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What Adaptor Do I Need For MY Garage

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Hello,

I am waiting for my model 3 SR+ delivery (about 2 weeks away). In preparation, I want to get what I need for my garage charging.

The home is new and there is a junction box installed in the wall for a 240V service for a EV charger. The junction box is closed off right now, but the wiring is present and it is on a separate circuit.

What does the vehicle come with? What will I need to buy? Please note I am in Canada, so not sure if that makes a difference in terms of electrical.
 
Cheapest way to get a fast charge is to install a 14-50 outlet and buy a $35 14-50 adapter from Tesla for your included mobile charger. It will charge at 32 amps, which will do a full charge (near 0 to 100%) in ~10 hours.

It really depends what they wired to the box. If they used 10awg wire and a 30amp breaker the OP will be limited to using a NEMA 14-30 outlet (24a vs. 32a max charge rate). That's why posting a picture of what he has will help. Depending on what they wired in it could vary from 15a to 50a. Though 30a or 50a is more likely.
 
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The home is new and there is a junction box installed in the wall for a 240V service for a EV charger. The junction box is closed off right now, but the wiring is present and it is on a separate circuit.

You cannot hook anything up to a junction box, you need to have an electrician come out and either install one of many NEMA outlets, ie. 14-50 or 14-30, or you can have him install a Wall Connector.

Some people do the work themselves, but most don't.

What does the vehicle come with? What will I need to buy? Please note I am in Canada, so not sure if that makes a difference in terms of electrical.

The vehicle comes with what is called a mobile charger (UMC). Adapters can be purchased for a few outlets.

Wall Connector vs Mobile Connector (UMC) - Tesla Info Wiki
 
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Thank you all for the responses. I've taken the picture below. I believe its 3 wires (2 hot, a neutral and a ground in the box) Assuming line to line is 240V and line to neutral is 120V.

Screen Shot 2020-11-20 at 8.37.56 PM.png
 
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Presumably there is a breaker at the other end. Can you tell us how many amps that breaker is? That will tell what you can do with that wire since the electrician will have installed a breaker that is sized properly for the wire thickness (AWG) he installed.
You could install the Tesla wall charger and set the switches or config to limit its power draw to 80% of breaker capacity. You can only install a 14-50 plug if you have a 50A (or bigger) breaker.
 
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Presumably there is a breaker at the other end. Can you tell us how many amps that breaker is? That will tell what you can do with that wire since the electrician will have installed a breaker that is sized properly for the wire thickness (AWG) he installed.
You could install the Tesla wall charger and set the switches or config to limit its power draw to 80% of breaker capacity. You can only install a 14-50 plug if you have a 50A (or bigger) breaker.

So I checked the panel and the breaker is not marked correctly. I've messaged the electrician who did the wiring for the home (its a new build) to confirm what breaker he installed. I know by the building code it has to be at least level 2 capable but that doesn't help I think. I'll report back when I know.
 
So I checked the panel and the breaker is not marked correctly. I've messaged the electrician who did the wiring for the home (its a new build) to confirm what breaker he installed. I know by the building code it has to be at least level 2 capable but that doesn't help I think. I'll report back when I know.

You're going to be able to install a 240V outlet given pictures you have shared. The only question is what size are the wires and breakers.

Unless local codes are different you will be able to install a 14-50R even if the breaker/wire is only rated for 40A. Given that this was mandated by code it is likely to be at least 40A. You should double check advice that you get from the Internet.

And as others have noted, unless local regulations require otherwise your car is going to come with only 5-15P adapter.
 
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You're going to be able to install a 240V outlet given pictures you have shared. The only question is what size are the wires and breakers.

Unless local codes are different you will be able to install a 14-50R even if the breaker/wire is only rated for 40A. Given that this was mandated by code it is likely to be at least 40A. You should double check advice that you get from the Internet.

And as others have noted, unless local regulations require otherwise your car is going to come with only 5-15P adapter.

Thanks for the reply! I'm waiting to hear back from my electrician. I'm assuming they installed similar to the dryer which was 60 amps but I'll wait to confirm from the electrician.

