Installation of 240V outlet

[Krish727]

I am looking for an electrical contractor to install a 240V outlet. I do seem to have a space for a circuit breaker. What should be the ampage for that breaker and also how much should I reasonable pay for this along with material ?

thanks

 

[ewoodrick]

Space for the breaker is just one of the issues, capacity is another and the ability to get wires from one place to another without spending a fortune is yet another.

General solution it to ask for a NEMA 14-50 plug, which you mobile cord should already have the adapter for. That should be enough to get your quote.

What are you going to pay? I've seen quotes from a few hundred to $20,000.

 

[Stretch2727]

Agree asking for a NEMA 14-50 plug the best way to go and usually most cost effective. Generally it will have a 50 Amp breaker.

The wire is quite expensive so the length of the run effects the cost as well as the complexity of what needs to be done. If it is a few feet with nothing in the way could be a few hundred dollars. A long run to a detached building thousands.

 

[Palomino2]

Hah! I'd do it for $20,000! It was $900 here in Austin. Depends on the length of the cable run needed,

 

[KJD]

If you want to read up on the details of this installation and how it should be done, there is a very good page over on Tesla Tap.

Home Charging | Search Results | TeslaTap

 

[SMAlset]

Also cost will depend on type of installation. We wanted a clean look in the garage since our garage had dryall and painted surfaces and nice cabinets and epoxy floor so we had our NEMA 14-50 outlet mounted in-wall with all wiring in-wall as well. Our outlet was able to be placed within a foot or so of our panel so for the extra in-wall installation we felt the extra cost was somewhat nominal and worth the aesthetics. We had to add a 50amp breaker and didn’t have a long wire run. We had the cost of a city permit added to the cost.

Keep in mind there are some Federal tax programs you should look into that might help with costs.

 

[eprosenx]

I am looking for an electrical contractor to install a 240V outlet. I do seem to have a space for a circuit breaker. What should be the ampage for that breaker and also how much should I reasonable pay for this along with material ?

thanks

Note that there are tons of threads on here about the pros and cons of a NEMA 14-50 outlet and the Tesla Wall Connector as another option.

I would receommend searching around here (use google as a search engine as needed) and read up on it a bit.

For each person and situation it is an individual decision, but I am a big fan of the Wall Connector personally. For my situation (outdoor charging) I would not chose to do it any other way.

 

[DonTom]

I am looking for an electrical contractor to install a 240V outlet. I do seem to have a space for a circuit breaker. What should be the ampage for that breaker and also how much should I reasonable pay for this along with material ?

thanks

I have had three done recently. Two in Reno, NV one here in Auburn, CA. Here in Auburn, I had a Tesla "Wall Connector" installed. It's on a 60 amp circuit breaker, and is a fairly long run, with an added breaker box so I can turn the unit off. The Tesla Wall Connector costs $500.00. To have it installed here, it cost me another $1,200. This one was the most expensive of the three, but it is also the longest and most complicated run of them all.

At another one of my houses, in Reno, it only cost me $700.00 to have the $500.00 "Tesla Wall Connector" installed. This is on a 240 VAC pull-out disconnect switch, right next to the "Wall Connector" the type of disconnect switch that is often used on home air conditioners.

It's not really necessary to be able to turn these off right next to the wall connector or outlet, it's just the way I want mine.

If you want to charge a Tesla at the full 48 amps, (~42 MPH of charge) you must have it on a 60 amp circuit breaker and wiring as there has to be a 20% safety factor for such a 48 amp load.

At my third house, which is only 20 miles away from the house mentioned above, I mainly only want to charge my electric motorcycles from a 240 VAC outlet, which I had installed in the garage, with a fuse panel that I purchased so I can turn it off right next to the outlet. This was a very short run, because the house fuse panel is just on the other side of the wall. This only cost me $500.00 total, plus the few bucks I paid for the extra panel and breaker.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[gilscales]

I have had three done recently. Two in Reno, NV one here in Auburn, CA. Here in Auburn, I had a Tesla "Wall Connector" installed. It's on a 60 amp circuit breaker, and is a fairly long run, with an added breaker box so I can turn the unit off. The Tesla Wall Connector costs $500.00. To have it installed here, it cost me another $1,200. This one was the most expensive of the three, but it is also the longest and most complicated run of them all.

