Just received and installed my Tesla Charger...

[SNYDERHAUS]

It was quite a lot of work! I’m not a licensed electrician, but I’m comfortable with working with this stuff and on my own home. We put it on a 60amp to ensure we can get the fastest charging, as we are going from a larger SUV to only the model Y Performance. My wife and I decided to install the charger right out our front door, under the porch to keep it semi protected from the elements and a straight shot to and from where the car will be sitting. The only problems I had were with setting up the network on the unit. It seems it doesn’t want to connect to my wifi for some reason. I don’t know why, but will try it again later. Any questions, feel free to ask!

 

[Bonesnap]

Where did you get copper wire? lol. I'm (hopefully) installing mine this Saturday. My parents' neighbour is a licenced electrician and will be coming by. I've called a number of places to ask about wire and everywhere is sold out. One person literally laughed when I asked. Should be picking up my car in early December so wanted to have the wall charger ready, but with the supply shortages going on, I'm not sure that's going to happen.

 

[Donuts]

Looks nice. Just curious if you’re planning on getting it inspected for a permit. If it’s 60amps it needs a disconnect beside the charger. Also looks a bit low…

 

[Cricklewood]

I just learned I needed a GFCI for my outdoor mounted NEMA 14-15. That's a bit annoying considering it not needed inside the garage. I don't really see from a safety perspective why one is needed and one is not.

 

[SNYDERHAUS]

Looks nice. Just curious if you’re planning on getting it inspected for a permit. If it’s 60amps it needs a disconnect beside the charger. Also looks a bit low…

Yes, will be inspected and permitted. Disconnect on the outside of the wall for 60?? Like a hot tub where it needs to be within eye sight and a certain distance kind of thing? I couldn’t find anything on that.. do you have any links for this? Also, yes looks low there but it’s accessible from standing down off the porch. Figured we’d be more often standing down there than up on the porch when doing it.

I just learned I needed a GFCI for my outdoor mounted NEMA 14-15. That's a bit annoying considering it not needed inside the garage. I don't really see from a safety perspective why one is needed and one is not.

I would assume this is because of the elements with high voltages and water being on the outside and not typically on the inside.. and also that it’s accessible by wandering screwdrivers? lol but that’s just an assumption

 

[SNYDERHAUS]

Where did you get copper wire? lol. I'm (hopefully) installing mine this Saturday. My parents' neighbour is a licenced electrician and will be coming by. I've called a number of places to ask about wire and everywhere is sold out. One person literally laughed when I asked. Should be picking up my car in early December so wanted to have the wall charger ready, but with the supply shortages going on, I'm not sure that's going to happen.

I bought teck cable 6/3 from local supplier. I was originally going to run and wire the cable on the outside of the house from the panel, but decided to run it through the house which is a little overkill with that cable now. Oh well, I had already had it. If your friends an electrician he should have access to suppliers and be able to get all the items from there. One hard thing to get ahold of right now is Tandem 15 amps and 60amp breakers, so I’d start looking now for sure!

 

[Cricklewood]

I bought teck cable 6/3 from local supplier. I was originally going to run and wire the cable on the outside of the house from the panel, but decided to run it through the house which is a little overkill with that cable now. Oh well, I had already had it. If your friends an electrician he should have access to suppliers and be able to get all the items from there. One hard thing to get ahold of right now is Tandem 15 amps and 60amp breakers, so I’d start looking now for sure!

I could not find 50 amp breakers anywhere either, had to ask my electrician friend to source as well. Didn’t know 6/3 was in short supply, got that from the same electrician.

 

[Donuts]

Yes, will be inspected and permitted. Disconnect on the outside of the wall for 60?? Like a hot tub where it needs to be within eye sight and a certain distance kind of thing? I couldn’t find anything on that.. do you have any links for this? Also, yes looks low there but it’s accessible from standing down off the porch. Figured we’d be more often standing down there than up on the porch when doing it.

