Tesla Wall Charger

[drj400m]

My other post is about getting the NEMA 14-50 plug. Now my question: is there any reason other than higher rates of charging to get it? I won’t be able to go above a 50-60 amp circuit.
I did try a search and I’m not electrically inclined, sorry if I sound ignorant.
Thanks for your help

 

[animorph]

You can keep the mobile connector in the car, in case you might otherwise forget to take it.
Two to four Wall Connectors can share the same electrical circuit, communicating with each other to stay within the circuit current limits.
Wall Connectors can be adjusted over a wide range of circuit capacities, including lower current limits than a 14-50 plug requires.

 

[Kuhz]

Mainly convenience. I have one and love it. It’s like a mini fuel pump ️. Just unhook the handle and plug in. Reverse for unplugging. Usually my kids do it

 

[gregd]

Are you asking if it's worth getting a 14-50 plug versus a hard-wired wall charger? There are additional options, for example, putting a 14-50 pigtail on the wall charger and plugging it in to the outlet. I believe there is one version that comes pre-configured that way.

The advantage of having an outlet is that you can use if for other things, if necessary (e.g. an RV). The advantage of a hard-wired wall charger is that you aren't limited by the 50 amp outlet and breaker, but also you don't have that extra connection (the plug/socket) which can fail over time if you plug and unplug from it frequently. I opted for the outlet and pigtail, because I don't need the higher current, and like having the flexibility for future uses (hard to predict).

 

[drj400m]

Yes I think that I am going with the nema 14-50 plug and I will buy the mobile charger. That way I will have one in the car and one is the garage.
Thanks to all that responded

 

[TexasEV]

Actually what you’re talking about is a connector, not a charger. The charger is in the car. It’s a choice between Wall Connector ( previously called HPWC or High Power Wall Connector) or the Universal Mobile Connector (UMC).

There is no reason to buy a second UMC to keep in the car. You only take it with you on long trips.

 

[CSFTN]

Yeah - the wall connector tests the quality of the connection and slowly ramps up power level. It adds a large measure of safety.

240x50 is enough to kill a person, depending upon a number of other circumstances.

 

[BigTonyTones]

Im a bit confused about the question:
Were you wondering if you should get one in your garage for a hardwired charger install?
I have mine hardwired using a 60 amp breaker. You can only draw 80% off that breaker so my hardwired tesla charger is set to 48 amp.

You can always add a 14-50 plug on the same circuit in case you needed the plug for some reason ( a welder) . That may not be up to code since a person who didnt know what is going on can plug in something and two things may be drawing from the circuit which im sure is a "NO GO" under code.

 

[davewill]

Yes I think that I am going with the nema 14-50 plug and I will buy the mobile charger. That way I will have one in the car and one is the garage.
Thanks to all that responded

You would be better off buying the wall connector and adding a 14-50 pigtail since you plan to leave it permanently in the garage. It's both cheaper and better made. If you do decide to get a mobile connector anyway, at least get the one that doesn't use the adapters.

 

[Lasttoy]

Installing a 14.50 is cheap and fast if you park near your breaker box. Get outlet in secure box from HD. $50. #6 wire,
Now here is situation? If you have dual chargers in car? You can install a 100amp breaker if you have 200amp service in your house.
If you only have one charger then you install a 50amp breaker. Took me about an hour to install.
My old house only has 100 amp service, so my second chargers is not used. I have had it used at several destinations.

 

[liuping]

You can always add a 14-50 plug on the same circuit in case you needed the plug for some reason ( a welder) . That may not be up to code since a person who didnt know what is going on can plug in something and two things may be drawing from the circuit which im sure is a "NO GO" under code.

It seem like it should be okay. Almost all outlets inside the house are 15Amp, but you cannot plug multiple things that draw 15Amps into the outlets in the room (that are on the same circuit). Maybe it's different since one it hard wired and one is an outlet.

 

[lardog]

Code is very specific on this and a disconnect must be installed inline. See IRC or the International Residential Code. You should call you local building department and ask them what is the current code book they are using. I would suggest you make a call even if you hire a electrician to be aware of the code and ask the electrician if he is complying to the City or County specific code for your application or installation.

 

[Lasttoy]

There's no disconnect in the dryer or water heater line.
This is same analogy.
It's just a wall receptacle

 

[Rocky_H]

Code is very specific on this and a disconnect must be installed inline. See IRC or the International Residential Code. You should call you local building department and ask them what is the current code book they are using. I would suggest you make a call even if you hire a electrician to be aware of the code and ask the electrician if he is complying to the City or County specific code for your application or installation.

