Downtown San Diego Private Condo Tesla Charging station help!

[Omar777]

Does anyone know an electrician they can recommend to install a NEMA 10-30 in Downtown San Diego? (with permits for HOA approval)

Or has anyone else gone through the process of installing a charging station on your private parking spot in a condo building?

I started with a Tesla recommended electric company but I am stuck on the permit process since they have not been able to provide the city with the electrical data the city needs to approve. I am not even sure what will happen if I change the contractor on my permit application with the city since I already paid the fees to the city.

I am starting to get frustrated because I have been on this EVCS installation process for the last 8 months now. I really hope to be able to continue the installation with the current electrical contractor, but it seems the owner is the only one who processes the permits and he is not working right now since he is on a paternal leave from work.

I submitted the permit as owner-builder and named them as the licensed contractor performing the work, but yesterday they emailed me to say they currently could not correct the issues the city was requesting until the owner returns...

They have provided great service throughout but it seems they might not be able to provide me with the electrical requirements the city is asking for or maybe they don't want to do it anymore... I don't blame them, they quoted me in January 2021 and I have been meeting with the HOA and the BOARD every month for the last 8 months to work on my architectural application approval.

I am the first owner to try and install a nema 10-30 in my private parking space at my condo building and I had expected the process to delay a bit. It looks like next month it be submitted for a 28 day member review to see if other homeowners in the building have any issues or suggestions with my installation. I am hoping that by next month or the following I will have HOA / Board approval.

The other approval I need is the city permit, which I am working on simultaneously , already got approved by the structural department so I am only missing the electrical review to approve but it seems many electricians are not used to working with the city and with submitting permits online...

To make things more complicated it as an expensive installation, a couple thousand dollars for the installation since it is an approximate 200 feet conduit run from my meter to my parking space.

The current electrical company wants me to pay more money for electrical plans and other requirements the city is asking for and wait for the owner to return... $1,000 more...

or they also suggested I hire an electrical engineer to draw the plans and pay him myself...

These are the additional requirements from the city:

1)Provide complete electrical plans showing EVCS outlet location , conductor size and ratings, complete schedule for panel feeding EVCS showing all loads and totals, manufacturer data sheet showing its listed by a NRTL

2)Provide load calculations per CEC 2019, Art. 220 as applicable. Submitted calculations does not calculate EV charger loads as long continuous At 125%

3)Feeder length for EV charger is shown. Provide voltage drop % to show total VD% is not exceeding 5%.

I am trying to decide If I stay with this company and pay them more money (already gave them a 25% deposit to lock in the price) or find someone else that will submit the permit information the city needs and possibly incur more delays and fees with the city. (Already paid the city about $1,000 in permit fees)

I have not heard back from this company since I emailed and called but it just seems like they would be able to do a good job and I am worried that if I change contractors in the middle of the process it might take much longer for me to be able to charge my car at home.

I drive a lot and have to charge almost every day, it is very inconvenient but I just have to look into the best way to complete the process and start charging at home.

Thanks for reading and looking forward to some ideas, suggestions or comments from other Tesla Owners..

 

[RandyS]

Sent you a Private Message...

 

[miles-w]

A few owners in my building have used Chula Vista Electric although I can't comment on their experience. I have not taken delivery yet but curious who you end up using and if you'd recommend.

 

[Wennfred]

I have a friend that can also do the job, he has installed Tesla Wall chargers and the NEMA all over San Diego, if Randy’s guy falls through, then send me a PM.

Fred

 

[Jim Dean]

Does anyone know an electrician they can recommend to install a NEMA 10-30 in Downtown San Diego? (with permits for HOA approval)

Or has anyone else gone through the process of installing a charging station on your private parking spot in a condo building?

I started with a Tesla recommended electric company but I am stuck on the permit process since they have not been able to provide the city with the electrical data the city needs to approve. I am not even sure what will happen if I change the contractor on my permit application with the city since I already paid the fees to the city.

I am starting to get frustrated because I have been on this EVCS installation process for the last 8 months now. I really hope to be able to continue the installation with the current electrical contractor, but it seems the owner is the only one who processes the permits and he is not working right now since he is on a paternal leave from work.

I submitted the permit as owner-builder and named them as the licensed contractor performing the work, but yesterday they emailed me to say they currently could not correct the issues the city was requesting until the owner returns...

They have provided great service throughout but it seems they might not be able to provide me with the electrical requirements the city is asking for or maybe they don't want to do it anymore... I don't blame them, they quoted me in January 2021 and I have been meeting with the HOA and the BOARD every month for the last 8 months to work on my architectural application approval.

