Tesla Outdoor Curbside Charging Station almost ready for Model S

[artsci]

ArtSci

Excellent. The local electrician I've been working with has had a similar idea but has been trying to build this utilizing a pre-configured assembly. Most don't appear to accommodate (in a locked-down system )the size of the mobile connector when connected to the 15-40 adaptor. It would appear to need 6-8" of space. Have you measured the space requirements in your unit? 4" PVC doesn't appear to be sufficiently wide to work.

Your idea of a 4" PVC assembly sounds perfect. Love to benefit from your efforts if you have any drawings that you are willing to share along with the various components that you used in the assembly.

Living in an urban area (Philadelphia) makes this a perfect solution since we need to be less than 48" high, lockable, with a indoor shut off switch to comply with local ordinances.

Let me know if you object.

Thanks in advance.

Brett

I'd be happy to share some drawings. I'm off to Mexico today until Sunday so it may be a week or so until I can do them.

I debated the interior diameter of the bollard cover for some time and decided that to accommodate the UMC and all of its cable I'd need an 8" diameter or so size. In the end I decided on the bollard cover rather than PVC pipe, for several reasons. First, PVC is much heavier -- about 2-3 times the weight of HDPE plastic, which is what the bollard is made of. Second, the HDPE is easier to cut. Third, the bollard covers from Reliance come in many different sizes and colors and can be custom cut to length, simplifying the work that needs to be done.

When I do the drawings I'll also make up a parts list. The spare UMC I ordered will be delivered next week, so I'll be able to finish this off soon.

 

[tezco]

This setup keeps looking sweeter by the moment!

 

[Babylonfive]

Great job, artsci.

 

[artsci]

This setup keeps looking sweeter by the moment!

Thanks. The spare UMC has been delivered so I'll finish it up this week.

 

[ToddRLockwood]

Artsci,

When I started looking at this thread, I assumed this was something Tesla had come up with for street side charging. Excellent job with color and design. Looks like it could be a product.

 

[artsci]

ArtSci

Excellent. The local electrician I've been working with has had a similar idea but has been trying to build this utilizing a pre-configured assembly. Most don't appear to accommodate (in a locked-down system )the size of the mobile connector when connected to the 15-40 adaptor. It would appear to need 6-8" of space. Have you measured the space requirements in your unit? 4" PVC doesn't appear to be sufficiently wide to work.

Your idea of a 4" PVC assembly sounds perfect. Love to benefit from your efforts if you have any drawings that you are willing to share along with the various components that you used in the assembly.

Living in an urban area (Philadelphia) makes this a perfect solution since we need to be less than 48" high, lockable, with a indoor shut off switch to comply with local ordinances.

Let me know if you object.

Thanks in advance.

Brett

Here's a pretty detailed drawing with text explanations and some photos of parts to provide more clarity. If anyone has questions please post here or PM me.

 

[retinadoc]

For those of us who are not nearly as talented as Artsci. Not as pretty but it should work.

Outdoor Electrical Box WITHOUT Integral Base: PEDOC

 

[artsci]

The UMC has arrived and now is installed in the bollard. Everything works as planned -- I can slip the cable out of the closed door to get exactly the length needed to plug in, but not any more. I'll post some photos as soon as I get a chance.

By the way, the UMC cable is extremely high quality. It's way more flexible, especially in the cold, than the cable used in the Volt and Nissan chargers. This is very important for outdoor use.

 

[Kaivball]

Here's a pretty detailed drawing with text explanations and some photos of parts to provide more clarity. If anyone has questions please post here or PM me.

View attachment 18531

My friend William Hubbell thanks you for purchasing his products...

 

[artsci]

My friend William Hubbell thanks you for purchasing his products...

Give him my gratitude. Without his products this would have been impossible. I couldn't find anything else with the capacity to handle the volt/amp loads with adequate saftey and waterproofing, and the portability and quality to be plugged and unplugged frequently.

 

[artsci]

The UMC is now mounted in the bollard, all behind the locked door. When I'm ready to charge I just open the door, thread the cord through the hole with the rubber grommet, close the door, and pull enough cable out to reach the car's receptacle. I tested it today (without the car, since I won't have it until April/May) and the UMC's indicator lights turned green. So it's now ready for my Model S. Here are a few photos with the plug extended.

 

[vfx]

Wouldn't the 14-50 receptacle be vulnerable to water egress?

 

[jpasqua]

The UMC is now mounted in the bollard, all behind the locked door. ...

Looks great!
When are you going into mass production?

 

[artsci]

Wouldn't the 14-50 receptacle be vulnerable to water egress?

The door is designed to prevent water from getting inside. For additional protection there are drainage holes in the places where water might collect. I'm also going to test it with a garden hose next weekend just to be sure. That having been said, in the very unlikely event that water does get into the plug, it's all ground fault protected. I had a previous design for my Volt where everything was exposed to the weather but there were no issues.

 

[dsm363]

Very slick design. Do they force you to remove the device each day and bring it inside? If you could make the Tesla logo on top glow from the inside, that might be nice too. Great work.

 

[rlpm]

This is an interesting, aesthetically pleasing solution. Nice workmanship, too. Does the bollard lock to the receptacle in the ground? What prevents someone from pulling it out of the receptacle & taking off with it when it's not locked to your car? Or will you take it inside whenever not in use?

 

[artsci]

Very slick design. Do they force you to remove the device each day and bring it inside? If you could make the Tesla logo on top glow from the inside, that might be nice too. Great work.

They don't force me to move it. As I've done with the Volt charging station, to be courteous to my neighbors and avoid unnecessary issues with the community association I will move it when I leave for work from curbside to the front of my house, where I have a mount for it under a very large holly bush. It's pretty inconspicuous there.

- - - Updated - - -

This is an interesting, aesthetically pleasing solution. Nice workmanship, too. Does the bollard lock to the receptacle in the ground? What prevents someone from pulling the it out of the receptacle & taking off with it when it's not locked to your car? Or will you take it inside whenever not in use?

It does mount to the receptacle in the ground but it's not locked, so someone could make off with it, provided they knew how to remove it. But I am thinking about how I might be able to lock it to the receptacle. It shouldn't be that difficult to do.

 

[ModelS1079]

Amazing. I want a sidewalk so I have an excuse to beg you for one. Brilliant.

 

[dailydriver]

What a great solution. Very, very nice work.

 

[Ven Rala]

Artsci, this is an ingenious solution. I am in a similar situation with my townhouse co-op board, they are willing for me to put in a charging recepticle, but are coming up with concerns of liability if someone (ie, kids) have any possible access to a 30amp outlet (which is what I can run from my townhouse). I would love to put in a nice bollard like the one you have, but am not handy enough to make one myself and utility bollards are very expensive.

So my idea was just to put in a lockable outlet cover that would be locked whether the UMC was plugged in or not. I think they will go for this. My only question is whether the UMC outlet plug will fit inside the cover. I am not receiving my Model S until May/June and don't have a good idea of the size of the UMC outlet plug end. Would the cover fit the UMC plug with NEMA 14-30 adapter?