I have also just learned that my local electric company offers 50% rebate on EV charger installs at home. Knowing this, is there a dedicated wall charger one would recommend?
 
Thanks for the reply! I'm waiting to hear back from my electrician. I'm assuming they installed similar to the dryer which was 60 amps but I'll wait to confirm from the electrician.

I have also just learned that my local electric company offers 50% rebate on EV charger installs at home. Knowing this, is there a dedicated wall charger one would recommend?

Given that you are waiting for Tesla, then a Tesla Wall Connector is a good candidate. Do note that the SR+ I believe tops out at 32A. If that is correct, any charging circuit above 40A is not going to charge the car any faster. Tesla's prices for EVSE (charging stations) in general are quite reasonable. Check what your local company is giving rebates on. Any J1772 (which is the only thing sold these days outside of the Tesla connector) station will work with your car. You will need to to use the J1772 that comes with the car. If you go this route you may want to buy an extra one to leave with your station. Outside of Tesla, brands that I would consider include ChargePoint, ClipperCreek and Enel X Juicebox. It doesn't mean that the others are bad, I just know those are reasonable. Charging stations have become quite a commodity these days (unlike 10 years ago).

If you hire a company to install your charging station, your labor costs should be minimal given you are pre-wired for it.
 
Knowing this, is there a dedicated wall charger one would recommend?
If you plan on having the mobile charger in your car when driving, you should definitely get a second charger for your home - and this could as well be a wall charger. If you every morning have to disconnect the mobile charger at both ends, roll it up and put it in the trunk, and then repeat the operation in reverse in the evening, you will be wasting a lot of time, compared to the 5-10 seconds it takes to connect or disconnect the wall charger.

You should check if you will need/want a charger with a Tesla button. I don't know if the same applies to the plug used in Canada, but on European models you can't remove the cable from the car before you have unlocked the port, either by pressing the button on the plug, using the phone app or using the screen in the car. Of these 3 options, a Tesla button on the plug is far the easiest to use.

And now one question:
Is open-ended hot wires in a prepared installation the standard in Canada? I would have expected to see some kind of closed connection terminal at the end of the cable.
 
So I checked the panel and the breaker is not marked correctly. I've messaged the electrician who did the wiring for the home (its a new build) to confirm what breaker he installed. I know by the building code it has to be at least level 2 capable but that doesn't help I think. I'll report back when I know.

Were you able to determine which breaker the wiring in that picture goes to? If so, whats the number stamped on the breaker handle?
 
If you plan on having the mobile charger in your car when driving, you should definitely get a second charger for your home - and this could as well be a wall charger. If you every morning have to disconnect the mobile charger at both ends, roll it up and put it in the trunk, and then repeat the operation in reverse in the evening, you will be wasting a lot of time, compared to the 5-10 seconds it takes to connect or disconnect the wall charger.

You should check if you will need/want a charger with a Tesla button. I don't know if the same applies to the plug used in Canada, but on European models you can't remove the cable from the car before you have unlocked the port, either by pressing the button on the plug, using the phone app or using the screen in the car. Of these 3 options, a Tesla button on the plug is far the easiest to use.

And now one question:
Is open-ended hot wires in a prepared installation the standard in Canada? I would have expected to see some kind of closed connection terminal at the end of the cable.

The key bit of advice is don't plan on unplugging and packing your mobile cord everyday. If you want to use one as home station then get a second one. But given the rebates available, a wall mounted will probably cost the same or less than as second mobile cord. In some geographies I would be comfortable not having a portable one in the car as long as you have the J1772 adapter (if one was trying to minimize the additional purchases)

Yes, one feature for the Tesla EVSE stations are that you can press the button on the cable to open the charge port on the car. With the update that came in July, for removal it doesn't matter anymore, pressing the the J1772 button will wake the car and unlock it (assuming a valid key is in range). There might be a delay if the car is asleep but I expect the delay even with a Tesla station. FYI I use standard J1772 EVSE at home because I already had them from previous EVs. I occasionally think about upgrading to a Tesla HPWC with the sole reason of being able to get the charge port to open by the button. I haven't bothered because if I want to plug in after I have driven, I can simply press the port door and it will open (works anytime the car is awake and unlocked) The only time I have to open my phone to open the charge port is if the car is asleep when I go to do this.

