Broke the ice

[Wordslayer]

I'm in the game now and ordered my Tesla Y performance that has a 2/08 to 2/13 estimated time of delivery.

Which home charger should I order, and better yet, where do I go that has the best price. And in addition, what kind of socket do I tell the electrician to install?

 

[jcanoe]

I'm in the game now and ordered my Tesla Y performance that has a 2/08 to 2/13 estimated time of delivery.

Which home charger should I order, and better yet, where do I go that has the best price. And in addition, what kind of socket do I tell the electrician to install?

Do you have a garage or carport?

Tesla maintains a list of licensed electricians who can install an EV charging circuit or you can reach out to TMC for recommendations of electricians in your area.

In general when installing a Level 2 (240V) charging circuit you will want it to be hard wired (no plug.) Tesla sells the Wall Connector for this application (currently $425). You may be eligible for a rebate from your local electric utility or KY, start there to determine if there are any available programs that you can use.

You can also charge at home or away when visiting friends/family or when camping if you purchase the Tesla Mobile Connector ($230). The Mobile Connector used to be included with every new Tesla vehicle but now must be purchased separately. If you will be taking those road trips or camping you may want to purchase the Mobile Connector for those times. You can use the Mobile Connector with a standard 120V receptacle; this enables charging the Tesla vehicle at up to ~4 miles of range added per hour while charging; slow but it may be enough especially if you can charge at work or if your daily driving is ~30 miles per day. You can also use the Mobile Connector with a wide range of 120V and 240V receptacles when the Mobile Connector is fitted with the correct power plug adapter. The maximum charging amperage when using the Tesla Mobile Connector and a 240V plug adapter is 32 amps (slower, lower amperage than the maximum of 48 amps when using the Wall Connector and a 240V/60 amp charging circuit.)

Many Tesla Owners use the Mobile Connector for charging at home. The Mobile Connector scenario for home charging is not as economical as it once was as the Mobile Connector ($230) no long comes with the Tesla vehicle. New installations of EV charging receptacles now require GFCI protection. For a 240V/50A receptacle such as the popular 14-50 receptacle the only GFCI option is to install a GFCI circuit breaker for ~$100. (When you total the cost of all of the parts needed to install a new EV charging circuit, a receptacle with GFCI protection and the Mobile Connector the cost is the approximately same as installing the Wall Connector ($425), the Wall Connector enables faster charging.)

For more daily driving or on the weekend when additional driving range may be desired your home charging would be faster with a 240V charging circuit using the Wall Connector (is fully weather rated, has a longer 24 ft charging cord, has other features beyond what the Mobile Connector provides.)

Every Tesla vehicle comes with a Tesla J1772 charging adapter. This adapter enables you to charge at work, while shopping or dining or anyplace there is a public Level 2 charging station. Additional J1772 adapters are available from Tesla for $50.

For the fastest charging when on a road trip you can plug in and use the Tesla Supercharger network (no adapter required.) Once your credit card or debit card is linked to your Tesla account you can use the Supercharger network without having to use a card to charge.

Another fast charging option is to purchase the Tesla CCS adapter ($250) that enables you to charge at DC Fast Charge stations such as Electrify America, EVgo, Chargepoint, Blink and other non-Tesla Fast Charge networks. (You may need to create an account and use a credit card or debit card when charging using one of these charging networks.)

 

[LoudMusic]

I agree with everything @jcanoe said.

My opinion is to get a Tesla wall connector installed on a 60A circuit by a professional electrician in a position near your car that makes it the least cumbersome to use. They are fully weather proof so if you have to install it outside that should be perfectly fine.

Wall Connector

Wall Connector is the most convenient charging solution for houses, apartments, hospitality properties and workplaces. With up to 44 miles of range added per hour of charging, a 24 foot cable length, multiple power settings, and a versatile indoor/outdoor design, Wall Connector provides...

shop.tesla.com

 

[BitJam]

I'm in the game now and ordered my Tesla Y performance that has a 2/08 to 2/13 estimated time of delivery.

Which home charger should I order, and better yet, where do I go that has the best price. And in addition, what kind of socket do I tell the electrician to install?

Congrats!

