Setting up Model Y home charger

[Richard__G]

If the electrician doesn't know that a device requiring a high amperage continuous load can only occupy 80% of the rated capacity of the circuit, they're *NOT* an electrician, they're a fire-starting handyman. This is code, any real electrician is fully aware of this.



Yes, it does. And code in most places still requires a GFCI breaker on a 240v to the garage, which means you end up with nuisance trips due to 2 GFCIs on one circuit. And you pay just as much or more for this setup than you would for a hardwired device.



I disagree with this advice. This is often referred to as "Tesla tax", but in general it's gouging. This is just a circuit ran out to the garage. Two hots and a ground wire, rated for whatever amperage you're targeting (considering that you can only run a continuous load at 80% if that amperage). Your price should be based on the amount of work and materials, not on what you're using it for.



It might take an aggressive approach, but I think you'll get a much better price if you tell them the price. Asking for a quote is an open book. If you tell them you're looking for a 200A service upgrade for around $1,200 and they say no, ask them how close they can get to that price. A straightforward service upgrade is a day of work, maybe $500 in materials.

Good points, thank you. In fact, I just got off the phone with two other electricians/companies to schedule getting more quotes and will DEFINITELY follow your advice! Thanks again!!

- Richard

 

[Richard__G]

A couple of thoughts.

First, there's always the "do nothing" solution - that is, charge your car off the existing 110v circuit. Suppose your commute to work is 30 miles (15 miles each way). A 110v charge will give you 4 to 5 miles of range for each hour it is plugged in. From 7:00pm to 7:00am that works out to around 50 miles, more than enough to cover your daily commute. If your long trips happen only occasionally (where you get home with, say, 20% left in the battery), the overnight charge will still give you enough for your commute the next day. This was what I did when I first got my Model Y and my electrician was on vacation. I also have two Superchargers within five miles, so if I needed a top off it was easy to do.

Next, when I finally did get my 220v connection (in June 2021), I had the electrician put in a NEMA 14-50 outlet rather than a Tesla Wall Connector. The reason was that I wanted to have the flexibility to switch to a different electric vehicle in the future. As it turns out, just about everybody has adopted Tesla's NACS plug (Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis joining this week, leaving only Volkswagen and Toyota to commit. which at this point just seems like a matter of time). So if you install the Tesla Wall Connector, you'll be able to use it for just about any post-2025 EV. And it will charge somewhat faster.

Finally, spend the extra bucks and get an electrician who knows this space. The company I picked has been doing EV outlets for years, and they gave me several options based on location. For example, because of the location of the electrical box I could have had everything done for $450, but it would have meant backing into the garage, something I wasn't excited about. I ended up spending $1,100 to run a much longer line to a more convenient location. The electrician was smart enough to point out the alternatives, what it would mean operationally, etc. I'm very happy with the result.

Hey there OldEVDude, that's very sound advice. I have multiple feelers out now but will qualify my search as you suggested. Unfortunalely,

Richard_G - Why not call your local Rochester SC and see who they recommend for a wall charger install?

D'OH!! Very often, the simplest things totally escape me. I can't believe that, in all of this, it never occurred to me. How embarrassing!

Thanks RonB!

 

[Richard__G]

Welcome to the club, it's all good.

Where is the outlet for the dryer located (assuming garage)?

Check out the battery/charging subform, lots of great discussions there on similar questions (see user posts by RockyH and JCanoe).

At a high level I would start with the electrician performing a loading check on your panel and see how much you can supply to the car.

Once that is done they can size the breakers appropriately (may stay at 2x 15A or go up/down depending on load analysis).

The max that you can charge at is 80% of the available amperage. So if you have 30A @240V available on your panel the max charge rate will be 24A @240V (code requirement for continuous usage).

My preference would be to install a dedicated charger (like the Tesla one). No need for a GFCI and it is more robust that plugging/unplugging mobile connector. The amperage is set during the commissioning of the wall unit. Then you can throw the mobile connector in your car for travelling.

Good luck.

Thanks Stirfry. That would be my preference too. As recommended by RonB, I just called our local dealer and got the numbers of local Tesla certified charger installers. I'll be reaching out to them on Monday. It's kinda unbelievable that I didn't think of that in the 1st place - D'OH!!

Although I've learned a LOT in this thread and will hopefully be able talk intelligently with them when they arrive.

