Installing Wall Connector is better than NEMA 14-50

[Magnet77]

I bought a new Model Y recently and was planning to install NEMA 14-50 Receptacle for the Mobile charger. I saw many posts and youtube videos regarding this. Now, it looks like a wall connector is the best option to install.

For Installing NEMA Outlet for Mobile Charger - I have to buy NEMA 14-50 adapter ($45), Industrial NEMA 14-50 receptacle/outlet (Bryant $50, Hubbell $80 - if available), a box+plate for the outlet ($7) and GFCI 50A double pole breaker ($100 - GFCI required according to NEC 2021 - new requirement). Other accessories are common to both.

For Tesla Wall Connector - Wall Connector Gen 3 ($400), Non-GFCI 50A/60A double pole breaker ($10-$30).

For a Mobile charger - $200 -$225 to Charge Tesla Model Y @30mph
For Wall Connector - $430 to charge Tesla Model Y @ 42mph + You will have a mobile charger in your car as a backup.

The difference is $200 for which we get a mobile charger as a backup (Mobile Charger costs $200). Wall Charger has inbuilt GFCI and has WIFI for future use. If we install a GFCI breaker for NEMA PLUG, the chances of tripping are more and we have to reset it manually to continue charging whereas the wall connector resumes charging automatically.

This is the information I gathered by watching several videos, going through this forum, and reading some articles online.

Please kindly update me if I'm wrong or missing any information. I was planning to install Wall Connector next Week.

 

[jcanoe]

I bought a new Model Y recently and was planning to install NEMA 14-50 Receptacle for the Mobile charger. I saw many posts and youtube videos regarding this. Now, it looks like a wall connector is the best option to install.

For Installing NEMA Outlet for Mobile Charger - I have to buy NEMA 14-50 adapter ($45), Industrial NEMA 14-50 receptacle/outlet (Bryant $50, Hubbell $80 - if available), a box+plate for the outlet ($7) and GFCI 50A double pole breaker ($100 - GFCI required according to NEC 2021 - new requirement). Other accessories are common to both.

For Tesla Wall Connector - Wall Connector Gen 3 ($400), Non-GFCI 50A/60A double pole breaker ($10-$30).

For a Mobile charger - $200 -$225 to Charge Tesla Model Y @30mph
For Wall Connector - $430 to charge Tesla Model Y @ 42mph + You will have a mobile charger in your car as a backup.

The difference is $200 for which we get a mobile charger as a backup (Mobile Charger costs $200). Wall Charger has inbuilt GFCI and has WIFI for future use. If we install a GFCI breaker for NEMA PLUG, the chances of tripping are more and we have to reset it manually to continue charging whereas the wall connector resumes charging automatically.

This is the information I gathered by watching several videos, going through this forum, and reading some articles online.

Please kindly update me if I'm wrong or missing any information. I was planning to install Wall Connector next Week.

Depending on when you placed your order for the Tesla Model Y you will receive the Mobile Connector kit with the 5-15 (standard 120V) plug adapter. If you need the 14-50 plug adapter it is available from Tesla for $45. (After the cut off date buyers won't receive the Mobile Connector with the Model Y, will have to purchase the Mobile Connector kit for $200 (starting in the August 2022 time frame the Mobile Connector kit will come with the 5-15 and 14-50 plug adapters.

The Wall Connector is in most cases the better option versus the Mobile Connector w/14-50:

- Wall Connector enables charging at 40 amps instead of 32 amps (for the Mobile Connector). This is for a circuit rated for 50 amps. The 14-50 receptacle is rated for a maximum of 50 amps. For a circuit rated for 60 amps the Wall Connector (hard wired) would enable charging at 48 amps.
- Wall Connector has a 24 foot charging cord versus just 18 foot for the Mobile Connector
- Wall Connector is fully weather rated for outdoor use

Regarding the GFCI, both the Mobile Connector and the Wall Connector have a built in GFCI that protects the user when plugging the charging connector into the Tesla vehicle's charging port. The need for a GFCI circuit breaker came with the 2017 revision of the national electrical code (NEC.) All EV charging circuits that terminate with a receptacle are required to have GFCI protection for the receptacle. This GFCI protects the user when plugging and unplugging the power plug from the wall receptacle. For a 14-50 receptacle the only available GFCI is to install a GFCI circuit breaker (this can cost up to $150.) When you install the Wall Connector it is hard wired (there is no plug or receptacle) so there is no need for a separate GCFI.

 

[C-Bus Y]

Dunno, I may want a non Tesla EV in the future. 14-50 gives me some flexibility.

 

[finman100]

if another V11 comes along and makes my car worse, that's exactly why i have a 14-50. options.

Plus future owners of the house have a ready made charging solution for anything EV. selling point. not quite like a new roof or remodeled kitchen, but...

But i agree with the wall charger being 'better' for Tesla only households.

 

[E90alex]

The charging speed difference doesn’t matter to me because both will give a full charge overnight anyways. And usually you wouldn’t be going from 0-100% full daily so the charging speed difference would be even less of a factor.

I also plan to have non-Tesla EVs in the future so 14-50 gives more flexibility for me.

 

[ATPMSD]

Dunno, I may want a non Tesla EV in the future. 14-50 gives me some flexibility.

If you plan to own a Tesla for a number of years then I suggest going for the wall connector. You can always install a 14-50 (or a 6-50) later, you can replace the Wall Connector with another hardwired solution, or you can simply get a Tesla to J1772 adapter.

I suggest you live in the now and not worry about the future.

