Preparing for your Model S: Selecting outlet, Solar City, etc.

[MitchL]

How do you guys know the amperage of your drop line, meter plug, and breaker box? Is there a trick, or do I need to get an electrician out?

It's usually labelled right on your main breaker. So, a 200A panel would have a big 200A breaker on it, and smaller breakers feeding the circuits in the house.

It would be highly unusual for your main drop line to have a higher capacity than your breaker panel, particularly for overhead lines. Sometimes they'll oversize your main breaker a little for direct burial, but that's not common.

Your electric bill also most likely has an indication of your service level.

/Mitch.

 

[Doug_G]

Thanks to the previous owners of my new house, I have a NEMA 6-50 plug located almost exactly perfect to charge a Model S. Now, other than to avoid having to have both a 6-50 and 14-50 adapter (to charge at RV parks) for the UMC, is there any other benefit to having a native 14-50 plug verses leaving my current 50 amp plug in place?

It would be pretty trivial to change the 6-50 plug to 14-50 and be done with it.

 

[brianman]

HPWC .... it is no longer going to be the color of your car - they will all be brushed aluminum....

News! First I've heard of this. Wonder how long before they update the pictures:
Model S Options and Pricing | Tesla Motors

Charging Model S | Tesla Motors

 

[spatterso911]

Well, I've finalized plans with SolarCity for PV install. I spoke with a rep today, working on the details for the HPWC and a 14-50 plug. I'm thinking ahead, since a Model X is coming later on.

They are swapping my 200A box out for a 225A box. I already have 2 subpanels, one in the garage, one in the backyard.

 

[contaygious]

That hpwc does look pretty bad ass, but I'll take 60 inch oled tv instead and save some money

 

[Charged_Up]

Speaking of which, I've been having a hell of a time trying to get my 14-50 receptacle finished, and I need some advice. After wiring it up, the wires are so stiff that I can't properly get the receptacle into the junction box. I initially left the wires long and coiled, which enabled me to get the receptacle in the box but I had to bend those wires pretty tightly and I was worried about heat buildup or cracking of the insulation (due to the small radius wire bending). Then I tried shortening the wires, but they ended up being so stiff that I couldn't get the damn receptacle into the box.

That Leviton box looks pretty nice. Does anyone know if it's designed such that it's easier to get the wires into the box without requiring a major effort of strength and wire bending? Any general advice for how to get the receptacle to more easily fit in the junction box would be appreciated. After running the wire and getting the panel all set up, I'd hate to have to call in an electrician just to wire up the outlet itself, but I'm headed that direction. Should be cheaper since much of the work is done, but if anyone can offer advice I'm all ears!

You can get an extension box to fit over the standard box to give you more depth - that 's what my electrician did- and it was even harder for him because I overspecced the wiring so I could install higher amperage than a nema 14-50 later if I wanted to. Don't have one now, but pm me yor email and I'd be happy to shoot you a picture...

 

[Charged_Up]

Speaking of which, I've been having a hell of a time trying to get my 14-50 receptacle finished, and I need some advice. After wiring it up, the wires are so stiff that I can't properly get the receptacle into the junction box. I initially left the wires long and coiled, which enabled me to get the receptacle in the box but I had to bend those wires pretty tightly and I was worried about heat buildup or cracking of the insulation (due to the small radius wire bending). Then I tried shortening the wires, but they ended up being so stiff that I couldn't get the damn receptacle into the box.

That Leviton box looks pretty nice. Does anyone know if it's designed such that it's easier to get the wires into the box without requiring a major effort of strength and wire bending? Any general advice for how to get the receptacle to more easily fit in the junction box would be appreciated. After running the wire and getting the panel all set up, I'd hate to have to call in an electrician just to wire up the outlet itself, but I'm headed that direction. Should be cheaper since much of the work is done, but if anyone can offer advice I'm all ears!

You can get an extension box to fit over the standard box to give you more depth - that 's what my electrician did- and it was even harder for him because I overspecced the wiring so I could install higher amperage than a nema 14-50 later if I wanted to. Don't have one now, but pm me yor email and I'd be happy to shoot you a picture of my setup...

 

[dmunjal]

I already have a Leaf and am getting a Model S. Are there any benefits to combining them into a single outlet?

 

[spleen]

I already have a Leaf and am getting a Model S. Are there any benefits to combining them into a single outlet?

How would you charge both with only 1 outlet? We are planning on having 2 EVs (Leaf (currently own) and Model X) and are planning on putting in 2 x 14-50 outlets on two separate 50A breakers.

 

[dmunjal]

How would you charge both with only 1 outlet? We are planning on having 2 EVs (Leaf (currently own) and Model X) and are planning on putting in 2 x 14-50 outlets on two separate 50A breakers.

I already have a dryer outlet that I use with an EVSE upgrade for my Leaf. What I meant to ask is if I could use this for the. Model S or will I need another outlet.

 

[FalconNinetyD]

Yes, you could unplug your EVSE and plug the Tesla UMC into the dryer outlet (I assume you mean a NEMA 14-50 receptacle), or if you don't mind slower charging, you can plug the EVSE into the Model S with the J1772 adapter that the Model S will come with.

