Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

charging hardware suggestions for driveway

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Argh! You guys are killing me!

Anyway, thanks, good to know. More research, more complexity.


That would be a great solution if I totally trusted that product. It says it's "splash resistant" which isn't the same as the tested Tesla charger, there are typos on the page, only 26 reviews, and (most importantly), it requires an extra adapter which they currently don't have in stock.

Maybe this will be the ultimate solution, but at the moment it seems like an expensive gamble.


And, again, it is entirely about the cable. If the default Tesla cable were a bit longer, this thread wouldn't exist at all, because I would just have the Tesla charger installed in the most convenient location and everything would be fine.


This would probably do the job, although starting off with a discontinued hand-me-down is a bit concerning. I wonder why they stopped offering it. If they determined most of their initial customers preferred a shorter cable, that would explain the change, but why remove the opportunity to get the longer cable? Was it a tech problem or just streamlining?

They were paying someone to make the Gen 2 for them, and made the Gen 3 in house. The Gen2 supports faster charging, and has a thicker, longer cable as an option (24 feet). If that works for you and you dont want a third party solution, you can still find people selling Gen 2 ones new in box as many people got them as referral awards.
 
That would be a great solution if I totally trusted that product.
You're being too paranoid about that and throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
It says it's "splash resistant" which isn't the same as the tested Tesla charger
Being sold by Tesla (TM) official brand name really means not much. Believe me, the units from Clipper Creek are about the best made and are far more reliable than Tesla's official ones, actually, and many other brands probably are as well. The point was a general idea to find a J1772 station that has a long cord. It's easy to find plenty that are 25 feet, probably some 30 foot ones, and a couple that are 50.
there are typos on the page, only 26 reviews,
Heh, OK, maybe a bit on the small company side. I see misspellings all the time from our company's engineers who are in Japan or China. English is their second (or third or fourth) language. I see these recommended in RAV4 forums too, though. And Tesla's charging products are made in foreign countries too; they just have a marketing department with better spelling and proofreading.
and (most importantly), it requires an extra adapter which they currently don't have in stock.
Whoa there. That J1772 adapter is included inside every single Tesla vehicle that is sold. Your car will come with one; you won't have to buy it.
Maybe this will be the ultimate solution, but at the moment it seems like an expensive gamble.
It's certainly not expensive, and that's really harsh calling it a "gamble".
If they determined most of their initial customers preferred a shorter cable, that would explain the change, but why remove the opportunity to get the longer cable? Was it a tech problem or just streamlining?
It was definitely the opposite of a tech problem. The Gen2 units were fabulous and bulletproof. The Gen3 ones have been out for more than a year and are still steaming garbage with several problems.
 
  • Love
Reactions: jjrandorin
You're being too paranoid about that and throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Perhaps, but that only emphasizes my point. If I'm a customer that just wants to buy a Tesla, I shouldn't have to do a whole bunch of research and trust "some guy online" (no offense) instead of the manufacturer selling the car. You say the Tesla charger sucks and this one is much better, which is very possibly the case, but how am I supposed to know that? How is this whole situation not bad for Tesla?

I'm at least making the bet that Tesla will be around for as long as I want to use the car (at least a decade), so I'm comfortable with the idea of a Tesla charger because presumably the warranty and the company backing it will continue to exist during that time. I suppose I have been lazy and not compared warranties, but a warranty is meaningless if the company isn't around any more.

That J1772 adapter is included inside every single Tesla vehicle that is sold.
So the little adapter they sell is the same thing as comes with a Tesla? We're not talking about leaving the big mobile charger out in the elements, right? Either way, it doesn't look good for the company.

Right on the their website it says "If you have Tesla you will need the Tesla Adaptor, which we also sell!", and then it turns out they don't actually have it.

The product does look like an appealing option, but it's absolutely a gamble.

The larger point is, if you buy a Tesla car, it seems totally reasonable to assume that you just need to install the associated Tesla charger (which is presumably optimized to work with the vehicle) and then you're done. It's an expensive product and a real nuisance to install, so choosing the most conservative option is not unreasonable.

I'm not interested in turning this car into a hobby, I just want a nice to car to drive that doesn't poot carbon.
 
If they determined most of their initial customers preferred a shorter cable, that would explain the change, but why remove the opportunity to get the longer cable? Was it a tech problem or just streamlining?
Perhaps, but that only emphasizes my point. If I'm a customer that just wants to buy a Tesla, I shouldn't have to do a whole bunch of research and trust "some guy online" (no offense) instead of the manufacturer selling the car. You say the Tesla charger sucks and this one is much better, which is very possibly the case, but how am I supposed to know that? How is this whole situation not bad for Tesla?
Oh, it absolutely is bad for Tesla--I don't disagree at all! The Gen3 is worse in every way than the Gen2, and yet is the same price. It was an awful decision from them. And you're right, Tesla shouldn't have created this situation where people are having to go look elsewhere because they shortened the cable length from 24 feet to 18 feet. It was stupid on their part to create these problems when they already had something working well.