BEST,

- Richard

 

[Tronguy]

That‘s shocking!

Yeah. And I was wrong; a further post later on stated that there is a GFCI in the Mobile Connector. And some thought that interference between the code-mandated GFI and the one in the Mobile Connector is why Some People get nuisance trips.

 

[Eric33432]

Mobile Charger on your 220v (electric dryer) circuit would charge at 32A (about 27miles per hour of charging).
Charging overnight easily accomplished by that setup, and it can go with you on road trips and be used at, for instance, RV parks or friends houses that have an RV.
Additional plug adapters for the MC can be purchased per your needs.
Very cost-effective and flexible =solution.

You would need your electrician to install:
a 14-50 outlet in your garage
conduit and wire to the service panel from the outlet (if your panel is in the garage, this is simple and inexpensive - just disconnect the dryer circuit wires, set them aside)
a GFI circuit breaker in the service panel (depending on your State's code requirements)

Don't forget to look into what your Electric Utility service provider offers in discounts and subsidies.
Also look into IRS FORM 8911 for Fed Govt Refueling Property tax credits

DON'T charge at 32 amps from a 30 amp dryer circuit, and DON'T install a 50 amp receptacle on a 30 amp circuit! Respectifully, this is VERY BAD ADVICE.

 

[jcanoe]

Nope.

The Tesla Mobile Connector has built-in GFCI that protects the user when plugging the charging connector into the Tesla vehicle. The receptacle should have its own GFCI protection or a GFCI circuit breaker to meet the current code. The GFCI for the receptacle protects the user when they plug or unplug the Mobile Connector from the power receptacle. The Tesla Wall Connector does not currently require a GFCI circuit breaker as the Wall Connector is designed to be hard wired into the circuit.

 

[Richard__G]

Thanks. Got it covered thankfully. Replaced our 100 amp panel with a 200 amp by a certified electrician. He ran the appropriate amperage line to our garage for the big boy Tesla charger. Picking up the car tomorrow (in Oneida) ON OUR WAY to Boston. It will be an introduction under fire, so to speak. Leaving wife's car in Oneida and picking it up on the way back. Crazy stuff.

 

[tangible1]

DON'T charge at 32 amps from a 30 amp dryer circuit, and DON'T install a 50 amp receptacle on a 30 amp circuit! Respectifully, this is VERY BAD ADVICE.

you're not keeping up.
The idea is to re-purpose a Service Panel slot that had been for an electric dryer. Current circuit was not being used (gas dryer, not electric)
Pull the wires for that circuit out of the panel (along with the breaker) and leave them loose. Also leave alone the NEMA 5-30 receptacle in the laundry room it went to.
(if ever need to go back to an electric dryer, the infrastructure is still in place)

Then install a new breaker and conductors for a NEMA 14-50 receptacle that's installed, say, in garage.
The Tesla Mobile Connector then plugs into that new receptacle.
Done. Simple.

Please read for comprehension before rushing to judgement.

The above is exactly what I did for my MC installation.
Works great, no issues, 2 years and counting.
My total cost was around 300 bucks.
Wall Connector is overkill for my needs.

 

[kpanda17]

Thanks. Got it covered thankfully. Replaced our 100 amp panel with a 200 amp by a certified electrician. He ran the appropriate amperage line to our garage for the big boy Tesla charger. Picking up the car tomorrow (in Oneida) ON OUR WAY to Boston. It will be an introduction under fire, so to speak. Leaving wife's car in Oneida and picking it up on the way back. Crazy stuff.

Richard
You did great and the team on this forum is amazingly helpful
Your wife and you will love the Tesla ecosystem and owning/driving the Tesla
On a trip, try out FSDb, It’s mind blowing
At superchargers, backup very slowly
Get quality mats
Take your time to perfect your use of the vehicle
Enjoy

 

[Eric33432]

you're not keeping up.
The idea is to re-purpose a Service Panel slot that had been for an electric dryer. Current circuit was not being used (gas dryer, not electric)
Pull the wires for that circuit out of the panel (along with the breaker) and leave them loose. Also leave alone the NEMA 5-30 receptacle in the laundry room it went to.
(if ever need to go back to an electric dryer, the infrastructure is still in place)

Then install a new breaker and conductors for a NEMA 14-50 receptacle that's installed, say, in garage.
The Tesla Mobile Connector then plugs into that new receptacle.
Done. Simple.