At another one of my houses, in Reno, it only cost me $700.00 to have the $500.00 "Tesla Wall Connector" installed. This is on a 240 VAC pull-out disconnect switch, right next to the "Wall Connector" the type of disconnect switch that is often used on home air conditioners.

It's not really necessary to be able to turn these off right next to the wall connector or outlet, it's just the way I want mine.

If you want to charge a Tesla at the full 48 amps, (~42 MPH of charge) you must have it on a 60 amp circuit breaker and wiring as there has to be a 20% safety factor for such a 48 amp load.

At my third house, which is only 20 miles away from the house mentioned above, I mainly only want to charge my electric motorcycles from a 240 VAC outlet, which I had installed in the garage, with a fuse panel that I purchased so I can turn it off right next to the outlet. This was a very short run, because the house fuse panel is just on the other side of the wall. This only cost me $500.00 total, plus the few bucks I paid for the extra panel and breaker.

-Don- Auburn, CA

Can I build you a fourth house? JK

 

[MikeS1]

It's It's extremely easy to yourself for 200 bucks + permit if your under 30 feet of cable.

 

[NeverFollow]

This is on a 240 VAC pull-out disconnect switch, right next to the "Wall Connector"
the type of disconnect switch that is often used on home air conditioners.

Could you show a picture or a give a Web link for the disconnect switch that you are using?

 

[brkaus]

Could you show a picture or a give a Web link for the disconnect switch that you are using?

Here is an inexpensive blade style pull out disconnect commonly used on HVAC outside units.

GE 60 Amp 240-Volt Non-Fuse Metallic AC Disconnect-TFN60RCP - The Home Depot

My electrician used one on my HPWC install.

60a max.

 

[NeverFollow]

Here is an inexpensive blade style pull out disconnect commonly used on HVAC outside units.

GE 60 Amp 240-Volt Non-Fuse Metallic AC Disconnect-TFN60RCP - The Home Depot

My electrician used one on my HPWC install.

60a max.

How does this work?
The cover seems only used as an outdoor protection against the elements.
But I don't see any latch mechanism.
I can see some black 'paddles' underneath, but what the advantage of this compared to a circuit breaker?

 

[DonTom]

How does this work?
The cover seems only used as an outdoor protection against the elements.
But I don't see any latch mechanism.
I can see some black 'paddles' underneath, but what the advantage of this compared to a circuit breaker?

You pull out a plug inside the box. You can put this plug back in the box upside down and both sides of the 120 VAC (each) will not be passed. Or you can leave the plug outside the box, but left inside upside down inside the box means it is off and the plug will not be lost.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

There is no advantage. But some electricians who have a contract with Tesla are not allowed to add a breaker box to another breaker box. That is because Tesla does NOT want the possibility of anything being added to the 2nd breaker box that goes to their Wall Connector.

I was told this by the electrician in Reno who had such a contract to do Tesla Wall Connector installations. And he had to take a photo of it when he was completed so he could send it into Tesla.

The type of box shown above with the blade plug can only work for one item. Nothing can be added to it, so Tesla allows such.

The electrician I had do the work here in Auburn did NOT have a Tesla contract to install their Wall Connectors and therefore was willing to do it whatever way I wanted.

So if you want it done YOUR way, make sure the electrician you get has NOTHING to do with Tesla. I learned this the hard way.

Or you can do it yourself. But I would rather just pay somebody else to do it and I can live with the way it was done at my main Reno home.

BTW, the same electrician who refused to install the circuit breaker box on the Wall Connector, had no problem installing circuit breaker box at my third house. That is because that was just a 240 VAC outlet to use with an external J1772, mainly for my electric motorcycles. Since that was not a Tesla Wall Connector installation, he could do whatever I wanted. Of course, I can still use this on my Tesla at 32 amps with the J adapter.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

Can I build you a fourth house? JK

Three is enough. OTOH, even with my eight garages, it's not quite enough for all my vehicles (9 motorcycles, RV, pickup truck, two 4WD SUVs and a few cars). A few of my vehicles have to be left outside. But I make sure all the motorcycles and the new Tesla is always garaged. I leave the older junk outside.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[gilscales]

Three is enough. OTOH, even with my eight garages, it's not quite enough for all my vehicles (9 motorcycles, RV, pickup truck, two 4WD SUVs and a few cars). A few of my vehicles have to be left outside. But I make sure all the motorcycles and the new Tesla is always garaged. I leave the older junk outside.

-Don- Auburn, CA

HAHA, that's awesome!