How to mount Universal Wall Charger

[dpilot83]

Is there a good place where people discuss how they are mounting and installing their EVSE? I know to have an electrician do it but different electricians have different strategies to accomplish the same basic task. For example, a lot of electricians might just use a $15 14-50 when most of us know it would be better to get a Hubble or Bryant 14-50 for the kind of load we'd put through a mobile connector.

In my specific case though, I'm looking for a bit more strategizing before I call the electrician so that I can ask him to do something that will make sense for the project. I'm mostly concerned about aesthetics at this point (although aesthetics aren't super important for this location because soon this house will simply be used as a part of the farming business rather than a home).

The red box is the main breaker for the farmstead. I am thinking about running a new line in underground conduit (capable of carrying at least 100 amps) to the blue box and installing the following things in the vicinity of the blue box:

• A sub-panel
• A Universal Wall Connector
• A Hubble 14-50 outlet for being able to plug in the Mobile Connector
• Room to install another Universal Wall Connector if I want to in the future

My theory is that having a Universal Wall Charger is the bare minimum that I'd like to have in terms of being prepared to charge EV's at home (or at the business headquarters that this location will become in the next year). If there is a problem with the Universal Wall Connector that basically becomes an emergency situation until the Universal Wall Connector is repaired or replaced. It would be nice to be able to simply plug the Mobile Connector in at that point and have an immediate charging solution.

It would also be nice to have enough juice at that location to be able to charge two EV's should the need arise. The Universal Wall Connector should be able to charge any EV for anyone who visits and if we need to charge our vehicle simultaneously we can just hook the Mobile Connector to the 14-50. And, at some point in the future, we can disable the 14-50 outlet and install another Universal Wall Connector. At that point, if one of the Universal Wall Connectors had an issue we could just enable the 14-50 outlet again and use the Mobile Connector until the Universal Wall Connector is repaired or replaced.

As I said before, my primary problem with this solution is aesthetics. It's going to look very industrial right in front of the house (that's very old imagery and we've made things look nicer since then). Unistrut mounted to galvinized posts (see the picture below) is by far the easiest way to make all of this stuff work the way we want it to but I'm wondering if there is a way to make it look a little more welcoming than that.

Does anyone have any strategies for that or have any recommendations on where else to ask this type of a question?

Thanks.

 

[Eric33432]

Is there a good place where people discuss how they are mounting and installing their EVSE? I know to have an electrician do it but different electricians have different strategies to accomplish the same basic task. For example, a lot of electricians might just use a $15 14-50 when most of us know it would be better to get a Hubble or Bryant 14-50 for the kind of load we'd put through a mobile connector.

In my specific case though, I'm looking for a bit more strategizing before I call the electrician so that I can ask him to do something that will make sense for the project. I'm mostly concerned about aesthetics at this point (although aesthetics aren't super important for this location because soon this house will simply be used as a part of the farming business rather than a home).

View attachment 1003112

The red box is the main breaker for the farmstead. I am thinking about running a new line in underground conduit (capable of carrying at least 100 amps) to the blue box and installing the following things in the vicinity of the blue box:

• A sub-panel
• A Universal Wall Connector
• A Hubble 14-50 outlet for being able to plug in the Mobile Connector
• Room to install another Universal Wall Connector if I want to in the future

My theory is that having a Universal Wall Charger is the bare minimum that I'd like to have in terms of being prepared to charge EV's at home (or at the business headquarters that this location will become in the next year). If there is a problem with the Universal Wall Connector that basically becomes an emergency situation until the Universal Wall Connector is repaired or replaced. It would be nice to be able to simply plug the Mobile Connector in at that point and have an immediate charging solution.

It would also be nice to have enough juice at that location to be able to charge two EV's should the need arise. The Universal Wall Connector should be able to charge any EV for anyone who visits and if we need to charge our vehicle simultaneously we can just hook the Mobile Connector to the 14-50. And, at some point in the future, we can disable the 14-50 outlet and install another Universal Wall Connector. At that point, if one of the Universal Wall Connectors had an issue we could just enable the 14-50 outlet again and use the Mobile Connector until the Universal Wall Connector is repaired or replaced.

