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What rating did you do to wire your HPWC, and should you future-proof?
- Thread starter Tube Guy
- Start date
I don't think it's a question about instructions. I think it's asking about the picture in post #4 showing the side by side wall connectors, hence asking about "the HPWC on the left side". I see the ground wire in the junction box, but it kind of goes up and hides behind another wire before exiting out that conduit to the left.
Ribeye67
I finally have a car that drives me.
I don't see any mention of GFCI in these posts. I know the thread is about wire size, but dont garages require all outlets to be protected by GFCI? I don't see any 14-50 GFCI outlets for sale anywhere so it must be installed using GFCI circuit breaker.
Hi Herbert
So sorry to bother....I've decided to just do Nema 14-50 to a couple outlets using #6 and run the HPWC on a 100 amp circuit but the electrician doesn't see how to run #3 to it. What cable exactly does he run to the HPWC and does it simply attach? Thanks so much.
Good questions. Thinking through those will save a lot of struggle. 3 gauge wire is a beast.
In general, the wires connect to the panel/circuit breaker on one side, run through conduit to the HPWC, then connect directly to the HPWC.
The pictures above show most all of the wiring needed. You can see the wires go directly into both HPWCs.
There are many youtube videos that show various installs, I think some show images the actual choices for how the wire enters and where it attaches.
Did this help?
In general, the wires connect to the panel/circuit breaker on one side, run through conduit to the HPWC, then connect directly to the HPWC.
The pictures above show most all of the wiring needed. You can see the wires go directly into both HPWCs.
There are many youtube videos that show various installs, I think some show images the actual choices for how the wire enters and where it attaches.
Did this help?
Installer states the connecting terminal in the HPWC is too small. But if others have done it, they've done it. I guess it's 3 runs of #3 and a ground?
When he says he does not know how to run #3 to it, is it an issue of how to run that large of wire to the desired location, or is it an issue of terminating the wire on the HPWC?
If the latter, it may be that the termination lugs on the HPWC are not large enough to terminate a #3 wire. That would require him to put in a junction box, as is seen in the dual HPWC picture and wiring to the HPWC with a smaller gauge wire.
Sorry, I did not get this post before my reply, so it is an issue of lug size. The issue is that electrical termination equipment will typically specify the maximum and minimum wire size that may be terminated. I do not know what this is for the HPWC, but as stated earlier it is just a matter of using a junction box and creating a pig tail of smaller gauge that will fit in the lugs, or crimping on a lug on the end of the #3 that will fit the HPWC. Remember that if there is a length of smaller gauge that the breaker must be sized for the smallest gauge in the circuit. There may be exceptions for this and I am sure some real electrician can answer it.
It's not too small, althought it may be difficult.
It's two runs of #3 wire--not three. It only needs the hot1 and hot2 for the 240V. Neutral is not used.
They are.
Yes, they typically do--might even be a requirement. The Tesla wall connector does have this, but I had to read through for a while to find where it says it, since it is unfortunately not listed in the specifications in the first few pages. It says on page 19 of the manual where they are describing how to attach the power wires that for the full 80A current installation on a 100A circuit, you need to use #3 gauge copper wire, so yes, the lugs would be sized to allow that, but it probably is a tight fit and involves some cursing and scraped knuckles to get it to work.
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/downloads/wall_connector_installation_manual_80A_en_US.pdf
Tesla's own pigtail (furnished with the HPWC) uses No. 3 for the hots and No. 6 for the earth. Note that they are equipped with, and Tesla recommends for the feeder wires, ferrules. So yes, the gear will accept the size wire it requires. How could it be otherwise?
GFCI functionality is incorporated in the car's charger. HPWC installations do not require a GDCI breaker.
GFCI functionality is incorporated in the car's charger. HPWC installations do not require a GDCI breaker.
That functionality inside the onboard charger in the car does nothing for when people are plugging a UMC into an outlet. That is why outlets would have it.
OK, @Ribeye67 Yes, that hasn't really been covered yet. You are right that 120V outlets in a garage are always required to be GFCI protected. I don't know if that was always the case for a dedicated 240V outlet. However, that question has kind of been taken away with the changes in the 2017 version of NEC. It says very specifically that an outlet being installed for the purpose of EV charging must use a GFCI breaker, so yeah, that is another consideration. GFCI breakers are pretty expensive, so that is another cost factor to consider. As @ajdelange mentioned, if you do a hard wired wall mounted station, that does not require a GFCI breaker, because there is no exposed plugging and unplugging.
Yinn
Active Member
I installed a new 100-amp subpanel in the garage to make future proofing easier. From there, I ran 1 line to a HPWC, 4 foot cord capable of 48Amp charging. 2nd line to another HPWC 20 foot cord, capable of reaching outside the garage if needed; capable of 48amp charging. I also ran a 14-50 NEMA in case I move away from Teslas or have guests, as well as serving as a backup. That's placed by the garage. Each is on it's own dedicated breaker.
In hindsight; I probably would switch my 2nd HPWC to a 4 foot (less clutter) and keep the 14-50 closer to the outside for when outside charging is needed.
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