 120Y/208 and 277Y/480 (Canadians have even more danger at 347Y/600), and the same grade installation that will quietly burn clear at 208 will...
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    Electric Lawnmowers

    I'm close by in Buffalo, New York.... I've been doing everything electrically for a while now - besides 3 plugin cars, I also have only solely electric tools. As far as lawnmowers I have had for 6 years a horribly underpowered (plus this thing is only good for the smallest yard anyway) TORO...
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    Supercharger - Firebaugh, CA (I-5 / West Panoche Rd, LIVE 13 Nov 2020, 56 V3 stalls)

    This site will have a bit of an electric bill. - I'm estimating 5000 kw on a day like Labor Day. Possibly 2 separate electrical services on the low voltage side. Very interesting!
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    Lifetime Energy Consumption for my Model S in Boston Area after 4 years

    That's not such a bad deal... In my state - such an arrangement would be at commercial rates (non-demand since under 2000 kwh/month), and would be about 14 cents/ kwh plus a $25 billing charge. That is the non-residential rate here, which you'd have to pay since you don't live in that space...
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    Lifetime Energy Consumption for my Model S in Boston Area after 4 years

    oK, so your marginal cost (ignoring the $20/month billing charge) is $0.153 (15 1/3) cents per kwh. Considering you live in downstate NY state, that is really not too bad. In Western NY (buffalo), I pay about 12-13 cents per kwh, (my true marginal cost including taxes), ignoring the $18.06...
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    California renewable energy production with falling demand

    You are apparently the one who cares excessively about what other people think. If you had read any of my other material, you'd realize that was very embarrassing to you to say that... Florida has hotter weather, has no rolling blackouts, and no state income tax. Suffice it to say that you...
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    Lifetime Energy Consumption for my Model S in Boston Area after 4 years

    Hi David - Is the purpose of the separate service to get a special rate from your Utility? Not sure whom it is, but I know even National Grid (which I have in Buffalo, which charges, including taxes and fees, about 12 cents per kwh after around $18 for the billing charge) charges much more in...
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    California renewable energy production with falling demand

    Another Big Expert here.... At least I freely mention when I don't have absolutely all the facts. But to repeat - temporary outages are going to be seen in time to be a very minor issue. Amazing to me that THAT fact is such a mystery here. I'm glad I'm 400 miles north west of NY city, by...
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    Why Do Electricians Charge So Much To Install EV Outlets?

    Although I may be giving work away, (as an electrician), I never discourage someone from doing their own work unless I suspect they are a 'big expert', careless, or uncommunicative or going to hold me responsible for something for which I've had nothing to do - but normal 'mechanically inclined'...
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    California renewable energy production with falling demand

    Correction: 1977 Blackout, so 12 years after the 1965 North East Blackout. Other utilities obviously had workers at the time who remembered Con Ed in 1965.
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    California renewable energy production with falling demand

    One power plant failure should never cause an outage, even in a case of peak demand.....Reputable companies do all their planned maintenance outside of peak summertime months. But then, when ENRON was in existence, they sometimes ORDERED utilities to shut down plants to game the system and...
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    Why Do Electricians Charge So Much To Install EV Outlets?

    I kinda doubt some of this stuff..... When I was 10 I apparently touched the 250 volt "B+" line in a 1930's console radio (called that since portable radios had A batteries for the heaters, B for the plate (tube) supply;, and a bias 'C' battery for the grids) by reaching around the back of it...
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    California renewable energy production with falling demand

    Yup - I'm in NY State..... Probably the SECOND worst State..... I just hope they don't copy your state's Idea of turning off all the juice just in case there is a lightning storm.... As I say - all those problems with overgrown brush could be solved with a few herds of goats cleaning the...
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    Master Thread: Definitive 14-50 NEMA Outlet Guide

    Yeah, The CU/AL receptacles are usually Cadmium plated Aluminum..... I dislike Leviton..... Other things I've had happen is that the screws applying the pressure on the wires strip much too easily, and you can't get sufficient pressure on an aluminum wire so you are forced to use copper only...
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    California renewable energy production with falling demand

