Charging Setup for Rental Home

[NeverGoingBack]

So I rent a house out in the middle of nowhere - and I’m about to order a Model Y.

The nearest Supercharger is 50 miles away so I will definitely want a rapid charging option at home. But I’m not sure it would be a good idea to install a Tesla Wall Connector given I am renting. My landlord will likely not have a problem with it, but I am planning on moving within the next year or so.

Because of my plans to move, I’m thinking a better (maybe cheaper, too?) option is to just install a NEMA 6-50 circuit and get the adapter.

Does that make sense? Or is it possible (or even easy) to take a Wall Connector with you when you move.

 

[DSolie]

NEMA outlet near the panel will be the cheapest option. How close is your dryer to where you charge your Y? There is a "splitter" that you can use. https://www.amazon.com/Splitvolt-Sp...cphy=9033507&hvtargid=pla-1168923731967&psc=1

 

[spsheridan]

I'd install a NEMA 6-50 circuit so that when you move, your landlord will have a working high-power outlet available for future renters. Would be easier to sell the idea to your landlord this way.

 

[ATPMSD]

The NEMA 14-50 is perhaps a better option. Both are 50A circuits; the 6-50 is 240v only, while the 14-50 offers 120/240v. Wiring for the 14-50 is a little more money since you run a neutral, which is not needed in the 6-50 circuit. The Tesla is fine with either.

 

[qdeathstar]

How many mile do you drive each day?

 

[NeverGoingBack]

How many mile do you drive each day?

A lot less during pandemic ...... but normally around 100-150

 

[qdeathstar]

A lot less during pandemic ...... but normally around 100-150

Ok. I’d you had of said 50 miles a day you could get away with a 120v outlet. 150 miles not so much.

 

[NeverGoingBack]

Ok. I’d you had of said 50 miles a day you could get away with a 120v outlet. 150 miles not so much.

Yeah .... grocery store is 40 miles away .....

 

[rdrwtx]

The electricians that installed my HPWC told me they could come and take it down if I move and put an outlet over it so I can take the wall connector with me, so that may be an option.

 

[iamnid]

I wouldn't bother with the HPWC. Just do as other have said and have a 6-50 outlet installed, unless the dryer outlet is within reach.

 

[NeverGoingBack]

The Adviser I just spoke to about my scheduled test drive said that a 14-50 will charge faster than a 6-50. Doesn’t make any sense to me ...... but I thought I’d check anyway. Seems like if if you have 240 volts and 50 amps, the plug and the presence of the 120 volt line option wouldn’t make any difference in how many watts you’re gonna get.



Anything wrong with my reasoning?

 

[jcanoe]

The Adviser I just spoke to about my scheduled test drive said that a 14-50 will charge faster than a 6-50. Doesn’t make any sense to me ...... but I thought I’d check anyway. Seems like if if you have 240 volts and 50 amps, the plug and the presence of the 120 volt line option wouldn’t make any difference in how many watts you’re gonna get.



Anything wrong with my reasoning?

You are correct. The power available is calculated as Volts X Amps; 240V X 50A = 12000W. When charging an EV the 80% amperage rule applies so 40A instead of 50A; the maximum available power is 9600W. (The 80% limit always applies when charging EVs.) The 14-50 and the 6-50 are both 50A circuits; the 14-50 has a neutral connection while the 6-50 does not have a neutral connection.

The Tesla Shop provides a table on the page where you can select, order power plug adapters for the Gen 2 Mobile Connector. The miles per hour when charging the different Tesla vehicles with the 14-50 plug adapter and the 6-50 plug adapter are the same.

Gen 2 NEMA Adapters

 

[Rocky_H]

The Adviser I just spoke to about my scheduled test drive said that a 14-50 will charge faster than a 6-50.

OMG. Add this to the list of funny and wrong things Tesla salespeople have said.

 

[Mrbrock]

OMG. Add this to the list of funny and wrong things Tesla salespeople have said.

