How ridiculous is NOT installing a 240v service?

[martind3]

I can't answer the code question. I just know the inspector wanted to see my usage for the last year (hourly).

 

[PteRoy]

I tried to have a 50amp installed, was $2000 cause my house needed to be upgraded. Asked if I could install a 30amp instead, no problem $280 everything included. 30amp on a compressor. Not sure what that means but the Tesla site says you only get 8 miles less per hour charge based on the 50amp.

 

[Mikeydeek]

I was getting interrupted on one of my 2 outdoor circuits when I first got the cars. Looks like the builder cheaped out and used a standard indoor GFCI outside so it was either faulty from the start, or it wore out early from the weather. Switched out for a weather resistant and it has been flawless since.

So I finally got around to getting a service call put in. My charger was flashing 3 red lights showing a connector or relay error and I could not charge more than a minute or so. Technician replaced the UMC and all is currently good and charging as normal. (Still thinking I may need the 240 upgrade tho as a little running around today has left me with 16 hours to full charge!)

 

[Boneman]

Added a 24V, 50A circuit into my garage. Upgraded to 6 awg wire and was lucky that my panel was on the other side of the garage wall (short wire run). Had an electrician buddy help me with the hookup and that everything was up to code (didn't bother with a permit or inspection). Upgraded to a 50A breaker with a NEMA 14-50 receptacle. Receptacle, box, breaker and wire was all purchased at Home Depot for $180. Well worth it and you don't need to pay $600+ for a Tesla Home Charger. Did have pay another $50 to order the NEAM 14-50 Tesla adapter as they stopped including them with the Model 3.

Was using 120V charging for almost 2 weeks and was ok as long as it was plugged when you get home and unplugged the next morning. About 8k/hr charge rate. Now with 240v @ 32A craw, we're getting 48 - 53km/hr charging and only takes a few hours to charge up.

 

[Bob_00]

Follow up if anyone is following/cares.

I submitted my inquiry to the Code inquiry board on the the ESASAFE website and had it confirmed by 2 separate responses that provided you have one year of historical hourly usage that demonstrates capacity (based on max hourly load + 25%), you are good. With that I figured i would just do it myself. While according to the info I got from the ESA, I had capacity for up to 70A of additional load, I opted for a 40A service as the SR+ can only accept 32A.

Inspector came a couple of days later and gave the all good, using only the historic usage, didn't even ask for a load calculation.

Went with a 40A breaker, 6AWG wire, and a nema 14-50 receptacle. All in, it cost a little over $200 and a couple hours of time for the install and permit/inspection.

 

[MD-2000]

Saw a youtube video for a device called Quick220. Plug into 2 separate normal household circuits (120V 15A) and it creates a 240V connection that can charge twice as fast -i.e. 6mph/10kph instead of 3mph/5kph. Every little bit helps. The downside as I see it is finding two outlets that are close by and not on the same breaker or phase.

> ** Note: The Quick 220® Power Supply uses two outlets from two different circuits that are out of phase and not controlled by ground fault interupters (GFI's). The Quick 220® Power Supply has built in circuitry to test for the out of phase circuits. A separate tester is supplied to check the outlet for a GFI. Most buildings have numerous outlets that meet these two requirements.

 

[Vawlkus]

Saw a youtube video for a device called Quick220. Plug into 2 separate normal household circuits (120V 15A) and it creates a 240V connection that can charge twice as fast -i.e. 6mph/10kph instead of 3mph/5kph. Every little bit helps. The downside as I see it is finding two outlets that are close by and not on the same breaker or phase.

> ** Note: The Quick 220® Power Supply uses two outlets from two different circuits that are out of phase and not controlled by ground fault interupters (GFI's). The Quick 220® Power Supply has built in circuitry to test for the out of phase circuits. A separate tester is supplied to check the outlet for a GFI. Most buildings have numerous outlets that meet these two requirements.

Yeah, I saw Bens video as well. Made a note of the circuit concerns in the comments.

Biggest irritant is gonna be that most houses these days have all their exterior plugs on one breaker, making this of limited use.