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NEMA 14-50 install quote
- Thread starter rlb4
- Start date
Call your city/county permit branch and ask, or take a look at their permits web site. It should be listed. In Washington state, all electrical work done by anyone who is not the owner must be accompanied by a permit and inspection. I'm sure certain things done by the owner still would require permit or at least inspection, but not 100% sure. My electrician pulled the permits and setup the inspection for me, so I just paid him, and then stayed home for the 10 minutes it took the inspector to approve it.
A 40- or 50-amp outlet doesn't require a permit? Weird. Does it at least require an inspection?
If you do this, make 200% sure everything is powered off. If your main is in the same panel, the top will be live (or wherever the main comes in).
$300 isn’t unreasonable. As said above, it’s someone’s block of time.
You can do it yourself for much less, but you don’t have anyone to blame/call if it goes wrong.
$300 isn’t unreasonable. As said above, it’s someone’s block of time.
You can do it yourself for much less, but you don’t have anyone to blame/call if it goes wrong.
Only the bottom wall is concrete. The wall the panel is on is sheet rock. The outlet will be surface mounted on the sheet rock just to the right of the panel.
Yep, even the owner has to get permit and inspection for their own electrical work in WA.
Source (MyBuildingPermit.com is the official online permit site for WA).
Basically anything under WSLI jurisdiction is really the jurisdiction of the city. Pretty much everywhere requires a permit for electrical work, but self-installations like a NEMA 15-40 don't typically require a plan review (I was able to submit, pay and receive my permit all in about 10 mins on above site).
Inspection is the same for new installations e.g. it is always required, even for self-installations. See first paragraph of WSLI Inspection Basics.
Not sure why Seattle (and Eastside moreso) is so damn expensive, but DIY is totally acceptable if it's to code. Luckily there's also a quick code reference on the Seattle Dept of Construction and Inspections website which makes it pretty easy. Code is essentially the same in Seattle as it is on the Eastside (possibly elswewhere).
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Lasttoy
Active Member
Very cheap. Parts at HD costs 100 for breaker, wire and receptical. I did it myself. It was 6 feet. Took 1 hour.
Lasttoy
Active Member
You can do it,watch Youtube videos. Its easy from your short distance. Red , black, green, white wires. If watch videos, pull cover off breaker box. You cant screw it up. Go look.
eprosenx
Active Member
That panel is completely full. It looks like the bus only has 30 positions but and they are all full.
It appears that none of the slots are rated for “tandem” breakers either from what I can see (though I may be wrong - I need a close up of that sticker on the door to tell - please also post pictures of the circuit list so we know what they are used for)
Weird though. Most of the time at least some positions are rated for tandems (they usually allow you up to 40 total breaker poles, so a 30 slot panel will often have ten of the slots allowed to use tandems)
1hour minimum is a real bear to schedule, company has to pay for the truck and the guy. Free quotes need to get paid for come time to install too 1 hour labor to quote and later return is wildly unreasonable.
Now I agree often times a homeowner can learn to undertake these projects I installed a wall connector myself but not everyone is comfortable learning such things, and I spent more than a few hours researching.
ZoomDoggie
Member
That's a lot less than what we spent. Then again we had to dig up our underground ?conduit? and dig an 18 inch plus deep trench to run another 20 feet to run it to the detached alley garage. A couple of guys, digging equipment and something like 8 hours of work (I'm not sure as I was out of town). Oh, plus running it an outlet to the front of the garage. We did get wired for a couple of standard plugs too while the guys were there though. It cost $2500. Just waiting on the car now...(had to decline a delivery date due to the same out of town trip, but it gave us a chance to get the install done). Permitted. Would have been easier/cheaper if we had above ground electric service!
eprosenx
Active Member
If I am reading the bus diagram spec sheet on your door correctly I think you are going to find that those empty positions in the cover do not have actual bus positions behind them.
A more detailed set of pictures may help us interpret this better. Also, if you are comfortable safely taking the cover off then panel and taking pictures that would be a ton of help and give some of the best answers (in addition to the sticker on the door).
eprosenx
Active Member
Oh great! You are golden. I must have mis counted the number of installed breakers. Indeed, you only have 30 total bus positions but you have six open right now.
It is interesting that you have a limited feed size into the panel. It lands on a 100a breaker with pretty small wire. Are the ends of that wire copper or aluminum? I can’t see. Can you tell what wire size is printed on those main feeds (or take pictures). Is that the main service feed? Or is this a sub panel?
Can you take pictures of where the conduit goes? Is it a meter base? Do you have external overhead power? (I want to verify what size electrical feed you have - it might not even be rated to 100a).
Am I correct in assuming you have a generator feed as well in the bottom right?
FWIW I don’t think $300 is unreasonable. As others point out, it is a tiny job so most of the cost is in driving time and administrative labor.
Update. Going with a different electrician. $300-350. Said I do need a permit but up to me. I'm going to get one. So I have a question. He said I was borderline with my panel service. I have a 100 amp service. Biggest draw is central ac with a 40 amp breaker. I know the Model 3 doesn't use all 50 amps with a NEMA 14-50 outlet. So how many amps does it use and will I be ok with my 100 amp service?
IIRC it pulls about 32 amps with a 14-50. But I'm pretty sure for code purposes you have to use the 50 amp rating when calculating the total load.
You could use a 30 amp breaker and a NEMA 14-30 receptacle. That gets about 22 miles per hour of charge for the Model 3. You'd have to buy the adapter from the Tesla store.
You could use a 30 amp breaker and a NEMA 14-30 receptacle. That gets about 22 miles per hour of charge for the Model 3. You'd have to buy the adapter from the Tesla store.
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