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Best home charger?
- Thread starter steph746
- Start date
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
Our friend Rob is stuck in the past and regularly trolls the forums to mansplain and express his exasperation about how everyone else isn’t exactly like him and his particular use case, which is obviously the only one that matters.
In 2022, you will spend almost exactly the same amount of money to install a wall connector as you will a code complaint 240v outlet.
Wall connector: $400 + wire + $20 breaker.
Total: $420 + wire
14-50 outlet: $50 receptacle + $100 GFCI breaker + $15 misc work box, cover plate, etc + $200 mobile connector EVSE + $35 14-50 adapter + wire
Total: $400 + wire
Is the wall connector worth $20 more? You be the judge.
Before you go out and buy any EVSE, check with your utility company to see if they any EV programs. Here in NJ, PSEG has a program for EVs and will “subsidize” $1500 if you use one of their approved chargers (ChargePoint or Juicebox) and submit your usage data.
As much as I wanted to get the Tesla wall charger, I ended up with a hardwired ChargePoint running off a 60A breaker.
As much as I wanted to get the Tesla wall charger, I ended up with a hardwired ChargePoint running off a 60A breaker.
TigerNinety
Member
Slight curveball: in MD (for example), it used to be you could get a rebate on several wall chargers NOT including Tesla's. That rebate made the ChargePoint Home Flex less expensive than the Tesla Wall Connector at the time. AND, the cord was longer than Tesla's Things have changed a bit: the rebate currently isn't available and the Wall Connector's cord is longer. What hasn't changed is that the ChargePoint Home Flex (plus Tesla's now $50 adaptor) offers flexibility for different EVs (including for non-Tesla friends who might visit and top up). And, you might still be able to get a rebate that makes the ChargePoint competitive, if the Tesla charger isn't on the list.
I went the Chargepoint Home Flex direction. I knew I was getting an EV I had just not decided on Tesla. Our kids have Prius Primes when they come. It's been almost since the Flex was installed and my MYLR is still on order. I have no desire to get the MYP model. Now if the MYP came with more luxury features iike Ventilated seats or other such things I would consider it.
I have a Tesla, so I get the Tesla charger. It doesn't make sense to buy the charger for the guests.
hopefully soon…) and will [likely] add the SPAN Drive wall connector to complement the Panel (and our solar array) for ultimate flexibility.That's why I said "maximum charging miles". To be more specific, I was referring to using the Tesla Mobile Connector with its 14-50 or 6-50 adapter on a 240V, 40 Amp circuit which allows it to provide 7.6 kW of power at 32 Amps to add 32 miles of range per hour of charge on a MY (per Tesla's manual).
On a 240V circuit the Mobile Connector can work fine for daily/nightly charging, even if starting from zero range, if you don't mind the longer charge time compared to the Tesla Wall Connector (44 miles added range per hour of charge at 48 Amps on a 60 Amp circuit).
I am one of the ones who just went with a NEMA 14-50 outlet, and I use my mobile connector. Of course, at that time my Model Y came with a mobile connector. So if you are going to buy one anyway you can consider that. I have the flexibility of having a non-Tesla friend plug in when he comes to visit, and if I decide to move the mobile connector goes with me. Plus, at the time a Tesla wall connector was $625 (Canadian) and I was already paying for a pretty expensive wiring solution. But if I had to do it over again, I'd probably go with the Tesla wall connector. Not for the speed, as that won't help much over my 220 wiring (currently my Tesla is charging and will go from 51 to 90 percent in about 4 hours). I simply agree with some of the writers here that it would be convenient to always have the mobile connector in the car "just in case", and although my mobile connector still works just fine a year later, if it fails I am stuck with no backup and would have to use local Superchargers until I could get a new one (or a wall connector and a new one!)
The SAE J1772 to Tesla Level 1/2 charging adapters such as the Lectron cost $160 so you won't be saving much over just purchasing a J1772 charging station such as the GrizzlE Classic 40A charging station.
