14-50 Receptacle

[Jim Ballard]

Have a 14-50 receptacle that is hooked up to 30 amp breaker..will this work for charging Model Y or will the car assume 50 amps and overload circuit don't have car yet and don.t want to do something wrong. Thanks from newbie!

 

[UncleCreepy]

It shouldn't be hooked up to a 30 Amp breaker (50 Amp is the right size), but as long as you don't ask for more than 24 Amps (80% of 30 Amps) you should be okay. If you dial in a higher charge current, the breaker will trip.

 

[DaveORD]

You can set a charge limit in the car, to use less current than the maximum the connection supports. So you should be okay.
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_y_owners_manual_north_america_en.pdf page 159 charging rate

 

[Jim Ballard]

It shouldn't be hooked up to a 30 Amp breaker (50 Amp is the right size), but as long as you don't ask for more than 24 Amps (80% of 30 Amps) you should be okay. If you dial in a higher charge current, the breaker will trip.

Great. Thanks

 

[Jim Ballard]

You can set a charge limit in the car, to use less current than the maximum the connection supports. So you should be okay.
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_y_owners_manual_north_america_en.pdf page 159 charging rate

If I set the charge to 24 amps one time will it keep it there?

 

[TravelFree]

It shouldn't be hooked up to a 30 Amp breaker (50 Amp is the right size), but as long as you don't ask for more than 24 Amps (80% of 30 Amps) you should be okay. If you dial in a higher charge current, the breaker will trip.

Don't believe you can just swap out your breaker in your panel for a 50 or 60 amp breaker. There is probably a reason why the electrician undersized your breaker to 30 amps. It is probably t is not wired with 6-3 +G wire which is what wire is required. ( not exactly according to the code but it should work.

Without verifying your wiring the advice to dial down your maximum to 24 Amps in the car is the best advice given here. The Tesla Mobile charger is rated for 32 amps if you buy the NEMA 14-50 plug for it. Your car will come with a 120v plug.

 

[jcanoe]

Have a 14-50 receptacle that is hooked up to 30 amp breaker..will this work for charging Model Y or will the car assume 50 amps and overload circuit don't have car yet and don.t want to do something wrong. Thanks from newbie!

Are you certain that you have a 14-50 receptacle and not a 14-30 receptacle? The 14-50 receptacle is only used for 50A circuits (sometimes 40A) never for 30A circuits. The 14-30 receptacle is used on a 30A circuit, the 14-30 receptacle is commonly use for plugging in electric clothes dryers.

A 14-50 receptacle cannot by code be used on a circuit with a 60A circuit breaker. The 14-50 can be used with a 40A circuit, circuit breaker if there is not sufficient capacity to add a 50A circuit. (The reason that you can use the 14-50 receptacle with a 40A circuit is that there is no specific receptacle for use with 40A circuits.)

 

[DaveORD]

If I set the charge to 24 amps one time will it keep it there?

Read the manual. It is all described in there.

 

[UncleCreepy]

Don't believe you can just swap out your breaker in your panel for a 50 or 60 amp breaker.

I didn't mean to say (and I believe I didn't) that the breaker can just be swapped out. Not going into details here, NEMA 14-50 has been discussed a thousand times. The search button would've been the right starting point.

 

[Jim Ballard]

Thanks for all the good info. The circuit does have a 30 amp breaker installed with 14-50 receptacle .

 

[jcanoe]

Thanks for all the good info. The circuit does have a 30 amp breaker installed with 14-50 receptacle .

The simplest, safest thing to do would be to change out the 14-50 receptacle for a 14-30 receptacle. The wire that is currently installed could be 10 gauge, possibly 8 gauge, neither of these wire gauges is rated for 50A service. To be able to install a 50A breaker the wire would need to be 6 gauge.

The 14-30 receptacle would enable you to charge at 240V and up to 24 amps. You would need to purchase and/or exchange the Tesla NEMA 14-50 power plug adapter for the 14-30 plug adapter. The 14-50 adapter current sells for $45 on the Tesla site, the 14-30 sells for $35.

 

[TravelFree]

I didn't mean to say (and I believe I didn't) that the breaker can just be swapped out.

You didn't and I didn't mean to imply you did. Sorry if you got that impression. I even added your advice was good.