My electrician is currently installing a new wall charger with a 60 AMP breaker on 6 gauge wire, he hasn't done before any 60 AMP as he has only installed 50 AMP breakers in the past. I am wondering if it's possible to set my charger to start at 40 amps instead of 48 amps, which is the maximum I can do based on my breaker. Would I be able to configure this on my Tesla app after the installation is complete? Please let me know if there are any mistakes or if I'm missing anything.
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Model Y Charging
- Thread starter santosh Kumar
- Start date
Yes, just tell the charger you have a 50 amp breaker. Its done via your phone, but not the tesla app.
Is your electrician running the conductors through conduit? If so, its good for 65A and you can tell the HPWC you have a 60A breaker.
Is there some reason he's putting in a 60 amp breaker, especially if he knows the wires he is installing can't(in theory at least) handle that load?
Is your electrician running the conductors through conduit? If so, its good for 65A and you can tell the HPWC you have a 60A breaker.
Is there some reason he's putting in a 60 amp breaker, especially if he knows the wires he is installing can't(in theory at least) handle that load?
I'll second this, not because it needs 60 amp, but because if you are running new wires anyway you might as well use wires that can support the circuit breaker you are installing(!)
This is wire he is using on 60 Amp breaker. Cerrowire 125 ft. 6/2 Black Stranded CerroMax SLiPWire Copper NM-B Wire 147-4202D - The Home Depot Just wanted to make sure it can handle 48AMPs without any issues.
It isn't rated to handle 48 amp charging. It should be limited to a 55 amp breaker and 44 amp charging. He's not supposed to use the round-up rule to put a 60 amp breaker on it since he knows full-well that that will allow the end equipment to draw 48 amps, exceeding the continuous rating of the wire.
Sounds like isnt installing a conduit but just running the NM-B cable. Which is fine but by code it only supports max 55A. So you’d set your wall charger to charge at max 40A.
See this page for more info: CarCharging.us
See this page for more info: CarCharging.us
Thanks for the replies. I argued with him but he dint listen he said he is almost done installation so he cant go back. And he did many of them with no issues. Seems now my option is either to replace completely or just set in phone to use 44amp or 40 amp?? Is my understanding correct.
You commission the wall connector for a 50 amp circuit, so that it is only able to charge at 40 amps. You dont (or shouldnt anyway) "turn the amps down" in the tesla app for car charging, you configure the wall connector for a 50amp circuit instead of a 60amp one..... and you never, ever, use that electrician again, nor do you recommend them to anyone.
So what is my next course of action to do it correct. Replace everything or if i use the way it is should i need to make any adjustments??
Personally, I would just set it to 50amps in the wall connector) 40amp charging, and call it a day, that is, if you are not going to fight with the electrician. You probably wont notice much difference in actual usage. It will charge slower, but not slower enough to matter for almost anyone, unless you have some monstrous daily commute, and cant plug in when you get home.
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If you’re worried, replace the 60A breaker with a 50A one and use the app to commission the Tesla wall connector to work at 40A.
Many many electricians use NM-B 6 gauge for a 60A EVSE. Unless the cable is routed in the attic above the insulation (so it gets exposed to 130 F temps in the summer) I personally wouldn’t worry about it.
Cue the code nazis…
If you're concerned about this it is easy to simply replace the breaker with a 50 amp breaker. No need to change the wiring. Takes about 15 minutes. It doesn't make sense that he couldn't go back unless he was concerned about the cost of a 50A breaker.
I installed #6 wire in conduit with only a 30A breaker because I have about maxed out my 200A panel box. (second heat pump and tankless water heater). . The wire and conduit were overkill but someday I may upgrade my panel and everything will be in place.
I have no problem completely charging my vehicle over night even when I needed to fully charge for a long trip so unless you completely run your battery low a several times a day a 50A breaker should serve you well.
Since I'm not a licensed electrician, checking with another electrician for your specific situation is a good idea
I installed #6 wire in conduit with only a 30A breaker because I have about maxed out my 200A panel box. (second heat pump and tankless water heater). . The wire and conduit were overkill but someday I may upgrade my panel and everything will be in place.
I have no problem completely charging my vehicle over night even when I needed to fully charge for a long trip so unless you completely run your battery low a several times a day a 50A breaker should serve you well.
Since I'm not a licensed electrician, checking with another electrician for your specific situation is a good idea
Mrbrock
Active Member
If he hasn't done 60A breakers before, why is he doing it now? It is obvious he is used to wiring either 14-50 outlets or chargers that max out at a 50A circuit and is using the proper wiring and breaker for those situations (6ga NMB and 50A breaker). If that is all he is comfortable with, he should stick with that. If you pushed him to 60A and he didnt change anything else, then you need a new electrician. He should know that he can't use a 60A breaker on that circuit with that wiring.
I dint push him i asked him instead of 50 AMP can you do 60 AMP. He said yes and i asked him does the wire you have will support it he said yes. He said i have to pay him 50 dollar extra i said its fine. When he cutting the wire i looked at it and was making sure and found it may not support. I asked him again during installation but he kept on saying he does many of these and he knows what he is doing so could not debate further. Anyway i will just ask him to replace 60 AMP with 50 AMP and i think it should be good. Some times its really tough to deal with contractors and it was part mistake of me as well i should have checked all these rather than trusting the electrician and he is licensed one.
Mrbrock
Active Member
Sometimes when dealing with skilled trades, let them do what they suggest as this is usually what they are comfortable with. If you want something specific, you need to know all the details and request this at the very beginning.
I can't understand why you are blaming me. If you had a contractor working for won't u ask once they start to do something more. If contractor says he can do it we pay them or if he says cant or its more expensive leave it. If a guy does not know what he is doing says he can do and messes up i am the one at loss not him. Cant believe you guys are defending a bad job.
Mrbrock
Active Member
I am not blaming you, I apologize if it came across that way. Just trying to show you how a lot of tradespeople operate through my experience with them.
I would not ask them to change something from what we had agreed upon after the start of the project. This is why trusted contractors have you sign an estimate that lays everything out. Then there is no questioning if it is done right. Trying to change things after that agreement leads to problems more often than not. If the agreed upon plan was 50A and he had all the material for 50A and you then changed that to 60A, he is out the cost of all that material since he would need new wire and breaker for 60A. To save that cost, he may tell you he can do it with only needing a breaker knowing that the majority of cases wont have issues with that setup, which is still wrong. Which is why I said you shouldn't trust him if he says he can do 60A with wiring he bought for 50A. You have come to this same conclusion so it sounds like we are talking about the same thing here.
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