I recommend buying the Tesla Mobile Connector for $230 and then have an electrician install a NEMA 14-50 socket. The benefits of the mobile connector are:

• Lets you charge from a standard 5-15 household outlet (while you wait for the electrician)
• Lets you charge at roughly 10% per hour from a 14-50 outlet.
• Let's you charge at destinations and at the houses of friends and family when you visit
• The electrician can install the 14-50 outlet before the Mobile Connector arrives

The downside is that the dedicated Wall Connector charges slightly faster. (44 miles per hour versus 30 miles per hour). Also, if your 14-50 socket is outside then you will need to plug the Mobile Connector into it every time you charge. This is what I do and it is not a big deal at all. The Mobile Connector used to come for free with every Tesla but now you have to pay for it.

The best choice might depend on how many miles per week you intend to drive. There are some high mileage circumstances where it's better to have the dedicated Wall Connector. For example, if you drive a lot and have to charge every night and you want to cram the charging into a small time window to get a better electricity rate.

 

[Wordslayer]

Thank you to those that responded. If I knew how to like your posts I would. Great advice.....much more than I anticipated!

 

[BitJam]

Thank you to those that responded. If I knew how to like your posts I would. Great advice.....much more than I anticipated!

You need to make more posts before you get full privileges on the site. I think the threshold is 10 or less.

 

[evannole]

Also, if your 14-50 socket is outside then you will need to plug the Mobile Connector into it every time you charge. This is what I do

Please be careful with that - as I understand it, most 14-50s are not engineered to be plugged into/unplugged from on a frequent basis. Apparently the springiness of the metal contacts inside can eventually wear out and then you're running the risk of a short.

 

[exxxviii]

I'm in the game now and ordered my Tesla Y performance that has a 2/08 to 2/13 estimated time of delivery.

Which home charger should I order, and better yet, where do I go that has the best price. And in addition, what kind of socket do I tell the electrician to install?

I’ll offer another vote for a hardwired wall connector. Get the Tesla and have it wired for a 60A circuit. It is net cheaper (don’t need a GFCI breaker) and faster. And more tidy.

 

[BitJam]

Please be careful with that - as I understand it, most 14-50s are not engineered to be plugged into/unplugged from on a frequent basis. Apparently the springiness of the metal contacts inside can eventually wear out and then you're running the risk of a short.

That's probably true if you don't follow the instructions. In their installation guide, Tesla recommends using a high quality, industrial grade receptacle:

On the same instruction sheet they recommend plugging the car in every day. I only charge about once a week so I'm not worried.

IIUC, the cheap household grade receptacles are designed for large appliances and aren't meant for frequent plugging and unplugging. But the industrial grade ones are. They're designed for RV parks and machine shops with welders and such.

 

[evannole]

That's probably true if you don't follow the instructions. In their installation guide, Tesla recommends using a high quality, industrial grade receptacle:
View attachment 900938

On the same instruction sheet they recommend plugging the car in every day. I only charge about once a week so I'm not worried.

IIUC, the cheap household grade receptacles are designed for large appliances and aren't meant for frequent plugging and unplugging. But the industrial grade ones are. They're designed for RV parks and machine shops with welders and such.

Yes, good call. The industrial grade ones should last quite a while. I was indeed referring to the ones intended for appliances, where you plug in once and forget it.

 

[GSP]

Good advice from @jcanoe - I also recommend going with the wall connector, and saving the cost of the expensive GFCI breaker that code now requires. The wall connector has GFCI built in.

I agree with the suggestion to use a 60 A breaker and wiring with the wall connector, but I would only do so if it is easy and inexpensive for your install. If your panel would need to be upgraded, or you have a long wiring run, then I would recommend a 40 A circuit if that saves significant money for your install.

In fact, a 30 A circuit is enough for most people that don’t drive long distance daily. 20 A is sufficient for people that don’t have long daily drives, and occasional longer drivers. I have been using a 20 A circuit since 2016 and it works fine for me, but I recommend 30 A (or more) as long as it is affordable.

When Tesla’s wall connector is installed, it can be set up to work properly with the breaker ampacity that you have selected.

GSP

 

[BrownOuttaSpec]

I had a 14-50 receptacle and used the mobile charger for about 3 years. I recently upgraded to the Tesla Wall Connector and highly recomend going with the Wall Connector but using a 50amp circuit (40 amp max charging rate) and not the 60amp circuit (48 amp max changing rate.

I say this because it is cheaper and easier to run the wire so the install should be much cheaper (maybe save about $100+ on materials) and there really isn't much of a need to charge at home faster. If you do get an electrician to do the job have them quote out the 50amp install vs the max 60 amp, you might be able to save a few hundred dollars between parts and labor. Of course if the price is almost the same between the 2 options just go with the 60 amp service so you have that availble.

