I have a new 2-car garage built last year. With a potential Model S, I'm looking at getting a price on installing a 240V 50A NEMA 14-50 outlet. Where would be the best place to locate it? Center front wall? How high/low? I don't know what/how the experience is with the location of the connecter on the Model S, length of the cable, if it's better to leave the cable on the ground all the time, etc.
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purplewalt
Active Member
To me, it depends on two major things:
** orientation that you feel you would park the car in the garage. Either back in and head out or head in and then back out, and the best side for the MS to be dedicated parking space, some of this has to do with your driveway, adjacency to street, viewing angles moving the car in or out, and possibly the typical amount of traffic in your neighborhood.
AND
** closest location to the electrical panel (closer to the electrical panel is probably less expensive)
You still may have access issues into your house from the garage with the cord being attached to the car.
The MS is a relatively large and wide car (largest car I have ever owned).
Side Mirrors can move manually, but do not automatically retract and then re-position themselves.
** orientation that you feel you would park the car in the garage. Either back in and head out or head in and then back out, and the best side for the MS to be dedicated parking space, some of this has to do with your driveway, adjacency to street, viewing angles moving the car in or out, and possibly the typical amount of traffic in your neighborhood.
AND
** closest location to the electrical panel (closer to the electrical panel is probably less expensive)
You still may have access issues into your house from the garage with the cord being attached to the car.
The MS is a relatively large and wide car (largest car I have ever owned).
Side Mirrors can move manually, but do not automatically retract and then re-position themselves.
caddieo
Member
With a 2-car garage, you have to decide which side to use, either exclusively or most of the time. You also have to take into consideration the location of the electrical panel and whether you park front in or reverse. Once that is decided, your goal is to have the straightest/shortest cable route to the charge port. In my case, parking front in and panel not a factor, I use the left space exclusively for the S and so the outlet went on the adjacent left wall with a hose reel to take up the slack. Even in this case, however, the cable length is such that it can reach over to the right space in the event that I have to park there. Pictures attached.
I just completed a new 2 car garage (sort of for my Tesla) and put a sub panel and an HPWC on the wall between the garage doors. This makes it fairly easy to charge in either bay. For front port cars, backing in will work. I considered putting the charge port on the ceiling and using an arm but in planning it out, it became clear to me it's not a good idea. Too clumsy - you have to clear the garage doors when up and the arm mechanism looked clumsy to me. I just coil the wire up and it is completely out of the way.
I have a 3-car garage with an entrance door to the left of the leftmost car bay. My HPWC is mounted between the entrance door and the first bay, then I have a 14-50 mounted between the left door and center door. Prior to my HPWC being installed, I used the 14-50 for charging the car in the left bay.
For a 2-car, I'd suggest the same; mount it in the center, that way either bay has relatively easy access and you don't have to cross another car (which may end up tearing your cord out if someone doesn't think about it.
For a 2-car, I'd suggest the same; mount it in the center, that way either bay has relatively easy access and you don't have to cross another car (which may end up tearing your cord out if someone doesn't think about it.
Agree with the center if possible. I have a support post that's about 2/3 of the way in, between the two bays. I mounted the 14-50 on the pole. I usually park on the left, back in, and the outlet is even with the charge port. If I decide to park on the right, I can pull straight in and it still works great.
I put mine at the very front of the garage. I have to back in now, but in my case it made sense for many reasons. I now get out of the car and don't have to walk around it to get into the house; it made it cheaper and easier to install as it's the closest it can be to the breaker box; and the cord will be out of the way of the normal walking pathways in the garage when plugged in so I'll never have to step over it and risk clumsily tripping over it if my hands are full or I'm simply not paying attention. It also makes the charge port conveniently on the way to the driver's door.
Very good idea. The Model S will be somewhat of a squeeze in my garage, back to front, so doing something like that so I can safely back up as far as possible without hitting something will be a big positive. I'm definitely going to try to figure something out along those lines.
Very good idea. The Model S will be somewhat of a squeeze in my garage, back to front, so doing something like that so I can safely back up as far as possible without hitting something will be a big positive. I'm definitely going to try to figure something out along those lines.
I use this, and like it:
Homebrite 77102 Park N Place
Looking at it in the rear view mirror helps me center the car as well as knowing when to stop. I have my plug near the rear of the garage, but I exit out the front so it works really well.
Also keep in mind that HomeLink in the Model S (if you have the tech package) can be somewhat temperamental with performance going backwards. In our case, HomeLink works pretty consistently facing towards the garage door but consistently poorly when backing into the garage. We would have preferred to back into the garage and positioned the outlet to be in the right location for this but because HomeLink performance dictated that we go in head first, we ended up having to reposition the outlet to let the UMC reach the rear drivers side area. Tesla service says that this is a known hardware limitation of the current HomeLink transmitter.
I always back into the garage and Homelink isn't a problem because I activate Homelink when I'm pointed to the garage. Press the button as soon as it appears when you are close to the garage. Then back in.
Same with me. Homelink is tripped when I'm on the street approaching the driveway, I then swing out and back up. Works every time. I must say though that when I'm exiting the garage I'm hitting homelink facing away from the garage (just after clearing the door) and have never had single time when it didn't work either.
santana338
Member
Brilliant. I stuck a piece of tape down on the floor to try this out. I park head in, but this will allow me to pull in far enough, but not too far.
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