ESA Permit on Homeowner-Installed Tesla Wall Charger?

[likkuid]

Hey all. My [competent] father just installed my wall charger in the garage. I did not know I needed a permit prior to this as well as an ESA inspection. I want to do things legally.

I'm finding conflicting info. Gov of Ontario website says a licensed electrician must do the work (my father is not), yet I've seen an electrician on TMC post that a homeowner is allowed to do the work and pull an ESA permit himself.

From my understanding, I can contact an electrician to examine the work and pass it w/ ESA—is this correct? We're using a dedicated cable from the garage to the basement, attached to a dedicated 60A breaker.

Any advice as to best course of action would be appreciated, thank you.

 

[Donuts]

Call ESA tell them you want to open and pay the $80 (can’t remember exact amount) for a homeowner EV charger installation permit.

They will ask/tell you several times that you are doing the work yourself, NOT help from your friend, neighbour, family. Answer yes.

Call them back in a few weeks and tell them you want to book the final inspection. Don’t think you need the rough in inspection.

They will ask you a few questions and look at the charger. They want to make sure you used a clamp connector at the back of the wall charger where the wire enters the unit.

 

[pbcsd]

^^^^This.

Did mine a few months ago and had the inspector in several weeks ago to get it approved. Guy only aske dme to disconnect the plate from the Tesla wall charger so he could see the back, and then open up the garage subpanel I installed. Which reminds me, I thought he said I would receive something in the mail but I never did.

I found it odd that the inspector doesn't actually check the basement panel onnections and/or ask questions about load, but whatever.

 

[wayner]

Do you still need a kill switch adjacent to the wall charger?

 

[likkuid]

^^^^This.

Did mine a few months ago and had the inspector in several weeks ago to get it approved. Guy only aske dme to disconnect the plate from the Tesla wall charger so he could see the back, and then open up the garage subpanel I installed. Which reminds me, I thought he said I would receive something in the mail but I never did.

I found it odd that the inspector doesn't actually check the basement panel onnections and/or ask questions about load, but whatever.

Do you need a garage sub panel? Mine is fed from basement panel to garage.

 

[pbcsd]

Do you need a garage sub panel? Mine is fed from basement panel to garage.

I don't believe so, though possibly at a certain amperage you need a way to terminate the feed/kill switch as @wayner mentions above but I could be wrong on that. Obviously a subpanel is a more expensive way to do that!

I just figured, I only needed about 15 feet of wire to where I put the panel and if I went with 2 chargers down the road I could just route the other one from the subpanel so it is somewhat future proofed that way, albeit limited on a 100amp subpanel to two 40 amp breakers. For now I am just using one 60amp.

 

[Vawlkus]

Do you still need a kill switch adjacent to the wall charger?

If you setup more than a 50 amp breaker, yes.

 

[Tony_YYZ]

If you setup more than a 50 amp breaker, yes.

I have a 60 amp breaker with no kill switch installed. Certified by ESA.

 

[likkuid]

I contacted a smart charging company as I wasn’t OK saying I did the work myself when I didn’t. For $500 they came, inspected, get permit, etc.

This is what they said for anyone it may benefit:

• Please use a 6/3 BX copper (also called AC-90) wire (or Romex). If you are using Romex, any part of the wire running below 6ft in your garage must run in a pipe. If you use BX, it's not necessary.
• If you are going with a 60A line, you have to install a shut off switch within 5 feet of the charger. This is required by code for any device with a load of 60A or more. If you go with a 50A breaker, you don't need to install the shut off switch.

Searching the site, a few other instances I found Canada is AT 60A OR more for ESA. US is over 60A.

 

[pbcsd]

I contacted a smart charging company as I wasn’t OK saying I did the work myself when I didn’t. For $500 they came, inspected, get permit, etc.

This is what they said for anyone it may benefit:

• Please use a 6/3 BX copper (also called AC-90) wire (or Romex). If you are using Romex, any part of the wire running below 6ft in your garage must run in a pipe. If you use BX, it's not necessary.
• If you are going with a 60A line, you have to install a shut off switch within 5 feet of the charger. This is required by code for any device with a load of 60A or more. If you go with a 50A breaker, you don't need to install the shut off switch.

Searching the site, a few other instances I found Canada is AT 60A OR more for ESA. US is over 60A.

Seems...odd...that they'd recommend running ROMEX in a pipe, unless it's a very short unprotected run. Pretty sure long runs aren't permitted to be run in PVC given the heat build up (Romex is already insulated). But maybe I'm wrong and/or you can do it as long as you have quite the large PVC pipe.

 

[wayner]

I contacted a smart charging company as I wasn’t OK saying I did the work myself when I didn’t. For $500 they came, inspected, get permit, etc.

This is what they said for anyone it may benefit:

• Please use a 6/3 BX copper (also called AC-90) wire (or Romex). If you are using Romex, any part of the wire running below 6ft in your garage must run in a pipe. If you use BX, it's not necessary.

I believe Romex is a brand that makes wiring. I believe that when most people say Romex generically they mean the typically 120V wiring run to typical outlets in North America that is two 14 gauge wires with an unshielded copper ground. 6/3 Romex is 6 gauge with 3 conductors plus a ground and is much more heavy duty than typical household wiring.

 

[Accelerate]

My 60 amp breaker, 48 amp load was installed without a shutoff switch. It was done by an election that just did EV installs. The ESA inspector walked me through everything he was looking for and was quite educational. The install passed without issues. Don't know if the rules have changed in the last three years.

 

[pbcsd]

I believe Romex is a brand that makes wiring. I believe that when most people say Romex generically they mean the typically 120V wiring run to typical outlets in North America that is two 14 gauge wires with an unshielded copper ground. 6/3 Romex is 6 gauge with 3 conductors plus a ground and is much more heavy duty than typical household wiring.

Ah, I always think of Romex as the typical insulated wire used in houses for standard electrical wiring.

 

[MLXXXp]

Ah, I always think of Romex as the typical insulated wire used in houses for standard electrical wiring.

Yes, Romex is a brand name but is commonly used to refer to generic NMD90 (Non-Metalic Dry, 90°C) cable extensively used for house wiring. Although 14 gauge is very common, as it is used for 120V 15A standard house circuits, other gauges are available.

Seems...odd...that they'd recommend running ROMEX in a pipe, unless it's a very short unprotected run. Pretty sure long runs aren't permitted to be run in PVC given the heat build up (Romex is already insulated).

There are no rules in the Canadian Electrical Code that prevent you from running NMD90 in conduit, as long as the maximum fill requirements aren't exceeded and the general rules for running conduit are followed. The reason it isn't usually done is because it can be difficult to pull NMD90 thought conduit, especially if there are bends. Besides, NMD90 is intended to be run "bare" as long as it's protected.

If there are short lengths of an NMD90 run that are exposed and need to be protected, conduit can be used. In this case it would be considered to be a sleeve rather than a conduit.

 

[Calliope]

My 60 amp breaker, 48 amp load was installed without a shutoff switch. It was done by an election that just did EV installs.

Mine as well, and I got a pass on the ESA inspection for some reason (approved without an in-person inspection). I presume based on the records and history of the company that did it?

 

[X.l.r.8]

Seems even more odd that they want 6/3 for a 240v installation.

 

[likkuid]

Update: the company that came to inspect my father’s work and apply for the permit on my behalf submitted an ESA inspection request Tuesday. ESA never showed up and the permit was granted. OK. Lol.