-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
60 amp or 50 amp breaker for Tesla wall charger?
- Thread starter Broncobren
- Start date
It very much depends on the cable used, and what the wall connector is configured for. It can not detect the breaker - you will have to configure that on the unit.
Electrically it's OK to use a smaller breaker. If you want to use a 60 amp breaker you could replace it later when one is available, assuming the cable that the electrician used between the wall connector and the breaker is appropriate for 60 amps.
In terms of being able to charge the car quickly enough, that's also circumstantial. How much do you drive in a day? Or how much time do you have to recharge the vehicle? 50 or 60 amps will both fully recharge the vehicle overnight, but maybe you need more than 300 miles range in a day and intend to recharge during the day as well? Or don't expect to regularly have 10 hours to leave the car plugged in?
What do you expect your vehicle usage to be like?
Electrically it's OK to use a smaller breaker. If you want to use a 60 amp breaker you could replace it later when one is available, assuming the cable that the electrician used between the wall connector and the breaker is appropriate for 60 amps.
In terms of being able to charge the car quickly enough, that's also circumstantial. How much do you drive in a day? Or how much time do you have to recharge the vehicle? 50 or 60 amps will both fully recharge the vehicle overnight, but maybe you need more than 300 miles range in a day and intend to recharge during the day as well? Or don't expect to regularly have 10 hours to leave the car plugged in?
What do you expect your vehicle usage to be like?
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
Basically this means your car will charge at 40 amps (9.6kw) instead of 48 amps (11.5kw). For most people this isn't a big deal, that's still more than enough time for your car to completely charge overnight.
Me personally and what I did was 60 amp since 80% load is 48 amps. An I always charge at 48amps.
My electrician said he usually puts 50amp in and it should be fine. I showed him my setup instructions where it specifically said a 60 amp breaker for 48amp charging so he swapped it out.
My electrician said he usually puts 50amp in and it should be fine. I showed him my setup instructions where it specifically said a 60 amp breaker for 48amp charging so he swapped it out.
As you say, it doesnt really matter for most people in the scheme of things, but with that being said, I suspect you would also agree with me that if what OP actually paid the electrician for was a 60amp connection, thats what they should eventually end up with.
I would be asking the electrician "thank you for getting this up and running. When will you be back with the 60amp breaker that we agreed on for this service?"
Electrician installed a 6 gauge wire from breaker to the charger. Can it be swapped out with any 60 amp breaker? Reason I ask is, I looked up 60 amp breakers on HD website and local store showed they had two kinds in stock. Not sure if he was lying about them not having any or not having the right kind.
Attachments
Im not an expert at this stuff, but I do know that certain electrical panels only work with certain style breakers. They are not "universal", although one brand breaker may work with a few different panels (that tend to be made by the same manufacturer under different names).
Thinking about it I should probably bump up the wire to #6 THHN he used romex 6/2. I don't think certified electricians research EV charging enough.
Though 40amps would be plenty as well I drive 100miles per day and 48A puts it back in a little over 2 hours so a little longer makes no difference.
I can easily take care of the wire change myself. I just needed someone to trench the 100ft to my garage and add a panel I wanted that done by a professional.
Though 40amps would be plenty as well I drive 100miles per day and 48A puts it back in a little over 2 hours so a little longer makes no difference.
I can easily take care of the wire change myself. I just needed someone to trench the 100ft to my garage and add a panel I wanted that done by a professional.
Last edited:
If its a Tesla Gen 3 wall connector, you do it through the wifi connection on the charger. Its called "commissioning" the wall connector.
*sigh* 6 gauge Romex isn't rated high enough for a 60A circuit, so that would have to be set as a 50A circuit unless you do that change to THHN in conduit.
This is the site I used to determine wire gauge for projects on my boat. I'm curious if you have another reference that is better for land based residential wiring.
I actually had a couple 15' runs of 4|0 made to carry a potential of 400 amps, though the inverter was only able to draw 250 amps. If I ever build a battery system again it's definitely not going to be 12v. Those cables were stupid expensive.
Similar threads
- Question