Questions on Outdoor HPWC or Nema 14-50

[BattPwr]

I've been scouring the forums for this, but I would like to get enough information to make an informed decision.
We recently purchased a Model S (best vehicle I have ever owned, hands down), and I am at a crossroads for charging.
For the foreseeable future, the car is going to be parked outside. I was planning on putting a charger on the side of my house, but I can't decide between running a NEMA 14-50 or the HPWC.

I would like the NEMA 14-50 for a few reasons. The outlet can be used for different things, I can get a box that also has a 120v outlet, and I can put a breaker at the outlet (that's just for piece of mind). The downside to this route, is that I cannot find any all-weather in-use boxes that will accommodate the Gen 1 charging cable. Also, with this solution, I will be using my charging cable, which is fine, but it's just one more thing to mess with in the morning on my way to work.

I love the idea of the HPWC for charging, as it has none of the drawbacks of the NEMA 14-50, but it has none of the benefits either. Also, when I add in the price for the HPWC, I lean toward the NEMA 14-50.

Has anyone done this in an outdoor setting?

 

[Tam]

See:

Outdoor NEMA 14-50 install. Advice?

Outdoor NEMA 14-50 Enclosure

 

[ucmndd]

I use the $30 Home Depot RV box and leave my UMC plugged into to it 99% of the time. Worked great for the last 20 months.

Your post seems to suggest that you plan to unplug the UMC every day and bring it with you to work. If that’s they case, I’d go with the wall charger.

 

[davewill]

You can put a cutoff nearby in a wall connector install as well, and when you run the circuit, you can certainly also run a 120v circuit and put receptacle nearby.

 

[BattPwr]

See:

Outdoor NEMA 14-50 install. Advice?

Outdoor NEMA 14-50 Enclosure

I hadn't seen the first link before, thank you for that.

 

[BattPwr]

I use the $30 Home Depot RV box and leave my UMC plugged into to it 99% of the time. Worked great for the last 20 months.

Your post seems to suggest that you plan to unplug the UMC every day and bring it with you to work. If that’s they case, I’d go with the wall charger.

I will probably do that, I don't like the idea of leaving it out all day. It's not a huge deal, as I have to unplug the car anyway, it's just something that I was taking into consideration.

 

[BattPwr]

You can put a cutoff nearby in a wall connector install as well, and when you run the circuit, you can certainly also run a 120v circuit and put receptacle nearby.

I did think of that as well. I had thought of running everything to a box for an outlet, then the HPWC off of that.

 

[BattPwr]

Thank you all for the replies. After considering it, I may just go with the NEMA 14-50 and find a setup that can somewhat keep the box weatherproofed and have a 120v outlet.
There's also the fact that I only have a single charger vehicle, so I'm locked to 40 amps for home charging. The HPWC would be overkill.

 

[ucmndd]

I will probably do that, I don't like the idea of leaving it out all day. It's not a huge deal, as I have to unplug the car anyway, it's just something that I was taking into consideration.

Most 14-50 sockets aren't designed for high plug/unplug cycles. If you're really gonna take the thing with you every day there's an industrial grade 14-50 socket that people recommend, costs about $70. Search around the forums and you'll find it.

One minor correction, even without the high power charger, you'll get 48 amps on the HPWC, not 40. Assuming your MS came with the gen 2 UMC, that's a 32 amp device - a 240v/16a difference is not insignificant if a faster charging speed would ever be useful.

 

[Rocky_H]

One minor correction, even without the high power charger, you'll get 48 amps on the HPWC, not 40. Assuming your MS came with the gen 2 UMC,

I'm pretty sure he doesn't need correction:

The downside to this route, is that I cannot find any all-weather in-use boxes that will accommodate the Gen 1 charging cable.

There's also the fact that I only have a single charger vehicle, so I'm locked to 40 amps for home charging.

Seems to know what he's talking about.

 

[ucmndd]

I'm pretty sure he doesn't need correction:


Seems to know what he's talking about.

Just assumed the car was new, but yes you’re right.

 

[BattPwr]

Most 14-50 sockets aren't designed for high plug/unplug cycles. If you're really gonna take the thing with you every day there's an industrial grade 14-50 socket that people recommend, costs about $70. Search around the forums and you'll find it.

One minor correction, even without the high power charger, you'll get 48 amps on the HPWC, not 40. Assuming your MS came with the gen 2 UMC, that's a 32 amp device - a 240v/16a difference is not insignificant if a faster charging speed would ever be useful.

Good point about the socket. I started looking at all-weather enclosures after seeing another post. I like that idea because I can leave everything plugged in at the house and just keep it in a weather-tight enclosure.

The HPWC may put out the 48A, but my S is a 2015 and does not have the dual chargers, so I am locked to 40A on AC power.