I'm at least making the bet that Tesla will be around for as long as I want to use the car (at least a decade), so I'm comfortable with the idea of a Tesla charger because presumably the warranty and the company backing it will continue to exist during that time. I suppose I have been lazy and not compared warranties, but a warranty is meaningless if the company isn't around any more.
OK, sure, that's a valid concern, and if you were comparing two items that both had 18 foot cords or both had 50 foot cords, then that would matter. But the point is, the products from the vaunted Tesla (TM) company don't do what you need, so you need to buy something else with a longer cord, so...

So the little adapter they sell is the same thing as comes with a Tesla? [...] Right on the their website it says "If you have Tesla you will need the Tesla Adaptor, which we also sell!", and then it turns out they don't actually have it.
Yes, they do. You're misunderstanding what they are saying there. They are not telling you that you need to go buy one. It is saying that their unit has a J1772 handle. The Tesla cars don't have a J1772 charging port like all other EVs do, so it will need to USE an adapter. But yes, all Tesla cars do come with that adapter included--always have, since that's what most public charging stations use.

We're not talking about leaving the big mobile charger out in the elements, right? Either way, it doesn't look good for the company.
I don't understand what you mean here. Why does it reflect badly on their company whether you decide to leave it out in the elements?

The product does look like an appealing option, but it's absolutely a gamble.
...as is every single thing anyone buys.
The larger point is, if you buy a Tesla car, it seems totally reasonable to assume that you just need to install the associated Tesla charger (which is presumably optimized to work with the vehicle) and then you're done.
...and if you parked inside the garage, that would obviously be the case.
It's an expensive product and a real nuisance to install, so choosing the most conservative option is not unreasonable.
You happen to have an unusual situation that is what makes it unreasonable. Sorry--that's what you have and have to deal with.
I'm not interested in turning this car into a hobby, I just want a nice to car to drive that doesn't poot carbon.
Jeez. This is not a problem with the car. This is a problem with the fact that you park too far away from the building that has the electricity. Big picture, I just can't see why you are continuing to try to throw blame on everyone else for this simply unfortunate parking situation you have. It's not anyone's fault or wrongdoing. It's just an obstacle you have to figure out how to overcome.
 
Last edited:
Hmm, another question.

Do I need access to the charger on the wall to charge the vehivle, or do I just plug the plug into the car? I'm thinking of installing the charger in an inconvenient location, because it's sheltered from the elements. If I only need to work the business end of the charger, then this isn't a big deal.

But the point is, the products from the vaunted Tesla (TM) company don't do what you need, so you need to buy something else with a longer cord, so...
Well, I can kind of make it work, if I install the charger in an inconvenient location. As long as I'm not charging every single night, which I wouldn't need to do considering my commute (and sometimes lack thereof), it might be the solution of least resistance.

I only want to go through this process once, so I'm trying to figure out which is the least suboptimal choice. The most dismaying thing about all this is that I asked a simple question, and though lots of solutions have been proposed, none of them are the obvious best choice.

You could look at this as a good thing, since there's lots of flexibility. And probably every proposed solution would ultimately be fine. But I'm trying to find the best solution, so I never have to think about this again, and it's most definitely not obvious.

They are not telling you that you need to go buy one. It is saying that their unit has a J1772 handle. The Tesla cars don't have a J1772 charging port like all other EVs do, so it will need to USE an adapter.
So is the USE adapter this little (sold out) thing?

Or do you mean I'd need to use the whole mobile converter thing Tesla gives with the little box on the cable and such? Because I don't want to leave that outside, hanging off the car.

...and if you parked inside the garage, that would obviously be the case.
You are assuming I have a garage, which I don't. This is not at all unusual. I assume this hasn't yet been a big problem because the customer base willing to accept the cost of the vehicle probably tracks with owning a high end home, which typically means a classic garage situation.
 
So the little adapter they sell is the same thing as comes with a Tesla? We're not talking about leaving the big mobile charger out in the elements, right?
Here’s the little J1772 adapter. Sold by Tesla and in stock. One comes with the car. You could buy a second one since it is good to always have one in the car for using public chargers. This is completely separate from the “big” Mobile Connector that comes with the car for charging from an outlet.