I am the first owner to try and install a nema 10-30 in my private parking space at my condo building and I had expected the process to delay a bit. It looks like next month it be submitted for a 28 day member review to see if other homeowners in the building have any issues or suggestions with my installation. I am hoping that by next month or the following I will have HOA / Board approval.

The other approval I need is the city permit, which I am working on simultaneously , already got approved by the structural department so I am only missing the electrical review to approve but it seems many electricians are not used to working with the city and with submitting permits online...

To make things more complicated it as an expensive installation, a couple thousand dollars for the installation since it is an approximate 200 feet conduit run from my meter to my parking space.

The current electrical company wants me to pay more money for electrical plans and other requirements the city is asking for and wait for the owner to return... $1,000 more...

or they also suggested I hire an electrical engineer to draw the plans and pay him myself...

These are the additional requirements from the city:

1)Provide complete electrical plans showing EVCS outlet location , conductor size and ratings, complete schedule for panel feeding EVCS showing all loads and totals, manufacturer data sheet showing its listed by a NRTL

2)Provide load calculations per CEC 2019, Art. 220 as applicable. Submitted calculations does not calculate EV charger loads as long continuous At 125%

3)Feeder length for EV charger is shown. Provide voltage drop % to show total VD% is not exceeding 5%.

I am trying to decide If I stay with this company and pay them more money (already gave them a 25% deposit to lock in the price) or find someone else that will submit the permit information the city needs and possibly incur more delays and fees with the city. (Already paid the city about $1,000 in permit fees)

I have not heard back from this company since I emailed and called but it just seems like they would be able to do a good job and I am worried that if I change contractors in the middle of the process it might take much longer for me to be able to charge my car at home.

I drive a lot and have to charge almost every day, it is very inconvenient but I just have to look into the best way to complete the process and start charging at home.

Thanks for reading and looking forward to some ideas, suggestions or comments from other Tesla Owners..

On the other end of the country (Vermont) I am also starting the process of trying to install charging in my deeded, individual parking spot in my high rise condo, where the multi-level garage is within the building envelope. My research has led me, via my municipal electric utility, to this solution -https://dccelectric.com/dcc-9/. The company tells me they have installations in 23 states (alas, not Vermont - yet), but perhaps they have worked with an electrical contractor in your area who figured out how to jump through the hoops to get it done for you.. Might be worth an inquiry.

 

[ookmar]

Is there an alternative similar product like the DCC available or is it the only one of its kind?

 

[Jim Dean]

My electric utility also mentioned this product - Meter Collar Adapters for Distributed Energy Resources - ConnectDER, though I have not researched it as fully as I did the DCC-9.

 

[Kevy Baby]

When trying to find something in a specific area, always try the regional sections of TMS; in this case, California (and personally, I think there should be separate Northern and Southern California sections, but I digress)

 

[evchargerinca]

On the other end of the country (Vermont) I am also starting the process of trying to install charging in my deeded, individual parking spot in my high rise condo, where the multi-level garage is within the building envelope. My research has led me, via my municipal electric utility, to this solution -https://dccelectric.com/dcc-9/. The company tells me they have installations in 23 states (alas, not Vermont - yet), but perhaps they have worked with an electrical contractor in your area who figured out how to jump through the hoops to get it done for you.. Might be worth an inquiry.

We are looking to install a charger in our 30 unit condo in CA for the few (3) residents who have EVs. Initially, we thought DCC would suffice, however, one electrical company we talked to suggests that we still need to manage electricity consumption to the whole building and not just the maximum capacity allocated to each unit. The electrical company is suggesting we install a smart charger that can load balance the consumption when number of EVs grow at our condominium. Smart charger (Wallbox) do load balancing over WiFi or Bluetooth and all parking places would need to have the Wallbox charger for load balancing approach to work. I don't know how practical is that approach, of requiring anyone wanting to have an EV charger install Wallbox. Does DCC allow any number of residents to have the same set up or would building run out of overall capacity after a certain number of residents install DCC? Thanks.

 

[Marco747]

Hi All - piggybacking on this thread. Made an account just for this … I’m also in downtown San Diego in a high rise, and am having some trouble navigating the process to get a charger proposal together and in front of the HOA. I actually am having trouble finding any electricians at all willing to take on this project. Similar setup as others on here - meter room with a single main breaker on the ground floor, my parking spot is 2 levels down in P2 (thankfully not post-tension concrete, so does not require Xraying …).

One quick question about the DCC-9 - I see that it has a 125A max load, but my unit’s main breaker (the one by the meter) is 200A. My building is from 2005. Is the idea that with that much you don’t need a DCC at all?

If I could receive some recommendations for well trusted electricians in the San Diego area with this type of experience, I would greatly appreciate it.