I would assume this is because of the elements with high voltages and water being on the outside and not typically on the inside.. and also that it’s accessible by wandering screwdrivers? lol but that’s just an assumption

I did a quick search… ESA bulletin 86-304 says anything 60a and over needs a disconnect within sight. I prepped for 60a but don’t want a disconnect beside it because it’s on the outside of my house like yours. If you get a 50a breaker and turn the limiter inside the charger to 50a you will be ok for inspection.

The inspector also wants to see a “connector” on the wire going into the back of the charger through the wall. Not just a wire pushed through the wall and into the charger.

My electrician also told me about it having to be a certain height, I believe it was 42” off the ground. I couldn’t find it anywhere though.

If you called the ESA they might be able to send you the requirements.

 

[SNYDERHAUS]

I did a quick search… ESA bulletin 86-304 says anything 60a and over needs a disconnect within sight. I prepped for 60a but don’t want a disconnect beside it because it’s on the outside of my house like yours. If you get a 50a breaker and turn the limiter inside the charger to 50a you will be ok for inspection.

The inspector also wants to see a “connector” on the wire going into the back of the charger through the wall. Not just a wire pushed through the wall and into the charger.

My electrician also told me about it having to be a certain height, I believe it was 42” off the ground. I couldn’t find it anywhere though.

If you called the ESA they might be able to send you the requirements.

Yeah, so I have a connector and pipe conduit connected to the charger “box” going through the wall and then connected to a junction on the other side, then my teck is connected to that and the those wires through that conduit to a sealed pass through.

Only thing I could find was 24” from ground being the lowest in places where it “snows”. I’m fairly sure this was on the Tesla manual, but, they don’t write the code for the locals that’s for sure.

I’ll take some more photos of what I’ve got and share, appreciate the info though

 

[SNYDERHAUS]

I could not find 50 amp breakers anywhere either, had to ask my electrician friend to source as well. Didn’t know 6/3 was in short supply, got that from the same electrician.

Seems like everything is in short supply lately.. we called to ask for more tandems yesterday and they just gave the usual “laugh”.

 

[Cricklewood]

Yes, will be inspected and permitted. Disconnect on the outside of the wall for 60?? Like a hot tub where it needs to be within eye sight and a certain distance kind of thing? I couldn’t find anything on that.. do you have any links for this? Also, yes looks low there but it’s accessible from standing down off the porch. Figured we’d be more often standing down there than up on the porch when doing it.

I would assume this is because of the elements with high voltages and water being on the outside and not typically on the inside.. and also that it’s accessible by wandering screwdrivers? lol but that’s just an assumption

Agree, probably more likely to be wet outside, but garage floors are often wet in the winter as well. Either way I'm running the cord outside, regardless if it's plugged in inside the garage our outside. Surprised it's not code to have GFCI installed in either situation. Guess I need to consider swapping this breaker out.

 

[SNYDERHAUS]

I did a quick search… ESA bulletin 86-304 says anything 60a and over needs a disconnect within sight.

So I looked and only found this.

When the dip switch is set to limit the output to 48 A is connected to a 60 A branch circuit, a disconnecting means is not required. When the dip switch is set to limit the current to 64 A with an 80 A branch circuit, a disconnecting means is required.

 

[Cricklewood]

Agree, probably more likely to be wet outside, but garage floors are often wet in the winter as well. Either way I'm running the cord outside, regardless if it's plugged in inside the garage our outside. Surprised it's not code to have GFCI installed in either situation. Guess I need to consider swapping this breaker out.

So this was bothering me, I called my electrician friend and he pulled the code for me:

86-306 Receptacles for electric vehicle supply equipment (see Appendix B)
(1) Each receptacle for the purpose of electric vehicle charging shall be labelled in a conspicuous, legible, and
permanent manner, identifying it as an electric vehicle supply equipment receptacle and shall be
(a) a single receptacle of CSA configuration 5-20R supplied from a 125 V branch circuit rated not less
than 20 A; or
(b) of the appropriate CSA configuration in accordance with Diagram 1 or 2 when supplied from a
branch circuit rated at more than 125 V or more than 20 A.
(2) When the receptacle referred to in Subrule (1)(a) is installed outdoors and within 2.5 m of finished grade,
it shall be protected with a ground fault circuit interrupter of the Class A type.

