Can't decide HPWC or NEMA 1450 - Advice?

[ColoradoDave]

I hope I'm a month or so out from getting my M3. I've had electricians provide quotes. A NEMA 14-50 will cost me under $400; HPWC about $900 counting the unit. I drive about 50-60 miles per day, so either way I'd only charge a few days per week overnight. With the NEMA, I expect I would use the cord that comes with the car; and just put the cord in the car for trips.

For all of you with cars, is there a significant down side for going the NEMA route that I am overlooking? Thanks

 

[Need]

The HPWC just looks cooler and there is a place to put the cord/handle. But you can buy a cord/handle holder from Tesla.. I think it is like $29 or something. I think the HPWC can get 48A speed, while the UMC is only at 32A, so HPWC is 50% faster. Now if your connector is outside, someone could steal your UMC when you unplug it from the car and left it connected to the outlet. You will probably have to get a locking box thing for your NEMA 14-50 outside. I guess someone could also steal the HPWC outside, but it would be a bit harder than just unplugging it from the outlet.

I have been charging with the NEMA 14-50 and had no problem at all. I took the cord on a few long trips but never needed to use it as there were Superchargers on the way.

 

[eprosenx]

I hope I'm a month or so out from getting my M3. I've had electricians provide quotes. A NEMA 14-50 will cost me under $400; HPWC about $900 counting the unit. I drive about 50-60 miles per day, so either way I'd only charge a few days per week overnight. With the NEMA, I expect I would use the cord that comes with the car; and just put the cord in the car for trips.

For all of you with cars, is there a significant down side for going the NEMA route that I am overlooking? Thanks

I put a HPWC outside where I park and a 14-50 in the garage just in case the car is ever inside (boat normally goes there). Also gives me a way to test my UMC, etc...

I keep my UMC in the car all the time just in case. I plug in every night as per tesla recommendations. Charge to 80% every day.

I am very happy with my charging solution. The HPWC is great. Love being able to charge at the max rate of the car just in case I need to.

I found the investment well worth it. The HPWC is a better deal than any other EVSE on the market as far as I am concerned. 80 amp capable for $500 is amazing. Can also pair with a few other units to load share.

(Your model 3 can only make use of 48a naturally)

 

[P85_DA]

outside where I park and a 14-50 in the garage just in case the car is ever inside (boat normally goes there)

..I always thought Tesla > Boat ?

 

[ewoodrick]

I use the mobile cable with the 14-50 plug. Actually I got another UMC and one stays in the car, the other in the garage. Cheaper than the wall charger and works great.

 

[eprosenx]

..I always thought Tesla > Boat ?

Sea doos. They don’t do well outside in Oregon. :-(

But yeah, need to get around to building my new house so everything can be garaged.

 

[Raechris]

I use a L2 14 amp charger (multiple PHEV) and use the tesla J1772 adapter. Driving can be 25-125 mi/day. I plug in when I need to overnight to 80% and have been surprised this is fine and I am always full in am. Have not decided what to do with black signed WC when it arrives.

 

[eprosenx]

I use a L2 14 amp charger (multiple PHEV) and use the tesla J1772 adapter. Driving can be 25-125 mi/day. I plug in when I need to overnight to 80% and have been surprised this is fine and I am always full in am. Have not decided what to do with black signed WC when it arrives.

14a is a weird capacity. What brand unit is it?

I would expect most to be 12a, 16a, 24a, etc... I have always thought the 30a ones are weird also. 32a seems logical since it is 80% of 40a... (hence the UMC being this)

 

[Uncle Paul]

For mounting inside the garage the NEMA plug would work just fine.

Extra $500 would pay for years of Supercharging

 

[P85_DA]

The HPWC just looks cooler

^^ what he said +1 WC

 

[Bet TSLA]

For all of you with cars, is there a significant down side for going the NEMA route that I am overlooking? Thanks

I've been getting by just fine with a NEMA 14-50 for the past four years. First for my S, and now for my S and 3. I charge a couple of nights a week for each of them, and it takes less time than the "cheap electricity" period from 11PM-7AM. I think the only reason to upgrade to the HPWC is looks, or speed for those few who need it.

 

[rdlink]

Although I'm going with the HPWC there is no reason whey the NEMA 14-50 shouldn't work with the miles you're driving. I tend to over engineer things...

 

[ColoradoDave]

Thank you all!

