New tesla driver. Can I use this plug in my garage and buy the mobile charger? It was not for a dryer since we have a laundry room in the house.

[Judy Catambay]

 

[ucmndd]

Yes, that’s a 240 volt NEMA 6-20 receptacle and would work well for charging. You’ll want to buy the mobile connector and the 6-20 adapter.

Gen 2 NEMA Adapters

Use a variety of household outlets to charge your Tesla with a Gen 2 NEMA Adapter. Simply attach the appropriate adapter to your Mobile Connector, plug into the corresponding outlet and begin charging. Adapter Max Distance Gained Per Hour of Charge Model S Model 3 Model X Model Y 5-15 3...

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That outlet will supply 3.8kw of power, which is ~15 range miles per hour on a Model Y.

 

[Judy Catambay]

Do I need to have an electrician check that it is on dedicated circuit or be concerned about the sprinkler plug next to it, possibly sharing power?

 

[ucmndd]

Do I need to have an electrician check that it is on dedicated circuit or be concerned about the sprinkler plug next to it, possibly sharing power?

Most 240 volt circuits are dedicated. You don’t need to worry about sharing with the sprinkler plugs or any other typical 120 volt circuit nearby - they are likely completely separate.

I suppose it’s possible there’s another 240v plug somewhere on the same circuit - but that would be obvious and you’d know if there’s something plugged into it.

You can always have it checked out and confirmed in good repair and working order, certainly very few downsides to that - but in all likelihood it will “just work.”

 

[rwiegand]

the draw fron the sprinkler wall wart is trivial, no worries there. It would be best to know if there is anything else on the circuit though. It might be wired as a "multiwire branch circuit" which can be used to feed both 240 and 120V outlets. Either check yourself for other outlets that go dark when you flip the breaker for that outlet, or get an electrician to do it if you're not comfortable with that.

 

[Midpack]

What amp rating is the circuit, just look in the panel.

 

[Eric33432]

EVs are different than most other 240 volt devices in that they can draw power for many hours. For example, I just got home at 9% SOC, and the app says it will take almost 6 hours to charge my Model X to 80% and that is at 48 amp charging. At 16 amps, which is what you will get with a 20 amp circuit, it would take more like 18 hours.

Because of this, circuits that are used for EV charging for many hours place a different strain on the circuit than other 240 volt devices, say a 240 volt table saw, which is usually just on for a few minutes at a time.

For this reason, I would open this receptacle and inspect the wiring and be sure the screws that attach the wiring to the outlet are tight as this receptacle looks fairly old. Also, if the plug feels loose when inserted into the receptacle I would replace it. A simple job for a person handy with a screwdriver, and they are not expensive.

But you are lucky you have this 240 volt circuit in your garage and unless you drive 200+ miles a day it will probably be adequate to keep your Tessie charged up.

Since this is a NEMA 6-20, if it is wired to code it should be on a 20 amp circuit, but you can check if you want to be sure. If it is somehow on a 15 amp circuit, you would not want to draw 16 amps with the Tesla NEMA 6-20 adapter cord.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Do I need to have an electrician check that it is on dedicated circuit or be concerned about the sprinkler plug next to it, possibly sharing power?

If it was installed correctly, you shouldn't need to check anything. You should find a double pole 20A breaker in your electrical panel that will be feeding this receptacle. You can safety flip it off and see if any other circuits are impacted. If they are, then its time to see an electrician. By code, all 240V circuits should be on a dedicated breaker. So the 20A double pole breaker should only be powering this receptacle.

And yes, buying the Tesla NEMA 6-20 adapter along with a Tesla Mobile Connector should charge your vehicle just fine.

 

[jcanoe]

I suggest having an electrician inspect the receptacle for signs of wear, arcing or corrosion due to age. The wire terminations on the terminal should also be checked that they are secure. Replace the receptacle, if needed, with a quality replacement 6-20R.

Purchase the Tesla Cable Organizer ($35) from the Tesla online store as this includes a cable hanger for the charging cord and a wall mount bracket for the Tesla Mobile Connector chassis. Don't let the Mobile Connector chassis hang supported by only the 6-20 receptacle and plug as over time the weight of the Mobile Connector chassis and cord can cause the power plug connection to fail. Leave the Tesla Mobile Connector plugged into the 6-20R unless you need to take the Mobile Connector with you on a trip. You can expect this charging setup to add between 12 and 14 miles of range per hour (approximately 5% of the Tesla battery charge) per hour while charging. An 8 hour charge will net ~100 miles of range added to the battery.

 

[rwiegand]

By code, all 240V circuits should be on a dedicated breaker.

I don't think this is true. There are lots of rules for situations that require dedicated breakers, most large fixed appliances in a residence do, but I'm not aware of a general prohibition on multiple 240V outlets on a circuit unless, I believe, any single load exceeds 80% of the circuit capacity. (A car charger will almost certainly trigger this).
Our electrician had no issue installing and inspector no problem approving either multiple 240 v outlets on a single circuit nor with MWBCs that mixed 120 and 240V outlets. I'm not an electrician and I don't know the code intimately, but have no reason not to trust these guys.
I certainly wouldn't depend on any code requirement to tell me what some past Harry Homeowner might have wired up-- don't trust, just verify in this case.

 

[Pianewman]

Jeez...so many "ifs" in this thread.

Have a qualified, licensed electrician do an on-site evaluation. You've been told many things here, probably correct, but an on-site inspection would be best.