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Residential EV charging set up

B

BURNROPE

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2011
Location
Larkspur
Moto(s)
BMW GS/PD XR600
I want to install a Level 2 EV charger in my garage before I put it on the market, I'm in S Marin. From what I see on Amazon it looks as though I just need to install a 240v 4 prong dryer outlet basically and the unit just plugs into it. Or is there more to it? I have a 200A service, it's about a 30' run from the panel box.

What else do I need to know?
 
BURNROPE said:
I want to install a Level 2 EV charger in my garage before I put it on the market, I'm in S Marin. From what I see on Amazon it looks as though I just need to install a 240v 4 prong dryer outlet basically and the unit just plugs into it. Or is there more to it? I have a 200A service, it's about a 30' run from the panel box.

What else do I need to know?
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I'm making arrangements to do the same, although not to put it on the market, but for an EV purchase.

Apparently there are a couple different types of 220V outlets, NEMA 6-50 and NEMA 14-50. I believe the 14-50 outlet would be the preferred one.

Another option is to hard wire the charger into the wall. I'm going that route. Seems as if you get the highest level/fastest charging with a hard wired EV charger. The main drawbacks are that is might cost a bit more, is not easily moved to another location, and would likely cost more if it ever needed servicing.
 
Eldritch said:
I use a vendor for these things.
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+1 I used an electrician. They installed everything I needed. The charging station, plug, wiring, and correct size fuse in the breaker box.

I don't mess with electricity and would highly suggest to use a pro if OP hasn't had experience with this sort of thing.

but fwiw, my charger plug is a nema 6-50. different chargers may use different plugs, so check what you ordered before install.
 
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I'm doing to Ford brand charger for the Mach-E that's on it's way. It gives me an additional 8 amps over a standard 240 outlet.

But if I were just doing it to add to a list of goodies for selling the house? Then yea, just to do the 240 outlet. That route is 80% as good as a special charger, for 20% (probably closer to 5%) of the price.

Plus, if you get a person interested in the house who doesn't have an electric car, that 240 outlet has so many more possibilities for them if they like to do projects in the garage.
 
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"standard" is many things. lights_guy sounds like he's installing a 30amp 220v circuit. Bojangle sounds like he's installing a 50amp 220v circuit. both are standard. 30 amp is for a "drier" typically. 50 amp is for Bigger stuff. my stove needed a 50 amp.

if i were wiring for attractiveness to a buyer for a hypothetical EV, 50 amp no question about it. we are at the beginning of the EV wave, chargers are only going to get thirstier which means more amps. run the biggest fattest wire to that outlet you can, and install the appropriate plug. wire can be oversized to serve a lower duty load/outlet/buttplug whatever. not the other way'round

IOW you can put a 30amp charger on a circuit that is able to carry 50amp, but you can't (safely) put a 50 amp charger on a circuit only sized for 30 amp loads

anyway, wait till ernie answers
 
auntiebling said:
"standard" is many things. lights_guy sounds like he's installing a 30amp 220v circuit. Bojangle sounds like he's installing a 50amp 220v circuit. both are standard. 30 amp is for a "drier" typically. 50 amp is for Bigger stuff. my stove needed a 50 amp.

if i were wiring for attractiveness to a buyer for a hypothetical EV, 50 amp no question about it. we are at the beginning of the EV wave, chargers are only going to get thirstier which means more amps. run the biggest fattest wire to that outlet you can, and install the appropriate plug. wire can be oversized to serve a lower duty load/outlet/buttplug whatever. not the other way'round

IOW you can put a 30amp charger on a circuit that is able to carry 50amp, but you can't (safely) put a 50 amp charger on a circuit only sized for 30 amp loads

anyway, wait till ernie answers
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I'm getting a full 48 amps of supercharging power!

Likely a 50a breaker in the box. I'll have to wait and see what the electrician says about it.
 
My friend has a common garage with everyone in his co-op and they all paid to have professionals come in and install chargers in each spot though only 1-2 of them currently have e-vehicles. Pretty smart for the future.
 
