NEMA 14-50 Installation - should I go ahead and get two?

[JPP]

FWIW, when I had SolarCity do my 16kW PV install last year, and when their SF Bay Area electricians were still doing NEMA 14-50 installs, I had them install 1 in each of 2 2-car garages, even thought we had then (and still have) only 1 EV/Model S. At that time SolarCity was discounting the cost of the NEMA installs, so it was worth doing it then. Fortunately our house is pretty new and has 400A service and multiple sub-panels, plus the panels had room for 2 50A breakers. The cost was to run the NM jacketed cable about 40 feet in 1 garage and 75 feet to the other. Ready for my wife's S in 2015 when her LS goes off lease. Also ready for when Bonnie or anyone else drops by and needs some juice. For me, a no brainer...YMMV.

- - - Updated - - -

It's a total waste of money until you have a friend with a Roadster or Model S visiting for the afternoon, needing to top off before heading home, and you want to supply a high power charge. Or you have a bbq with 100+ people, with about half driving EVs, some Leafs with a very short range ... and many need juice just to get home again.

I used my 14-50 for years and it fully served my needs. But after taking friends to different area EVSEs so they could charge while visiting, I went the extra and put in more options. Totally glad I did. And I'll probably put in more options in the next year. Because I'm not the only one who charges at my house. My friends do, too. And I like them to come visit.

If you were lucky enough to be at Bonnie's BBQ, you would have seen how valuable the extra charging capacity was, even with the Roseville Supercharger only a few miles away. As Bonnie noted, the Leaf drivers were VERY glad to see the loaner EVSE and J1772 there (....thanks, Bonnie).

 

[Cottonwood]

You're going to find that you make new friends that drive electric cars. And they'll appreciate a place to plug in. Seriously, I had two plugs available (70 amp, Roadster|Model S & 40 amp 14-50 |J1772) during a recent bbq and both were going non-stop. The portable J1772 was on loan from Clipper Creek and was heavily used by a couple Leaf drivers that stopped by - I'm thinking I need something like that here for the future. And I may put in another 70amp HPC so that I have three spots total to charge. (But then, I like to throw parties.)

Princess Tesla, you are so correct!

Having an extra plug is always useful.

I put a 200 Amp sub-panel in my Boulder garage. It has an HPWC on a 100 Amp breaker, a Roadster HPC on a 90 Amp breaker, and a 14-50 on a 50 Amp breaker. I know that if all three run, this will put the panel over current and pop the 200 Amp breaker feeding the panel. The argument I used for approval is that the HPWC and HPC are for continuos use and are within the panel's rating. The 14-50 is only for occasional use and testing of the UMC, etc. If I ever have three EV's charging, I will manage the total charging power to 160 Amps.

In the Pagosa house, that side of the house is served by a 400 Amp panel in the garage. There are 3 14-50's, each on a 50 Amp breaker, and an HPWC on a 100 Amp breaker in the garage there.

Needless to say, I have plenty of capacity for EV charging. It helps that both houses have 600 Amp service, Boulder on a 50 kVA transformer and Pagosa on a 100 kVA transformer.

Even if the next owner of the house does not have an EV, a 14-50 can be useful for an RV.

 

[jcaspar]

"I also sourced two used Square D 3 phase 100 amp. disconnects removed from industrial applications and wired them for single phase 240 volts. These were only $75 each from eBay but retail for $450 each from an electrician or supply house. This allowed me to use 1 AWG copper run in 1 1/4" plastic conduit from each 200 amp. main panel to the disconnect enabling little to no voltage drop in each of the 40 and 45 foot runs respectively."


Why the disconnects? Was it required by code for inspection? You must not have had it inspected as the two outlets with the "use only one at a time" can't be to code. Just curious.

 

[Solarguy]

Both HPWC's where inspected and are to code. A disconnect is required if the panel the HPWC's are wired to are not within eye site. One panel is behind a door in the laundry room off the garage and the other is in the garage but around a corner and can't be seen from the lift installed HPWC. The dual outlet was a pre existing outlet that I installed with 6 AWG copper to the 14-50. . I added the L14-30 later to use for my table saw. The 14-50 will be used for charging if need be but obviously not while running the saw which is only plugged in when I roll it out onto the driveway to make piles on sawdust. The compressor is on a dedicated 14-50 so just unplugging it gives me another charging point if need be. I expect to only use the 14-50's for parties.

 

[Merrill]

When I wired my garage I put in a 100 amp sub panel with 2 14-50s, one on each side of the garage. As the labor was free (me), it still wasn't too bad of an expense (though 2-3 Romex is expensive and hard to work with!). I did this so when I got a dedicated EV meter for better rates, I could run both outlets off the meter. As I already had a 14-50 so actually that makes 3! Can't have too many...
Also have a 400 Amp service to the house with 200amp, 100amp(EV) and 90 amp(Shed) sub panels.

Jcaspar, can you tell me if I run another Nema outlet off my current plug and alternate charging or charging times is that code. I have a 200 amp service to the house and put in a second 100 amp panel as a dedicated meter for the Model S, but that runs off off the 200 amp service. Do not want and do not think I have room for another 60 foot run and a separate 50 amp circuit for the Model X when it comes. So would like to tie into the Nema plug I'm currently using and just run the conduit across the garage to accommodate the second EV.

 

[invisik]

Definitely put in two. We had our 80amp HPWC and a 14-50 installed at the same time. They had to tear through drywall and stuff, so no chance I'd be wanting them to do that all over again in the future. I also can use the 14-50 if the HPWC fails for some reason.

-m