I have a Model S but figured I would post here due to traffic.
I see a lot of folks stress over the cost of big wire. Seems everyone recommends doing bare minimum wire size on a 14-50 install, well many people get free wall connectors later and a minor amount of extra cash now can let you better use that later
Looking at a conduit setup.
40ft run for a 100amp circuit is 80f of 3gauge at $1.02/ft. from Home Depot and 40ft. of 8gauge for ground at $0.56/ft so $104 worth of wire.
40ft. 50amp 14-50 circuit is 3 conductors so 120ft of 8 gauge at $0.56 and a 50ft spool of 10gauge ground is $18.50 is $87.50
Now the breaker upgrade from 50amp to 100amp is a $30 upgrade as well and conduit would need to be upsized too, but again let us remember people worry about the wire cost and I just demonstrated it isn't that big a difference, the conduit upgrade isn't going to be much.
Rather than follow what everyone here tells you and just do a 8 gauge 14-50 install I think more should be considering upsizing the wire now in case you want to go to a wall connector later. One complication is the 14-50 is a 4 wires total rather than 3 but for $35 you can buy adapters, a 16-50 adapter would let you run a 3 wire outlet
I would at least ask the electrician to run the conduit a little big so you have some headroom later.
Just spitballing now what about running a 14-50 with as big a wire as fits the hot terminals(4gauge?) and then 8gauge as the neutral and 10 as ground and then if you go to a to a HPWC you can discard the ground and repurpose the 8gauge neutral as the new ground???
I think most folks could spend an extra $100 or less on installs materials and labor for the hassle of bigger wire and have a real chance of saving themselves many times that later when they get a referral wall connector or just want a wall connector later. and on a Model 3 even a wall connector on a 60amp circuit is capable of 48amps, which you might not ever need but if the day arrives you will be happy you have it
Yes 14-50 at 32amps with the UMC does the job but even on that same wire a HPWC will give you 40amps.
I am not saying everyone needs a HPWC I am saying an extra $20 worth of larger gauge wire now might just let you use one to much greater effect later, or let you install two, more easily later if you get a second EV.
Little overkill now is almost always cheaper later.
If an electrician tried to talk me out of upsizing wire a bit with the idea of a future wall connector in mind later I would find another electrician because he just told you "bare minimum" is his mindset.
I see a lot of folks stress over the cost of big wire. Seems everyone recommends doing bare minimum wire size on a 14-50 install, well many people get free wall connectors later and a minor amount of extra cash now can let you better use that later
Looking at a conduit setup.
40ft run for a 100amp circuit is 80f of 3gauge at $1.02/ft. from Home Depot and 40ft. of 8gauge for ground at $0.56/ft so $104 worth of wire.
40ft. 50amp 14-50 circuit is 3 conductors so 120ft of 8 gauge at $0.56 and a 50ft spool of 10gauge ground is $18.50 is $87.50
Now the breaker upgrade from 50amp to 100amp is a $30 upgrade as well and conduit would need to be upsized too, but again let us remember people worry about the wire cost and I just demonstrated it isn't that big a difference, the conduit upgrade isn't going to be much.
Rather than follow what everyone here tells you and just do a 8 gauge 14-50 install I think more should be considering upsizing the wire now in case you want to go to a wall connector later. One complication is the 14-50 is a 4 wires total rather than 3 but for $35 you can buy adapters, a 16-50 adapter would let you run a 3 wire outlet
I would at least ask the electrician to run the conduit a little big so you have some headroom later.
Just spitballing now what about running a 14-50 with as big a wire as fits the hot terminals(4gauge?) and then 8gauge as the neutral and 10 as ground and then if you go to a to a HPWC you can discard the ground and repurpose the 8gauge neutral as the new ground???
I think most folks could spend an extra $100 or less on installs materials and labor for the hassle of bigger wire and have a real chance of saving themselves many times that later when they get a referral wall connector or just want a wall connector later. and on a Model 3 even a wall connector on a 60amp circuit is capable of 48amps, which you might not ever need but if the day arrives you will be happy you have it
Yes 14-50 at 32amps with the UMC does the job but even on that same wire a HPWC will give you 40amps.
I am not saying everyone needs a HPWC I am saying an extra $20 worth of larger gauge wire now might just let you use one to much greater effect later, or let you install two, more easily later if you get a second EV.
Little overkill now is almost always cheaper later.
If an electrician tried to talk me out of upsizing wire a bit with the idea of a future wall connector in mind later I would find another electrician because he just told you "bare minimum" is his mindset.