HappyHighwayman said:
My friend has a common garage with everyone in his co-op and they all paid to have professionals come in and install chargers in each spot though only 1-2 of them currently have e-vehicles. Pretty smart for the future.
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Yeah, in my business of large multifamily dwellings, we are already planning under the assumption that this will be a requirement in CA soon enough, just like how we are phasing out Gas Appliances before it is mandatory.

Specialty vendors like Plugzio are making it pretty easy.
 
Akira-R said:
I don't think a 50A circuit is enough for 48A of draw. From what i've read is that you should only continuously draw 80% of the circuit. So you'll have to limit it to 40A on the charger.

It seems if you want 48A charging, you will need to hard wire to a 60A circuit. More info here:
https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...preparation-and-installing-charger.610/page-2
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And that's why I'm hiring an electrician! I've got 400a service so I'm probably fine.

I figured having extra charging speed was worth a few bucks over the standard outlet.
 
Lights_Guy3 said:
And that's why I'm hiring an electrician! I've got 400a service so I'm probably fine.

I figured having extra charging speed was worth a few bucks over the standard outlet.
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I'm so jealous of your 400a service. PGE can't even tell me if I have 100A or 125A service yet. I had to send them picks of the wires inside the main panel. Still waiting on the response.
 
Akira-R said:
I'm so jealous of your 400a service. PGE can't even tell me if I have 100A or 125A service yet. I had to send them picks of the wires inside the main panel. Still waiting on the response.
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Yeah I know how you feel. The house we're selling in Alameda just got upgraded to 200 amp from 40.

Not only were those 40 amps woefully insufficient for anything, but it was one of the most dangerous looking electrical box setups I've seen ever
 
My neighbor(4ppl) lives off of a single 120v circuit from their neighbor via 200ft of cord laying on the ground. It works just fine for daily stuff.
 
Akira-R said:
I'm so jealous of your 400a service. PGE can't even tell me if I have 100A or 125A service yet. I had to send them picks of the wires inside the main panel. Still waiting on the response.
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I ran into this exact problem (fremont). They won't tell you until you fill out some dumbass application to upgrade the wire from the street. And then still they may not tell you after, what you currently have. The upgrade is several thousand $$.

good luck I hope your experience with this goes better than mine.
 
Bowling4Bikes said:
I ran into this exact problem (fremont). They won't tell you until you fill out some dumbass application to upgrade the wire from the street. And then still they may not tell you after, what you currently have. The upgrade is several thousand $$.

good luck I hope your experience with this goes better than mine.
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Luckily if i do need to run new wires from the underground PGE demarc, it's only about 10ft of wire. 1 small square of sidewalk to re-pour. If my service is 125A vs 100A, i'm golden. That's enough to run a 40A circuit for charging at night. I'll just have to replace the Main Panel most likely. I really can't understand how they don't have records of what they are providing their customers. Maybe someone who knows electrical/PGE can help explain.
 
400a for the dingong win

when we remodeled i had to fight santa clara to install a 400a service (turns out the didn't even commonly stock 400a residential meters.. and they didn't want to figure out how to get one)

anyway. 200a for the house and 200 for the garage.. when i finally build it but that's another story
 
Eldritch said:
Yeah, in my business of large multifamily dwellings, we are already planning under the assumption that this will be a requirement in CA soon enough, just like how we are phasing out Gas Appliances before it is mandatory.

Specialty vendors like Plugzio are making it pretty easy.
Click to expand...

some friends live in the poor part of los gatos, monte sereno... anyway they just did a big remodel and had to upgrade the electrical service. city made them wire in a dedicated EV charger
 
auntiebling said:
some friends live in the poor part of los gatos, monte sereno... anyway they just did a big remodel and had to upgrade the electrical service. city made them wire in a dedicated EV charger
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Yeah, some places are already forcing it on the City and County level. Just a matter of time before it becomes statewide.
 
I'm not going to bother until I get an electric vehicle....I've never owned any car so it's not happening soon.

That said having solar will a sweet combo with an e-vehicle. My neighbor who also has solar has a Tesla X which is basically free to power for him.
 
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