NEMA 14-50 Outlet Location

[jerry33]

Would creating a small port in your garage wall to pass the cable through work? You could mount your HPWC or UMC inside and pass the cable through to the outside then back in to store it on the wall inside in the morning.

I thought about that too, but the electrical service (and the wires that go to it) are right in the place where the hole would be.

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I've run a Roadster UMC (much thicker than the S UMC) under my garage door for visitors with no problem. It doesn't set off the sensor, door closes just fine as long as it is laying on the ground. Most garage doors have a seal at the bottom that will give enough to accomodate the cable.

I was concerned about the pressure being applied every day, that's why I thought that taking out a small bit of concrete to place the UMC cable under would be better. I can't see where it would harm anything.

 

[Doug_G]

I've run a Roadster UMC (much thicker than the S UMC) under my garage door for visitors with no problem. It doesn't set off the sensor, door closes just fine as long as it is laying on the ground. Most garage doors have a seal at the bottom that will give enough to accomodate the cable.

I do the same thing whenever I visit my relatives in Toronto. Haven't had any problem and no one's going to be able to steal the cord.

That said, I recommend getting the HPWC and mounting it outside. Just dial it down to 40A and you're good to go.

 

[bonnie]

I was concerned about the pressure being applied every day, that's why I thought that taking out a small bit of concrete to place the UMC cable under would be better. I can't see where it would harm anything.

I guess that would make sense if you felt the door was resting a lot of weight on the cable. I've checked mine and I can move it when the door is down, indicating the door is not resting on it. It doesn't move freely, but enough to know the door isn't causing damage.

 

[jerry33]

I do the same thing whenever I visit my relatives in Toronto. Haven't had any problem and no one's going to be able to steal the cord.

That said, I recommend getting the HPWC and mounting it outside. Just dial it down to 40A and you're good to go.

Coughing up an additional $2400 for maintenance when I get the car means I'll have to save where I can.

 

[neroden]

The Model S is too big to fit in my garage, so I will have to park it in my driveway. I plan to have a NEMA 14-50 outlet installed sometime in the next few weeks, and I need to decide where to put it. I can either mount a weatherproof outlet outside my garage door (which I expect would be rather large and unsightly)

I did that and I thought it looked just fine. Because the 14-50 is the RV socket, companies manufacture a standard waterproof plastic hinged cover arrangment (hinged from the top, so it's still water-resistant while it's plugged in). Hmm. I'm not going to take a photo of it right now, but ask your electrician about it and he can probably find it in a catalog. Mine is light grey but looks just fine with my almond-colored siding.

If you've got a grand, beautiful stone or brick house, it might stand out; if you've got ordinary siding of any sort, it can blend in easily.

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Here is my 14-50 outdoor installation.

View attachment 9737View attachment 9738

Mine looks a lot like that, but my installation is even "cleaner" than Lloyd's; mine feeds from the back, so there's no extra metal bits on the bottom.

 

[NJS1207]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have Solar City coming out next week to assess the situation, but their strong recommendation based on my description was to mount the NEMA 14-50 outlet outside. Based on the pictures folks have attached, I am confident that will work well and look fine (no grand stone entrance at my house). Just got a call that my car should be delivered in three weeks, and I think I will have the outlet installed just in time. Thanks again!

 

[phx182flyer]

Depending on contruction, you could also have the outlet recessed in the wall with just the weather proof flap showing. Then paint to match.

 

[dsm363]

How waterproof is the NEMA 14-50 outlet with the UMC plugged into your Model S in the rain?

 

[FalconNinetyD]

I had one Installed on our driveway/side of garage, and the box has a plastic cover with a notch in the bottom for the cord, so the cover should stay closed even with the car plugged in.

 

[Cottonwood]

How waterproof is the NEMA 14-50 outlet with the UMC plugged into your Model S in the rain?

That would be my concern. Most of these weatherproof outlets are only weatherproof when there is nothing plugged in. I would go with one of the RV service panels which is designed to be weatherproof with something plugged in. You will want to charge your Model S in the rain someday or it will start raining while you are charging someday.

 

[cinergi]

I left my UMC outside -- plugged into the car (and not) in the rain and snow for a year. Never an issue.

 

[mknox]

Since we're sharing pictures, this is what I am installing inside of my garage. The hard to see black thing is a surface-mounted NEMA 14-50 outlet connected to a 60 amp loadbreak switch.

My garage floor in winter is often a mix of snow and salt brine that has melted off of the cars, and I don't like the idea of handling a live 240-volt plug while standing in salt water!