And sorry, just to complicate things more with the 50ft cable, this might violate the electric code. I believe the NEC says EV cables can’t exceed 25ft “unless equipped with a cable management system that is listed as suitable for the purpose.”
 
Hmm, another question.

Do I need access to the charger on the wall to charge the vehivle, or do I just plug the plug into the car? I'm thinking of installing the charger in an inconvenient location, because it's sheltered from the elements. If I only need to work the business end of the charger, then this isn't a big deal.

You dont access the physical wall connector for much of anything. I coil my extra cable around my wall connector, thats about it. I guess you could think of the wall connector as the "gas pump" in a regular gas station (the part you normally would swipe your credit card in to activate it). In this case, since the "gas pump" is always ready / on, no need to touch it, just pick up the "hose" and put it in the car.

The adapter you linked to comes with the car. The adapter is something you use when you use non tesla specific chargers, to adapt their plug to the tesla vehicle. I keep mine in my glove compartment, because I use it every time I charge at work, since where I work has chargepoint connectors, which use a standard connector that many EVs use (other than tesla).
 
  • Love
Reactions: Rocky_H
The most dismaying thing about all this is that I asked a simple question, and though lots of solutions have been proposed, none of them are the obvious best choice.
You’re going to get lots of suggestions on a forum like this.

If 20 feet is a hard limit, then I could have the box installed on the outside of the shed, closer to the parking space, although that would leave it exposed to the elements and such.
I think you had the best and simplest solution right from the start. If it will reach, just install a Tesla Wall Connector to the outside of that shed.
 
Do I need access to the charger on the wall to charge the vehivle, or do I just plug the plug into the car? I'm thinking of installing the charger in an inconvenient location, because it's sheltered from the elements. If I only need to work the business end of the charger, then this isn't a big deal.
Yeah, it's just a configure it once kind of thing. You don't need to press any buttons on them to start it. These just sit there passively with a couple of volts on a signaling pin, checking for a connection. So whenever it gets plugged into something, there is some communication, and then it makes the connection. So yeah, you can mount that body of it in any inconvenient spot you want and have the cord go out to somewhere convenient.
So is the USE adapter this little (sold out) thing?
Yep, that's the one. That little thing just snaps onto the end of a J1772 handle and adapts it to fit the Tesla charging port. The Tesla cars all come with one in a little bag of the charging kit stuff.
Or do you mean I'd need to use the whole mobile converter thing Tesla gives with the little box on the cable and such? Because I don't want to leave that outside, hanging off the car.
Oh, no, that is the exact same type of device as the Primecom thing with the longer cord. They do the exact same function, so you would only be using one or the other, not both. The wall connectors or mobile charging cables are all the same type of device called an EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment).
You are assuming I have a garage, which I don't.
Well habit of words. I wasn't assuming that--I did notice already that you described this situation as not really a garage. But I meant generally being able to be up on a driveway up close to the building where the electricity is, as opposed to like on street parking, with a sidewalk in between the cars and the houses.
This is not at all unusual. I assume this hasn't yet been a big problem because the customer base willing to accept the cost of the vehicle probably tracks with owning a high end home, which typically means a classic garage situation.
Well, it's funny, because that is a big city paradigm that houses are really expensive. In smaller towns, land is cheap. Houses are cheap. Apartments and condos aren't really much of a thing. Most of the town is normal small houses, and they all have garages or at least driveways that go right up next to the houses.
 
And sorry, just to complicate things more with the 50ft cable, this might violate the electric code. I believe the NEC says EV cables can’t exceed 25ft “unless equipped with a cable management system that is listed as suitable for the purpose.”
Uuggghhh. Eh, yeah, I think you may be right. That is jogging my memory that I had heard something like that before. That's some really vague wording, though, about a cable management system. Nail a garden hose reel onto a 4" x 4" post, and that's a "cable management system". That makes sense, though, why I was doing some searching and was having a hard time finding any over 25 feet. I would do what I had to, though, in this case. It's not an electrical hazard issue. I think that requirement is because of extra jumbled loops of cord being a tripping hazard if they're always falling around the floor where people are walking.
 
Thanks to everyone for the explanations of the nature of the tech now. I think it's finally clicked in my head.

The reason the Tesla mobile charger is a thing is because you're bringing your own charger with you to plug into a regular old outlet of some sort. In that context, it really showed my ignorance to think you'd need to plug THAT thing into what's coming out of the wall charger.

And good call on buying a spare converter, particularly if it can fit in the glove compartment. Seems like a cheap and easy way to avoid a huge potential nuisance.

I think you had the best and simplest solution right from the start. If it will reach, just install a Tesla Wall Connector to the outside of that shed.
It's looking like that's where this is going. The best of a lot of bad options. Maybe this plus adding some kind of shelter on top of it, unfortunately not as cute as that bird house.