 

[jorhett]

Please be careful with that - as I understand it, most 14-50s are not engineered to be plugged into/unplugged from on a frequent basis. Apparently the springiness of the metal contacts inside can eventually wear out and then you're running the risk of a short.

Um... from where did you get that impression? I have never seen this statement, I never heard this when I studied for my electrical cert, nor can I quickly find verification of this.

If you go to any auto stop, any wheel shop, any racetrack, and rv park, there are 14-50s on every wall getting plugged into and unplugged from several times an hour. I use them at the racetracks, and I none of them have been replaced in the 20 years I've been racing.

 

[jorhett]

I recently upgraded to the Tesla Wall Connector and highly recomend going with the Wall Connector but using a 50amp circuit (40 amp max charging rate)

Likewise, I had a 40amp circuit left over from my previous Level 2 CCS charger, and not enough capacity on my garage subpanel to add 60 amps. I will eventually upgrade that panel, but for now I installed the Wall Connector and configured it as 40amps. it Just Works. Car charges at 32amp rate, which is sufficient fast for my needs.

 

[jorhett]

Yes, good call. The industrial grade ones should last quite a while. I was indeed referring to the ones intended for appliances, where you plug in once and forget it.

When you are buying electrical parts, never, EVER purchase anything other that industrial grade. Seriously, there is industrial grade and then there is CRAP. With some things you can get away with crap, but electrical? Ask yourself, do you mind if this thing you're attaching it to burns down?

Read the fire reports, and see how many started on wall plugs. Compare the damages.

This is one place you never, ever cheap out. And given that the difference between crap and industrial quality is usually less than a quarter (25 cents/pence or 1/4 of $1 for non-US folk) for things like plugs and adapters...

 

[woolymammoth17]

Um... from where did you get that impression? I have never seen this statement, I never heard this when I studied for my electrical cert, nor can I quickly find verification of this.

If you go to any auto stop, any wheel shop, any racetrack, and rv park, there are 14-50s on every wall getting plugged into and unplugged from several times an hour. I use them at the racetracks, and I none of them have been replaced in the 20 years I've been racing.

@evannole is correct. He is referencing the difference between the Hubbell / Eaton industrial 14-50s and the $12 14-50s at Lowe's and Home Depot.

 

[BrownOuttaSpec]

Um... from where did you get that impression? I have never seen this statement, I never heard this when I studied for my electrical cert, nor can I quickly find verification of this.

If you go to any auto stop, any wheel shop, any racetrack, and rv park, there are 14-50s on every wall getting plugged into and unplugged from several times an hour. I use them at the racetracks, and I none of them have been replaced in the 20 years I've been racing.

Look at the difference in receptacles here: Master Thread: Definitive 14-50 NEMA Outlet Guide

Huge difference in quality and materials used in making the plugs even a difference between the mid range and higher ends receptacles.

 

[jorhett]

He is referencing the difference between the Hubbell / Eaton industrial 14-50s and the $12 14-50s at Lowe's and Home Depot.

Huge difference in quality and materials used in making the plugs even a difference between the mid range and higher ends receptacles.

Zero dispute with quality difference. See my own post about this I was simply objecting to the original, unqualified statement that all 14-50s are cheap and not made to be replaced.

You see $14 for cheap ones? Wow. Cheap ones are $9, industrial quality Eaton/etc can be had for $14/$15 at supply stores. Even Bryant can be found for $24. The $89 retail price is designed for the hour of customer service they'll have to do with someone who doesn't know what they are doing

 

[GSP]

To be fair, the cheap 14-50 outlets are likely just fine for their intended use, such as residential ovens. They are good for 5-10 plug/unplug cycles, which should cover homeowners buying new ovens every 20-40 years or so.

However, these cheap outlets are totally unsuitable for EV charging.

GSP

 

[woolymammoth17]

To be fair, the cheap 14-50 outlets are likely just fine for their intended use, such as residential ovens. They are good for 5-10 plug/unplug cycles, which should cover homeowners buying new ovens every 20-40 years or so.

However, these cheap outlets are totally unsuitable for EV charging.

GSP

Yep, agree. For much lower duty cycle applications where you plug it and forget it, no problem. But not designed for 12 hours of 40 amps continuous every day plus plugging in and out often.