30 or 35 Amps on a 50 amp plug

[Westchester Air]

Since I’m a bit “tight” on amperage at home, guy at Lucid Studio suggested I put in a 50 amp line for charging, but only feed it like 30 or 35 amps via the panel. This would “future proof” the wiring/snaking part of the installation. Would this work? It would leave me with more charging power thru the charging cable than the 30 amp (24 amp) line albeit less than the regular 50 amp (40 amp) line, but would leave me with a 50 amp line with a simple upgrade. Would this work? Is the lucid agnostic, taking whatever amperage flows thru the cable, even if using the 50amp adapter?

 

[segbrk]

Yes, this should be fine. Additionally, if you get your wiring installed in conduit (which may be required in some places anyway), pulling a new lower-gauge (thicker) cable through is much easier the next time around. Always a good idea when running cables IMO if you can do it.

 

[Westchester Air]

Yes, this should be fine. Additionally, if you get your wiring installed in conduit (which may be required in some places anyway), pulling a new lower-gauge (thicker) cable through is much easier the next time around. Always a good idea when running cables IMO if you can do it.

Excellent idea and another good option to “future proof” the wire run. Thanks!

 

[Tim-in-CA]

As mentioned, it should be fine, but realize the Lucid vehicle UI has no way of reducing amperage. You will have to do that via the EVSE typically via internal dip switch or the EVSE's app settings.

 

[borski]

Yes, this should be fine. Additionally, if you get your wiring installed in conduit (which may be required in some places anyway), pulling a new lower-gauge (thicker) cable through is much easier the next time around. Always a good idea when running cables IMO if you can do it.

… if your conduit has a large enough diameter.

Make sure to future proof that too.

 

[xponents]

Since I’m a bit “tight” on amperage at home, guy at Lucid Studio suggested I put in a 50 amp line for charging, but only feed it like 30 or 35 amps via the panel. This would “future proof” the wiring/snaking part of the installation. Would this work? It would leave me with more charging power thru the charging cable than the 30 amp (24 amp) line albeit less than the regular 50 amp (40 amp) line, but would leave me with a 50 amp line with a simple upgrade. Would this work? Is the lucid agnostic, taking whatever amperage flows thru the cable, even if using the 50amp adapter?

...unrelated, but am I the only one who thought that @MoniputerLM came back when I saw the profile picture?

 

[DeaneG]

You'd want to install a 50-amp circuit breaker and wiring rated for 50 amps, and a 50-amp capable EVSE (charging adapter) that can be adjusted down to 32 amps. Most wall-mounted EVSEs have an adjustment for charging current, settable by dip switches or by phone app via wifi. Some "mobile" charging adapters can also be dialed back to 32 amps, but not all of them - notably Lucid's can not.

 

[Pragmatic]

50 amp EVSE should be wired with 65 amp wiring and throttled down to what the load center can handle (based on a review of the load center and house demands) so that future upgrades could allow 50 amp charging. A 50 amp breaker can only support a 40 amp EVSE.

 

[Westchester Air]

To clarify (for the last couple responses), I was considering this without a charger. Running the 50amp-capable wiring to a 50amp adapter, but only sending 30 or 35 amps from the panel. No charger would be involved in the scenario. I plugged the Lucid mobile charger directly into the adapter. This would be different than running the whole 50 Amps and letting the charger crank down the amperage .

 

[DeaneG]

To clarify (for the last couple responses), I was considering this without a charger. Running the 50amp-capable wiring to a 50amp adapter, but only sending 30 or 35 amps from the panel. No charger would be involved in the scenario. I plugged the Lucid mobile charger directly into the adapter. This would be different than running the whole 50 Amps and letting the charger crank down the amperage .

The circuit breaker panel (load center) has no way to limit the current. The EVSE (Lucid's mobile adapter or a purchased, wall-mounted unit) is the only thing that tells the car how much current is safe to draw. It has no idea of the size of the upstream circuit breaker supplying power to it. Lucid's mobile adapter (EVSE or colloquially "charger") is fixed at 40 amps when using the 14-50 plug cordlet, or 24 amps with the 14-30 plug cordlet. The way to use Lucid's mobile adapter would be to use a 30 amp breaker at the panel, at least 30-amp wiring (though 50 or 60 amp capable would be better if the breaker and receptacle can accept it), use a 14-30 receptacle and Lucid's separately purchased 14-30 cordlet.

 

[segbrk]

The circuit breaker panel (load center) has no way to limit the current. The EVSE (Lucid's mobile adapter or a purchased, wall-mounted unit) is the only thing that tells the car how much current is safe to draw. Lucid's mobile adapter (EVSE or colloquially "charger") is fixed at 40 amps when using the 14-50 plug cordlet, or 24 amps with the 14-30 plug cordlet. The way to use Lucid's mobile adapter would be to use a 30 amp breaker at the panel, at least 30-amp wiring (though 50 or 60 amp capable would be better if the breaker and receptacle can accept it), use a 14-30 receptacle and Lucid's separately purchased 14-30 cordlet.

Right, the latter was my assumption here. 50A rated wire, 14-30 receptacle and 14-30 adapter for the Lucid mobile charger. Though that should be a 40A breaker for continuous load, right?