 

[schen72]

I just recently got a wall connector for these reasons:

• Convenience of a Tesla plug
• Slightly more efficient than using mobile connector with a generic 14-50 plug
• Now I can keep my mobile connector in the car for emergencies

The downside is that I had to spend an extra $400 for the wall connector. But in the big picture, it's a minor cost. Even if down the road I have a different EV, it's not a big deal for an electrician to remove the wall connector and put in a generic 14-50 plug.

 

[jcanoe]

it's not a big deal for an electrician to remove the wall connector and put in a generic 14-50 plug.

The 14-50 receptacle requires the neutral wire connection so be sure that the electrician installs 3 wire and not 2 wire, plus ground, for the Wall Connector even though the Wall Connector does not use the neutral connection. The neutral wire would remain capped off unless, until needed at some point in the future.

 

[Rocky_H]

If you're going for flexibility to charge other vehicles, I would still not go with an outlet because of that annoying and expensive GFCI breaker requirement. I would do a hard wired J1772 station instead.

 

[roblab]

I've "owned a Tesla for a number of years" and never used a Wall Connector. Funny how I never needed the increased speed when I charge overnight, as my charger will top up my tank easily while I'm asleep. I've been charging exclusively with my 220 volt outlet for the past ten years and never been hampered by lack of charge. Plus, I can plug other things into my outlet.

Sure, your Walll Charger is a little faster, but who cares? My car is full every morning, just like yours. Plus I can plug other items (small welder) into my outlet and use it for other things. In ten years come back and tell me how your "fast" charger has helped you. Unless you're terribly disorganized and don't remember to charge overnight, you've just wasted your money, but with the money I've saved I just bought my wifey a Model 3. As I was building my garage at the time I installed my 220 outlet, I spent only a few bucks on it. And if you're disorganized, I doubt you have much money to spare.

I have found ZERO need to charge faster at night. But, hey. Maybe the Wall Charger looks cool to you. Doesn't do it for me.

 

[240vPlug]

I have posted about this many times before. For a home charger install a wall connector in a hard wired configuration. It is safer, more reliable, charges faster, and is less expensive to install.

 

[ATPMSD]

Sure, your Walll Charger is a little faster, but who cares?

It is not just about speed.

• 24' cable instead of 20'
• UMC can stay in the car so it is not forgotten
• Is water proof
• Built in power-sharing
• Firmware updates for new features (power sharing, restrictions on usage, so far)

 

[Rocky_H]

but with the money I've saved

You keep sneering and dismissing and posting this all over the forums, and we have to keep counteracting your bad advice. With code changes and pricing changes, things now are not like they were when you installed your system, so the advice from back then doesn't apply now. It is literally cheaper just to do the wall connector instead of the outlet, regardless of any other potential advantages or disadvantages.

 

[E90alex]

You keep sneering and dismissing and posting this all over the forums, and we have to keep counteracting your bad advice. With code changes and pricing changes, things now are not like they were when you installed your system, so the advice from back then doesn't apply now. It is literally cheaper just to do the wall connector instead of the outlet, regardless of any other potential advantages or disadvantages.

It’s less expensive than before since the wall connector price dropped, but still not cheaper than an outlet.

 

[ATPMSD]

It’s less expensive than before since the wall connector price dropped, but still not cheaper than an outlet.

I agree:

Outlet is $50-$80
GFIC Breaker is $100-$150
Adapter is $45
A mounting system of some kind is $30
Total is $225 to $305

Wall Connector is $400 + $10 to $15 for a breaker

So the Wall Connector is about $105 to $190 more, which is trivial after buying the car!

 

[240vPlug]

When I say cost of installation I am not including the charger. Remember though the mobile charger is $200 as it is no longer included with the car.

The total cost is small enough that given the other factors I mentioned installing a hard wired wall connector is a no brainer.

There will be those that swear installing a 14-50 and using the cheaper mobile connector is fine and I think regardless of what anyone else says those folks will not be convinced otherwise. Even when charging is frequently interrupted by a tripping GFCI breaker.

When your making a $60,000 investment in an EV spend the extra couple hundred on a proper home charging setup installed properly and rest assured there will be no issues moving forward.

 

[Rocky_H]

It’s less expensive than before since the wall connector price dropped, but still not cheaper than an outlet.

Yes, it really, actually is.

@ATPMSD tried to detail out the extra costs, coming to the conclusion that the wall connector is supposedly only a hundred and some dollars more. Except he forgot that the mobile connector cables are not included with the car anymore. That is an extra $200 more, added to all of those other accessories for the outlet scenario, so that puts the total costs for doing the outlet just barely over the total costs for the wall connector side. So yeah, the wall connector really is just barely cheaper or pretty close to the same.

 

[E90alex]

Yes, it really, actually is.

@ATPMSD tried to detail out the extra costs, coming to the conclusion that the wall connector is supposedly only a hundred and some dollars more. Except he forgot that the mobile connector cables are not included with the car anymore. That is an extra $200 more, added to all of those other accessories for the outlet scenario, so that puts the total costs for doing the outlet just barely over the total costs for the wall connector side. So yeah, the wall connector really is just barely cheaper or pretty close to the same.

That’s true for people who ordered after 4/28 that won’t have it included but not in the context of this thread where the OP has already received his vehicle with the mobile connector included.

 

[Rocky_H]

That’s true for people who ordered after 4/28 that won’t have it included but not in the context of this thread where the OP has already received his vehicle with the mobile connector included.

Oh, that's right. I did forget to go in that context of a past order, so the cable is included.

 

[ATPMSD]

Oh, that's right. I did forget to go in that context of a past order, so the cable is included.

Not sure which cable you are referring too, the UMC does not include a 14-50 adapter, only a 5-15. Got mine a year and a half ago, no 14-50.