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Tesla Wall Connector - worth it?

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Exactly. Most do not "need" it, but what price would you put on the cool factor? A Tesla WC looks much cooler than a mobile connector stuck on a peg in your garage.😸
Hey, I think my mobile connector looks downright sexy!! :-/

Rich


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The upgrades you install will determine that. I started down this path and installed a run of 6/3 to a 14-50 outlet. After I installed the outlet I found a few rebates from my power company that expired at the end of 2021…so I ordered a wall connector. I had installed the 6/3 so that I could do this and then take full advantage of the charging capabilites of the wall charger. If you install a smaller gauge wire you can still install a wall charger, but you will be limited by the wire gauge not the wall charger.

The power company rebate (combined with the federal tax incentive for the charger install) pushed me over the edge, but the desire to leave the mobile connector in the car and not be dependent on a single charger (I love redundancy!) were also driving factors to install the wall connector.
 
If I upgrade my wiring to support the simple outlet solution, can I later decide to upgrade again to the Wall Connector WITHOUT upgrading my wiring further?
Yes, but it may be cheaper to go straight to the Wall connector because the WC does not require a neutral wire or a GFCI circuit breaker. These two items can add up to a couple hundred in savings.
 
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I think my big reason, besides cost, in not going with the WC, was that the actual improvement in charge range didn't seem like it was worth it. I'm waiting until Tesla comes back out with a better version of the WC for larger power delivery. I think you will see with a vehicle like the CT, where the battery is going to be massive, you might actually require a 100amp breaker for 80 amps of power delivery. Just look at what Ford is doing with the Lightning. Obviously that is meant to also be a two-way power situation, as well, but part of the reason why they have such a large requirement on that 80amp Pro Charger is because of the size of the battery pack and the need to be able to charge it over night... If you don't believe me, look at their numbers for charge rates and how long it takes... Its a long a$$ time.

I don't even know if my house will allow for another circuit of that size... I'd have to likely sub-panel off a dedicated circuit for something like that.
 
Some of the original posts say the difference is 7 mile of charge per hour. That is not accurate if the Wall Connector is wired with a 60 amp breaker. In that case, the max current is 48 amps compared to the Mobile Connector of 32 amps, so it's (32 amps = 30 miles/hr) - (48 amps = 44 miles/hr) = 14 miles of range per hour of charge difference. That can be very significant to those of us who forget to plug in overnight, wake up at 7 and realize you need to travel 200 miles today and only have 40% (~125 miles), don't feel like paying the crazy rate at the supercharger, plug it in at home and by 9 AM have ~213 miles [whereas the Mobile would only be at ~185 miles] ;)
 
I'll be charging outdoors so I went with the Wall Connector because it's weather proof. I'll feel safer using the Wall Connector than I would using a plug-in outlet (even though I know that folks put weather covers over these).
 
If I upgrade my wiring to support the simple outlet solution,
I'm not sure what you mean by that. What would be a wiring "upgrade" to use an outlet?
can I later decide to upgrade again to the Wall Connector WITHOUT upgrading my wiring further?
Well, the answer is "yes", because it's always yes, because I don't think you get what you are asking.

What kind of wire you put in ONLY determines what amp level the rating of the circuit is. It is entirely irrelevant what kind of thing you attach to the end of it. That could always be changed back and forth from a hard wired appliance like the wall connector, or to an outlet. That makes no difference. You could always find an appropriate thing to switch it to.

The main difference between those is just at the other end of what type of breaker to use. Electric code does have that special provision that hard wired devices can use a cheaper standard breaker, while the outlets must use a really expensive GFCI type breaker.
 
If all you do is charge overnight, then the 14-50 with the mobile connector will be fine. I got the wall connector because I sometimes need to top off the charge during the day and wanted the faster option.
One benefit of a WC, beyond what others have mentioned, is that a NEMA 14-50 outlet, unlike household 5-15s, really aren't designed for a large number of plug-unplug cycles, as most types of equipment that use them are fixed (electric ranges, hot water heaters, etc). So if you want to keep a mobile charger in the car, you really should buy a second one, instead of plugging and unplugging the one you use at home. And if you're going to do that, the difference in price between a mobile and a WC will likely be covered by EVSE tax incentives that require buying the WC to claim, as the requirements are typically that it must be a fixed installation.
 
The upgrades you install will determine that. I started down this path and installed a run of 6/3 to a 14-50 outlet. After I installed the outlet I found a few rebates from my power company that expired at the end of 2021…so I ordered a wall connector. I had installed the 6/3 so that I could do this and then take full advantage of the charging capabilites of the wall charger. If you install a smaller gauge wire you can still install a wall charger, but you will be limited by the wire gauge not the wall charger.

The power company rebate (combined with the federal tax incentive for the charger install) pushed me over the edge, but the desire to leave the mobile connector in the car and not be dependent on a single charger (I love redundancy!) were also driving factors to install the wall connector.
I’m assuming you meant 6/3 NMB and not 6/3MC. If NMB you shouldn’t set your charger past 50A load with 40A charge. If using 6/3MC it’s not a problem. The extra sheathing on the NMB lowers the temperature threshold even though it’s still 90C wire in the sheathing. This can be worsened if pushing through an undersized conduit. Just meant as an FYI, it seems to be a very common issue even when talking to electricians. I believe the max continuous load for 6/3NMB is 44A with a peak of 55A.
 