    What a pedantic response. ILL - prepared is still ILL-prepared. But, that is the least of your state's self-induced trouble. Be prepared for much more.
  21. B

    California renewable energy production with falling demand

    Yup - I wonder what fraction of a percent was saved by the people inconvenienced by the rolling blackouts? I subscribe to POWER magazine so I'd assume they'll have a summary article about it eventually.
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    California renewable energy production with falling demand

    ] Nuclear Plant(S)? They've only got one left.... Of course when everyone complained about buying Nuclear Power from Arizona - everyone who was complaining about it instantly clammed up, when Arizona suggested disconnection, hehe. I'm a NY Stater - possibly only the SECOND worst state in...
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    Why Do Electricians Charge So Much To Install EV Outlets?

    As an electrician, I'd say $300 is extremely cheap even though it was only a few feet from the serving panelboard. Guy down the street had his $500 Tesla wallbox installed by someone else for about $750 and I'd say it was about a grade 'C' job.... In other words, it works, but it was a...
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    HPWC/breaker almost caught fire...thoughts?

    Regarding the wires vibrating, sometimes motors starting 'across-the-line' or sometimes called DOL for, "Dropped on-line" use 6 to 10x the rated running current. I was at a Church a few years ago that had a 40 hp phase converter... When starting, the unit would draw 400 amperes off of a 100...
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    HPWC/breaker almost caught fire...thoughts?

    I used to like QO decades ago, but lately I'm rather underwhelmed by them....Although claiming they are the "World's Finest", I've had QO panels burn out their aluminum neutral buses (in the particular case the weld mid-bus exploded). A second problem with the QO is that it is too easy to pull...
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    HPWC/breaker almost caught fire...thoughts?

    Hi, I'm an electrician in the Buffalo, NY area..... What you HAD is an Eaton (BR style - for the old Westinghouse/Bryant line) panel that is a cost-reduced model. Provided that the 60 ampere double pole breaker was fully inserted into the aluminum bus - the problem that you are experiencing is...
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    Blog Tesla Will Move HQ Out of California After Fight Against Health Order

    That of course includes those murdered by the hospital, as the death rate for being put on a ventilator is 80-90%, (97% for those over 65), and at least 1 doctor has quit a NYC hospital due to wanting no part of what is transpiring - which the hospitals do since they get the highest payment if...
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    Blog Tesla Will Move HQ Out of California After Fight Against Health Order

    Nope, not true: "....And there's no Constitutional angle here, as the USA has a long legal history with quarantines, especially from the 18th and 19th centuries...." The sick traditionally have been quarantined, a society never does that with healthy people.
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    New Roadster owner

    Yeah, when I owned my Roadster I was joking with the technicians that I wondered whether they 'preloaded' the pem with leaves since the thing was so jam packed it wouldn't charge even at 30 amperes since it was thermal limited. I seriously considered putting a removable cloth bag in the...
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    Who needs a Super charger when you can have a GIGA charger! LOL

    eprosenx: If the incoming power goes through a transformer then 6 phases are easily generated. If you look at the schematic for the VW high power chargers, there are 6 wires going to the rectifier assembly, enabling a '12-pulse' rectifier (720HZ) ripple. (or if in europe: 600 HZ). This is...
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    Who needs a Super charger when you can have a GIGA charger! LOL

    Eprosenx: Very interesting regarding the 277 volt allowability. One question: Since all large battery Teslas now have 48 ampere chargers only, are you implying that the 48 ampere charger in the model 3 is substantially different than the 48 ampere charger in the S/X? Why would Tesla have...
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    Snippiness 2.0

    Smathew said :"....I never said the charger could handle 1000kW. ...." That's right... you said, "...The limit with v3 chargers is the size of the transformer. Even at locations without the transformer capacity to deliver 1000 kWh, charging won't be restricted". CHIEF: 2 - 350 kva loads...
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    Who needs a Super charger when you can have a GIGA charger! LOL

