No. Its a ridiculous gotcha. The thing on the wall chargers my car. I’m gonna call it a charger.
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Tesla requires 60A Disconnect switch w/charger?
- Thread starter Kelr316
- Start date
No. Its a ridiculous gotcha. The thing on the wall chargers my car. I’m gonna call it a charger.
Well, I guess you're the victim of another "ridiculous gotcha". The thing on the wall does NOT charge your car. It simply manages/controls the electrical flow.
What's ridiculous is that legit terminology can become a "ridiculous gotcha."
What's ridiculous is that legit terminology can become a "ridiculous gotcha."
No. Your being pedantic. It’s a useless difference for the average person.
The Mobile Connector and the Wall Connector are not chargers. The terms electric vehicle service equipment and electric vehicle supply equipment, (EVSE) are unclear to most people. I prefer the terms charging station or charging cord set. No matter what most people will continue to use the term charger.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
“Legit terminology” that provides no meaningful or relevant distinction to 99% of the population exposed to it is useless. There is no “necessary” distinction here that fundamentally changes the practical application or colloquial understanding of the thing being discussed. Pedantic distinction is pedantic.
This is the sort of hair splitting that gets regular people rolling their eyes real hard at the EV community. Ever been on an ICE forum where that one guy comes along in every thread just to say “can we all agree that we should NOT be calling it a gas cap? It doesn’t cap the gas. It’s a fuel filler neck cap and yeah it’s a bit of a pain in the ass, but it’s necessary.”
Yeah, me either.
All good points. I guess we all have to accept the same confused terminology about wheels/tires, bumpers/fenders, windshields/windows.
ucmndd: It's hard for me to understand that there are "regular people rolling their eyes real hard at the EV community" when informed EV owners use the correct terms when discussing their complex state-of-art vehicles. Knowledge and correct terminology is hardly pedantic.
I get your point, though. That ship has sailed.
ucmndd: It's hard for me to understand that there are "regular people rolling their eyes real hard at the EV community" when informed EV owners use the correct terms when discussing their complex state-of-art vehicles. Knowledge and correct terminology is hardly pedantic.
I get your point, though. That ship has sailed.
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The thing on your wall, the EVSE, is basically a fancy extension cord. Its intelligence doesn't go much beyond testing for ground faults, telling the car how many amps it can support, and turning itself on and off. The real battery charger is in a box buried deep in the car.
What happens when the charging cord is no longer needed, will people still call it the charger? WiTricity's wireless charging option will be available for Tesla vehicles in select locations in the US starting in late 2022. We can expect wireless charging to be widely available by 2023.
WiTricity Wireless Vehicle Charging
WiTricity Wireless Vehicle Charging
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The above 2 posts demonstrate the necessity of accurate terminology, in any industry.
I'm afraid, though, we're WAY beyond the point of no return with this, as others have stated.
I'm afraid, though, we're WAY beyond the point of no return with this, as others have stated.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
Do you still call the wireless Qi pad for your phone a charger?
Even though the electronics controlling the current and negotiating the session are in the phone?
That shouldn't be a relevant deciding factor. Whether NEC requires the disconnect is based on the amp rating of the circuit. You have to use a wire type and gauge that meets that amp rating requirement, but that is not directly relevant to the decision for the disconnect.
Yes, it is legal based on this condition: Are the connection lugs you are screwing it into labeled and rated to accept either copper or aluminum wire? A lot are for copper only, so you could not directly use aluminum into those. The Tesla wall connector wire lugs are for copper only. Depending on the type or brand of receptacle, some are for copper only and some others are for either.
Most breakers can be for both (check first). You could run most of the distance in aluminum wire to get to the garage, and then terminate that in a sub-panel. Most sub-panel lugs are rated for AL or copper. There could be significant cost savings there if you're getting up toward 100 feet or more. Then from the sub-panel, you can do the final short run in copper wire to the wall connector or outlet.
He is suggesting the disconnect was included (required) to switch from aluminum to copper conductors.
howardnj
Member
My Tesla recommended electrician did exactly what you said. He used #2 Aluminum wire for a 150 ft run from my 200 amp basement breaker panel to the sub panel in my garage.
Attachments
Yes, this, in fact, is basically the cheapest way to transition from heavy-gauge aluminum to copper wires. A 60A non-fusible disconnect is <$15 and you get to transition all 3 wires in it. Polaris connectors are the best choice for transitions in J-boxes, and they are like $15 each, plus you need the J-box. Technically the cheapest approved option is probably split bolts, but they are super finicky, annoying to work with, and you gotta tape 'em right. Using an AC disconnect is the "life hack" answer.
ai4px
Wes
You are correct.... the death knell to plug in chargers eh? Nevermind the fact that the EVSE -is- a GFCI.... here's the quandry: Code allows for an EVSE to trip at 20ma, but a wall socket must trip at 5ma. Frustrating.
ai4px
Wes
Depends on the context which word I use.... but yeah, if a "box" charges your car, it's a charger. If I'm feeling pedantic yeah EVSE.
Many I speak to about EVs are surprised the charger is so small... I tell them it's a glorified ground fault outlet.
You are correct that the EVSE has GFCI protection however the GFCI in the EVSE is there to protect the user when plugging and unplugging the J1772 connector. The now required GFCI protection for the receptacle protects the user when plugging or unplugging the EVSE from the receptacle. When the EVSE is hard wired this additional GFCI protection is not needed. If users read the EVSE owner's manual they would see that if the EVSE has a power plug then the manual states to always turn off the power at the circuit breaker before plugging or unplugging the EVSE.
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