New Home Charging Setup

[rossini]

I'm buying a house in Phoenix and the garage does not currently have 240V access. Labor-wise, is it a similar cost to freshly wire a 240v in the garage to the nearest electrical panel compared to installing a Tesla Charging Station? I'm trying to understand if the difference in cost would just be the wall charging station. And is anyone familiar with the difference in charging speed for a 240v versus the official charging station?

 

[terrywhite]

Cost should be about the same. Here are the differences

 

[jcanoe]

Most of the cost will for the electrician's time, permits. The Mobile Connector that comes with the Tesla vehicle may be all that you need. What do you use to charge at home currently?

 

[rossini]

240V because my electric dryer is off the garage so I can plug right in using the mobile connector. But since it needs to be newly hard-wired in either case I am considering both solutions.

 

[jcanoe]

One major difference between the Tesla Wall Connector and the Tesla Mobile Connector is that the Wall Connector has a NEMA 4 rating, i.e. is fully weather rated for outdoor installation, use. The Mobile Connector is not designed to be continuously exposed to the weather, i.e. rain, sleet, ice or snow. For use inside a garage it would not matter.

If you require a faster charging rate the Wall Connector, when installed on a 60A rated circuit, can charge at up to 240V, 48 amps. That is twice the power of the dryer circuit you are probably using currently. Charging would be approximately twice as fast as with the dryer circuit. The Wall Connector can also be configured for charging using lower amperage circuits.

The NEMA 14-50 receptacle is popular, can accommodate different electrical vehicle service equipment (EVSE) including Tesla and 3rd party EVSEs. Using the 14-50 receptacle and an EVSE configured with a 14-50 plug electric vehicle charging can be performed at up to 32 amps or 40 amps but not 48 amps. One advantage is that if there is ever a problem with the Tesla Mobile Connector the unit can be easily unplugged, replaced without requiring an electrician (or someone with electrical equipment installation skills.) In many states, since 2017, the electrical code now requires a ground fault circuit interrupt (GFCI) device be installed on a circuit for a NEMA 14-50 receptacle that will be used for charging an EV. This requires a GFCI circuit breaker to be installed at the service panel, cost about $100. By comparison, a standard 50A etc. double pole circuit breaker costs just $10. (The Wall Connector, because it is hard wired, with no receptacle, does not require a GFCI circuit breaker.)

 

[afty]

One major difference between the Tesla Wall Connector and the Tesla Mobile Connector is that the Wall Connector has a NEMA 4 rating, i.e. is fully weather rated for outdoor installation, use. The Mobile Connector is not designed to be continuously exposed to the weather, i.e. rain, sleet, ice or snow. For use inside a garage it would not matter.

Is that correct? Page 5 of the owner's manual for the Gen 2 Mobile Connector says it is rated NEMA 4X, which seems to be even slightly more weatherproof than NEMA 4.

 

[jcanoe]

Is that correct? Page 5 of the owner's manual for the Gen 2 Mobile Connector says it is rated NEMA 4X, which seems to be even slightly more weatherproof than NEMA 4.

I had not seen that rating for the Gen 2 Mobile Connector. The weak link is the power plug/receptacle connection. Anytime there is an outdoor plug connection it is a potential source of water intrusion, corrosion over time.

 

[kmeyer6051]

Most of the cost will for the electrician's time, permits. The Mobile Connector that comes with the Tesla vehicle may be all that you need. What do you use to charge at home currently?

Permits? You need a permit to put this outlet into your garage??

 

[jcanoe]

Permits? You need a permit to put this outlet into your garage??

It depends. In some locations a new electrical circuit requires a permit and inspection/sign off.

 

[Johnny Vector]

I had not seen that rating for the Gen 2 Mobile Connector. The weak link is the power plug/receptacle connection. Anytime there is an outdoor plug connection it is a potential source of water intrusion, corrosion over time.

Exactly! Last summer (and this summer too!) I worked a deal with the marina owner where I plugged the (Gen 2) MC into a 15A outlet during my 2-week boat rental (to get to our camp on an island). It was charging along nicely at 4-5 mph until the remnants of hurricane Isaiah came through. Then I noticed on the app that it had stopped charging. Sure enough, next time back to the mainland, the outlet GFCI was tripped. I reset it and it continued on its merry way.

So yes, the MC was fine; the outlet got enough water in it that the GFCI tripped. Fine for once a year; sub-optimal for regular use. (I'll continue to bug the marina to put in J1772s!)