 

[spleen]

I already have a dryer outlet that I use with an EVSE upgrade for my Leaf. What I meant to ask is if I could use this for the. Model S or will I need another outlet.

I think it depends on how many miles you plan on driving. A dryer outlet is normally 30 amps rated, which works out to 24 amps continuous draw. That's approximately 18 miles/hour in recharge speed for the S. If you plan on driving 54 miles/day, you could recharge that in 3 hours and then switch out the cord to your Leaf EVSE and finish recharging the Leaf overnight. Personally, I'd be worried that I would forget or there would be an occasion where I'd need both cars charging at the same time, so I think it's safer to have 2 outlets, 2 circuits but if you think that you can make it work, it's certainly possible to do it with just the one dryer outlet.

 

[dmunjal]

I also have a 120v in my garage and my EVSE works on both. I could charge the Model S with the 240 and swap the Leaf from the 120 as needed. Both cars will be driven about 60-80 miles a day and I'll have the cars there at least 10 hours a night. I'm trying to use the existing receptacles as much as possible without having to call an electrician.

 

[spleen]

I also have a 120v in my garage and my EVSE works on both. I could charge the Model S with the 240 and swap the Leaf from the 120 as needed. Both cars will be driven about 60-80 miles a day and I'll have the cars there at least 10 hours a night. I'm trying to use the existing receptacles as much as possible without having to call an electrician.

Then that should definitely work. I'm still doing all my Leaf charging on 120V with the Nissan supplied EVSE.

 

[Super Gizmo]

I am keeping my Charge Point charger (I had installed for a Volt I sold) outside the garage wall and going with Solar City to install a weatherproof Nema 14-50 outside the garage next to the Charge Point for $450 plus any permit fees. A local electrician quoted $255 to replace the Charge Point with Nema 14-50 but I decided to keep the charger and pay a little more to go with Solar City. The main supply panel is within 10' and is rated 400 amps. They will have to move some breakers because all slots are full. I have two AC units and a 5.2 kw solar system taking up some of the slots. There is a sub panel in the pantry for kitchen appliances and some other outlets in the house with several open slots but it is too far from the outside of garage wall.

 

[Morristhecat]

Darn!

I had the electrician over today to install my nema 14-50 box. The car won't be here until the spring, but since he is working on other stuff, we figured he may as well do this. Any way, we had previously checked that there is room on my breaker panel (which is pretty old) prior to him getting all the parts he needs. But now that he is opening up the breaker panel, there isn't enough room amongst all the wires already in there to install this big fat new wire! He tells me that there is absolutely no way to make it work. My only option is to get a new breaker panel with more room inside it! What rotton luck! A breakout box apparently won't do he tells me. Anyone else run into this?

 

[contaygious]

My breaker box was too small as well so my electrician just ran a dedicated line directly from the source instead.

 

[teslasguy]

I'm installing a 100 amp line from my basement panel to a 100amp subpanel in the garage.
The I'm running a 50amp line from the subpanel to the back of the garage (garage entrance) where I'm having a 50amp 14-150 NEMA outlet installed.
This will give me all I need plus provide easy access for installing another 50 amp outlet if my wife gets an EV.
It is about a 45' run from my basement panel to where the subpanel will be installed in the garage, and then about another 30' run from there to where the NEMA outlet will be installed.
Quote from Solar City was $1400. Quote from my normal electrician was $1060.
Getting this quote from Solar City wasn't easy. The rep is swamped and took vacation in the middle.
Overall about two weeks for final quote from Solar City.
But more than anything I just don't like the impersonal, cookie cutter style of Solar City.
They never came to my house to see first hand what I want, and the project description in the agreement they emailed me isn't at all what I described, even though the rep's email was fairly on target.
I'll be going with my regular electrician.

 

[chmod a+wrx]

They never came to my house to see first hand what I want, and the project description in the agreement they emailed me isn't at all what I described, even though the rep's email was fairly on target. I'll be going with my regular electrician.

It's interesting how that works out.....

I talked to 4 electricians about what it would cost me to do the upgrades....three of them came to my house and all gave me quotes that were within $300 of the other.....the one contractor who didn't come to my house and asked me a series of questions over email quoted me almost twice what the others quoted.....

I think sometimes you just need a more personal service and for someone to actually come out and scope things out!!!!

 

[wycolo]

I had the electrician over today to install my nema 14-50 box. The car won't be here until the spring, but since he is working on other stuff, we figured he may as well do this. Any way, we had previously checked that there is room on my breaker panel (which is pretty old) prior to him getting all the parts he needs. But now that he is opening up the breaker panel, there isn't enough room amongst all the wires already in there to install this big fat new wire! He tells me that there is absolutely no way to make it work. My only option is to get a new breaker panel with more room inside it! What rotton luck! A breakout box apparently won't do he tells me. Anyone else run into this?

Take a photo of your service box with the cover off. It'll almost be as good as being there. I've been looking at service boxes for (scribbles on back of envelope) 55 years- gaak!! We'll have fun 2nd guessing your guy!!
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