We also have a Supercharger very close (200 yds?) but we've only used it once in 4.5 yrs MS ownership. It is so much more convenient to plug in as soon as we come in the garage. Car is ready next time we need it. We could have gotten by with just 240v 40 amp. Wall Connector is nice because it has it's own cable and plug.
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Free unlimited supercharging vs (paying for) installing charger at home...
- Thread starter Nguyenning
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1.) Constant supercharging isn’t good for the longevity of the battery. Supercharges are there be be used when needed not meant for a primary charging option
2.) One of the best perks of a Tesla is the convenience factor. No more time wasted at gas stations. Plug in when you get home and your car is always ready to go the next morning. You will love your car even more with st home charging
3.) The cost may seem high up front but you save that in gas and time with a few months
Good luck
feierbach
Member
I got a 220VAC outlet installed next to the car for $500 but I had 220 already in the house. If you don't have 220 in the house already it can be expensive. You can charge overnight with 110 but that will only give you a partial 'tank' full. If you have a local supercharger you're in great shape.
cusman
Member
I had couple of 220v 40amp circuits added to my garage while my home was being built which cost $300 each. Once I got Model 3, I bought $500 Wall Connector and then paid an Electrician to mount that to one of those 220v 40amp circuits for around $150.
A 60amp circuit would have cost $600 each and honestly, the 40amp circuit gives charge rate of 30 miles / hour which is sufficient to charge up over night. In fact most days we don't need to charge more than 2 hours worth and it can be done while the sun is still out in which case our Solar System install is able to provide that power.
Putting your own Solar System and home charging can be best solution. That said, while traveling long distance we have used Supercharger and it is still significantly cheaper than what it would have cost in Gas equivalent for the kind of miles we did.
In your case, the SC use is free so your only cost for relying mainly on that would be your time. I like the convenience of charging at home.
A 60amp circuit would have cost $600 each and honestly, the 40amp circuit gives charge rate of 30 miles / hour which is sufficient to charge up over night. In fact most days we don't need to charge more than 2 hours worth and it can be done while the sun is still out in which case our Solar System install is able to provide that power.
Putting your own Solar System and home charging can be best solution. That said, while traveling long distance we have used Supercharger and it is still significantly cheaper than what it would have cost in Gas equivalent for the kind of miles we did.
In your case, the SC use is free so your only cost for relying mainly on that would be your time. I like the convenience of charging at home.
If you are a one car family and you have a garage or house parking to charge it.. Go with a Tesla Destination Charger.
I bought one from Tesla and hired an electrician for $95 to install it on a 60amp circuit .. There was capacity in my panel which I upgraded 2 years ago after a lightening strike that blew out many breakers.
things to consider..
1. what if you get a call late at night for an emergency and you must go out ? that 15 or 20 amp trickle charge won't likely be adequate
2. what if you have a power failure thru part of your nightly charge? you may not have enough in the morning.
3. it is more convenient, by far to plug in a Tesla destination charger than digging out for supplied cord and adapters.. especially it you charge outdoors in rain or snow
I bought one from Tesla and hired an electrician for $95 to install it on a 60amp circuit .. There was capacity in my panel which I upgraded 2 years ago after a lightening strike that blew out many breakers.
things to consider..
1. what if you get a call late at night for an emergency and you must go out ? that 15 or 20 amp trickle charge won't likely be adequate
2. what if you have a power failure thru part of your nightly charge? you may not have enough in the morning.
3. it is more convenient, by far to plug in a Tesla destination charger than digging out for supplied cord and adapters.. especially it you charge outdoors in rain or snow
If you own (not rent) your home I'd encourage you to get some quotes for just maybe a 30 amp (or higher) 240 volt "dryer plug" type outlet. Ask around with friends any electricians they've used that they liked and call them and ask if they do any side jobs. We had ours installed for like $400 including the parts/labor...our electric panel had enough capacity to add it - if it didn't the job can cost much more quickly, probably around $2k to upgrade a panel. It charges about 30 miles per hour which is enough to juice you up all the way overnight if needed. The supercharger option is great, but it's a hassle to have to stop there a few times a week and you might eventually need to wait in line as more Tesla's are sold, or on holiday weekends and stuff. The 120 volt wall outlet option is an ok backup plan, but I can imagine some scenarios where you don't get enough juice quick enough that way and then are forced to make a supercharger stop when you're already pressed for time which would suck.