Since you didn't quote anyone's comment or even mention what type of device or situation you are referring to here, it's hard to tell what you are talking about when you say, "Code is very specific on "this" ". What "this" are you referring to? What the code is specific about is if the circuit size is greater than 60 amps, then the disconnect is needed.

 

[lardog]

Yes, you are correct, some one had previously posted that you could run 50 amp plugs in line just like a normal house plug. Again not without a disconnect and then I would caution you to check with the city or county building department.
A disconnect is not necessary for a single NEMA 14-50 plug as a 50 amp breaker is all that is needed.
There is also a code that you cannot have more total breakers than a certain percentage of the panel. A 200 AMP panel has only a 160 capacity for most manufacturers. A 200 amp panel is not a guarantee that you can install two 50 amp breakers or one hundred amp breaker with out any code violations or problems as previously stated.
The calculation for the working load of a panel is total of all breakers (in amps), which is the total amps multiplied by 80% Duty and that gives you the total amp load. Then you take the total amp load multiply by 120 and that equals the rated power in watts. You then divide the rated power by 240 and that equals the total load amps. A 200 amp panel has only a capacity of 80% of 200 amps which is 160 amps. Calculated as follows 200 x 80% = Full amp Capacity. You can verify this information with Square D or Eaton technical department. I just did that calculation and caught a major nationwide home builder fudging the calculations trying to save a hundred dollars by not installing another or larger main panel. They finally did but that was never caught by the City building inspector either.
Again the final determining factor is the actual code that ts current when the install was completed for that specific location.

 

[Rocky_H]

That is not how a load calculation for a house is done.

 

[lardog]

Could you explain or correct?

 

[Rocky_H]

Could you explain or correct?

Sure. Actual load calculations use the load calculation form. Here are examples of it.

Residential Calculations
https://www.ladbs.org/docs/default-...oad-calculation-form-in-form-00.pdf?sfvrsn=16
Electrical Load Calculations for Residential Panel - Online Load Calculator

They are much more based on the appliances you have in the house and what types they are and how many rooms of lighting circuits and convenience outlet circuits you have, scaled by the square footage in the house (which you made no mention of),

Your method seemed to be doing something else just by number of breakers in the panel, without even listing these things about what kinds of electrical loads are in the house.

Going through the NEC load calculation in those forms I linked to above will show a number of amps, which does then need to fit within the main breaker for the main electrical service line into the house. And that can tell you if you have any margin of some number of amps available, to add a new circuit for something.

 

[BrokerDon]

Sure. Actual load calculations use the load calculation form. Here are examples of it.

Residential Calculations
https://www.ladbs.org/docs/default-...oad-calculation-form-in-form-00.pdf?sfvrsn=16
Electrical Load Calculations for Residential Panel - Online Load Calculator

They are much more based on the appliances you have in the house and what types they are and how many rooms of lighting circuits and convenience outlet circuits you have, scaled by the square footage in the house (which you made no mention of),

Your method seemed to be doing something else just by number of breakers in the panel, without even listing these things about what kinds of electrical loads are in the house.

Going through the NEC load calculation in those forms I linked to above will show a number of amps, which does then need to fit within the main breaker for the main electrical service line into the house. And that can tell you if you have any margin of some number of amps available, to add a new circuit for something.

I agree. We've had licensed electricians install a gen 1 Tesla High Power Wall Connector on a 100A breaker (80A charge max. charge rate) for a 2015 P85D with dual 40A chargers and a gen 2 Tesla Wall Connector on a 60A breaker (48A charge rate) for a 2019 Model 3 LR using our local building department's "Load Calc" worksheet right on their EV electrical permit application http://www.rctlma.org/Portals/5/Handouts/General/284-164_Residential_Electric_Charger.pdf. Easy to complete and pull our electrical permits over the counter.

 

[tga]

Yes, you are correct, some one had previously posted that you could run 50 amp plugs in line just like a normal house plug. Again not without a disconnect and then I would caution you to check with the city or county building department.

Please quote the NEC article/section that states this. I disagree that a disconnect is required for multiple 240V outlets (50A or otherwise) on a single circuit.

IMHO, each 240V outlet should be on it's own dedicated circuit, and I think it's hacky and a sign of shoddy DIY workmanship to put multiple 240V outlets on one circuit, but I don't think it's disallowed by code (disconnect or not).