NEMA 14-50 Consultation

[Cnasty]

I am getting a quote today by a well known electrician in the area for my NEMA install.

My car should be delivered within the next couple weeks.

I am curious to what I should be looking for or questions to ask?

My panel is in the garage and the install should be right below it literally a foot away or so.

My garage gets super hot in the summer. Is that safe for the car to be in there charging not as Texas summers are brutal.

What specific questions should I ask or look for?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mddmx]

I am also in Texas. I have 2 of these put in by different electricians. Cost for each was right around $250. Mine were both installed very near the panels so your cost may vary. The first electrician had done this "many times" for other Tesla's, the second guy had never done one. Both came out just fine. It is a very simple thing for them to do ....

 

[Buddy]

I am getting a quote today by a well known electrician in the area for my NEMA install.

My car should be delivered within the next couple weeks.

I am curious to what I should be looking for or questions to ask?

My panel is in the garage and the install should be right below it literally a foot away or so.

My garage gets super hot in the summer. Is that safe for the car to be in there charging not as Texas summers are brutal.

What specific questions should I ask or look for?

Thanks in advance!

Remember that it's not a "Tesla Charger" being installed. It is just an outlet hat could be used for an RV or whatever. Your electrician may up his price if he knows it's for a Tesla.

I paid $750, which included a $300 permit my county required.

 

[CHGolferJim]

Not Texas obviously, but I paid $800 for addition of a sub-panel and about 20' of conduit over one door to the new outlet between the two garage doors (and Nick threw in a few extra simple tasks), and a permit. Pay careful attention to where you want the outlet positioned, in the long run paying a few hundred more for the best location will be worth it.

 

[TexasEV]

Here is all he needs to know:
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/downloads/US/universalmobileconnector_nema_14-50.pdf

 

[Cnasty]

Remember that it's not a "Tesla Charger" being installed. It is just an outlet hat could be used for an RV or whatever. Your electrician may up his price if he knows it's for a Tesla.

I paid $750, which included a $300 permit my county required.

Good point.

When I called they said is this for a Tesla? I said yes so I showed my hand.

They said we have been installing a ton of these lately so the moment you said garage and a NEMA we knew Tesla!

He will be here shortly.

 

[Buddy]

Good point.

When I called they said is this for a Tesla? I said yes so I showed my hand.

They said we have been installing a ton of these lately so the moment you said garage and a NEMA we knew Tesla!

He will be here shortly.

I called 4 electricians and all lowered their price when I said "Okay I just wanted a quote".

First guy came by the house for the quote and said "$900". I said no and he immediately said he could do $750

 

[Cnasty]

Called 3 different ones and the last one quoted the lowest, could put it in today, and was absolutely fantastic with customer service and highly rated on the likes of Yelp and Google.

Highly recommended and please PM me if you are in the area and looking for an electrician.

I am in no way associated with them but know I had to scour the internet and check reviews and get multiple quotes so making it easier for anyone else.

 

[ABCCBA]

Any pictures? How much did he charge?

Called 3 different ones and the last one quoted the lowest, could put it in today, and was absolutely fantastic with customer service and highly rated on the likes of Yelp and Google.

Highly recommended and please PM me if you are in the area and looking for an electrician.

I am in no way associated with them but know I had to scour the internet and check reviews and get multiple quotes so making it easier for anyone else.

 

[Cnasty]

Any pictures? How much did he charge?

Here ya go.

$400
Done within an hour.
Super clean.
Same day service...on a Saturday!!!!

 

[ABCCBA]

Nice job at a fair price.

Here ya go.

$400
Done within an hour.
Super clean.
Same day service...on a Saturday!!!!

 

[Cnasty]

Nice job at a fair price.

Probably could have gotten it cheaper but top rate customer service from first phone call to final payment.

And they came same day, within 6 hours on a weekend and popped it in.

I'll pay a premium for that.

 

[Snerruc]

In my county if the electrician installs the plug upside down as Tesla requires, it will be failed unless he returns and turns it right side up. Only passes if he puts a special Tesla charging circuit sticker by the breaker.

 

[TexasEV]

In my county if the electrician installs the plug upside down as Tesla requires, it will be failed unless he returns and turns it right side up. Only passes if he puts a special Tesla charging circuit sticker by the breaker.

It's not upside down.

 

[dbhajek]

Man, Here in San Antonio I am getting crazy quotes, way over triple $400. I think the main problem I am having is my main box is pretty far away.

Here ya go.

$400
Done within an hour.
Super clean.
Same day service...on a Saturday!!!!

 

[Cnasty]

Man, Here in San Antonio I am getting crazy quotes, way over triple $400. I think the main problem I am having is my main box is pretty far away.

Yea he said if/when we get the Model 3 in a couple years and want to install another on the other side of the garage it would be like $900

Still not bad to run that far

 

[democappy]

Man, Here in San Antonio I am getting crazy quotes, way over triple $400. I think the main problem I am having is my main box is pretty far away.

If it makes you feel any better, mine is going to cost even more than that. Be glad you don't have a detached garage on the opposite side of the house as your main box. Mine is going to be a little over $2k, but I also got one quote that was over $4k!

 

[jchag]

Man, Here in San Antonio I am getting crazy quotes, way over triple $400. I think the main problem I am having is my main box is pretty far away.

#6/3 wire is about $2 a foot. The $400 install for @Cnasty needed less than two feet

 

[scottm]

I just added a NEMA receptacle in the garage for potential e-visitors who don't drive Tesla, plus for myself if my HPWC decides to take a break it is there as a backup ...

I split the difference,installed the NEMA 14-50 with ground "sideways".

Because I don't know which is the most common orientation of ground pin w.r.t. "natural" curvatures of various makes of plugs and charger boxes on the market. I wanted to be more inclusive and figured left or right exit orientations are better than and somebody getting stuck with an up exit orientation.

There is something not only aesthetically displeasing about an upside down plug with a thick cable shooting up arcing over, but the weight of the cable and box hanging off that thing makes it want to unplug itself. And is why Tesla says orient NEMA 14-50 ground pin a certain way for the TMC.

 

[AndreSF]

I just added a NEMA receptacle in the garage for potential e-visitors who don't drive Tesla, plus for myself if my HPWC decides to take a break it is there as a backup ...

I split the difference,installed the NEMA 14-50 with ground "sideways".

Because I don't know which is the most common orientation of ground pin w.r.t. "natural" curvatures of various makes of plugs and charger boxes on the market. I wanted to be more inclusive and figured left or right exit orientations are better than and somebody getting stuck with an up exit orientation.

There is something not only aesthetically displeasing about an upside down plug with a thick cable shooting up arcing over, but the weight of the cable and box hanging off that thing makes it want to unplug itself. And is why Tesla says orient NEMA 14-50 ground pin a certain way for the TMC.

I don't know of any EVs other than Tesla that have a mobile connector with NEMA 14-50 plug, so if that is what you installed, your visitors will likely have a difficult time using that hookup...