You will love Level 1 charging

[YisSerL]

if you got the same quote I got from an electrician to install a NEMA plug in my garage.

Given that I live in a condo where the breaker is on the second floor by the laundry room. It still seems excessive for the amount I was quoted.

Here is the quote for your entertainment:

Level 1 will do for now until we moved to a single family home.

 

[Mikeat00]

I had quotes of, 2000, 3200, 4100, and 8000 to replace my 100 amp fuse panel with a 100 amp breaker box and install the 14-50 plug.

Keep shopping.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

FYI...
(on desktop browser)

[OMG]

 

[mtndrew1]

If your 120V outlet can be upgraded to a 20A unit it will allow you to draw 16A continuous and increase your charging speed by ~40%. Might be a cost effective way to make the existing solution more effective.

 

[YisSerL]

FYI...
(on desktop browser)

View attachment 376684

[OMG]

The image from imgur didn't display properly? I post this from my laptop.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

The image from imgur didn't display properly? I post this from my laptop.

Ah. If it's hosted on Imgur then it's my (company) firewall's fault.

Never Mind, Carry On!

 

[WileyTheMan]

Welcome to one of the most expensive places to live on the planet. :/ It's one of the reasons I have yet to install a charge port in my house. I was doing 110v charging there until my work finally installed chargers.

 

[eladts]

if you got the same quote I got from an electrician to install a NEMA plug in my garage.

Given that I live in a condo where the breaker is on the second floor by the laundry room. It still seems excessive for the amount I was quoted.

Here is the quote for your entertainment:

Level 1 will do for now until we moved to a single family home.

I fail to see why you would need a 125V sub panel that the only breaker in it is a 50A breaker. In fact, I don't understand why a sub i required at all. Do you have a 120V socket which have dedicated breaker? If you do you can convert it to 240V (NEMA 6-15 or NEMA-620 depending on the wiring) using the existing wiring by just replacing the breaker and the socket. Add the appropriate Tesla UMC adapter for $35 and you have a working L2 charging at 3.8Kw (NENA 6-20) or 2.9kW (NEMA 6-15).

 

[Toumal]

I really don't know why this is so expensive over in the US.

I paid 900 Euro to have a long (40 meter) 16A three phase line installed to the garage here in Austria. CEE16 plug. Add to this around 800 Euro for an NRGkick with a Type 2 connector, which allows for 11kW three phase charging. This is the maximum the Model 3 supports here anyway. I could've had 22kW as well, which would've meant a slightly thicker cable but the sub-fusebox this is connected to has a few things hooked up to it so we would've had to drill new holes to the main fusebox, which wasn't easily possible due to there already having been so many cables. That would've cost around 400 Euros more. I figured 11kW would be enough, and it has been for the past 3 years.

I saw someone post a quote for USD 14.000 for his wallbox installation. I'd really like to understand why these things are so insanely expensive in the US.

 

[StellarRat]

I really don't know why this is so expensive over in the US.

I paid 900 Euro to have a long (40 meter) 16A three phase line installed to the garage here in Austria. CEE16 plug. Add to this around 800 Euro for an NRGkick with a Type 2 connector, which allows for 11kW three phase charging. This is the maximum the Model 3 supports here anyway. I could've had 22kW as well, which would've meant a slightly thicker cable but the sub-fusebox this is connected to has a few things hooked up to it so we would've had to drill new holes to the main fusebox, which wasn't easily possible due to there already having been so many cables. That would've cost around 400 Euros more. I figured 11kW would be enough, and it has been for the past 3 years.

I saw someone post a quote for USD 14.000 for his wallbox installation. I'd really like to understand why these things are so insanely expensive in the US.

I think it might be because in the US we use 120v power in our homes normally while Europe and other former British colonies use 240v standard. I would think you can draw a lot more power from a standard socket in Europe than we can in the US since the voltage is double. Wiring 240v in the US is not "normal" house wiring.

 

[Toumal]

Ah... So if you don't have that already, you have to run a new line all the way from the street?

 

[StellarRat]

Ah... So if you don't have that already, you have to run a new line all the way from the street?

