About to install NEMA 14-50 ...

[Alankevis]

Hi guys,
I'm new to the forum and have a MY on order. I'm setting up to install a charging outlet in my garage and wonder which is best plug to install. I don't plan to buy the Tesla Wall Charger since I will move in couple years. I'm thinking of NEMA 14-50. Is there another type of outlet that provides faster charging ?
Also, I read that the 240v adapter no longer come with the MY, which is the one I should buy to use it with the one I'm installing?

 

[WhyYesPlease]

I'm setting up to install a charging outlet in my garage and wonder which is best plug to install. ... I'm thinking of NEMA 14-50.

Congrats on the order! I've had my MY for three weeks and love it.

I did a lot of research and thinking, and decided to go with the NEMA 14-50, with no wall charger. It's on a 40-amp circuit, which gives 32 amps continuous load. That equates to almost 30 miles of range for every hour of charge, depending on various factors. For most people (including me), that's plenty.

Is there another type of outlet that provides faster charging ?

Not without a wall charger. The mobile connector that comes with the car limits you to 32 amps.

Also, I read that the 240v adapter no longer come with the MY, which is the one I should buy to use it with the one I'm installing?

The 14-50 adapter. Go here and choose 14-50 from the dropdown menu in the upper right corner of the page.

 

[gfunkdave]

You may save a little by installing a 6-50 outlet instead. Same power, just one less wire. in that case, buy the 6-50 adapter instead. The 6-50 is commonly used for welders.

 

[iamnid]

I second the 6-50 -- that's what I installed. It was easier to find the Tesla adapter at the time as the 14-50 often sells out and you save a bit of money by running one less wire. It will charge identically to the 14-50. The 14-50 requires you to run a neutral wire that the tesla adapter doesn't even use. The neutral is there so the 14-50 can provide either 240v or 120v when plugged into an RV. The 6-50 doesn't use a neutral and provides 240v only.

 

[Need]

For the home outlet, I don't think it matter much. But if you are only going to buy one adapter, between 6-50 and 14-50, I think 14-50 will have more uses outside of the home. If you are on a trip and taking your UMC and adapter with you, I think you are more likely to find 14-50 outlets to charge your car (ie RV parks, Food Trucks lots).

 

[jcanoe]

If your current electrical service has capacity for adding either a 40 or 50 amp 230V circuit the NEMA 14-50 receptacle * is probably the most useful 230V you can install for home charging. If you ever install a non-Tesla charging station the 14-50 plug is the most common plug for charging at 32 amps, also up to 40 amps. There is a NEMA 14-60 (60 amp rated) receptacle however neither Tesla or any of the 3rd party charging station manufacturers support charging with with the 14-60 plug. To charge using a 60 amp or higher circuit would require a hard wired charging station such as the Tesla Wall Connector.

* There is not a specific receptacle and plug designated for use with a 40 amp 230V circuit; for this reason the electrical code allows for a NEMA 14-50 receptacle, typically used on a 50 amp circuit, to be installed on a 40 amp circuit with a 40 amp circuit breaker. For continuous use, i.e. electric vehicle charging the maximum in either case is 80% of the circuit rating. 32 amps is the maximum amperage for charging on a 40 amp circuit; 40 amps is the maximum amperage on a 50 amp circuit.

 

[Rocky_H]

@jcanoe It's been bugging the heck out of me. Why in the world do you keep saying 230V?

 

[jcanoe]

@jcanoe It's been bugging the heck out of me. Why in the world do you keep saying 230V?

The actual voltage will vary with the load on the local power grid; 230V is what the Master electrician who performed the installation in my home wrote on the 14-50 outlet. While charging my Model Y I have observed voltage readouts on the Tesla charging screen of between 229V and 239V. It could be as high as 244V but I have not observed this at my home. I have observed normal voltage readings as high as 122V to 123V in my home (displayed on a UPS) and using a digital voltmeter on 120V circuits in my home.

I just plugged in my Model Y; the charging screen initially displayed that the Model Y was charging at 245V before is settled down; currently charging at 237V and 32 amps.

This citation can explain why 230V better than I can.

AutomationDirect Technical Support - FAQs

 

[Rocky_H]

This citation can explain why 230V better than I can.

AutomationDirect Technical Support - FAQs

Yeah--exactly.
"In NA the utility companies are required to deliver split phase 240VAC for residential use. That is two 120VAC (+/- 5 %) legs. "

I know it can sag a little bit, but utilities in the U.S. are striving for a target of 120V/240V. People saying 110/220 are just repeating this old great grandpa's terminology from 100+ years ago that just will not go away.

 

[frankvb]

In Europe the grid is actually 230V. Of course it's very different from the US using 3 phases instead of 2, and 50Hz.