It's not expensive to buy a different charging station that's not Tesla specific. Other people who have EVs that are not Tesla can use, and you just have to put on the adaptor. I have one from my first EV; it's not terribly fast, but it sure beats the trickle charge you get just plugging into the outlet!
Yeah, I don't really have any practical choice and the charger install is about the cost of all the gas savings for a couple of years (probably $3k though I haven't gotten the final bill yet and it might be around $500 more). I suspect if anything it might lower my home value since now I have a pedestal with a charger in my back yard, but that is hard to say. Trenching was half the cost, and I guess I could have done that myself if I wanted to spend a day or two on it.
I just considered it part of the purchase price. You get a lot of convenience from it, and I'm looking forward to being able to drive more than 50 miles in a day without having to think about how many days I'll it will take before I can go on a trip...
I just considered it part of the purchase price. You get a lot of convenience from it, and I'm looking forward to being able to drive more than 50 miles in a day without having to think about how many days I'll it will take before I can go on a trip...
BillnKay
Member
I have a Model S and I had a 240 volt plug in my (used for a welder)garage. I plug in every night when I come home and set the car to start charging at midnight. It charges at 39amps according to my screen and is fully charged in the AM. It only cost the price of the cable.(I bought the wall mount) My electric rates are lowest from (PM to 7AM)
Depends on how much you value your time. I would not even consider not being able to charge at home.
If anyone is getting quotes in the thousands for setting up a 240v outlet, they are being ripped off, unless that fee includes replacing your entire electric panel because your old one cannot handle the additional 50amp breaker.
When I bought my Model 3 in March 0f 2018, I looked at the Tesla site and they do have electricians with whom they have "agreements" (Tesla has vetted them?). Those quotes were like $1500-$1600.
I called around to a few reputable electricians in my area and most were in the $400-$500 range to add the 50amp breaker to my existing panel and the NEMA 14-50 outlet in my garage (parts, labor, everything).
(And charging costs me nothing since I put solar panels on my roof in 2016 and so can charge any time of day)
When I bought my Model 3 in March 0f 2018, I looked at the Tesla site and they do have electricians with whom they have "agreements" (Tesla has vetted them?). Those quotes were like $1500-$1600.
I called around to a few reputable electricians in my area and most were in the $400-$500 range to add the 50amp breaker to my existing panel and the NEMA 14-50 outlet in my garage (parts, labor, everything).
(And charging costs me nothing since I put solar panels on my roof in 2016 and so can charge any time of day)
It's just so much more convenient to charge at home and not have to "fill up" at a SC. Install a 240v or use a switch on an existing 240v. I would've stayed with using my mobile charger if my wife didn't mind backing in the car daily.
stevewoz
Member
It depends on your lifestyle. If time matters to you, skip trying to supercharge constantly. The answer also depends on your usage. Some can get by on a 110 v (Level 1) charge every night but others have long daytime usage that would far surpass that, in which case a 240v outlet is needed, at least. Only you have the best answers for yourself, and your answer may change over time. Another option is to someday get a cheaper EV, like a Chevy Bolt EV, for city use and reserve the Tesla for road trips, which is where free charging really pays off.
RedBaronCircus
Member
I gave up FREE supercharging for my P3D for the $5k back on the performance package give back. I Install 240v outlet that only cost me $350. I use my mobile charger as the cord. Was originally using 110v only at home, but as a retired person, charging speed was irrelevant. So there you have it...
Hi! I'm in nearly the same situation with free unlimited supercharging and a supercharger less than a mile away.... And I never supercharge. Haha I have one/soon to be two little kids and it's too inconvenient to drag a toddler to supercharge the car, even though it's free. Our supercharger is always packed too, so that's a factor. I have 12 solar panels and an 240 outlet at home. We had the panels for like 5 yrs before we bought the Tesla, so they're paid off now. Our outlet installation was like $2k. Being a mom I'm all about convenience, but your setup may be different.
Yes, I discovered that the panel in my house (General Pacific or something like that) is no longer approved by US electric folks. So I had the panel replaced, and I think it got more capacity. Then got the 240 V outlet installed in garage. I have had my Model 3 since January and can normally charge with the regular outlet in my garage, but it is pretty slow. I think the NEMO 14-50 will be a good thing to have in the garage anyway...
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