Could this be an easy charging/outlet install?

[stewam7]

Hello! Patiently awaiting my M3, can't wait! We live in Chicago in a Condo that has a back car pad (not a garage), so we don't really have outlets. However our parking backs right up to our balconies where we have an AC unit with electric running up into the wall.

I am a total 100% novice when it comes to electric, but I have read up that sometimes these are connected to a 220v power which would be great for charging. That being said, would this be a pretty easy/cheap install if we got a plug installed here? Again, 100% novice so apologies if this is a dumb question. Here are a couple pics. Thanks!!

 

[rypalmer]

Only if you can disconnect the air conditioner. I'm not an electrician but that service doesn't appear to be grounded either.

 

[Frank99]

The ground in that installation may be the metal conduit. It was allowed at one time to do that, but I don’t know if it still is.

That said, you won’t be able to use this circuit for charging your car. It’s very likely 240V, but you can’t just connect an outlet to it. However, the fact that there’s a large conduit bringing power into the box suggests that it might be possible (and cheap) for an electrician to simply pull a new set of wires through the conduit back to the breaker panel. Call up a couple and get some bids.

 

[Rocky_H]

Confirming what others have mentioned. You can't just share a circuit with the air conditioner, so that idea is a no-go. But sure, maybe you could get a new line run through that conduit.

 

[rypalmer]

The ground in that installation may be the metal conduit. It was allowed at one time to do that, but I don’t know if it still is.

The AC appears to be connected with a non-metallic whip Liquidtight Non-Metallic A/C Whip - Wire - Electrical - The Home Depot I'm not sure if any metallic conduit is connected on either side. I could be wrong though.

 

[stewam7]

Awesome - thanks folks! I'll get someone to take a look. Much appreciated!

 

[Frank99]

The AC appears to be connected with a non-metallic whip Liquidtight Non-Metallic A/C Whip - Wire - Electrical - The Home Depot I'm not sure if any metallic conduit is connected on either side. I could be wrong though.

That flexible conduit comes in both metallic and non metallic variants. Hard to tell which it is, but if it was metallic it would be acting as the safety ground for the a/c.

 

[Dmagyar]

I’m looking at the difference in reflection, in the two connectors in the first picture...the first containing the feed looks to be dull and may be pvc, and wouldn’t be able to supply any grounding. It also appears to be connected via a concentric knock out which is not sufficient to supply grounding with out a grounding conductor. Looks to have been installed by chincy electric which was one of my instructors favorite go to’s as the bare minimum code required...this may be even a cheaper installation devoid of NEC compliance...