I currently have one wall charger but thinking about having another put in before patching holes that had to be cut out in my finished basement...Did you install a second breaker in panel or did you power share them using just one circuit breaker? I could of sworn i've seen that the gen 3 chargers can share one breaker. If so, would this be a cheaper install cost than having another breaker and line put in?
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Peeps with 2 wall chargers in garage
- Thread starter lostang
- Start date
It would certainly be cheaper to have one breaker and get the HPWC's daisy chained. Its also specifically not supposed to be done that way, per the instructions of the Gen3 HPWC.
Gen2 instructions allowed for a single breaker. I'd wager the NEC doesn't really allow the single breaker method anymore.
TBH, as long as you don't do anything stupid(like trying to use wire nuts to connect #6 or #4 stranded wire!) there's no real extra danger to having multiple HPWCs hanging off one breaker. Polaris or maybe split-bolt connectors are the way to go, and any electrician will know that. Don't try to get fancy and provision the second HPWC for slower charging and a lower wire gauge either, its gotta be the same all the way round with only one breaker to protect the wire.
Gen2 instructions allowed for a single breaker. I'd wager the NEC doesn't really allow the single breaker method anymore.
TBH, as long as you don't do anything stupid(like trying to use wire nuts to connect #6 or #4 stranded wire!) there's no real extra danger to having multiple HPWCs hanging off one breaker. Polaris or maybe split-bolt connectors are the way to go, and any electrician will know that. Don't try to get fancy and provision the second HPWC for slower charging and a lower wire gauge either, its gotta be the same all the way round with only one breaker to protect the wire.
Gauss Guzzler
Safety Score = 42
The legal way to do it is to run your 60A(or similar) circuit to a 4-space load center containing 2 more 60A(or similar) breakers to feed the two chargers. Why is this safer? I don't know. But generally an EVSE should be on a dedicated "branch circuit" and it is permissible and typical to have much higher total output breaker capacity than input. The total cost of the subpanel + breakers is only $50 so it's not actually that much more than a junction box full of Polaris connectors.
Gen3 chargers can power share over WiFi and should be fine on a single circuit no matter how you do it, but if the run is short and/or simple, just dragging another dedicated length of 6/2 Romex back to the main panel may be compelling.
Gen3 chargers can power share over WiFi and should be fine on a single circuit no matter how you do it, but if the run is short and/or simple, just dragging another dedicated length of 6/2 Romex back to the main panel may be compelling.
z0lt3c
Tesla Solar
Most electric codes require a dedicated breaker per connector. This can be in the form of multiple homeruns to the main panel, or a single run shared through a sub-panel, as the previous poster described. The instructions that come with a wall connector explain both these options. Two wall connectors on a single circuit should not be an option. In this situation, where you want to use a single existing circuit, I tend to prefer the Grizzl-e Duo, versus dual networked Wall Connectors (unless you already have the WCs)
davewill
Active Member
The installation instructions for the Gen3 wall connector specifies that each has it's own breaker. As noted above, you can use a small subpanel or load center to split up a single circuit out to 2 or more wall connectors. The Gen2 wall connector didn't require this. I'm pretty sure the reason for the change is that the Gen3 wall connectors have more configurable power sharing. On Gen2 you set a master unit to the amperage of the circuit, and the rest were set as slaves, and they all just shared that set amperage. Since they all either singly or together were limited to the same amperage, they could all share a single breaker.
Gen3 allows you to set each wall connector to a different amperage, then limit the group to an overall amperage. That allows scenarios like having a 80a circuit feeding 2 or more wall connectors, each able to charge at 48a, but as a group limited to 72a total. Since these more complex arrangements require separate breakers, they specify separate breakers no matter the configuration.
Gen3 allows you to set each wall connector to a different amperage, then limit the group to an overall amperage. That allows scenarios like having a 80a circuit feeding 2 or more wall connectors, each able to charge at 48a, but as a group limited to 72a total. Since these more complex arrangements require separate breakers, they specify separate breakers no matter the configuration.
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Do you know if the OCPD is now a valid "line of sight" disconnecting means for an EVSE? I still hear a bunch of electricians saying they need to install a switch next to the EVSE, but I can't tell if the breaker in a sub-panel that is LOS to the EVSE would qualify.
Gauss Guzzler
Safety Score = 42
In the US you should *not* install a disconnect switch for any EVSE rated at 60A or less. It’s not a code violation to install one, but it’s one more connection to possibly fail.
Disconnects are intended to make routine air conditioner service safer. They have no purpose for EVSEs.
Disconnects are intended to make routine air conditioner service safer. They have no purpose for EVSEs.
davewill
Active Member
The link is for a Canadian installation. You shouldn't need one.Do you know if the OCPD is now a valid "line of sight" disconnecting means for an EVSE? I still hear a bunch of electricians saying they need to install a switch next to the EVSE, but I can't tell if the breaker in a sub-panel that is LOS to the EVSE would qualify.
yeah my bad, here's the Mikeholt link. I believe some interpret the 60A to be a "greater than but not including 60A", but I also know some inspectors think 60A = disconnect.
I just don't know if the sub-panel approach could be used to put the OCPD within line of sight and have that OCPD be a disconnecting means per NEC.
Disconnecting Means
Article 625.43 states that a disconnect will be required for equipment rated more than 60A or more than 150V to ground. This sounds like high powered Level 2 chargers or DC fast chargers. I had a couple questions - 1. What is the purpose of having a Disconnect for EV chargers? 2. If the...
forums.mikeholt.com
In re the OP, the NEC since the 2017 version has required that each EVSE be on an individual (dedicated) branch circuit.
"625.40 Electric Vehicle Branch Circuit. Each outlet installed for the purpose of charging electric vehicles shall be supplied by an individual branch circuit. Each circuit shall have no other outlets."
Note that "outlet" in NEC-speak means any load, not just receptacles.
Cheers, Wayne
"625.40 Electric Vehicle Branch Circuit. Each outlet installed for the purpose of charging electric vehicles shall be supplied by an individual branch circuit. Each circuit shall have no other outlets."
Note that "outlet" in NEC-speak means any load, not just receptacles.
Cheers, Wayne
I have said this more than a few times at this point, but we are pretty darn lucky to have both @wwhitney and @Vines as regular members here at TMC. Their contribution to multiple members technical questions has been really appreciated, and frankly speaking, I want to do whatever I can to make it comfortable for them to continue want to participate here.
Thanks again, both of you.
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