Want to absolutely confirm: I can charge off a dryer plug?

[SGM1980]

I think I'm getting hosed by the electricians I've called because I've asked about a NEMA 14-50 outlet for a Tesla. If like to call another electrician and just ask for installing a dryer outlet, which i think is the 14-50.

Just want to make ABSOLUTELY sure that I can use that to charge my car when the time comes.

Thanks!!

 

[camalaio]

Good thing you asked, because a dryer outlet in North America is not ever a 14-50, though there is an adapter for those as well. NEMA 14-50 is used for stoves/ranges.

 

[Big Earl]

A dryer outlet is a NEMA 14-30. A NEMA 14-50 is for electric ovens or RVs. Both will work if you buy the proper adapter from Tesla ($35 each).

 

[Eno Deb]

I think I'm getting hosed by the electricians I've called because I've asked about a NEMA 14-50 outlet for a Tesla.

Yep. Usually the price goes up if you utter the word "Tesla".

If like to call another electrician and just ask for installing a dryer outlet, which i think is the 14-50.

As mentioned above, dryer outlets today are usually 14-30. Depending on circumstances (e.g. available power on your breaker panel, distance of the outlet from the panel) it may or may not be cheaper than installing a 14-50. The downside is that charging from the 14-30 is a bit slower (about 22 miles per hour rather than about 30 with the 14-50), but unless you have a very long commute it will likely still be fast enough for overnight charging.

 

[cwerdna]

NEMA connector - Wikipedia and Gen 2 NEMA Adapters should help.

 

[Atari2600]

I purchased a wall connector and planned on having some basic electric work done to have it wired up. After a $12,000+ and $14,000+ quote I pretty much gave up for now and hooked a dryer power cable up to my wall connector through the wall from my utility room and I swap the plug when necessary. My dryer is on the other side of the wall in my garage. I've been doing this for over a year.
If you are going to do a lot of plugging and unplugging it's probably a good idea to replace it yearly. I replaced mine a couple months ago.

My final fix for my electrical is to buy another house - which I've been working towards.

 

[DOCAL]

If you go the dryer socket route, I highly recommend a Dryer Buddy™
I used one for a year in the house I was renting, made life a lot easier.

 

[Apprunner]

I purchased a wall connector and planned on having some basic electric work done to have it wired up. After a $12,000+ and $14,000+ quote I pretty much gave up for now and hooked a dryer power cable up to my wall connector through the wall from my utility room and I swap the plug when necessary. My dryer is on the other side of the wall in my garage. I've been doing this for over a year.
If you are going to do a lot of plugging and unplugging it's probably a good idea to replace it yearly. I replaced mine a couple months ago.

My final fix for my electrical is to buy another house - which I've been working towards.

How are they quoting a $14k quote? You could rewire your entire house for that much. At most it should cost $2K and that's if your breaker is on the other side of your house away from your garage.

 

[Austindude]

When I am at my daughter's house I use an auxiliary dryer outlet located in her garage. In my case I use a homemade converter cable and I limit the max current to 10 amps (could go with much higher current up to around 20 amps but I'm not sure about the breaker situation). I usually have a few days to charge before my return trip so limiting the current that isn't a big deal. Of course I could also probably just charge using 115 VAC.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

I live in a rental house. The owner would not allow me to install a Tesla home charger, but no worries. I charge Tessie using the 240-volt dryer plug; laundry room is next to the garage. I had to order an adapter from Tesla and an extension cable from Amazon but it works perfectly. Charging at 24 amps, it will add 14-15 miles in an hour.

 

[Sophias_dad]

Might want to say you need the 14-50 for a kiln. It's more believable than a dryer in a garage anyway.

But the electrician will probably already know its for an EV anyway.

Try to get the plug somewhere you don't need to use an extension. The Tesla plug has a temperature sensor in it, and that's largely defeated if you plug into an extension cord.

All the above said, you really don't need more than a 40 amp circuit to get the max charge(32A) out of the UMC. The adapters for all typical outlet types are available for ~$35 each at Tesla.

 

[Electrph]

Friends / coworkers around here have had success telling electricians they want NEMA 14-50 installed in garage for a ‘welder.’
Seems to result in most reasonable quotes / installs. My theory in addition to not using the T word ...people who weld are perceived as being more familiar with cost to install electrical??

 

[SilverSp33d3r]

If I were you, I’d ask for a 6-50 outlet for a welder. Will be less than 14-50 because it eliminates the neutral wire. Adapter is 35.00 from tesla.
Gen 2 NEMA Adapters

 

[airpor41]

If I were you, I’d ask for a 6-50 outlet for a welder. Will be less than 14-50 because it eliminates the neutral wire. Adapter is 35.00 from tesla.
Gen 2 NEMA Adapters

And it works perfectly. I use the Tesla adapter plugged into a 6-50 (which I already had for welding) every day without issue.

 

[SilverSp33d3r]

And it works perfectly. I use the Tesla adapter plugged into a 6-50 (which I already had for welding) every day without issue.

Was already installed in my parents garage out of state, your right works perfectly.

 

[sqrt]

I'm charging from anl very old 10/30 dryer outlet at 25 mph. Can't complain about it.

 

[manto]

In short yes. I bought a 14-30 splitter and 14-30 to 14-50 adapter and hooked the dryer and tesla charger via splitter into the same socket. Works great and I never use them both at the same time anyway.

EDIT links if interested which:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DB44VPQ

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CVSJ6S9

 

[megant113]

I asked the electrician for NEMA 14-50, they asked if it was for an electric vehicle, and I said yes, but no need to mention Tesla. I got a quote of $400, the install is scheduled for Wednesday. I'm lucky in that my breaker box is just on the outside of my garage wall.

 

[Sophias_dad]

I asked the electrician for NEMA 14-50, they asked if it was for an electric vehicle, and I said yes, but no need to mention Tesla. I got a quote of $400, the install is scheduled for Wednesday. I'm lucky in that my breaker box is just on the outside of my garage wall.

That's a reasonable question and the correct answer.... The electrician was indirectly asking "is this going to be running at full power for hours at a time"... There are lots of things one might plug in that aren't, and he could skip the 1.25 multiplier for 'continuous use' in that case(for the breaker and wire sizing).

 

[ZOMGVTEK]

Higher power outlets aren’t usually terribly expensive. But in some extreme circumstances it very well could be many thousands to do a proper install in a garage or desired parking location. For the average house, it’s a few hundred bucks to maybe 1K. If it’s a tricky situation, even a NEMA 6-20 isn’t a bad option and it uses standard wire every sparky has in the truck. Just try and avoid a regular old outlet when possible since that’s suuuppper slow.