 

[Westchester Air]

The circuit breaker panel (load center) has no way to limit the current. The EVSE (Lucid's mobile adapter or a purchased, wall-mounted unit) is the only thing that tells the car how much current is safe to draw. It has no idea of the size of the upstream circuit breaker supplying power to it. Lucid's mobile adapter (EVSE or colloquially "charger") is fixed at 40 amps when using the 14-50 plug cordlet, or 24 amps with the 14-30 plug cordlet. The way to use Lucid's mobile adapter would be to use a 30 amp breaker at the panel, at least 30-amp wiring (though 50 or 60 amp capable would be better if the breaker and receptacle can accept it), use a 14-30 receptacle and Lucid's separately purchased 14-30 cordlet.

Gotcha. We may be saying the same thing in away. In effect...running wire capable of carrying the 50amp, but only sending 30 down the line from the panel to the adapter. The difference is that you're saying (if possible) to attach a 14-30 plug so the Lucid knows to expect 30amps (24). FYI , "my guy" at the Lucid studio suggested my initial scenario...he said wire for 50 but send less directly from the panel to a 14-50 plug. Ultimately, the compromise might be running the whole 50, but buying an EVSE to ramp it down to something less. My concern, as a newbie, is I'm reading a lot of issues with 3rd party chargers and how Lucid doesn't play so nice with them. Have seen postings essentially saying (1) would need to still schedule from car, not EVSE and; (2) sometimes the car doesn't wake up and pull a charge. I believe, in theory, I should be able to simply plug a 3rd party EVSE (Chargepoint) into the Lucid, telling the car to pull a charge, for example, after midnight and it would do it. Sorry... a lot here...appreciating the feedback

 

[segbrk]

My concern, as a newbie, is I'm reading a lot of issues with 3rd party chargers and how Lucid doesn't play so nice with them. Have seen postings essentially saying (1) would need to still schedule from car, not EVSE and; (2) sometimes the car doesn't wake up and pull a charge. I believe, in theory, I should be able to simply plug a 3rd party EVSE (Chargepoint) into the Lucid, telling the car to pull a charge, for example, after midnight and it would do it. Sorry... a lot here...appreciating the feedback

Yes, the only problem I'm aware of is that Lucid, unlike other EVs, doesn't listen when an EVSE asks it to wake up. Either for a charge schedule like with Chargepoint, or if you had some kind of load balancing / sharing thing based on your solar production, sharing with another appliance, etc. If you just don't use those features on the EVSE, and instead schedule your charging from the car (or not at all if you don't have a time of use based electric bill) it works fine. A hardwired EVSE is the preferred way to go if you can swing it, and it doesn't particularly matter what brand you choose as long as it's UL certified.

 

[DeaneG]

If you already have Lucid's mobile charging cable, it'll work fine if you use it with the 30 amp cordlet and matching 14-30 receptacle. The 14-30 cordlet plugged into the mobile charging cable signals it to tell the car to draw only 24 amps.

If you don't already have Lucid's mobile charging cable, I'd buy a reputable third-party EVSE from Costco, Amazon, etc. Tom Moloughney does very detailed EVSE reviews on Youtube.

 

[Adnillien]

Right, the latter was my assumption here. 50A rated wire, 14-30 receptacle and 14-30 adapter for the Lucid mobile charger. Though that should be a 40A breaker for continuous load, right?

Since the 14-30 outlet is only rated for 30A, it has to be on a 30A breaker.

 

[borski]

Since the 14-30 outlet is only rated for 30A, it has to be on a 30A breaker.

Which means, to be clear, it will charge at 24 amps.

 

[Westchester Air]

Yes, the only problem I'm aware of is that Lucid, unlike other EVs, doesn't listen when an EVSE asks it to wake up. Either for a charge schedule like with Chargepoint, or if you had some kind of load balancing / sharing thing based on your solar production, sharing with another appliance, etc. If you just don't use those features on the EVSE, and instead schedule your charging from the car (or not at all if you don't have a time of use based electric bill) it works fine. A hardwired EVSE is the preferred way to go if you can swing it, and it doesn't particularly matter what brand you choose as long as it's UL certified.

So..for clarity, you're saying if I have a good branded EVSE and just plug it into the Lucid, and for example, tell the Lucid to "charge after midnight to 80%", it will wake up and it will pull power from the charger? AND...if the charger is set to push 30 amps, it'll pull 30 amps and if the charger is set to 40 amps, it'll pull 40 amps from the charger? Whatever the charger is set to? I don't need to "wake the charger up"? Simple as that? (First EV....Touring ready for pick up next weekend.)

 

[segbrk]

So..for clarity, you're saying if I have a good branded EVSE and just plug it into the Lucid, and for example, tell the Lucid to "charge after midnight to 80%", it will wake up and it will pull power from the charger? AND...if the charger is set to push 30 amps, it'll pull 30 amps and if the charger is set to 40 amps, it'll pull 40 amps from the charger? Whatever the charger is set to? I don't need to "wake the charger up"? Simple as that? (First EV....Touring ready for pick up next weekend.)

Yup, all of that should just work. Congrats on the new car!