Wall Connector Location and Tips for House with Kids

[21EV]

This is my first post and upon a search I did not see this covered, if I’m wrong please point me there. With a Model 3 on order I am looking at tips on where to put a wall charger. I’ve seen many pictures of installations with cables draped along the ground and with kids I am looking to avoid that. I have a two car garage bay with one bay being used by our minivan so kids will be getting in and out next to the car on a regular basis. If you need more information let me know, thanks in advance.

 

[Ostrichsak]

I've seen people use hose/cord reels like what you find at Harbor Freight or similar mounted to the garage door support/ceiling/wall and connect the end of the connector. This makes it so when you unplug it goes upwards and out of the way. My guess is if you search for these search terms you'll find more details for your solution.

 

[Needsdecaf]

You're going to need to provide a lot more detail. How big is the garage? Where do you park each vehicle? Where could you mount a plug or EVSE?

If you can park the Tesla on the left, and also put the charger / plug on the left, then the cable will be between the car and the wall and in no danger. Personally that's what I'd do. Otherwise, even if you were to have the cable hanging down from the ceiling, if the Tesla is on the right and the minivan is on the left, the charging cable will be sticking out of the car and will almost certainly get hit.

Or, if you have to park the Tesla on the right, you could reverse into the garage.

But again, more details needed to be helpful.

 

[21EV]

You're going to need to provide a lot more detail. How big is the garage? Where do you park each vehicle? Where could you mount a plug or EVSE?

If you can park the Tesla on the left, and also put the charger / plug on the left, then the cable will be between the car and the wall and in no danger. Personally that's what I'd do. Otherwise, even if you were to have the cable hanging down from the ceiling, if the Tesla is on the right and the minivan is on the left, the charging cable will be sticking out of the car and will almost certainly get hit.

Or, if you have to park the Tesla on the right, you could reverse into the garage.

But again, more details needed to be helpful.

Good questions, let me try my response, see below.

• Parking spots for each vehicle are flexible (I can back in or drive in as well)
• Left side of garage is open to a third/smaller garage bay that wouldn’t really fit a car so it used mainly for bikes and sporting goods. There is a small wall section on the left at the front of the garage and a post on the left side about in the middle that could be used to hold a charger or outlet. Otherwise at the front of the garage I could put a plug (for back in charging).
• Right side has a wall that borders the house but a small set of stairs going into the house at the front. Plug could theoretically go anywhere along the wall bordering the house.
• Pretty much everything else in the garage can be moved (where kids hang coats and put their shoes, brooms hanging on the walls, etc so I‘m leaving all of that out).

Let me see if I can attach a crude drawing.

 

[21EV]

 

[21EV]

Having kids accidentally break the charger port or connector is a concern of mine but after checking this out and how strong everything held up I’m a bit less concerned. video tesla sentry mode break charging plug

 

[Needsdecaf]

I'd personally put the Tesla in the left bay, and put the plug / charger there, and pull head in. If you back in on the right, keep in mind you have to have enough space to open the driver's door, so you'll be pushing the car out away from the wall enough for that. No idea if your garage is wide enough to care. If it's not (i.e. you can back in with plenty of room to swing the doors open and not hit the wall or worry about the minivan in the other spot then backing in as you suggested will keep everything as unobtrusive as possible.

 

[21EV]

@Needsdecaf , I think it can go on the column on the left side and I could even rig something up so that it doesn’t drag on the floor The only downside with this is if we decided to get another EV it isn’t a great location to charge a second one.

 

[21EV]

I’ve been experimenting with locations using the UMC and a heavy duty extension cord. I think the spot on the left hand side where I pull straight in might be the best location. It would allow me to run the charging cable under the garage door during times where I am not parked in the garage but just outside of it which is something I hadn’t considered beforehand.