Dryer Buddy Worth It?

[Concade1]

Looking at running this setup for my home charging...

Dryer Buddy
Power Tunnel

My laundry room shares a wall with my garage so my thought is to just use the DB and pass the line through the wall, then hang my charger in the garage. Looking at this setup since running a fresh 14-50 line will run me around $3K (current breaker is full). Anyone see any issues with this or have any nightmares with the Dryer Buddy to share?

 

[ucmndd]

That looks like a reasonable setup given your current limitations, should work well.

I’ve not heard any horror stories about the dryer buddy, seems to be a well engineered and thought-through piece of kit.

 

[Concade1]

That looks like a reasonable setup given your current limitations, should work well.

I’ve not heard any horror stories about the dryer buddy, seems to be a well engineered and thought-through piece of kit.

That's the same impression I've been getting. Figure it'll be easier to set that up for <$1K vs cutting through my entire house to have a 14-50 installed. Plus the 10-30 charging time is supposedly ~17mph so that would be more than enough for my daily commute.

 

[DOCAL]

Looking at running this setup for my home charging...

Dryer Buddy
Power Tunnel

My laundry room shares a wall with my garage so my thought is to just use the DB and pass the line through the wall, then hang my charger in the garage. Looking at this setup since running a fresh 14-50 line will run me around $3K (current breaker is full). Anyone see any issues with this or have any nightmares with the Dryer Buddy to share?

I've used a dryer buddy for a year with no problems at all. Solid product.

 

[Rocky_H]

Well, I had to check the links, because I recommend AGAINST the standard version of the Dryer Buddy, where both outlets are live, and you just promise that you won't use both at the same time. Just a bad idea.
But the PLUS AUTO version is the only one I will recommend, and I see that's the one you have selected, so good job.

and the Power Tunnel I had never heard of. That looks like a really good method to put a connection through a wall appropriately. I like it.

 

[JimBob 909]

Looking at running this setup for my home charging...

Dryer Buddy
Power Tunnel

My laundry room shares a wall with my garage so my thought is to just use the DB and pass the line through the wall, then hang my charger in the garage. Looking at this setup since running a fresh 14-50 line will run me around $3K (current breaker is full). Anyone see any issues with this or have any nightmares with the Dryer Buddy to share?

I imagine that the garage wall is a fire rated wall. Get a permit and have it inspected.

 

[Concade1]

I imagine that the garage wall is a fire rated wall. Get a permit and have it inspected.

Is that common in a single family house? I would think that this is generally used in rowhomes/apartments/etc. I guess a cure all would be to just have an electrician come out for $100 and do the wall work for me?

 

[JimBob 909]

Is that common in a single family house? I would think that this is generally used in rowhomes/apartments/etc. I guess a cure all would be to just have an electrician come out for $100 and do the wall work for me?

That's code for residences in California ( I imagine most sates). Garages have oil and gasoline for lawn mowers etc. It looks like the power tunnel is designed for fire rated, as that's their selling point. Looks like the dryer buddy auto and power tunnel are a good combo.

 

[Rocky_H]

Yeah, the fire rated wall thing is a normal part of residential building code. And that's why it's a bit sketchy when people come up with ideas of just cutting a hole and loosely poking an extension cord through out. That breaks that kind of protection. That's why this Power Tunnel thing is a pretty interesting idea. Mounting a receptacle box in a wall does not defeat or bypass that fire protection aspect.

 

[JimBob 909]

Looking at running this setup for my home charging...

Dryer Buddy
Power Tunnel

My laundry room shares a wall with my garage so my thought is to just use the DB and pass the line through the wall, then hang my charger in the garage. Looking at this setup since running a fresh 14-50 line will run me around $3K (current breaker is full). Anyone see any issues with this or have any nightmares with the Dryer Buddy to share?

