Garage Charger Configuration Recommendations

[TankoftheNorth]

I've been surviving off a regular 110v outlet in my garage since getting my Model 3 last September, but I've decided to go through with getting a wall charger. I have some general questions though, based on I have a regular sized 2 car garage with the door to enter my house in the back right of the garage.

1) How many people have theirs installed on the side of their garage versus the back? Right now I back my car in to plug into one of the many 110v I have on my work bench. I'm debating to put the wall charge above my work bench which is closest to my panel in my basement. But this would mean I continue backing in. If I ran it from my basement and out the back wall of my garage and then wrapped it around the side wall I could pull in on the left of my garage. But that would mean more cost in running the wire.

2) For those who have a second meter on their house that's only for their Tesla, did you have a second panel installed in your garage?

3) If I don't get a panel installed and use my existing panel in the basement for the new meter and charger, would I run the wire for the charger directly through my basement wall and into my garage? Or would it make sense to follow the existing wiring out of the basement to where the meter is (and the new one), and then go through my garage from the outside of the house? I have a bump out that would make this a minimal distance to do and allow for going through the back of the garage, so it comes down to: is there a difference in going through my basement wall that shares with the garage, or just go straight through the outside of the garage directly from the new meter?

Thanks for the feedback (and yes I'll contact some electricians to get their opinions and quotes too!)

 

[ewoodrick]

Your options are unlimited, but the budget often dictates the options. Garages are generally on concrete and often have 1-3 exterior walls. These make routing cables problematic. Sure, it may be done, but cosmetics and $$ enter the equation quickly.

Extra meters often cost money, is even allowed. And quite often, the 2 meters have to be on the same billing type plan. (i.e. no time of use on one, but flat on the other)

On the wall, near the panel is probably the best bet. I'd recommend a NEMA 14-50 plug and get a second UMC. That gives best ease of use, with the most flexibility and lower cost. And since you have been relatively happy with 120V charging, there seems to be no real need for higher current charging.

 

[TankoftheNorth]

Your options are unlimited, but the budget often dictates the options. Garages are generally on concrete and often have 1-3 exterior walls. These make routing cables problematic. Sure, it may be done, but cosmetics and $$ enter the equation quickly.

Extra meters often cost money, is even allowed. And quite often, the 2 meters have to be on the same billing type plan. (i.e. no time of use on one, but flat on the other)

On the wall, near the panel is probably the best bet. I'd recommend a NEMA 14-50 plug and get a second UMC. That gives best ease of use, with the most flexibility and lower cost. And since you have been relatively happy with 120V charging, there seems to be no real need for higher current charging.

My local energy provider has a time-of-use plan where they offer you a free second meter that runs off your existing meter and it can be for your EV or the entire house. I'm thinking of using it for EV only.

When you say NEMA 14-50, you are recommending not going with the Tesla brand wall charger, correct? You are saying most flexibility because with the wall charger you can only charge the car, correct? Thanks for the input!

 

[Petrlol]

My two cents is to put the HPWC right between the 2 garage doors. Then you can park in either bay forward, possibly even backward, and still be able to plug in. Also, you could park outside, and the cord would reach if needed.

I didn't have power in my garage, so I pulled 1/0 SER to the garage for a 100AMP panel. I installed a 14-50 right next to the new panel, but as soon as I get the funds I'm putting a HPWC between the doors. The 14-50 with another UMC would save you roughly $200, but I just don't see myself getting any other EV but a Tesla, and I like the fact it's hard wired and not just plugged into a plug on the wall. And it charges faster... which I don't need... but yeah.

 

[TankoftheNorth]

My two cents is to put the HPWC right between the 2 garage doors. Then you can park in either bay forward, possibly even backward, and still be able to plug in. Also, you could park outside, and the cord would reach if needed.

I didn't have power in my garage, so I pulled 1/0 SER to the garage for a 100AMP panel. I installed a 14-50 right next to the new panel, but as soon as I get the funds I'm putting a HPWC between the doors. The 14-50 with another UMC would save you roughly $200, but I just don't see myself getting any other EV but a Tesla, and I like the fact it's hard wired and not just plugged into a plug on the wall. And it charges faster... which I don't need... but yeah.

My 2 car garage only has one door, so there's not space between them to install a charger. That's why I'm left with the option of installing something on the middle of the back wall (between where the two cars park), or on the left wall (look at the garage) toward the garage door.

 

[Sophias_dad]

I have two individual bays, and park nose-in. The HPWC is on the left of one bay, and I ran the cable over to the middle divider on some very nice hooks, and park in the right bay. The cord is just right, and when I disconnect, it doesn't need to get coiled. Obviously that wouldn't work well for you.

If it were me, I'd place the charger somewhere its a one-handed, clean operation to connect and disconnect. I'd also be generally averse to backing in all the time. It takes longer and has a considerably higher likelihood of disaster, although with a single two-car bay neither of those are as bad for your situation.

I'd take the left hand bay and put in an 8 or 24' charger, myself. Dragging a powerline back and forth every day would make me quite unhappy.

One more idea would be to run the powerline down the middle of the garage bays, in the space below the open door. You'd need some serious cantilevered structure to be able to do it, but it would allow your HPWC to live right next to your panel and still park nose-in. The ceiling height and length of your garage would be critical.

Yet another idea would be to run the powerline down the middle of the floor with a cable protector, but that would leave you with the major problem of what to do with the plug when its not plugged in to the car.

 

[Sophias_dad]

This thread might be of interest to OP....

Charging in the middle of the garage

 

[jerry33]

1) I have one on the side (32 amp Clipper Creek), and one in the front (NEMA 14-50).
2) No second metre, the one on the side has a separate panel but the second panel serves more than just the EVSE. (Clipper Creek to charge the Leaf and be a backup for the Model S, 110V for the Leaf backup.)
3) I just had surface conduit run to the second panel.