Please read for comprehension before rushing to judgement.

The above is exactly what I did for my MC installation.
Works great, no issues, 2 years and counting.
My total cost was around 300 bucks.
Wall Connector is overkill for my needs.I quote from your post:

I quote from your post:

"Mobile Charger on your 220v (electric dryer) circuit would charge at 32A (about 27miles per hour of charging)."

If someone saw that, and did not read further, that is not good.

I stand by my response to what you wrote.

 

[tangible1]

I quote from your post:

"Mobile Charger on your 220v (electric dryer) circuit would charge at 32A (about 27miles per hour of charging)."

If someone saw that, and did not read further, that is not good.

I stand by my response to what you wrote.

you fail to follow the thread.

 

[fholbert]

I quote from your post:

"Mobile Charger on your 220v (electric dryer) circuit would charge at 32A (about 27miles per hour of charging)."

If someone saw that, and did not read further, that is not good.

I stand by my response to what you wrote.

You win Shelden.

Feel better now?

 

[Eric33432]

you fail to follow the thread.

Whatever

 

[tangible1]

Whatever

Whatever

 

[laservet]

Thanks. Got it covered thankfully. Replaced our 100 amp panel with a 200 amp by a certified electrician. He ran the appropriate amperage line to our garage for the big boy Tesla charger. Picking up the car tomorrow (in Oneida) ON OUR WAY to Boston. It will be an introduction under fire, so to speak. Leaving wife's car in Oneida and picking it up on the way back. Crazy stuff.

Have fun!

Connect the wall charger to the Tesla app, you then have data on each charging session.

 

[Eric33432]

Thanks. Got it covered thankfully. Replaced our 100 amp panel with a 200 amp by a certified electrician. He ran the appropriate amperage line to our garage for the big boy Tesla charger. Picking up the car tomorrow (in Oneida) ON OUR WAY to Boston. It will be an introduction under fire, so to speak. Leaving wife's car in Oneida and picking it up on the way back. Crazy stuff.

Do you mind disclosing what the panel upgrade cost, and what the additional cost for that 65 foot run from the panel to your garage for the wall connector was? Did you use your original electrician or one that Tesla recommended?

Hope all went well with the delivery of your new Model Y and you are loving it!

 

[Richard__G]

I used a very good certified electrician who'd done all this before. The total cost of all of the above was $5,550. I'd gotten a 2nd quote from a really good company the was a bit more expensive..

The car pickup went well and the drive was pretty intense, learning it under fire as it were. This morning I got up early to figure out all the stuff I DIDN'T know. But all-in-all, I love this car!

I'll be posting about the experience at some point as I still have a few questions, and I think other newbies (which I still consider myself to be) could learn from my experience.

 

[Richard__G]

Richard
You did great and the team on this forum is amazingly helpful
Your wife and you will love the Tesla ecosystem and owning/driving the Tesla
On a trip, try out FSDb, It’s mind blowing
At superchargers, backup very slowly
Get quality mats
Take your time to perfect your use of the vehicle
Enjoy

Thanks!

• Yes, this forum is the best I've ever seen and everyone is very helpful. A phenomenal resource.
• haven't had the time to try FSDb but can't wait to do so.
• I Ordered Tesla mats yesterday.
• "Take your time to perfect your use of the vehicle", boy, I wish I had before I took it on its first trip. Friday If you're interested, here's a "report" on my first time out in the vehicle. Delightful and harrowing!

 

[Richard__G]

I used a very good certified electrician who'd done all this before. The total cost of all of the above was $5,550. I'd gotten a 2nd quote from a really good company the was a bit more expensive..

The car pickup went well and the drive was pretty intense, learning it under fire as it were. This morning I got up early to figure out all the stuff I DIDN'T know. But all-in-all, I love this car!

I'll be posting about the experience at some point as I still have a few questions, and I think other newbies (which I still consider myself to be) could learn from my experience.

MY REPORT!

 

[Richard__G]

Do you mind disclosing what the panel upgrade cost, and what the additional cost for that 65 foot run from the panel to your garage for the wall connector was? Did you use your original electrician or one that Tesla recommended?

Hope all went well with the delivery of your new Model Y and you are loving it!

The cost was $5,550. A bit less than another quote I'd gotten and he did an excellent job.