Ah yes, I would have expected wires to have a "marrette". I believe that is the "kleenex" term for wire nuts in Canada. On the other hand the wires were inside a closed box. The box was opened for the purpose of taking the photo.
 
Alright I have an update. As per the electrician, the wires have been pulled but there is no breaker installed. I'm not even sure why they would do that... maybe to come back and make a quick buck? He's saying he can come back and install the breaker and wall outlet for $200 everything in. I just feel ripped off that they didn't do it when the home was built. I know I can do it myself but not sure about liability and electrical code requirements
 
Alright I have an update. As per the electrician, the wires have been pulled but there is no breaker installed. I'm not even sure why they would do that... maybe to come back and make a quick buck? He's saying he can come back and install the breaker and wall outlet for $200 everything in. I just feel ripped off that they didn't do it when the home was built. I know I can do it myself but not sure about liability and electrical code requirements


Ah, the absolute minimum they needed to do. Also explains why the wires were not capped in some way. The most expensive part is pulling the cable and that is best done when the walls are open. There was no incentive to do more, particularly if the assumption was an electrician was going to be needed to install the station anyway. Arguably not having a breaker was the safer thing to do, can't trivially energy those wires you exposed when you opened the box.

$200 for the install all in is not necessarily not unreasonable (depends on the labor rate in your area). I'm assuming that is in Canadian dollars. I also assume that includes the small amount of materials needed. I don't know if that requires a permit in your neck of the woods. If that includes a permit and waiting for the inspector then the price is good deal. For planning purposes in SF Bay Area I use $100/hour (US) as the base for professional tradesman. It could be higher, anything lower I consider a bargain. If I was in the trades would charge a minimum of one hour. The basic thing is you are paying them not just for the labor but the expertise. A paraphrase of a quote, "It's $5 to push the button and $195 to know which button to push".

When I was younger and cash was scarce (and I had more time) I did a lot of DIY to save money. But I also stopped and hired a professional back then when I wasn't comfortable. I added some outlets but hired an electrician to do the final connections to the panel. He looked at my work and asked why I needed him. But as I watched him I saw him use "tricks" that I didn't know to make the final connection. He did it so much faster than I could have done (dealing with a very crowded panel). In later years I got comfortable enough to work in an electrical panel, wait around for the inspector, etc. These days I still DIY but mostly out of convenience or if it gives me joy. I value my time much more and I spend on forums like this instead :)
 
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I talked to some people and I'm going to give it a go myself. It looks simple enough and I've seen some youtube videos and since the wires are already pulled, its just a matter of snapping in the breaker and wiring it up. I'm going to order a 50 amp breaker and a nema 14-50 adaptor and just buy the 14-50 receptical from home depot.

I'll review everything again before doing the work and I work with a lot of electricians at my office so if I have any doubts I will consult them
 
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Yes, one feature for the Tesla EVSE stations are that you can press the button on the cable to open the charge port on the car.

I just have the 115v charging cable that came with the car. I leave it plugged in to the wall. Just pushing the button the charger causes the charging port door to open. Works great.

I was all set to install a nema 14-50 but found the plain old charging cable (that came with the car) works great. Since I only drive 20 to 30 miles a day, I only need to hook up the charge cable every third day (or so). Sure it takes 12 hours, to charge - so what.

It really comes down to how much driving you are doing if you need the nema 14-50 outlet.
 
I’ve got a 10-30 in the garage. It’s not connected at the breaker. House was wired for both natural gas and electric. But panel is not big enough for everything everything electric. But they put all the wires in the wall none the less. Some outlets are there and others aren’t.

The stock chargers also works fine for me. I only charge every days as well. I also let it go down every so often and then charge up again every so often so it’s not always at same / similar charge state.