Which EVSE to buy now that will also work w/ Model 3

[Kipa]

Hi everyone. Just joined the club. We currently have a 3 year-old 2013 Nissan Leaf, and are on the waitlist for a Model 3. We're closing on a new house soon, and we will be selling our old house shortly after. Our R/E agent really wants us to leave our current Bosch EVSE behind so he can market it, which is fine with us. So, we're in the market for a new EVSE that will be used for our Leaf until our Tesla is ready (and we sell the Leaf).

If you were us, which EVSE's would you consider? FYI, I haven't researched EVSE options for the Tesla at all.

Thanks,
Kipa

 

[slowjim]

I'm in almost the same boat, have a 2013 leaf, on the M3 waitlist, live in the PNW, and this is my first message. I'm planning on using my ClipperCreek HCS-40 with the J1772 adapter that will (hopefully) come with the M3. I took a quick look here: Tesla Charging | Tesla and it doesn't look like you need a EVSE, just a NEMA 14-50 outlet.

 

[Az_Rael]

I might buy a clipper creek with a NEMA 14-50 plug in that situation. Install the 14-50 outlet and you will have both options (J1772 with the clipper creek or direct to the plug with the Tesla mobile connector) when you get the car.

32A Level 2 EVSE HCS-40P with NEMA 14-50 | Clippercreek

 

[quartzav]

I agree with AZ. Yes, the universal mobile connector as they call it will likely come with the car and all you need is a NEMA 14-50 plug with 40 amp breaker. My opinion will be not spending a lot on a EVSE and just get a cheaper ones, even similar to this
Go Cable™ is THE 20 amp J1772 portable charging solution!
(Ask for 14-50 to L6-20 adapter though)

 

[ucmndd]

Yes, the universal mobile connector as they call it will likely come with the car and all you need is a NEMA 14-50 plug with 40 amp breaker.

Being pedantic here, but you want a 50 amp breaker to deliver 40 amps of charging power.

 

[slowjim]

Here's a link to the selection/prices for the Model S Tesla wall connectors and adapters...Tesla — Model S > Charging and Adapters

 

[Trev Page]

Lots of EVSE's to chose from, the prices having come down so much! You can expect the UMC to come with the car so technically you only really need a NEMA 14-50 as a minimum. If Tesla does offer a higher capacity onboard charger (72 amp like the new Model S/X) then you might want to consider a HPWC to get the higher current.

 

[JeffK]

The new Tesla wall connector can supply 20 kW (if you have the dual onboard chargers) and is only $500. Why anyone would pay more for less is beyond me...

edit: ohh I see this is about the leaf... just plug it in on the other side of the garage with a NEMA 14-50.

 

[dsvick]

Just as an FYI, it was either another thread her or over on the Tesla forums where someone had just bought a house and was getting it ready for his M3. His electrician contacted Tesla for more info and was told not to do anything yet as the specs for the M3 charging had not been finalized. While I'd be very surprised if a 14-50 didn't work with it, it is possible.

 

[ccutrer]

I really wish something like

was readily available. The Tesla Wall Connector really is an incredible value in terms of cost, performance (80A charging), and features (ability to share load among multiple) vs. other EVSEs.

 

[linkster]

You may consider a QCP UMC smart self-limiting Jesla and grab all of the discontinued and currently available UMC adapters for your current leaf and then keep it in your M3 trunk along with a J1772 extension cord for road tripping. The M3 supplied Tesla UMC will perform quite nicely permanently docked in your garage for daily charging along with one of the above mentioned bike water bottle or 3D printed brick support brackets for a clean strain free install.

edit: btw, i am not against the great value WC, but after charging with a 14-30 for 3.5 years/65,000 miles with 80 and 160-mile commutes, I just don't think many owners truly need more than 20-30A home charging capability.

 

[JeffK]

Just as an FYI, it was either another thread her or over on the Tesla forums where someone had just bought a house and was getting it ready for his M3. His electrician contacted Tesla for more info and was told not to do anything yet as the specs for the M3 charging had not been finalized. While I'd be very surprised if a 14-50 didn't work with it, it is possible.

This is a great sign the Model 3 might have the ability for some kind of super fast charging...

 

[ccutrer]

This is a great sign the Model 3 might have the ability for some kind of super fast charging...

Hmmm... Even if it were a thing I wouldn't worry about it for home use. Homes just don't have the electrical infrastructure to support more than a 240V/100A AC circuit. (More would probably mean three phase and/or higher voltage -- your local utility would look at you like your eyes were dripping out of your head if you requested that for residential).

So really, when planning a circuit for a new home, I'd plan at most a 100A/240V, or if less ambitious, a 50A 240V with neutral for a 14-50. For either, even if the EVSE (either the mobile connector or wall connector) changes, that's just changing the connected device, and not rerunning a whole circuit.

 

[ccutrer]

edit: btw, i am not against the great value WC, but after charging with a 14-30 for 3.5 years/65,000 miles with 80 and 160-mile commutes, I just don't think many owners truly need more than 20-30A home charging capability.

99% of the time you don't. But if doing a new build (it's unclear from the OP they are closing on a new-to-them or a new construction home), the cost and electrical logistical difference between a 14-30 and 14-50 is minimal, so why not.

My round trip commute (without going out to lunch) is 60 miles. And this week I was unable to charge at home for two nights in a row because they were re-sealing the asphalt road in front of our house. Of course the evening after two nights of no charging my wife took her sisters out for girls' night. She ended up being fine, but it's situations like this (being unable to charge, or back-to-back driving sessions with little time between) that I'm glad that a) we have a 90D, and b) I'm charging on a 14-50 (as opposed to a 14-30 or something even smaller). And in our next home that is a new build, I'll definitely plan for a full amperage wall connector. 99% I don't need either, but when I do I'm really glad to have them.

Also keep in mind that for every situation there's an inflection point where the extra cost for larger battery or faster charging just isn't worth it. For me, we got the larger battery for several reasons that justified the cost. But only a 50A charging circuit. Both because the panel is a very long way from the garage and pulling anything larger would have been a ridiculous amount more labor (and likely more Sheetrock and finish repair work), and I would have had to upgrade the service on our home - which would be several thousands dollars, and digging up our yard. Just not worth it. For someone else, that inflection point may be 20 or 30A. Or they aren't the homeowner, or it's not a single family home, so have to make do with what's already available. Or the car is already a stretch, so making do with a 20-30A thats already there is all that's in the budget. Just so many situations!

 

[quartzav]

My bad, 50 A breaker for 40 amp continue draw.
On the topic of home charging infrastructure with Tesla recommendation uncertainty, I recalled that Tesla also would not recommend buying model S UMC or HPWC for model X prior to its production release. In the end there are some price drop and on-board charger max amperage differences. None of those preventing a prior bought HPWC or UMC from working with the model X. So I would expect the model 3 situation to be similar. Maybe another small price drop for HPWC?

 

[AndreSF]

OP, Check out OpenEVSE kits.

 

[McHoffa]

I'd say the Clipper Creek. That's what I ordered, in addition to my Tesla Wall charger, since I just bought a used Leaf (that will pass down to my son in less than two years) and will have two Model 3s in the driveway by then as well.

Unfortunately I don't have a garage, and none of the EVSEs I looked at with the NEMA plug are outdoor rated, so I went with the HCS-40 hardwired.