No, but you probably have to put in extra breakers and get a permit, etc... Most US homes only have one or two circuits wired for 240v in the breaker box (like for dryer and stove.) Also, a lot of older US homes only 100 amp service to the house, so you have to upgrade your whole breaker box if you want to add another 50 amps to the capacity and I think power company has to do something too. Even if you have 200 amp service you could also run out of space in the breaker box because it usually takes two breaker slots to add a 240v circuit.

 

[Toumal]

Thanks for the clarification. Makes me glad I get 64A 230V on three phases to the house here. Having to upgrade everything sounds like a nightmare.

 

[StellarRat]

Thanks for the clarification. Makes me glad I get 64A 230V on three phases to the house here. Having to upgrade everything sounds like a nightmare.

Yes, you have an advantage for sure.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

I really don't know why this is so expensive over in the US.

I paid 900 Euro to have a long (40 meter) 16A three phase line installed to the garage here in Austria. CEE16 plug. Add to this around 800 Euro for an NRGkick with a Type 2 connector, which allows for 11kW three phase charging. This is the maximum the Model 3 supports here anyway. I could've had 22kW as well, which would've meant a slightly thicker cable but the sub-fusebox this is connected to has a few things hooked up to it so we would've had to drill new holes to the main fusebox, which wasn't easily possible due to there already having been so many cables. That would've cost around 400 Euros more. I figured 11kW would be enough, and it has been for the past 3 years.

I saw someone post a quote for USD 14.000 for his wallbox installation. I'd really like to understand why these things are so insanely expensive in the US.

Also note that both of the expensive quotes you mention were in the Bay area. It's already expensive to live there and they probably jack the price up even more due to Tesla's popularity. Similar work in other cities could be done at a fraction of the cost.

 

[DR61]

No, but you probably have to put in extra breakers and get a permit, etc... Most US homes only have one or two circuits wired for 240v in the breaker box (like for dryer and stove.) Also, a lot of older US homes only 100 amp service to the house, so you have to upgrade your whole breaker box if you want to add another 50 amps to the capacity and I think power company has to do something too. Even if you have 200 amp service you could also run out of space in the breaker box because it usually takes two breaker slots to add a 240v circuit.

About what year did most houses start being fitted with 200 Amp service? Our house has it but we may be shopping for another house in California. Can I tell with a picture of the breaker box?

 

[Feathermerchan]

Note to OP and others wanting to add a 240V circuit:
Just because you have the 240V NEMA 14-50 adapter that came with your car
Gen 2 NEMA Adapters
(The rightmost adapter) you don't have to have a 14-50 plug installed. You may find that running a circuit for a NEMA 6-50 plug will be cheaper. It is the third one from the right in the link above. The adapters are pretty inexpensive from Tesla.

In addition as some others have pointed out, you may not need a sub panel installed. I was able to use my existing panel and add a 50 A circuit and run it thru the attic to my garage.

My house (in Tx) was built in 1985 and has a 200A service.
Open the panel door and look at the main breaker. If it is 200A then it is a 200A service.
The size service should be determined by the equipment in the house. If it is all electric it almost has to be a 200A service unless it is a really small house.

 

[Sophias_dad]

About what year did most houses start being fitted with 200 Amp service? Our house has it but we may be shopping for another house in California. Can I tell with a picture of the breaker box?

You can tell by looking at the main breaker handle, and real estate listings(at least around here) frequently state it before you even decide to look at the house. Even perused a couple listings on Zillow and they were there.

 

[mspohr]

About what year did most houses start being fitted with 200 Amp service? Our house has it but we may be shopping for another house in California. Can I tell with a picture of the breaker box?

Most houses have been built with 200 amp service for many years. (My house is 60 years old and has 200 amp service). However, 125 amp service for a condo seems to be the rule.
You can tell by looking at the main breaker at the service entrance. It will be embossed with the amp rating.

 

[irev210]

I experienced the same thing. One company quoted me over $5000 as well.

I ended up getting a few other quotes. Went with one that was not the cheapest but not the highest. Guy seemed into electric cars and seemed to know what he was talking about.

Installed 100amp subpanel in my garage and connected my HPWC. With inspection, it was under 2k. It was a fair amount of work to run service into the garage as the load center was on the complete opposite side of the home.

Everything looks really good and now garage is ready for another HPWC when the model Y comes out