So, you only need a GFCI (Subrule 2), when the receptacle referred to in Subrule (1)(a) is installed outdoors and within 2.5 m of finished grade. The receptacle in subrule (1)(a) is of CSA configuration 5-20R.

This means, a NEMA 14-50 falls under Subrule (1)(b) and does not require a GFCI breaker when mounted outside (notwithstanding the fact installing a GFCI is probably a good idea).

 

[Donuts]

So I looked and only found this.

Seems like you could set the limiter inside the charger to 48a and pass, then do whatever you want.

 

[Cyberm3]

Nice. Do you have any pics of the cable run and tie in at the panel?

I'll be running 6/3 surface mount in my garage. Still deciding if I want to go EMT or teck. Conduit is pretty pricy right now.

 

[SNYDERHAUS]

Seems like you could set the limiter inside the charger to 48a and pass, then do whatever you want.

I set the charger to 60amp which allows 48amp being pulled.. so I’m assuming this is sufficient.

I'll be running 6/3 surface mount in my garage. Still deciding if I want to go EMT or teck. Conduit is pretty pricy right now.

Conduit is pricey, but also a pain in the ass to do it well. I have conduit in there from my shop service... this was definitely way easier to feed and be comfortable with it running through house and then in the garage along the top side of wall. I’ll take some photos and post!

 

[SNYDERHAUS]

So this was bothering me, I called my electrician friend and he pulled the code for me:

86-306 Receptacles for electric vehicle supply equipment (see Appendix B)
(1) Each receptacle for the purpose of electric vehicle charging shall be labelled in a conspicuous, legible, and
permanent manner, identifying it as an electric vehicle supply equipment receptacle and shall be
(a) a single receptacle of CSA configuration 5-20R supplied from a 125 V branch circuit rated not less
than 20 A; or
(b) of the appropriate CSA configuration in accordance with Diagram 1 or 2 when supplied from a
branch circuit rated at more than 125 V or more than 20 A.
(2) When the receptacle referred to in Subrule (1)(a) is installed outdoors and within 2.5 m of finished grade,
it shall be protected with a ground fault circuit interrupter of the Class A type.

So, you only need a GFCI (Subrule 2), when the receptacle referred to in Subrule (1)(a) is installed outdoors and within 2.5 m of finished grade. The receptacle in subrule (1)(a) is of CSA configuration 5-20R.

This means, a NEMA 14-50 falls under Subrule (1)(b) and does not require a GFCI breaker when mounted outside (notwithstanding the fact installing a GFCI is probably a good idea).

Interesting.. I feel like with a Nema 14-50 outside I would personally want a GFCI juuuust in case anything “got in there.” It seems the biggest issue is due to water etc but you never know.

 

[mikeonh]

I bought teck cable 6/3 from local supplier. I was originally going to run and wire the cable on the outside of the house from the panel, but decided to run it through the house which is a little overkill with that cable now. Oh well, I had already had it. If your friends an electrician he should have access to suppliers and be able to get all the items from there. One hard thing to get ahold of right now is Tandem 15 amps and 60amp breakers, so I’d start looking now for sure!

6/3 needs a 50 amp breaker, charge at 40A max!!!
6 Guage THHN individual wires in conduit is rated 65A, so 60A breaker. 6/3 Romex is derated to 55A because of heat from the conductors being twisted around each other, so 50A breaker. This is a common error.
60A breaker on 6/3 violates code. Please fix asap

 

[SNYDERHAUS]

6/3 needs a 50 amp breaker, charge at 40A max!!!
6 Guage THHN individual wires in conduit is rated 65A, so 60A breaker. 6/3 Romex is derated to 55A because of heat from the conductors being twisted around each other, so 50A breaker. This is a common error.
60A breaker on 6/3 violates code. Please fix asap

Maybe in America?