 

[iamnid]

Cost to install would be about the same (240v outlet vs. HPWC). Having installed both, it's frankly a bit less work to install the HPWC. Of course, you'd have the cost of the Tesla HPWC if you go that route ($500). The advantage is that the HPWC can charge at up to 48A whereas the outlet using the mobile connector has a maximum of 32A. Personally, I went with the HPWC for the higher charge rate - I figured $500 was worth the extra speed as well as always having the connector in the garage.

 

[alexcue]

Is that correct? Page 5 of the owner's manual for the Gen 2 Mobile Connector says it is rated NEMA 4X, which seems to be even slightly more weatherproof than NEMA 4.

If you read page 2 of the warnings... then it says...

"Warning: Do not use the Mobile Connector when either you, the vehicle or the Mobile Connector is exposed to severe rain, snow, electrical storm or other inclement weather."

 

[tempejayhawk]

I'm buying a house in Phoenix and the garage does not currently have 240V access. Labor-wise, is it a similar cost to freshly wire a 240v in the garage to the nearest electrical panel compared to installing a Tesla Charging Station? I'm trying to understand if the difference in cost would just be the wall charging station. And is anyone familiar with the difference in charging speed for a 240v versus the official charging station?

I'm in Phoenix and getting quotes from electricians for the same thing. Yes, the cost to add a breaker (if necessary) and run cable is about the same for a 240v outlet or Tesla Wall Connector (wouldn't have to pay for the outlet if just doing the wall connector). There would be the additional cost of the Tesla Wall Connector.

For reference, my panel is on the outside of my garage and I'm running 9-10 feet of cable through the walls into my garage to install a 240v outlet. Received two quotes for $600 and another for $1,100. My car is supposed to arrive soon and I'm going to see if I can live with using the mobile connector into the nema 14-50 outlet. If not, I'll upgrade to the wall connector using the wiring that will have been installed.

 

[Stavinski]

I used the mobile connector and 14-50 outlet for 2 months. Only reason went to wall charger was the utility co gave me a juicebox and I wanted a cable to live in the car in case of emergency.

 

[WADan]

I'm in Phoenix and getting quotes from electricians for the same thing. Yes, the cost to add a breaker (if necessary) and run cable is about the same for a 240v outlet or Tesla Wall Connector (wouldn't have to pay for the outlet if just doing the wall connector). There would be the additional cost of the Tesla Wall Connector.

For reference, my panel is on the outside of my garage and I'm running 9-10 feet of cable through the walls into my garage to install a 240v outlet. Received two quotes for $600 and another for $1,100. My car is supposed to arrive soon and I'm going to see if I can live with using the mobile connector into the nema 14-50 outlet. If not, I'll upgrade to the wall connector using the wiring that will have been installed.

Just make sure the wire size is able to support 60A if you want to upgrade later!

 

[tempejayhawk]

Just make sure the wire size is able to support 60A if you want to upgrade later!

 

[Mrbrock]

240V because my electric dryer is off the garage so I can plug right in using the mobile connector. But since it needs to be newly hard-wired in either case I am considering both solutions.

Just to confirm, your current house has a dryer outlet in the garage and the new house you are buying doesn’t? If that is the case see below.

As far as cost to install, your electrician will need to add a new breaker in the nearest electric panel to your garage. If that panel is in a wall shared with your garage then they might be able to just connect conduit to the panel and pop that out into your garage and surface run the conduit to where you want the outlet/HPWC mounted. If the panel isn’t in a wall shared with your garage they will need to fish wires down to your crawl space or up into your attic to get it to the mounting location. Once the wires are to the location they will terminate them in a box either with an outlet or by mounting the HPWC to the box and terminating connection in the HPWC. This is really the only difference in the installation between the two devices. The box where the circuit lands will either house the outlet or just a wire connection to the HPWC depending on hour your electrician decided to mount the HPWC if you go that route. If you flush mount thee box, you’d have a 90 degree fitting coming out and likely a small run of flex conduit into one of the conduit ports of the HPWC. If the box is surface mounted, you’d have a small run of conduit directly out the side into your HPWC. If you look at the manual for the HPWC you will see the various ways it can be mounted and connected.

 

[kmeyer6051]

It depends. In some locations a new electrical circuit requires a permit and inspection/sign off.

Thanks! I'll be sure to note that.....

 

[rjpjnk]

(The Wall Connector, because it is hard wired, with no receptacle, does not require a GFCI circuit breaker.)

Good point there.

 

[tccartier]

Wall connector equals, and thusly named, a hardwired permanent solution. Mobile connector appropriately named as well something to be plugged in or unplugged moved about and taken with you and used here and there as needed. I don't think that it was ever intended that the mobile connector be the primary source for charging. But ymmv just my 02. I installed a Tesla wall connector at the house hardwired problem solved.