You’re the only one who can answer this but you’ll enjoy the car much more with an easy, reliable charging solution. Constantly going to SC or finding level 2 chargers will get old. The more you drive each day the better your solution needs to be. If you own your home and expect to be there more than a year it makes sense to install either a dedicated 60 amp circuit for a HPWC or run a NEMA 14-50 for that home charger.
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New owner...home charging necessary?
- Thread starter cgram23
- Start date
As I said early....I have the 15A/120V option.
Thanks for all of the advice, all. I think as an interim option, I'm going to have a 14-50 socket installed, which should be plenty until I get around to installing the wall charger.
Thanks for all of the advice, all. I think as an interim option, I'm going to have a 14-50 socket installed, which should be plenty until I get around to installing the wall charger.
If you're bothering to install a 14-50 why not just go for the wall charger? Labor difference is in the noise.
Although not required (yet) if I were to install a 14-50 I'd use a GFCI (extra $100). With a Wall Connector you don't need to.
This way you keep your UMC always in the car (for emergencies). Wall Connector will charge faster on the same 50A circuit.
The truth? I just dropped $52k on a car, and my wife made a face when I told her the wall charger was another $500.
I'm sure that will be the final solution....just not right now
eprosenx
Active Member
Makes sense to me!
FWIW, install of a 14-50 is not much different than that of a Wall Connector. So if you can do a 14-50 then you could alternatively do a Wall Connector on the same size circuit if necessary to fit within a total power footprint.
(obviously the capital cost of a Wall Connector is higher than just buying a 14-50, but you don’t have to buy a GFCI breaker which likely saves over $100)
The truth? I just dropped $52k on a car, and my wife made a face when I told her the wall charger was another $500.
I'm sure that will be the final solution....just not right now
OOooooooh, I get it! You haven't let the wife DRIVE it yet!!!
Solution: let her drive it. She will love it and be fine with wall charger! ... and then she'll want her OWN!
eprosenx
Active Member
The truth? I just dropped $52k on a car, and my wife made a face when I told her the wall charger was another $500.
I'm sure that will be the final solution....just not right now
Hah, well in that case if you post pictures of your panel we might be able to advise you on the cheapest options.
Are you handy with electrical stuff and would consider doing it yourself?
A 14-50 can be really inexpensive to install in some cases.
destructure00
Active Member
If you have the load capacity in your panel for a 60 amp breaker / 48 amp circuit, have your electrician run wire that can support the HPWC, then just downgrade the breaker to 50 amps for your plug. That way when you're ready for the HPWC, it's just a breaker swap and replacing the plug with the HPWC without pulling new wire again. Would allow you to get the full charge rate from the HPWC whenever you're ready for it without having to pull new wire.
Not that you were asking for opinions on this...
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TiggerTime
Member
I was concerned with this at first as well. For work I drive RT about 50 miles and try to keep range between 100-180 during the work week then top of around 80% for the weekend. I have free charging options at work and take advantage of that majority of the time. I already had 2 NEMA 14-50 plugs for RV at home and have only charged at home 3 times in 2 months twice the weekend I got the car and this past weekend.
Since you are having electrical work done you could just opt for having them install a NEMA 14-50 and use the provided plug adapter that comes with the mobile charger if you are only going to charge at home when really needed. This is what I do now so didn't need to spend the $500 for a Tesla charger unit then the install.
Since you are having electrical work done you could just opt for having them install a NEMA 14-50 and use the provided plug adapter that comes with the mobile charger if you are only going to charge at home when really needed. This is what I do now so didn't need to spend the $500 for a Tesla charger unit then the install.
The truth? I just dropped $52k on a car, and my wife made a face when I told her the wall charger was another $500.
I'm sure that will be the final solution....just not right now
Lol. This is me exactly. Had it 5 months and was just about to "get approval" for $700 for the charger and needed supplies.... The Elon went and discounted FSD. Now I've done that and I figure I better not ask about the home charger...
Guess the trusty 14-50 will have to do.
If only. Unfortunately, my wife HATES to drive. Doesn't matter what the car is. Maybe this will change that, but I'm not holding out hope.
srs5694
Active Member
There are people who own Teslas and other EVs without home charging. The YouTube personality "Tesla Joy" is one such person. There are online resources and YouTube videos with tips for how to manage in such a situation. It's probably easier with a Tesla than with most other EVs because of faster DC fast charging, but of course the location of the chargers is important, too. If you've got a Level 2 EVSE at work, that'll be almost as good as having it at home -- and maybe cheaper, if the work EVSE is free. Beyond that, it depends on what's available near where you do things like shop. You may want to check PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You to see what's available near you.
So I'll add my personal experience, although I don't yet own a Tesla. (My MR M3 is on order, but I'm hearing chatter that Tesla may not be building any more MR models. That's another story....) I leased a Chevy Volt in 2016, and I originally charged it via its Level 1 EVSE, running the cable out my kitchen window. (I have a driveway, but no garage.) This worked fine for a while, and I even built a box, similar to a window air conditioner, so I could run the cable out while keeping the window reasonably insulated, while giving me a place to store the outside part of the cable. I could fully charge the battery, giving me a full EPA-rated 53 miles of range, in 12 or 13 hours. I'd expect a similar (or maybe slightly better) range gain on a 120v outlet with a Model 3, so that might be all you'd need, especially if you can regularly use a public Level 2 EVSE or SuperCharger. That said, it's sub-optimal. Charging is undeniably slow at 120v, and for me, the box I built was an eyesore and slightly inconvenient. Therefore, after a few months, I bought a Clipper Creek HCS-40, which is overkill for my Volt, figuring that my next car would be a pure EV that could use its full output. I intend to keep using it with my Model 3 via the J1772 adapter. Anyhow, the point is that a 120v outlet is probably adequate as a makeshift charging solution, and maybe even for the long term, depending on how much you drive; but it is better to have a Level 2 EVSE -- and for a Tesla, ideally, Tesla's wall charger, since then you don't need the J1772 adapter. If you're planning to have major electrical work done in the near future, it might be better to wait to install a Level 2 EVSE. OTOH, if you talk to an electrician about it, you might be able to get the EVSE installed in a way that won't add cost or complication to your future upgrades. It's hard to tell what's possible without knowing more about your current electrical setup or what might need to be done to it, aside from the EVSE installation.