    No indication of this charger (made in Buffalo, incidentally) uses 277 as there is nothing on the nameplate regarding that. It says the input is '480' with an allowable range of 360-528 volts, 50/60 HZ. Good for Europe or the States. Since this is not used in the home there'd be no reason...
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    Who needs a Super charger when you can have a GIGA charger! LOL

    As regards the Legality of the old Version 1 SC's, I think the 'Readily Accessible' requirement was met when the chargers were 'un-corraled', and then after it passed inspection for having same, they put a Corall stockade fence around it, making it inaccessible.
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    Who needs a Super charger when you can have a GIGA charger! LOL

    Smathew said: "....Not necessary with v3 chargers. The limit with v3 chargers is the size of the transformer. Even at locations without the transformer capacity to deliver 1000 kWh, charging won't be restricted unless four cars show up at exactly the same moment at very low states of...
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    Who needs a Super charger when you can have a GIGA charger! LOL

    Eprosenx: Hi! Smathew is apparently correct as to the billing mechanism - I stand corrected on that point, but his electrical explanations don't make any sense. The inspection issue may be that - prior to being 'corraled' the disconnects were readily accessible. Problem is, after the...
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    Who needs a Super charger when you can have a GIGA charger! LOL

    Oh that's just silly. While I don't know precisely the mechanism for billing the customer, there is communication with a Tesla database that provides billing information. The more serious error on my part is what the 'TESLA BOX' does on the 'Service Entrance Unistrut'. Apparently if the...
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    Who needs a Super charger when you can have a GIGA charger! LOL

    Oh, ok great! Your explanation explained why they first allowed 277, and then, didn't!
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    Who needs a Super charger when you can have a GIGA charger! LOL

    Haven't seen too much information on the version 3 charger but a new one by me in the Buffalo area (Cheektowaga Supercharger on Plugshare) prompted this email to a friend recently: Just for a bit of background, Tesla chargers (typically in parking lots) work by getting the VIN of the Tesla...
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    Prediction: Coal has fallen. Nuclear is next then Oil.

    Supposedly your plant doesn't use any fresh water, but uses reclaimed 'Grey Water' from reconstituted sewage. I'm not an all a fan of Nuclear, but an existing plant is semi-tolerable - as long as you don't live within a few miles of the thing since all Nukes have 'Routine Releases' that are...
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    Working with HOA for EV-Charging; California law

    Looks like he solved your problem... Just curious as to what he suggested.
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    Gen 3 Wall Connector

    Tesla has changed its mind so many times. They used to have a plug in the wall HPWC but looks like that is discontinued now also. They just bring out their latest thing, under the assumption that no one has bought a previous vehicle. I liked the version that would charge the cars at 277...
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    Gen 3 Wall Connector

    Well very good.... Of course, if you ever buy a 500 mile Cybertruck, they may implement the 80 amp chargers again, to avoid several day recharging times.
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    Gen 3 Wall Connector

    300 amperes to the garage? I think that must be almost a record! Do you have a 400 ampere service to the home and a 300 ampere branch or do you have a dedicated 300 ampere separate service? Do you in that case have 2 meter-reading charges per month? Thanks, Bill
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    Gen 3 Wall Connector

    So since the new GEN 3 cannot power share as of yet, can anyone make a list of wallboxes that will share power to a user-defined limit? Other than that ridiculously priced 32 ampere $1500 Clipper Creek thing?
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    Working with HOA for EV-Charging; California law

    HI, - I'd be willing to help out here, if I could offer some suggestions as to what your building complex has, and, what you want to do. Usually, as I explained to SpaceP0d, there is much an individual condo unit owner can usually do that does not impact negatively the existing capacity of the...
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    Working with HOA for EV-Charging; California law

    Very good Spacep0d.... Ok Deal!! I'll work for no-charge.... Just tell me everything you can about your current situation. Just to confirm: I assume the reason you are calling it '60 amps' is that is what the doubly-wide circuit breaker handle says on it by the revenue meter for your unit...