I’m assuming you meant 6/3 NMB and not 6/3MC. If NMB you shouldn’t set your charger past 50A load with 40A charge. If using 6/3MC it’s not a problem. The extra sheathing on the NMB lowers the temperature threshold even though it’s still 90C wire in the sheathing. This can be worsened if pushing through an undersized conduit. Just meant as an FYI, it seems to be a very common issue even when talking to electricians. I believe the max continuous load for 6/3NMB is 44A with a peak of 55A.

I used 6/3 NMB. I have never heard (doesn’t mean much!) that MC had a higher ampacity rating. The specs on 6/3 NMB that I have seen state that it has a 55A continuous rating (https://www.cerrowire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cerrowire_Ampacity_Chart_210405.pdf) — are you recommending “rounding” down for conservatism or is this a “rating” (if it is do you have a reference?)? I was planning on resetting the Wall Connector to 50A max anyway for efficiency and conservatism…I have a month or so before my car arrives anyway.

*I’m neither an electrician nor electrical engineer
 
I used 6/3 NMB. I have never heard (doesn’t mean much!) that MC had a higher ampacity rating.
Yes, the reason is that NM-B is surrounded by a plastic/rubber kind of sheath, which is kind of insulating and traps the heat in, so needs to have a more protective temperature rating. MC cable is surrounded by a metal jacket, and with metal being such a good heat conductor, it can more easily let that heat out to the outside environment.

The specs on 6/3 NMB that I have seen state that it has a 55A continuous rating (https://www.cerrowire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cerrowire_Ampacity_Chart_210405.pdf) —
Hmmm. I have seen many forms of ampacity tables before. That is the first one that I have seen which says the ratings are for "continuous", and I did not think that is how the ampacity ratings are used. So I just did some digging. It was a little hard to find, but I did finally find an example showing how to choose wire type and size, given the load:

This gives an example where the load is 53A continuous and then calculates from there for oversizing and selection of breaker and conductor on page 2 of this PDF:

"Select the conductor to comply with Sections 110-14(c) and 210-19(a). Section 210-19(a) also requires the branch-circuit conductor to be sized no less than 125% of the continuous load, 53 amperes x 125% = 66 amperes. We must select the conductor according to the 75' C terminals temperature rating of the equipment terminals. No. 6 THHN has a rating of 65 amperes at 75' C and can not be used. Therefore we must select a No. 4 which has a rating of 85 amperes at 75' C."

That's how I thought it was applied. You do your calculations based on whether the load is intermittent or continuous, to find the appropriate amp rating number of the circuit first. And then the numbers in the ampacity tables are the number to match to that amp rating number of the circuit.

are you recommending “rounding” down for conservatism or is this a “rating” (if it is do you have a reference?)?
That's not rounding it down then. You said you are using the wall connector at its maximum allowed capability, which is the 48A continuous load setting. Using their calculation example from that NEC explanation document, you take the 48A continuous load times 125% to find the circuit rating needed, which is 60A. Then, you need to select conductors that have a number listed in the ampacity table to meet 60A. 6 gauge NM-B is not high enough.
 
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I've been using the 14-50 outlet for the past dozen years, including charging my RAV4EV before the Teslas. Never a problem, and I can't find a reason to spend an extra $500. I prefer to spend what I need and save what I can, which is why my wife and I both have Teslas.
 
Yes, the reason is that NM-B is surrounded by a plastic/rubber kind of sheath, which is kind of insulating and traps the heat in, so needs to have a more protective temperature rating. MC cable is surrounded by a metal jacket, and with metal being such a good heat conductor, it can more easily let that heat out to the outside environment.


Hmmm. I have seen many forms of ampacity tables before. That is the first one that I have seen which says the ratings are for "continuous", and I did not think that is how the ampacity ratings are used. So I just did some digging. It was a little hard to find, but I did finally find an example showing how to choose wire type and size, given the load:

This gives an example where the load is 53A continuous and then calculates from there for oversizing and selection of breaker and conductor on page 2 of this PDF:

"Select the conductor to comply with Sections 110-14(c) and 210-19(a). Section 210-19(a) also requires the branch-circuit conductor to be sized no less than 125% of the continuous load, 53 amperes x 125% = 66 amperes. We must select the conductor according to the 75' C terminals temperature rating of the equipment terminals. No. 6 THHN has a rating of 65 amperes at 75' C and can not be used. Therefore we must select a No. 4 which has a rating of 85 amperes at 75' C."

That's how I thought it was applied. You do your calculations based on whether the load is intermittent or continuous, to find the appropriate amp rating number of the circuit first. And then the numbers in the ampacity tables are the number to match to that amp rating number of the circuit.


That's not rounding it down then. You said you are using the wall connector at its maximum allowed capability, which is the 48A continuous load setting. Using their calculation example from that NEC explanation document, you take the 48A continuous load times 125% to find the circuit rating needed, which is 60A. Then, you need to select conductors that have a number listed in the ampacity table to meet 60A. 6 gauge NM-B is not high enough.


That is buried. Thanks for the education. 👍
 
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I screwed up and replaced a CC with a 25 ft cord thinking I could live with the sexy WC with the 18 ft cord. Turns out I can't. My bad. So now I'm going to sell the 3-month-old WC and buy a new one. I missed the return date by 1 day and Tesla wouldn't budge.