 

[eprosenx]

I've been getting by just fine with a NEMA 14-50 for the past four years. First for my S, and now for my S and 3. I charge a couple of nights a week for each of them, and it takes less time than the "cheap electricity" period from 11PM-7AM. I think the only reason to upgrade to the HPWC is looks, or speed for those few who need it.

Do note that if you had the old UMC then it was 40a. The new one is just 32a. But the model 3 needs less energy than the S to go the same distance.

But yeah, most people can charge overnight just fine on the 32a UMC.

I too over engineer things at times.

 

[LadyMacbrat]

^^ what he said +1 WC

LOL agreed! Now for really cool, how do you organize the cable?

 

[SSedan]

I believe in having a backup solution to charging.
Second UMC is $300 HPWC is $500.
The wiring cost difference is small unless a long run. I bought a bit more than I needed but at Home Depot the wire to run a 100amp circuit for the HPWC 40ft was about $100, I know a 3 can't use all that but it is future proof, let us call the 14-50 wire half that cost so $50 even though it needs a third large condutor so the price difference is likely less.
Then the 50amp breaker is $30 cheaper than the 100amp.
So far we have $200 more for the HPWC, $50 more in wire, $30 for the breaker, so materials wise if buying a second charging solution $280 difference, but now you need an outlet for the 14-50, the $8 will wear out quickly if you plug and unplug, outdoor rated ones are $30+ and the nice Hubbell one that will handle frequent plugging and unplugging is $70, and now you need a hanger of some sort for $10-30. If you go with the Hubbell outlet and the Tesla cable hanger that is another $100 bringing the price difference to just $180 but the HPWC charges the car at least twice as fast, and the curcuit can handle a second car later.


People fixate on the wire cost, 3gauge THHN copper is $1.02/ft. at my local Home Depot 2 needed. I think the 8gauge ground was $.56/ft and you would need 3 plus a smaller ground I didn't price but suffice to say in the end the actual wire cost is more than half the cost of max capacity conductors for the HPWC.

I don't see why the NEMA 14-50 is the standard, even on the same circuit it can give you 40amps instead of 32 and in that case you run one fewer wire and save the outlet cost and hanger,bringing the price difference down even more.

 

[KJD]

I hope I'm a month or so out from getting my M3. I've had electricians provide quotes. A NEMA 14-50 will cost me under $400; HPWC about $900 counting the unit. I drive about 50-60 miles per day, so either way I'd only charge a few days per week overnight. With the NEMA, I expect I would use the cord that comes with the car; and just put the cord in the car for trips.

Either one will get the job done, so don't stress too much about it. The first couple of years I had the Model S I just used the UMC at home and like you said I just packed the UMC when going on a trip.

Then there was a trip where I was late getting out the door and was supposed to meet someone at a certain time and in all the rush I managed to leave the UMC in the garage. By the time I figured out my mistake it was too late to go back. I had to change where I had planned on charging while out of town. Plugshare.com was used to find an alternative, so not a huge problem, but it took some extra time to get the job done. It also added some stress that I did not want to have while on vacation.

When I got home I ordered a HPWC for the garage and now the UMC just stays in the car where it belongs.

 

[P85_DA]

LOL agreed! Now for really cool, how do you organize the cable?

Use gecko toes...got the idea from folks here ...if u search gecko toes you will find prettier looking setups than mine

 

[dhrivnak]

I hope I'm a month or so out from getting my M3. I've had electricians provide quotes. A NEMA 14-50 will cost me under $400; HPWC about $900 counting the unit. I drive about 50-60 miles per day, so either way I'd only charge a few days per week overnight. With the NEMA, I expect I would use the cord that comes with the car; and just put the cord in the car for trips.

For all of you with cars, is there a significant down side for going the NEMA route that I am overlooking? Thanks

I purchased a second UMC and charge from a NEMA 14-50. Has worked well. You might want to consider charging every night as that is actually good for the car and covers the slower charging and unexpected trips.

 

[shiz]

For those that have both a 14-50a nema & HPWC, if you have a 100amp subpanel from the main, do u all have toggle switches to either feed the HPWC or the 14-50 nema? I’ve seen a toggle someone had setup on their panel, I know the HPWC can be dialed down to 50amp to allow you to use both. Do you think it’s wise to have this toggle if in the future, if I do have TWO HPWC hooked to the 100a panel?