Let us know how it turns out. I went ahead and did the full on wall charger since I had the space and power in my electrical panel. Had it done by a elect. contractor, pricey but worth it. Charges at 44mph. Set it to come on at 2:00 am when less demand on the grid. The dryer buddy & power tunnel may work at daughters house when we're there. I'll look into it. I'm not sure what outlets she has in her garage.

 

[JimBob 909]

Looking at running this setup for my home charging...

Dryer Buddy
Power Tunnel

My laundry room shares a wall with my garage so my thought is to just use the DB and pass the line through the wall, then hang my charger in the garage. Looking at this setup since running a fresh 14-50 line will run me around $3K (current breaker is full). Anyone see any issues with this or have any nightmares with the Dryer Buddy to share?

I forgot....enjoy the car. We love ours...so quiet and smooth.

 

[Concade1]

I forgot....enjoy the car. We love ours...so quiet and smooth.

Hell if I get it sometime soon I'll definitely do just that haha. First time Tesla buyer so I'm pretty excited to get in there!

 

[Concade1]

Let us know how it turns out. I went ahead and did the full on wall charger since I had the space and power in my electrical panel. Had it done by a elect. contractor, pricey but worth it. Charges at 44mph. Set it to come on at 2:00 am when less demand on the grid. The dryer buddy & power tunnel may work at daughters house when we're there. I'll look into it. I'm not sure what outlets she has in her garage.

Yeah I'll definitely post pictures and any issues I might run into. Seems like a pretty straightforward solution so hopefully it's as easy as I'm imagining it to be!

 

[emmiebud]

Looking at running this setup for my home charging...

Dryer Buddy
Power Tunnel

My laundry room shares a wall with my garage so my thought is to just use the DB and pass the line through the wall, then hang my charger in the garage. Looking at this setup since running a fresh 14-50 line will run me around $3K (current breaker is full). Anyone see any issues with this or have any nightmares with the Dryer Buddy to share?

Good afternoon,

What charge rate to you get with this setup? I was thinking of doing this but also was going to get an electrician over. I wonder if they frown on this setup. I hope not because it seems like an amazing solution.

Thanks
Brian

 

[Concade1]

Good afternoon,

What charge rate to you get with this setup? I was thinking of doing this but also was going to get an electrician over. I wonder if they frown on this setup. I hope not because it seems like an amazing solution.

Thanks
Brian

Well I should be able to answer your electrician question come next week. Have one coming out to quote a 14-50 installation and going to ask him regarding the power tunnel installation (Dryer Buddy is DIY and super easy). Dryer buddy should be arriving same day as the electrician so hopefully I can show him exactly what it is.

As for the charge rate I should get the advertised 17mph per Tesla's chart on my Model S (my dryer is a 10-30).

 

[Concade1]

Good afternoon,

What charge rate to you get with this setup? I was thinking of doing this but also was going to get an electrician over. I wonder if they frown on this setup. I hope not because it seems like an amazing solution.

Thanks
Brian

Electrician came out, he has never seen or heard of something like the Dryer Buddy (not exactly surprising) but he said that it sounds like a solid setup.

 

[AZTech]

Concade1, did you end up going with this setup? I'm looking at going this route as well since the 21mph charge rate for my pending Model Y will be more than sufficient and definitely preferable over the $3.5K I was quoted for a new 14-50 install.

 

[Concade1]

Concade1, did you end up going with this setup? I'm looking at going this route as well since the 21mph charge rate for my pending Model Y will be more than sufficient and definitely preferable over the $3.5K I was quoted for a new 14-50 install.

So I did go with it... But I have yet to actually get my MS to test it lol.

I ended up saving between $2-3K since the electrician didn't have to run a brand new 14-50 line and cut through my entire house (panel and garage are on opposite sides of the house).

 

[sharri27]

I would highly suggest using the NeoCharge Smart Splitter instead of the Dryer Buddy which is similar but is fully UL safety certified and allows for two cars to charge at the same time on one NEMA 14-50 outlet. They also have some pretty big utility partnerships which let me know you can trust them.