My two Tesla overhead charging solution

My wife got tired of me draping the charging cord over her Model Y, so I devised this overhead charging solution. I wanted the get the "EV Hover" product but they discontinued the 9' version and the 6' version they sell is too short for my needs. So I devised my own. The arm is a dock light arm - used for lighting up the inside of a truck at a loading dock. I got it here. I then just modified it a little by adding the hook for the cable. Works well. Just pull it out for the Model 3 and keep it against the wall to charge the Model Y. The arm has a lot of leverage on it when it is fully extended, so the mounting plate has to be very well secured. Two of the bolts are lag bolts going right into a stud.

Now my wife can come and go in the Y while the 3 charges.

 

[Sophias_dad]

Get a holster or whatever to keep the UMC body from dangling off the adapter. It will eventually work itself off the adapter due to heating and cooling.

The arm looks great!

 

[JeffreyC]

Thanks. I did notice the cord was separating from the body when I installed the arm. I ordered a holster.

 

[NeverGoingBack]

Here’s what I do

 

[Wokdwokdwok]

A cheapskate like me, I’d use a couple pool noodles, encase the cord and toss onto the Y, no harm no foul.

 

[advocate8]

Nice, clean approach!

 

[davewill]

Have to say, I'd spend the money to install a second outlet and mobile connector (or a wall connector) on the other side of the garage rather than do that.

 

[advocate8]

Have to say, I'd spend the money to install a second outlet and mobile connector (or a wall connector) on the other side of the garage rather than do that.

A friend is apparently buying a 3 for his wife and a Y for himself more or less simultaneously.... I told him that when he has the wall unit installed that he simply puts it on the wall as close as possible to the left rear corner of the left-most vehicle spot. If the installers measure it even vaguely in the ballpark, it should be ok. But I’m sure its true many folks have to install it somewhere it won’t reach one of the two, or will just be an endless annoyance to drag around the closest one to get to farthest.

 

[howardnj]

Have to say, I'd spend the money to install a second outlet and mobile connector (or a wall connector) on the other side of the garage rather than do that.

I would have spent the money on a pedestal Gen 3 HPWC

 

[mclark2112]

Looks like an F1 pit stall!

 

[davewill]

I would have spent the money on a pedestal Gen 3 HPWC

In the middle of the garage?

 

[JeffreyC]

Have to say, I'd spend the money to install a second outlet and mobile connector (or a wall connector) on the other side of the garage rather than do that.

Yes I considered that option. Other than it being 3x the cost of the arm, the second charger cord would still have to be laid across the trunk of the M3 to charge and the arm also elevates the cord when charging the MY, so I can easily walk next to the MY without jumping over a cord. Seemed like the cleanest option (to me).

 

[Evpowerdan]

A cheapskate like me, I’d use a couple pool noodles, encase the cord and toss onto the Y, no harm no foul.

Genius! You need to sell that solution accessory on Amazon! Couple of pics & how too, free shipping and big markup!

 

[Kalex]

Model X, Model S Plaid and Model 3 all within reach of the 25 feet cable, 40A EV JuiceNet wall charger. I just rotate charging them, never a need to charge 2 Teslas in one day. Start scheduled charging 25A max @10PM (TOU) super off peak, done charging @7am.
In my use case, a 2nd wall charger is unnecessary.
Hope this setup helps someone.
Sorry, no Y, but that’s a Starlink antenna above the garage

 

[FreeLunch]

My wife got tired of me draping the charging cord over her Model Y, so I devised this overhead charging solution. I wanted the get the "EV Hover" product but they discontinued the 9' version and the 6' version they sell is too short for my needs. So I devised my own. The arm is a dock light arm - used for lighting up the inside of a truck at a loading dock. I got it here. I then just modified it a little by adding the hook for the cable. Works well. Just pull it out for the Model 3 and keep it against the wall to charge the Model Y. The arm has a lot of leverage on it when it is fully extended, so the mounting plate has to be very well secured. Two of the bolts are lag bolts going right into a stud.

Now my wife can come and go in the Y while the 3 charges.

View attachment 906704View attachment 906705

I was thinking about doing something cantilevered like you did. However after searching for different ideas, I found this approach that a guy did on Youtube. It's a simple approach but I think it works better for a couple reasons. First, as you mentioned when you have the arm fully extended out, it creates a whole lot of torque on the wall. If someone pulled on the cable, it can obviously stress the boards you have it drilled into. Second, the approach in the video appears to be cheaper than buying the cantilevered arm.

It's on my list of projects to do so I don't know how it will work in my own garage, but think it will work out just fine.

 

[Mrbrock]

Yes I considered that option. Other than it being 3x the cost of the arm, the second charger cord would still have to be laid across the trunk of the M3 to charge and the arm also elevates the cord when charging the MY, so I can easily walk next to the MY without jumping over a cord. Seemed like the cleanest option (to me).

Why does it have to be draped over the car? Can it not just be laid on the ground?

Another simple solution is to place the charger on the side wall away from the door end and back both cars in. Then the cord can be draped on the ground and not need to be driven over by either car. Gen 2 HPWC (or Gen 3 with 24') will reach from the side wall all the way to the other side wall in a standard 2 car garage. This also prevents the rear hatch of MY from opening into an opened garage door overhead.

 

[JeffreyC]

I was thinking about doing something cantilevered like you did. However after searching for different ideas, I found this approach that a guy did on Youtube. It's a simple approach but I think it works better for a couple reasons. First, as you mentioned when you have the arm fully extended out, it creates a whole lot of torque on the wall. If someone pulled on the cable, it can obviously stress the boards you have it drilled into. Second, the approach in the video appears to be cheaper than buying the cantilevered arm.

It's on my list of projects to do so I don't know how it will work in my own garage, but think it will work out just fine.

I saw this video, but this would not work for me or, I think, anyone with two Teslas. No matter how you position two Teslas in the garage, the charging ports will not be close to each other like this guy has with a the Leaf and Tesla - if the Leaf were a Tesla, he could not reach the charging port regardless of whether the car were parked straight in or backed in. I needed a solution that allowed me to move the cable from one car to the other while still providing clearance over the MY so my wife could take it in and out without having to move any cables.

There is torgue on the arm when fully extended, but not enough to pull it from the wall.

 

[JeffreyC]

Why does it have to be draped over the car? Can it not just be laid on the ground?

it could be laid on the ground, but then I have the same problem - the cord needs to be removed from the M3 to remove the MY from the garage. My solution is to allow the MY to come and go without having the unplug the M3. And some kind of protection on the garage floor for the cord does not work as I would have to pull that up to charge the MY - and a big bump in the floor would be annoying.

 

[appleguru]

Nice work! Though I’ll second the opinion that I would have just installed a second outlet/charger on the other side of the garage.

Or, if you really want to share, move the outlet to the back of the garage where the shelves are, in between both cars. Then just run the cord down the aisle to whichever car needs charging without impeding the other one. Works even better if you back in!

 

[Mrbrock]

Nice work! Though I’ll second the opinion that I would have just installed a second outlet/charger on the other side of the garage.

Or, if you really want to share, move the outlet to the back of the garage where the shelves are, in between both cars. Then just run the cord down the aisle to whichever car needs charging without impeding the other one. Works even better if you back in!

Exactly what I did (and said above). Back in with charger on side wall towards the back or back wall. No running over cords.