Need recommendation for home charger

[RealGreen]

Hey folks - just received my new (used) Roadster and I need to buy a home charger. I would like to get something that charges the quickest. It can be hardwired or plug in (NEMA 6-50). Also wondering what is the best cleaning solution for the interior floor trim that constantly gets scuffed up from getting in and out.

Thanks!
Patrick

 

[drewski]

Hey folks - just received my new (used) Roadster and I need to buy a home charger. I would like to get something that charges the quickest. It can be hardwired or plug in (NEMA 6-50). Also wondering what is the best cleaning solution for the interior floor trim that constantly gets scuffed up from getting in and out.

Thanks!
Patrick

What interior floor trim? You mean the door sills?

 

[gregd]

"charges the quickest"...

The Roadster is capable of charging at 70 amps, which would require a dedicated 100-ish amp hardwired connection to one of the original Roadster "Connector" boxes. An alternative is to get a more modern Tesla wall charger that can juice up a Model S / X at 80 amps (again, a 100amp dedicated service), and use one of Henry Sharp's CAN-SR adapters. Neither of these rates can use the 6-50 outlet you mention.

But, do you really need to charge that fast? I expect most folks charge at 40 amps or less (I do 24 amps most of the time, just to be nice to the equipment), which can be done from a 50 amp service (usually a 14-50 outlet). Full charge is overnight, but no longer than that. I've never had to wait for it.

I use an OpenEVSE box, and a J1772-to-Roadster adapter cable, or Henry's CAN-JR adapter, but there are lots of charging solutions available for a 50 amp circuit. (Note, you can only safely pull 80% of the rated amps, so 40 amps from a 50 amp breaker.)

 

[RealGreen]

What interior floor trim? You mean the door sills?

I guess those are door sills. They are wide and have to step over getting in out. Vinyl covering and scuffed up (mine are tan)...prefer not to use a harsh chemical cleaner.

 

[RealGreen]

"charges the quickest"...

The Roadster is capable of charging at 70 amps, which would require a dedicated 100-ish amp hardwired connection to one of the original Roadster "Connector" boxes. An alternative is to get a more modern Tesla wall charger that can juice up a Model S / X at 80 amps (again, a 100amp dedicated service), and use one of Henry Sharp's CAN-SR adapters. Neither of these rates can use the 6-50 outlet you mention.

But, do you really need to charge that fast? I expect most folks charge at 40 amps or less (I do 24 amps most of the time, just to be nice to the equipment), which can be done from a 50 amp service (usually a 14-50 outlet). Full charge is overnight, but no longer than that. I've never had to wait for it.

I use an OpenEVSE box, and a J1772-to-Roadster adapter cable, or Henry's CAN-JR adapter, but there are lots of charging solutions available for a 50 amp circuit. (Note, you can only safely pull 80% of the rated amps, so 40 amps from a 50 amp breaker.)

The charger will be wired to my condo circuit box which will be able to handle another 56 amps. According to my installer, I will need a 50 amp charger to get to the desired 40 amps charging. I have not been able to find a 50 amp charger. Not sure why I’m supposed to get a 6-50 plug. But I can also buy a hardwired charger...

Thanks!

 

[gregd]

The charger will be wired to my condo circuit box which will be able to handle another 56 amps. According to my installer, I will need a 50 amp charger to get to the desired 40 amps charging. I have not been able to find a 50 amp charger. Not sure why I’m supposed to get a 6-50 plug. But I can also buy a hardwired charger...

Thanks!

Well, the 50 amp service is correct, but 6-50 isn't, or at least it's unusual. The most universal outlet is 14-50. "240 volt RV Outlet". It's the default plug for chargers that aren't hardwired.

The rating on the charger can be confusing. Some list it by the circuit size (50 amps) and some by the delivered current (80% of the circuit size, or 40 amps in the US). The OpenEVSE that I have is the P50 Deluxe, and it puts out a solid 40 amps when I need it. It's a few years old, so there may be a different model number by now. More than enough for my needs. OpenEVSE | Home I chose to put in the outlet and a short pigtail on the charger, just to have the flexibility down the road, but it can be hardwired too.

 

[shrink]

The fastest way to charge a Roadster is at 70 amps with the Tesla branded Clipper Creek CS-series EVSE’s.

A few members here, including myself, currently have some of these for sale in the Roadster Parts for Sale thread. They’re very robust units and Clipper Creek provides excellent customer service. They also come with a unique Roadster connector, so no need to use adapters.

Mine is capable of 70 amp charging, but I think I only charged at that rate once to test it. When I had my Roadster, I’d usually charge around 30 amps, which was plenty fast for my needs and easier on both the electric panel and grid.

 

[hcsharp]

Congrats on your new (to you) Roadster!

