Cheap HPWC install?

[Jack Tripper]

I have a HPWC (referral reward "signed" by Elon) I want installed in my detached garage, located about 20' from the main panel on the side of the house. I'm considering upgrading the panel as well, to 200A. My car is a 2017 75D.

Is there a way to avoid the "Tesla Tax" when explaining the project and getting bids from electricians? I know some people just ask for a NEMA 14-50 but I'm not sure that will work here.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Gonna be hard to fool an electrician that it is not eligible for the "Tesla Tax" when they will be installing a branded charger.

 

[beatle]

You could have him do the 14-50 and then pull it out and run the wires into the HPWC.

Or just sell the HPWC and use a 14-50 with the UMC. You can buy a spare for less than you'll get for the HPWC if you want to keep one UMC in the car and one "permanently" installed in the house. That's what I do.

 

[Pluturi]

Be careful with the previous post’s first option. Depending on the breaker and wiring installed, the HPWC is capable of higher charging rates than the 14-50. If you have the electrician wire for 14-50, you will not be able to run the HPWC at it’s maximum capability. This is perfectly fine, but if you are upgrading your panel it sounds like you want to be able to charge at the fastest rates, and that’s not going to be possible with 14-50 wiring or breaker.

 

[CRASHER]

75D can not pull more than 48A on 240V. You are perfectly safe with 14-50 outlet as it would be rated for 50A min. You have to set the charger for max of 48A in case your friend showed up with 2018 P100D which is capable of pulling 72A and decide to use your charger. Worst thing to happen that it will trip your 60A breaker.

 

[Pluturi]

I’m sorry, but this may not be correct depending on the electrician and his understanding of the application. Per the code, a 14-50 can be wired with #8 wire for a non-EV application. Even if he is conservative and uses #6 wire (which is Tesla’s requirement for a 14-50 outlet)14-50 charging is limited to 40A on a 50A breaker (assuming Romex would be used) because of the continuous load. Yes, you can set the HPWC to charge at a lower level, but the default would be 48A which is too much for a standard 14-50 installation.

For future proofing to newer cars and to utilize the maximum capability of the HPWC safely, you should not plan on wiring for 14-50 and then just replacing the outlet with the HPWC. Of course you can over specify the breaker and wiring for the 14-50 but the electrician might want to know why.

Don’t take my word for it, please do some research as there are LOTS of threads on this topic. Here is one:
NEMA 14-50 8 gauge wire

 

[ucmndd]

75D can not pull more than 48A on 240V.

A 2017 75D could be had with a 72 amp charger. It was a $1500 option.

You are perfectly safe with 14-50 outlet as it would be rated for 50A min. You have to set the charger for max of 48A in case your friend showed up with 2018 P100D which is capable of pulling 72A and decide to use your charger. Worst thing to happen that it will trip your 60A breaker.

This is a jumble of partially correct but ultimately misleading information that doesn’t properly account for the various ways a 14-50 can be wired, the ampacity of different wire choices, and the 80% rule for continuous loads.