So I'll add my personal experience, although I don't yet own a Tesla. (My MR M3 is on order, but I'm hearing chatter that Tesla may not be building any more MR models. That's another story....) I leased a Chevy Volt in 2016, and I originally charged it via its Level 1 EVSE, running the cable out my kitchen window. (I have a driveway, but no garage.) This worked fine for a while, and I even built a box, similar to a window air conditioner, so I could run the cable out while keeping the window reasonably insulated, while giving me a place to store the outside part of the cable. I could fully charge the battery, giving me a full EPA-rated 53 miles of range, in 12 or 13 hours. I'd expect a similar (or maybe slightly better) range gain on a 120v outlet with a Model 3, so that might be all you'd need, especially if you can regularly use a public Level 2 EVSE or SuperCharger. That said, it's sub-optimal. Charging is undeniably slow at 120v, and for me, the box I built was an eyesore and slightly inconvenient. Therefore, after a few months, I bought a Clipper Creek HCS-40, which is overkill for my Volt, figuring that my next car would be a pure EV that could use its full output. I intend to keep using it with my Model 3 via the J1772 adapter. Anyhow, the point is that a 120v outlet is probably adequate as a makeshift charging solution, and maybe even for the long term, depending on how much you drive; but it is better to have a Level 2 EVSE -- and for a Tesla, ideally, Tesla's wall charger, since then you don't need the J1772 adapter. If you're planning to have major electrical work done in the near future, it might be better to wait to install a Level 2 EVSE. OTOH, if you talk to an electrician about it, you might be able to get the EVSE installed in a way that won't add cost or complication to your future upgrades. It's hard to tell what's possible without knowing more about your current electrical setup or what might need to be done to it, aside from the EVSE installation.
srs5694
Active Member
One more point: You say your house needs electrical work. Depending on the type of work it needs, charging at 240v may be problematic. For instance, if you've got ancient 50-amp service, charging a car at, say, 32 amps, might make it impossible to use other high-draw appliances like an electric range, dryer, or air conditioner without tripping the main circuit breaker. If wiring leading to the breaker panel is old and frayed, I'd want to get that fixed ASAP, and certainly before putting in any new high-draw appliances. A qualified local electrician will be able to give you better advice than you'll get from strangers on the Internet who've never seen your house, so I strongly suggest you hire one for a consultation, at the least.
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
Depending upon where you live and your driving requirements, it can be completely painless.
Am coming up on 5 years of Model S driving without home charging (I offered to build a floating* garage but was informed that I would quite probably be arrested) and, while it would be nice to wake up every morning with a full charge, I don't. When in town, I used to fill up 1x or 2x/week at the nearest Costco, with all of the wonderment that waiting in line for 20 minutes with everybody else entailed. Now, I turn at the same light but the other direction into a hotel parking lot, supercharge, go in and have a salad or get work done via their wifi or just stay in the car and return calls/emails or take a nap. There are now even closer supercharging options, but the point remains, until they allow changes to the electrical infrastructure at the harbor in which I live (now part of the year instead of full-time, but still), ain't gonna be no destination charger-enabled parking there.
Now, if you live, for example, 45 miles from the nearest supercharger and it's not on the way to or from work or some other weekly destination, then you've got some old-school choices to make. If you don't drive much, don't eschew plugging into a wall outlet. Search these fora and the ones at tesla.com for excellent threads and links to all sorts of adapters - such that if you visit your great-aunt Bertha and her very old electric clothes dryer, you'll be prepared no matter how far from the car it will be.
Lots of options potentially until the necessary electrical work is done to have a proper home charging solution.
Good luck.
* I haven't completely given up upon the floating garage option, but the permit process for that is even worse than to get 6 dedicated charging (parking) spaces with all of the parts and pieces *that* entails. And there's even grant money for the latter - you'd think it would be an easier process. But no.
I had to live with the 120 volt charging for 2 weeks after my M3 was delivered and it was painful. My 60 mile round trip (which took more like 80 miles of range in winter) was much more than I could charge over night. I would not plan to go without the 50 amp charger for long unless you have convenient charging at work
For reference, I've been charging my Model S off a 14-50 for the last 6 years. Unless you travel a lot, you'll be fine with a 14-50 rather than a Wall Charger.
If your main panel or service needs upgrades to support a 50 amp breaker, that's another more complicated matter.
I installed *two* 14-50s (so I can park in two different locations) and put in a bunch of additional electrical outlets in my garage for a total of $500. But then my breaker box is right next to my garage; distance matters.
If your main panel or service needs upgrades to support a 50 amp breaker, that's another more complicated matter.
I installed *two* 14-50s (so I can park in two different locations) and put in a bunch of additional electrical outlets in my garage for a total of $500. But then my breaker box is right next to my garage; distance matters.
Nema plug should be on a 50amp circuit...
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