Help with setting up at home charging

[hydro 481]

I'm a kind of a noob when it comes to EV charging so I would appreciate some help. I'm buying a new construction home and there's an option for $825 that reads "OPT 50 AMP 240V Wire and Breaker at STD Electric Vehicle (EV) location in Garage. Outlet trim is~not included and will be blanked off"

My question is should I go with this option and have the builder install or higher an electrician to perhaps install a 60 AMP? I'm planning to buy the $500 Tesla Wall Connector. Also, what does "outlet trim is not included and will be blanked off" mean?

 

[Fean07]

It depends how comfortable you are with installing electrical. my house was EV ready, just with conduit in the wall, and space in the electrical panel for the Breaker. So all i needed to do was run the wire in the existing conduit, install the breaker, connect the wire and that’s it.

If you are comfortable doing it then dont pay the extra 825$. If you end up calling somebody, 825$ is probably what you will pay anyway, between material and electrician cost

 

[RayK]

My assumption is that the "outlet trim is not included" means that the wires will be terminated inside a junction / outlet box and that the actual socket is not included. But I'm not an electrician. Your best bet would be to contact the builder and get that clarified. Only they know what's going on.

Depending upon what car you have or are going to get, a 60A circuit (48A continuous current) may not be all that useful. Some cars are limited to 32A. It certainly would be good to do that for future-proofing your charging system but it also requires a bigger wire gauge to support the higher current.

Also, buying the option from the builder may not be the cheapest solution. Sure it would be nice to have everything ready to go and no re-work done (i.e., opening up drywall, patching, painting, etc.), but I'd say ask around for some quotes and see what independent electricians would charge, given the same wiring scheme as what the builder is proposing (distance from panel to outlet, same size wire gauge, conduit if needed/required, etc.). If the "STD EV location in the garage" is right behind the panel, $825 is kinda high in my opinion).

 

[Sophias_dad]

I guess if its a question of "What do I get for my $825?", its a total ripoff. As @RayK suggested, its very dependent on where your main panel is vs your garage. Assuming its close, you are paying $825 for a breaker(GFCI, maybe?), a few feet of cable, and an electrical box which will probably be too small to install a good quality 15-40. A few feet of 6-3 is like $15, the breaker is $20-150. It'd be $20-30 if it were not GFCI. Additionally, its no big deal, but if they plan for you to put in an outlet, the wires left in the box will NOT be long enough for an HPWC.


The electrical box isn't needed for a HPWC, and a GFCI breaker isn't needed or desired for an HPWC.


If its longer wire, it becomes better to do, but is still a ripoff. Running wire before the walls are up is MUCH easier.

 

[davewill]

Personally, I'd do it. It will be professionally installed under the drywall, and you can use it either for a wall connector or a mobile connector. If you have it done later, it will likely be in conduit on the wall, or you will be stuck with having to patch and drywall.

 

[Rocky_H]

Like @davewill was saying, I would do it just to have it all in before sheetrock so it looks pristine. I would go ahead and ask if you can maybe add $20 on that option and have them do it as a 60A circuit, but if not, the 50A is still really good.

 

[roblab]

Many of us, myself included, have been charging on a 50 amp circuit (meaning using 40 amps) for years. I've owned four Teslas, all of which have been charged in my garage most of the time. We charge at night when the rates are lowest, and the cars are full every morning. I have only a 220 volt outlet, and it works fine, year after year.

I personally feel that buying a "charger" for $800 is silly when a $20 outlet from The Home Depot will do the same job.

 

[Big Earl]

I personally feel that buying a "charger" for $800 is silly when a $20 outlet from The Home Depot will do the same job.

The "charger" is $495, and the $20 outlet from The Home Depot (made by Leviton) is a fire hazard (example 1, example 2, example 3). If you're going to recommend a NEMA 14-50 receptacle, at least recommend a good one (Bryant, Cooper, Hubbell).

 

[jstjohnz]

If you go with the option of installing a circuit when the house is built, make sure that it is where you want it to be.
I installed mine in the front of the garage between two garage doors. That way I can charge vehicles in the garage on either side if pulled straight in, or charge vehicles outside if backed up to the garage.

 

[Regaj]

Whether it's a good deal or not is entirely dependent upon where the main panel is vs. where the unterminated EV charging connection would be placed. But even if it's relatively close, be aware that the heavy gauge wiring needed is not cheap. I paid ~$300 for 50' of 6/3 Romex on my installation, doing the work myself. And fifty feet of wire isn't really a lot. Every twist and turn your wiring run makes chews up footage.

For someone not comfortable with doing that kind of electrical work themselves - which is probably most people - I think the builder's "package" deal makes a lot of sense. Especially if they'll leave an extra foot or so of wire at the termination end, so it'll fit into the HPWC. Like @davewill notes, having a clean installation, before the drywall goes up, will serve you well for the life of the house.

 

[hydro 481]

Thanks everyone for your input. I'll go with the builder's option

 

[SWIPE]

Congrats on a new home , charger and a Tesla!

 

[pete462002]

My 2 cents - have them do it but do some research. You say you want the Tesla wall connector. If you want that great. You want them to wire it to the max potential. Probably a 60 amp non GFCI and 4 gauge wire to handle 48 amp load. Tesla connector only asks for 3 wires but have them pull 4 in case you decide to go NEMA 14-50. (two hots, neutral and ground). Just my opinion!