What you install for a charger depends on a lot of factors. The first question I would ask is what other vehicles, future or present, will need to use this charging source? Is the Roadster the only EV you plan to charge at this location? If so, I would get a dedicated Roadster charger. Using an adapter is slightly less convenient on a daily basis than a native Roadster charger. You can get a new one on ebay right now for about the same price as just an adapter. This would be the cheapest overall solution. *NEW* TESLA Roadster High Power Charger / Wall Charger - Model TS-70 | eBay

Having said that, the CAN SR adapter (modern Tesla 2 connector to Roadster) can be enormously handy. Not only can you use it at home if you don't buy a native Roadster charger, it will also enable you to charge from any modern Tesla charger except superchargers. [Full disclosure - I'm biased because I sell the CAN SR.] Now the initial question has more relevance - what other vehicles, future or present, will need to use this charger? The NEMA 14-50 outlet (mentioned above) is quite versatile because you can plug almost any charging cable into it, including Tesla's 40A (for a 50A circuit) Universal Mobile Connector (UMC). The UMC, coupled with the CAN SR adapter, would charge your Roadster in addition to any other Tesla. But the overall cost would be more than the native Roadster charger on ebay.

There is a competing standard to Tesla 2 called J1772. All non-Tesla EVs use J1772. Tesla's can use it too with an adapter. That's why most public charging stations are J1772. Just like the UMC, you can purchase a J1772 charging cable and charge your Roadster with a different adapter called CAN JR. That's essentially what @gregd is doing as he described in his post above. That would be an especially good choice if you also plan to charge a non-Tesla vehicle at your condo some day. So we've circled around to my original question again.

If you're serious about your desire to charge quickly, be sure to get a 40A UMC, not the cheaper 32A unit that Tesla sells. Ther's a lot of experience charging Roadsters among the members on this forum, so don't hesitate to ask questions.

 

[PV-EV]

I really like having the new Tesla Wall Charger (100 amp circuit) and Henry’s CAN SR to charge the Roadster. Plus that works to charge our Model S or your friends Model S. I don’t find having the adapter plugged in all the time to be an inconvenience. Having the SR adapter lets you charge your Roadster at Destination charging locations. This setup costs a little more but then hey!, you’re worth it. BTW, to help you remember SR (Model S to Roadster) JR (J1772 to Roadster). Also, we normally charge the Roadster at 40 amps but being able to charge at 70 can be handy when you really need it, like when you forgot to plug in the night before.

 

[X.l.r.8]

I'm paranoid about not being able to charge so I have
Clipper Creek wall charger for daily use because it works amazingly well.
I have the openEVSE (similar to gregd) advanced kit that I used a broken Tesla UMC to be able to get 40A, the benefit of using the roadster one is the multiple pigtails.
In the car I have a can Sr and Jr and a tesla Gen 1 UMC that can at a push do 40A but to be honest its never been out of the cover. I also have a 120V cable with a tesla plug to use in car parks, its cheap enough to not be too upset if someone steals it unlike the UMC.
The Open EVSE is a large unit and better being used as a home charger.
If you end up with a Can Sr the best solution is a HPWC for daily use dialed down to suit what ever circuit you have.

 

[RealGreen]

Congrats on your new (to you) Roadster!

What you install for a charger depends on a lot of factors. The first question I would ask is what other vehicles, future or present, will need to use this charging source? Is the Roadster the only EV you plan to charge at this location? If so, I would get a dedicated Roadster charger. Using an adapter is slightly less convenient on a daily basis than a native Roadster charger. You can get a new one on ebay right now for about the same price as just an adapter. This would be the cheapest overall solution. *NEW* TESLA Roadster High Power Charger / Wall Charger - Model TS-70 | eBay

Having said that, the CAN SR adapter (modern Tesla 2 connector to Roadster) can be enormously handy. Not only can you use it at home if you don't buy a native Roadster charger, it will also enable you to charge from any modern Tesla charger except superchargers. [Full disclosure - I'm biased because I sell the CAN SR.] Now the initial question has more relevance - what other vehicles, future or present, will need to use this charger? The NEMA 14-50 outlet (mentioned above) is quite versatile because you can plug almost any charging cable into it, including Tesla's 40A (for a 50A circuit) Universal Mobile Connector (UMC). The UMC, coupled with the CAN SR adapter, would charge your Roadster in addition to any other Tesla. But the overall cost would be more than the native Roadster charger on ebay.

There is a competing standard to Tesla 2 called J1772. All non-Tesla EVs use J1772. Tesla's can use it too with an adapter. That's why most public charging stations are J1772. Just like the UMC, you can purchase a J1772 charging cable and charge your Roadster with a different adapter called CAN JR. That's essentially what @gregd is doing as he described in his post above. That would be an especially good choice if you also plan to charge a non-Tesla vehicle at your condo some day. So we've circled around to my original question again.

If you're serious about your desire to charge quickly, be sure to get a 40A UMC, not the cheaper 32A unit that Tesla sells. Ther's a lot of experience charging Roadsters among the members on this forum, so don't hesitate to ask questions.