To be fair, 14>6...

 

[Janus]

Either a 14-50 and 6-50 would work well in this scenario. If it's a short distance to the electric panel, the cost difference is trivial.

Three things to consider: First, Tesla makes a version of the UMC with a fixed 14-50 connector, that goes up to 40 amps (standard v2 UMC goes to 32 amps). With your long commute, it might be nice to get a few more amps. Second, 14-50 is a very common standard for RVs, and is commonly used by many EVSEs. VS. a 6-50 which is only really used for welders and some EVSEs. Third, it easy get a converter cable from 14-50 to 6-50, since all it does is drop the neutral. One can't really go the other way though, since many 14-50 loads (like RVs) expect there to be a functional neutral.

So if your wire run will be short, I'd recommend the 14-50, it'll be more future proof. Especially for a rental property, when one doesn't know who the next user will be.

 

[Mrbrock]

Corded mobile connector is $520. HPWC is $500. Unless you travel a lot to places with 14-50 receptacles (rv parks) that is a lot of money to pay for 40A vs 32A charging. For home, buy the HPWC and you can do 48A if you can run a 60A circuit. Very easy to disconnect and replace with a receptacle when you have to move. If you don’t need the extra 16A, put in whatever receptacles matches the largest size breaker/receptacle you can install and use the UMC that comes with the car. Save $500.

 

[52 16 57 39]

All the charging advice and options - but what does the garage have already?
And where is the panel? Capacity of the panel! Can you add a double pole breaker?


As a landlord myself - I’d be cool w splitting the costs of the install of a new NEMA 14-50 outlet as mentioned earlier - more possibilities for future tenants.

I would not be okay with a splitter running off the dryer. That smells trouble.

 

[Mrbrock]

All the charging advice and options - but what does the garage have already?
And where is the panel? Capacity of the panel! Can you add a double pole breaker?


As a landlord myself - I’d be cool w splitting the costs of the install of a new NEMA 14-50 outlet as mentioned earlier - more possibilities for future tenants.

I would not be okay with a splitter running off the dryer. That smells trouble.

There is no trouble with a dryer buddy. Either the dryer works or the EVSE works. There is no in between otherwise it wouldn't be approved or meet code.

 

[Rocky_H]

There is no trouble with a dryer buddy. Either the dryer works or the EVSE works. There is no in between otherwise it wouldn't be approved or meet code.

Don't say that, because that's not true. Many people buy a Dryer Buddy, and it does not do either of those things. This is my main gripe with the Dryer Buddy--their main product that they advertise and sell doesn't do that, but it's not explained well or made clear on their site.

The standard Dryer Buddy is just a strictly double wired "Y" kind of splitter. You'd better be careful to know what is going to run when--dangerous.

The "PLUS" version of the product does have a manual toggle switch you can flip to make sure only one side is active, but that's a little cumbersome to have to go and flip it when you want to use the other thing.

The "PLUS AUTO" version is the one you are talking about, where it has the auto sensing and will dynamically flip from one to the other for you. And therefore that is the only one I will recommend people to get. But that is a little obscure for people to know and understand those differences to choose the right one instead of just the standard Dryer Buddy.

 

[NeverGoingBack]

All the charging advice and options - but what does the garage have already?
And where is the panel? Capacity of the panel! Can you add a double pole breaker?


As a landlord myself - I’d be cool w splitting the costs of the install of a new NEMA 14-50 outlet as mentioned earlier - more possibilities for future tenants.

I would not be okay with a splitter running off the dryer. That smells trouble.

Panel is right next to where car will be parked. Plenty of room inside for another breaker. Only unknown is whether or not there’s enough capacity for an additional 50A circuit. And I have a cool landlord.

So I’ll be requesting a covered NEMA 14-50 RV plug ..... right next to the panel (where there is already a NEMA 5-15) and then compromise my way down to 30A or 20A if limited by panel capacity.

Thanks for the excellent discussion and advice everyone!