Tesla Wall Connector - installation approach

[pvbedt]

I have a 2020 Model 3, and a Gen 3 Wall Connector. I will have a 60 Amp / 240 breaker installed. 6/3 wire will be used from the breaker up and inside the wall, into the attic and over about 9 ft horizontal, down inside the wall to the location of the Wall Connector. From the electricians I spoke to so far, I can request either of the following two approaches.

Approach 1: wire directly from the breaker to the Wall Connector.
Approach 2: wire a receptacle, then wire a plug from the Wall Connector that can be plugged into the receptacle.

Aside from the esthetics, are there any compelling reason for either approach.

Thank you in advance, E

 

[StanT]

I believe it states it should only be hardwired... Not saying you technically can't do the other, just saying on page 2 of the installation manual it says:
WARNING: The Wall Connector must be grounded through a permanent wiring system or an equipment-grounding conductor
and on page 5 it says:
NOTE: External disconnect switches are neither required nor recommended (a plug isn't exactly the external disconnect they are talking about, but...)

Although some localities require a disconnect switch when the panel is too far away...

Anyway- I would go with the Hardwire just because that's what the book says.

Also one word of advice- make sure the wire is well stripped where it goes into the wire locks in the charger... if its even a little too short you'll received an overheat warning from the charger.

 

[DavidElg]

If you're having an electrician come out and already have the wall connector, it makes more sense to have him hardwire it. You will also get a faster charge, as the wall connector hard wired into a 60 amp circuit will deliver 48 amps. If the electrician were to install a 14-50 (50 amp outlet) then you would only charge at 40 amps. With that said, I personally have my wall connector pig-tailed into a 14-50 outlet, but that was only because I had the outlet installed with the plan of using the included UMC cable. Ended up getting a free wall connector with the old referral program, which is why I decided to wire in the pig-tail plug. Hope that makes sense.

 

[TampaRich]

NEMA 14-50 as a backup in case the Wall connector ever fails on me.

 

[dixosw]

NEMA 14-50 as a backup in case the Wall connector ever fails on me.

Interesting idea to have a NEMA 14-50 wired adjacent to the wall connector like that. Obviously, couldn't use the 14-50 and the HPWC at the time, but does it mean you can charge a non-Tesla vehicle from the 14-50 outlet from time to time if the HPWC is not in use?

 

[TampaRich]

Interesting idea to have a NEMA 14-50 wired adjacent to the wall connector like that. Obviously, couldn't use the 14-50 and the HPWC at the time, but does it mean you can charge a non-Tesla vehicle from the 14-50 outlet from time to time if the HPWC is not in use?

Yep, that’s the idea.

 

[Larry Chanin]

I have a 2020 Model 3, and a Gen 3 Wall Connector. I will have a 60 Amp / 240 breaker installed. 6/3 wire will be used from the breaker up and inside the wall, into the attic and over about 9 ft horizontal, down inside the wall to the location of the Wall Connector. From the electricians I spoke to so far, I can request either of the following two approaches.

Approach 1: wire directly from the breaker to the Wall Connector.
Approach 2: wire a receptacle, then wire a plug from the Wall Connector that can be plugged into the receptacle.

Aside from the esthetics, are there any compelling reason for either approach
Thank you in advance, E

I agree with the other posters about not wiring a Wall Connector to an outlet.

However, when you were talking to the electricians it's possible you may have misinterpreted what they were saying.
Approach 1 is the normal way to wire a Wall Connector.
Approach 2 is the normal way to wire a Mobile Connector.

Approach 1 is the superior way to go if you have a Gen 3 Wall Connector. You can use the full 48 amp capacity.
Approach 2, usually with a NEMA 14-50 outlet, is the standard way to connect a lower capacity Mobile Connector. In other words, with a 240 outlet, you don't even have to buy a Wall Connector to charge your car. The Gen 2 Mobile Connector comes with your Model 3. The Gen 2 Mobile Connectors have a maximum capacity of 32 amps at 240 volts. You would have to purchase the $35 adapter to charge at 240 volts. The labor for an electrician to install an outlet is much less than the cost to install a Wall Connector because there is more to set up. The advantage in going with an outlet and a Mobile Connector is that you can save money if you are willing to live with a lower charging rate.

While wiring a Mobile Connector to an outlet is the normal approach, wiring a Wall Connector to an outlet is a dubious proposition.

My preference is to have a hard-wired Wall Connector for my normal day-to-day charging and to keep my Mobile Connector in my car for those rare instances where I might need it to connect to an outlet.

Larry