That is very helpful thank you! Great info (so much it makes me think I may have to rethink this). I currently have one of those chargers from 10 years ago that Nissan recommended for Leaf owners, my car of the last 9 years. And with my J1772 adapter it works fine still. But, I figured if I needed that faster charge, I should buy a new charger with higher amps. You mentioned 40A UMC - is that going to be a 50A charger? Thank you again for the very helpful information.

 

[RealGreen]

I'm paranoid about not being able to charge so I have
Clipper Creek wall charger for daily use because it works amazingly well.
I have the openEVSE (similar to gregd) advanced kit that I used a broken Tesla UMC to be able to get 40A, the benefit of using the roadster one is the multiple pigtails.
In the car I have a can Sr and Jr and a tesla Gen 1 UMC that can at a push do 40A but to be honest its never been out of the cover. I also have a 120V cable with a tesla plug to use in car parks, its cheap enough to not be too upset if someone steals it unlike the UMC.
The Open EVSE is a large unit and better being used as a home charger.
If you end up with a Can Sr the best solution is a HPWC for daily use dialed down to suit what ever circuit you have.

Thank you for your response! Yes, with electric cars (sometimes) it really sucks when you are empty and need to get somewhere right away. That Clipper Creek is looking mighty good right now.

BTW - on a different topic. I know this will ruffle a lot of feathers on other Tesla or EV forums. My biggest problem in the last couple years with getting a charge, not at home, when I desperately need it, is that cars such as Tesla or Volt, and others, that do not need the charge, are parked in the only public chargers available. Perhaps they like the free energy or just the nice spot right in front, but this is a really big problem that needs a solution. There is a great article from ChargePoint addressing this - I just hope that the word spreads....not trying to piss anyone off, but when your range shows 14 miles remaining and the warning lights are flashing,....well you know what I'm saying. Please read and share: EV Charging Etiquette at Work | ChargePoint

 

[RealGreen]

I really like having the new Tesla Wall Charger (100 amp circuit) and Henry’s CAN SR to charge the Roadster. Plus that works to charge our Model S or your friends Model S. I don’t find having the adapter plugged in all the time to be an inconvenience. Having the SR adapter lets you charge your Roadster at Destination charging locations. This setup costs a little more but then hey!, you’re worth it. BTW, to help you remember SR (Model S to Roadster) JR (J1772 to Roadster). Also, we normally charge the Roadster at 40 amps but being able to charge at 70 can be handy when you really need it, like when you forgot to plug in the night before.

Love it - very helpful, thank you!! Roadster owners are the best

 

[RealGreen]

The fastest way to charge a Roadster is at 70 amps with the Tesla branded Clipper Creek CS-series EVSE’s.

A few members here, including myself, currently have some of these for sale in the Roadster Parts for Sale thread. They’re very robust units and Clipper Creek provides excellent customer service. They also come with a unique Roadster connector, so no need to use adapters.

Mine is capable of 70 amp charging, but I think I only charged at that rate once to test it. When I had my Roadster, I’d usually charge around 30 amps, which was plenty fast for my needs and easier on both the electric panel and grid.

Thank you - very helpful. I will check the parts for sale thread. If anyone sees this and wants to throw out some other "for sale" items, such as the CAN SR, I have just found out that I definitely need to buy one of these.

 

[slcasner]

The charger will be wired to my condo circuit box which will be able to handle another 56 amps. According to my installer, I will need a 50 amp charger to get to the desired 40 amps charging. I have not been able to find a 50 amp charger. Not sure why I’m supposed to get a 6-50 plug.

I think what the installer meant was that you need a charger rated for a 50 amp circuit, which can then deliver 40 amps continuous to the car because the National Electrical Code specifies that the continuous load can only be 80% of the circuit rating. Chargers are usually described by the current they can deliver to the car, so I've never heard of a charger specified as 50 amp. A charger that is designed for a 60 amp circuit delivers 48 amps; a charger that is designed for a 70 amp circuit delivers 56 amps. Since you mention 56 amps above, maybe the circuit that is available to you is a 70 amp circuit. But you could still use a charger that delivers 40 amps on that circuit.

One thing that's strange is the recommendation for a 6-50 plug. As @gregd said, a 14-50 plug is the most commonly used type in modern construction (for electric stoves, for example).

 

[hcsharp]

You mentioned 40A UMC - is that going to be a 50A charger?

There's no such thing as a 50A charger. 56A chargers exist however. Tesla wall chargers can be configured for 56A installed on a 70A breaker. 56 is a specific enough number that I suspect, as @slcasner did, that your electrician was probably referring to a 70A circuit to make 56A available for charging. Now that I know more about your needs and your desire to have the fastest charging possible, I would recommend a Tesla Wall Charger configured to 56A (rotary position A when installing the wall charger). You'll need a CAN SR to go with it.