So, if I understand correctly, you mean it doesn't make sense to purchase the $400 Wall Connector? Doesn't the standard wall outlet charge at something like 5 miles/hour? That would just give you 35-40 miles overnight?
Also, isn't it better to let the battery go down to 10% ish and then charge rather than charging every day to top it off?
UncleCreepy
Member
It is not. Lithium batteries are generally happier if they don't go through a full charge/discharge cycle but instead charge whenever you get a chance.
- it's 240 V, not 220 V.
- sure, if you live in California, you likely never have to spend any energy and time on warming the battery. Whatever outlet you're using seems to be working for you, but that doesn't mean it works for everybody. OP is in MD where it can get pretty cold during the winter.
- some people have Tou rates and have every reason to get the battery charged during off-peak hours.
- a hardwired solution is always safer and better than a connector.
- if "it's not necessary" was a valid argument, every reasonable Tesla owner would pick one of the colours that don't cost extra money. There is just no "one size fits all" solution when it comes to charging.
It's great that you found a setup that works well for you, but please don't make it look like it's the right solution for everyone.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
Don’t bother listening to this guy’s advice. He mostly just speaks to hear himself talk.
No, of course not, as the owners manual explicitly tells you.
He’s saying just install a 240v (220 is still okay to say btw, just matters what decade you’re from) outlet and use universal mobile connector. You’re right that as it comes it’s 3-5 miles an hour with the 15a pigtail. However you can buy different pigtails based on what type of plug you have. The different pigtails allow you to charge at various speeds. The best you can do with a UMC is a 14-50 or 6-50 adapter (50amp) but charge at 32A because that’s what the UMC is limited to. As everyone is saying just get the Tesla wall connector but first check if your utility company has a rebate on a chargepoint or juice box.
To add to this, I believe the Wall Connector is more efficient than the mobile connector.
Thanks. I most likely will go ahead with the Tesla Wall Connector. I'm getting a little confused/overwhelmed by what's needed for the wiring installation.
About a year ago I had a couple of electricians come out to give estimates to install a Chargepoint charger (at that time I was planning to have that installed).
One electrician replied with this..."Install new dedicated 240v 50amp circuit and install new homeowner provided car charger."
Would the Tesla Wall Connector use the same wiring? Is a 240v 50amp circuit good enough?
In addition to this I remember the Chargepoint charger having different options for plugs (NEMA 6-50 and NEMA 14-50). Are there various ways a Tesla Wall Connector can/should be wired?
About a year ago I had a couple of electricians come out to give estimates to install a Chargepoint charger (at that time I was planning to have that installed).
One electrician replied with this..."Install new dedicated 240v 50amp circuit and install new homeowner provided car charger."
Would the Tesla Wall Connector use the same wiring? Is a 240v 50amp circuit good enough?
In addition to this I remember the Chargepoint charger having different options for plugs (NEMA 6-50 and NEMA 14-50). Are there various ways a Tesla Wall Connector can/should be wired?
Wiring for the Tesla Wall Connector would be the same for a 240V/50A circuit; 2 hot 120V wires + ground wire. The neutral wire connection is not needed or used.
Tesla does not provide installation instructions for attaching a power plug to the Wall Connector (so a plug fitted to the Wall Connector would not meet code). The Wall Connector is designed to be hard wired into a dedicated circuit 120V or 240V rated from 15A up to 60A for EV charging. The 240V/60A and 240V/50A circuits are probably the commonly used electrical circuits for the Wall Connector.
Just had an electrician install 2 60 amp lines for versatility / future proofing. One to a Tesla Wall Charger and the other to an 14-50 outlet. He ran both lines (6 AWG, 90° C-rated copper wire) in the same conduit to a pillar in the middle of my garage. The biggest cost was running the wire up and over my garage ceiling that's 25 ft tall and of course the wiring itself that distance. $1200