As I said before, my primary problem with this solution is aesthetics. It's going to look very industrial right in front of the house (that's very old imagery and we've made things look nicer since then). Unistrut mounted to galvinized posts (see the picture below) is by far the easiest way to make all of this stuff work the way we want it to but I'm wondering if there is a way to make it look a little more welcoming than that.

Does anyone have any strategies for that or have any recommendations on where else to ask this type of a question?

Thanks.

View attachment 1003116

One thing you need to know is the capacity of the main panel, and if there is enough ampacity to run two Tesla Wall Connectors. I presume this main panel is where the meter is and is where the "service equipment" for the property is located.

If you are concerned with aesthetics, Tesla makes an attractive pedestal mount for their wall connectors.

Pedestal for Wall Connector

The Pedestal for Wall Connector is a rugged aluminum post designed for mounting both Gen 3 and Gen 2 Wall Connectors for stand-alone charging. With easy indoor and outdoor installation options, the pedestal is ideal for any driveway, parking lot or property that requires a free-standing...

shop.tesla.com

And instead of installing a 100 amp circuit and sub panel at the EVSE location, you could just install individual branch circuits in that underground conduit, connected to breakers located at the main panel.

 

[Eric33432]

One thing you need to know is the capacity of the main panel, and if there is enough ampacity to run two Tesla Wall Connectors. I presume this main panel is where the meter is and is where the "service equipment" for the property is located.

If you are concerned with aesthetics, Tesla makes an attractive pedestal mount for their wall connectors.

Pedestal for Wall Connector

The Pedestal for Wall Connector is a rugged aluminum post designed for mounting both Gen 3 and Gen 2 Wall Connectors for stand-alone charging. With easy indoor and outdoor installation options, the pedestal is ideal for any driveway, parking lot or property that requires a free-standing...

shop.tesla.com

And instead of installing a 100 amp circuit and sub panel at the EVSE location, you could just install individual branch circuits in that underground conduit, connected to breakers located at the main panel.

BTW, if you want max capacity, and use a 60 amp circuit for 48 amp charging, and ran two sets of #6 CU conductors from the main panel for two wall connectors, you would need to derate the conductors. But since they are rated for 75 amps at 90˚C, and the derating would be 80% for 4 to 6 conductors in a conduit you are still OK because they would be derated 75 x 80% = 60 amps.

Voltage drop for each circuit would be 1.94% at 48 amps for 100 feet of #6 CU wire.

 

[dpilot83]

One thing you need to know is the capacity of the main panel, and if there is enough ampacity to run two Tesla Wall Connectors. I presume this main panel is where the meter is and is where the "service equipment" for the property is located.

If you are concerned with aesthetics, Tesla makes an attractive pedestal mount for their wall connectors.

Pedestal for Wall Connector

The Pedestal for Wall Connector is a rugged aluminum post designed for mounting both Gen 3 and Gen 2 Wall Connectors for stand-alone charging. With easy indoor and outdoor installation options, the pedestal is ideal for any driveway, parking lot or property that requires a free-standing...

shop.tesla.com

And instead of installing a 100 amp circuit and sub panel at the EVSE location, you could just install individual branch circuits in that underground conduit, connected to breakers located at the main panel.

I have a pedestal mount on order but I’m unsure if I’m going to use it. It doesn’t really provide a location to mount a 14-50 outlet so I feel I’ll have to have something ugly there to mount the 14-50 regardless.

My main breaker is a 200 amp breaker box.

Maybe you’re right that running multiple smaller sets would be better. One thing I like about running one oversized set to an additional panel is that I could then daisy chain to other stuff that I might add later on. Realistically though, I currently have no such plans.

 

[Eric33432]

I have a pedestal mount on order but I’m unsure if I’m going to use it. It doesn’t really provide a location to mount a 14-50 outlet so I feel I’ll have to have something ugly there to mount the 14-50 regardless.

My main breaker is a 200 amp breaker box.

Maybe you’re right that running multiple smaller sets would be better. One thing I like about running one oversized set to an additional panel is that I could then daisy chain to other stuff that I might add later on. Realistically though, I currently have no such plans.

You could just run the conduit / circuit for the 4-50 up a treated 4x4 inch wood post.

Install an underground junction box to split the conduit into two separate conduits, one for the Tesla pedestal and one for the wood post.

Could later change the 14-50 to another TWC if wanted or needed.