 

[Rocky_H]

In Europe the grid is actually 230V. Of course it's very different from the US using 3 phases instead of 2, and 50Hz.

I did know about Europe, but his location said Maryland, so that's why I asked, to see if it was old habit from somewhere else.

 

[jcanoe]

If the circuit was labeled 240V but consistently yielded 230V I might believe something was amiss. When charging I typically observe 235V so no worries.

Public L2 charging stations are a whole different animal. Then I expect 208V but based on the charging times I experienced with my previous vehicle (2017 Chevrolet Volt) there have been times when I was not certain of even 200V.

 

[Johnny Vector]

Yeah--exactly.
"In NA the utility companies are required to deliver split phase 240VAC for residential use. That is two 120VAC (+/- 5 %) legs. "

I know it can sag a little bit, but utilities in the U.S. are striving for a target of 120V/240V. People saying 110/220 are just repeating this old great grandpa's terminology from 100+ years ago that just will not go away.

So far I've been able to bite my tongue when people use numbers other than 120/240, but I join you in your irritation! If nominal really were 110, then 100 V would only be ~10% low, and thus likely to work for most things. Plug your hair dryer in in Japan (where the nominal is 100 V) and see how that works out for you. (Spoiler: don't.)

 

[AlexP]

I have two 240V circuits in my garage.

The first one was done for a J1172 charger with 32 amps max on a 40amp circuit breaker. I disconnected the J1772 charger and put in a 6-50 receptacle since there was no neutral wire. I now use a Tesla Gen 2 Mobile Charger that can draw up to 32 amps on this outlet. I use this one mostly to charge my Model 3 that is limited to 32amps.

The second outlet is a 14-50 on a 60amp circuit breaker. I did it this way in case I ever decided to go with the Tesla Wall Charger that can draw up to 48amps. Both my S and X can charge at up to 48 amps. All I would have to do to upgrade to the Wall Charger is take out the 14-50 receptacle and connect the charger directly to the wires. In that case I would not need the neutral, but the outlet is so close to the panel that it made no difference in cost to include it. I connect a Gen 1 Mobile Charger on this outlet and I can get the S and X charging at 40amp.

 

[jcanoe]

I have two 240V circuits in my garage.

The first one was done for a J1172 charger with 32 amps max on a 40amp circuit breaker. I disconnected the J1772 charger and put in a 6-50 receptacle since there was no neutral wire. I now use a Tesla Gen 2 Mobile Charger that can draw up to 32 amps on this outlet. I use this one mostly to charge my Model 3 that is limited to 32amps.

The second outlet is a 14-50 on a 60amp circuit breaker. I did it this way in case I ever decided to go with the Tesla Wall Charger that can draw up to 48amps. Both my S and X can charge at up to 48 amps. All I would have to do to upgrade to the Wall Charger is take out the 14-50 receptacle and connect the charger directly to the wires. In that case I would not need the neutral, but the outlet is so close to the panel that it made no difference in cost to include it. I connect a Gen 1 Mobile Charger on this outlet and I can get the S and X charging at 40amp.

A receptacle rated for a maximum of 50 amps such as the 14-50 or 6-50 installed on a circuit with a 60 amp breaker is a code violation, a fire hazard. Do you really have a 60 amp breaker or is it a 50 amp breaker?

 

[Rocky_H]

The second outlet is a 14-50 on a 60amp circuit breaker.

Don't DO that!

I did it this way in case I ever decided to go with the Tesla Wall Charger that can draw up to 48amps.

That's no reason to put in an illegal install when it's just as easy to do it properly.

All I would have to do to upgrade to the Wall Charger is take out the 14-50 receptacle and connect the charger directly to the wires.

No. The proper way to do this is that you can have the oversized wiring there, but you have a 14-50 on one end and a 50A breaker on the other end to meet code. And then when you want to change, you switch out BOTH ends of it. You replace the receptacle AND the breaker.

 

[Pilot1226]

There is a 14-60 outlet that is uncommon. OpenEVSE sells a charger that would give you the 48A on the 14-60 if you didn’t want to hardwire the official Tesla HWC. They also make a portable version.

 

[AlexP]

A receptacle rated for a maximum of 50 amps such as the 14-50 or 6-50 installed on a circuit with a 60 amp breaker is a code violation, a fire hazard. Do you really have a 60 amp breaker or is it a 50 amp breaker?

The Tesla Gen 1 mobile charger can pull a max of 40 amps, which is 80% of the NEMA 14-50 maximum. Also the gauge of the wire is enough for a 60AMP max circuit, I believe is 4 gauge. I DO NOT connect anything else is that receptacle, it is strictly there to charge the car.

If I were to sell the house I would definitely change the breaker to a 50 AMP.

On the 6-50 receptacle I put a sign stating 40 AMP MAX, just in case because the breaker is only 40amp.