Home Charging Recommendations

[DaveMike11]

Hello,

I'm planning to setup the Home charger in my garage installing the Nema 14-50R outlet to get 29 miles per hour charge. I'm going to hire an electrician to do this work for me. The below are my questions.
1. Can we use 60 Amp breaker instead of the 50 Amp breaker. The reason for this if later i decide to setup the Tesla gen 3 wall charger i can easily swap it instead of changing the 50 Amp breaker from the circuit box.? Just for future proof.
2. Can we use the Romex 6 Guage 6/3 wire with the 60 Amp breaker ?
3. I'm planning to setup outside my drywall using Conduit. Is the Romex 6 Guage 6/3 wire safe to use inside the conduit ? If we put it in a conduit can it shed heat effectively to avoid any fire?.
4. Instead of the Romex 6 Guage 6/3 wire should I use the THHN wire which are individual wires ?

Pls let me know. Thanks in advance.

 

[sparkz]

I believe you will be OK with 6/3 Romex as 6 gauge should handle *up to* 60A in future. I did my NEMA 14-50 myself with 50A breaker and 6/3 Romex with a plan that I could add the Tesla wall charger in future. Now I have 30 miles/hour charge, I don’t see why I’d bother with the Tesla charger - I’d just get another mobile one if anything.

Wire run length can change wire size requirements. On the condiut question, the amount of excess space in the conduit has a bearing on the amperage you can run through it (because of heat dissipation).

 

[gfunkdave]

1. If you are putting in a 14-50 outlet then you can only use either a 40A or 50A breaker. The 14-50 is only rated to handle up to 50A. You can use a 40A breaker (common with electric ranges) because there is no NEMA 14-40 outlet. If you want to be able to switch to a 60A breaker in the future, you can run the appropriate wiring and then swap the outlet and breaker when you're ready. Any competent electrician will tell you the same thing.

2. With Romex the minimum size wire for 60A is 4 gauge. See the ampacity charts. Romex is NM-B cable, in the 60C column on the left. Ampacity Charts - Cerrowire

3. Many people (including many electricians) will tell you you can't put Romex in conduit. Romex is not allowed in wet locations but conduit is technically fine. Many people want to put Romex in conduit in wet locations - and outdoors/garage are considered wet even if you put the Romex in conduit. If you are running conduit it's often easier and maybe cheaper to run standard THHN/THWN wiring.

4. Yes, this would be my suggestion. You can downsize to 6AWG THHN/THWN wire in conduit and use up to a 65A breaker.

I believe you will be OK with 6/3 Romex as 6 gauge should handle *up to* 60A in future. I did my NEMA 14-50 myself with 50A breaker and 6/3 Romex with a plan that I could add the Tesla wall charger in future. Now I have 30 miles/hour charge, I don’t see why I’d bother with the Tesla charger - I’d just get another mobile one if anything.

Wire run length can change wire size requirements. On the condiut question, the amount of excess space in the conduit has a bearing on the amperage you can run through it (because of heat dissipation).

You categorically CANNOT use 6AWG Romex on a 60A breaker - it's only rated to 55A. It's not about your personal beliefs; just look at any ampacity table.

Wire length can affect things. Google "voltage drop calculator", input your particulars, and see what it says. I think a 5% voltage drop is allowed but I'm not sure.

There are also conduit fill calculators that tell you what size conduit you need. I understand that most electricians just install 7/8" or 1" and don't worry about it.

 

[DaveMike11]

1. If you are putting in a 14-50 outlet then you can only use either a 40A or 50A breaker. The 14-50 is only rated to handle up to 50A. You can use a 40A breaker (common with electric ranges) because there is no NEMA 14-40 outlet. If you want to be able to switch to a 60A breaker in the future, you can run the appropriate wiring and then swap the outlet and breaker when you're ready. Any competent electrician will tell you the same thing.

2. With Romex the minimum size wire for 60A is 4 gauge. See the ampacity charts. Romex is NM-B cable, in the 60C column on the left. Ampacity Charts - Cerrowire

3. Many people (including many electricians) will tell you you can't put Romex in conduit. Romex is not allowed in wet locations but conduit is technically fine. Many people want to put Romex in conduit in wet locations - and outdoors/garage are considered wet even if you put the Romex in conduit. If you are running conduit it's often easier and maybe cheaper to run standard THHN/THWN wiring.

4. Yes, this would be my suggestion. You can downsize to 6AWG THHN/THWN wire in conduit and use up to a 65A breaker.

Thank you for response. This was helpful. Appreciate it.

 

[DaveMike11]

I believe you will be OK with 6/3 Romex as 6 gauge should handle *up to* 60A in future. I did my NEMA 14-50 myself with 50A breaker and 6/3 Romex with a plan that I could add the Tesla wall charger in future. Now I have 30 miles/hour charge, I don’t see why I’d bother with the Tesla charger - I’d just get another mobile one if anything.

Wire run length can change wire size requirements. On the condiut question, the amount of excess space in the conduit has a bearing on the amperage you can run through it (because of heat dissipation).

Thank you for your response. Appreciate it.

 

[Rocky_H]

Um...you don't use people's opinions on a poll on the internet to find out about that. 60A breaker for a 14-50 outlet is just a straight-up blatant code violation and is never allowed. @gfunkdave nailed all of this.

 

[qdeathstar]

Hello,

I'm planning to setup the Home charger in my garage installing the Nema 14-50R outlet to get 29 miles per hour charge. I'm going to hire an electrician to do this work for me. The below are my questions.
1. Can we use 60 Amp breaker instead of the 50 Amp breaker. The reason for this if later i decide to setup the Tesla gen 3 wall charger i can easily swap it instead of changing the 50 Amp breaker from the circuit box.? Just for future proof.
2. Can we use the Romex 6 Guage 6/3 wire with the 60 Amp breaker ?
3. I'm planning to setup outside my drywall using Conduit. Is the Romex 6 Guage 6/3 wire safe to use inside the conduit ? If we put it in a conduit can it shed heat effectively to avoid any fire?.
4. Instead of the Romex 6 Guage 6/3 wire should I use the THHN wire which are individual wires ?

Pls let me know. Thanks in advance.

1. NO. The outlet is only rated for 50 amps. You cannot install a 60 amp breaker on an outlet rated for 50 amps.

2. 6/3 Romex is rated for 55 amps max. You can install a 60 amp breaker on 6-3 romex, but you can only charge at 40 amps (80 percent of 55 is 44, but tesla charges at either 40amps or 48amps). If you want to charge at 48 amps, then you need to install thhn in conduit or 4/3. Then you’d have to use the hpwc unit.

3. You cannot run NM romex inside of conduit outside. NM cable is not rated for damp locations. The inside of a conduit installed outside is a damp location per NEC.

4. Yes.