Again, I do appreciate everyone's advice. There is much to consider.

Well, it's funny, because that is a big city paradigm that houses are really expensive. In smaller towns, land is cheap. Houses are cheap. Apartments and condos aren't really much of a thing. Most of the town is normal small houses, and they all have garages or at least driveways that go right up next to the houses.
Ha, yeah, I guess we all come at this with different notions of "regular".

I was thinking I'm lucky that things aren't configured the way they were at the last townhouse I lived in. In that case, there was a full sidewalk between the building and the car, so there's no way I could have charged without creating a tripping hazard. Definitely a worse scenario.

Now I just have to take care not to ruin my plants and maybe occasionally park in such a way that it's difficult to get two vehicles parked in the lot. And build a modest home for my charger.

I think I can handle that.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: jjrandorin
Maybe this plus adding some kind of shelter on top of it, unfortunately not as cute as that bird house. [...] And build a modest home for my charger.
If you're thinking you need to do that because of protecting it from rain and weather and stuff, that's not necessary. The wall connectors are built to be outside--totally out in the open. That's how they are done at hotels all around the country. They are intended to be outside units. But if you're talking about like concealing it from people seeing it and trying to mess with it, then that's a different thing if you think that's relevant where you live.
 
And good call on buying a spare converter, particularly if it can fit in the glove compartment. Seems like a cheap and easy way to avoid a huge potential nuisance.
And I was only suggesting a spare if you install a third party EVSE at home, because then it’s easiest to keep one with the EVSE at home and keep one in the car. If you install the Tesla Wall Connector at home, it plugs directly into the car, no adapter necessary. The J1772 adapter that comes with the car then always stays with the car, no spare necessary.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rocky_H
If you're thinking you need to do that because of protecting it from rain and weather and stuff, that's not necessary.
Even if it's protected, I don't want it to be wet when I try to plug it in. I know it's safe, but I also read that safety means that if there's water in the connector, it just won't turn on until you dry it off. It rains here, a lot, and the connector could easily be wet for a straight week at times when it would be convenient to charge. Maybe I could get a mitten for the connector.

But I would also like to hide it from prying eyes and, of course, the HOA, which is always looking for things to complain about.
And I was only suggesting a spare if you install a third party EVSE at home, because then it’s easiest to keep one with the EVSE at home and keep one in the car.
I was thinking it's so small that I'd very likely accidentally leave it attached to a public charger and be 50 miles away before I realized. Having a spare would be a good check against that kind of absentmindedness.
 
Fortunately it's not easy to forget your adapter at a public charger because the handle won't fit back into its gas pump style holster until you remove your adapter.

The Tesla charger also has a weatherproof holster or you can just dangle the cable and the contacts will be facing downward and will be fine in the rain. There are no concerns with using any chargers in any amount of rain. There's no voltage present at either end, only a faint communication signal that triggers the voltage after it is connected and locked. Similarly, the power is automatically disconnected before the car unlocks the charging cable.
 
  • Love
Reactions: Rocky_H
I suppose this all depends on where you live, but around here, the above seems completely ridiculous. Elon has said he doesn't want Teslas to be exclusive toys for the rich and the ultimate goal is to get the price so low that you'd just buy one anyway, even if you don't care about carbon or acceleration. And even if it ends up being some existing manufacturer that corners the market on the cheap electric vehicle, people have still got to plug those suckers in.

I'm not saying everyone who has an enclosed garage is the 1%, but there's a huge amount of housing that isn't either the classic single family home or an apartment with a parking garage.

Also, certainly around here, employers that offer charging stations are as rare as 13-leaf clovers.

If you're trying to convince people to buy something new that they're already wary of, telling them they're going to have to hack their own solution just to refuel seems a big ask.
But they are selling a $500 wall connector... I don't get what you are trying to say. "Poor" people wouldn't be buying a $500 wall connector cause you don't need the wall connector. Use the long mobile connector cable.
 
This got way to complicated!

Just called three electricians for a quote to come out and see how much it would cost to run, from my house, a 40amp line to a 240v outdoor outlet that is housed and weather proofed outside my shed. From there I would back up next to shed and hook up my Tesla to it, just like if it was the very same thing inside my garage. It can’t be more complicated than that. I plan on saving money and renting a trench digger and doing a 3’ trench for code and buying all the parts needed up front so all he has to do is connect.

I always get three quotes. I just finished hiring a tree service that ranged from an $11,000 to $45,000. Never fails when you get three quotes there’s always someone who bids way to high because they really don’t want to do the job at a normal price. Crossing my fingers on these up coming bids.