Hardwire your home charging station! Or use a Hubbel / Bryant / Cooper 14-50 receptacle, not Leviton

[Spin Doctor]

My installer used aluminium for the nearly 200ft run from main panel to sub panel, which I was ok with. The 3ft from sub panel to EVSE is copper.

 

[emoylv]

My installer used aluminium for the nearly 200ft run from main panel to sub panel, which I was ok with. The 3ft from sub panel to EVSE is copper.

You are good to go! You must be British for the Al spelling lol!

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

My installer used aluminium for the nearly 200ft run from main panel to sub panel, which I was ok with. The 3ft from sub panel to EVSE is copper.

You are good to go! You must be British for the Al spelling lol!

When I was working for UK company (plus I have a Welsh wife), both refer to COLOUR and Aluminium as the PROPER spelling.

And as @Spin Doctor said, 200 foot runs from a service panel to sub panel is a "different kettle of fish." Must have been big ass service cable. #2 or #3?

 

[Ry4an]

I had an electrician install a 14-50 receptacle on our home back when had solar added, but now that we're getting a car I'm just learning there's a real difference in quality. Is anyone able to tell from the outside if this is a "good" Eaton (5754N) or the "bad" Eaton (1258)? Can I tell without removing the cover from the box and checking the model info on the back?

Edit: Reading a page back I see the diameter is the real test and this is 2". Looks like I'll be getting a new receptacle.

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

I had an electrician install a 14-50 receptacle on our home back when had solar added, but now that we're getting a car I'm just learning there's a real difference in quality. Is anyone able to tell from the outside if this is a "good" Eaton (5754N) or the "bad" Eaton (1258)? Can I tell without removing the cover from the box and checking the model info on the back?

Edit: Reading a page back I see the diameter is the real test and this is 2". Looks like I'll be getting a new receptacle.

It seems that all the intermittent duty residential dryer & oven type receptacles are about 2 inches in diameter and the industrial rated continuous duty receptacles for overnight BEV charging at 2.4- 2.48 inches in diameter. Hubbell,Bryant, Eaton, P&S.

 

[Ry4an]

Yeah, I ordered the Bryant and with the wiring run already done, can do this swap out myself with the help of a torque wench. Great thread, and thanks.

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

Yeah, I ordered the Bryant and with the wiring run already done, can do this swap out myself with the help of a torque wench. Great thread, and thanks.

One last tip, promise. One of the big issues with 4, 6 or 8 gauge wire is loosening of the lugs when you squeeze/fold the wires into the box. I was taught to insert the conductors in to the receptacle lugs, tighten, then carefully fold the wires and fold/press it all into the box. Do not screw in.yet. Then, pull out the receptacle and wires a few inches, then use your torque wrench to retighten, and then you should be able to go fold the wires and receptacle back into the box.

I have seen several novices properly torque the lugs when the conductors are hanging 6 inches out side of the box, only to loosen the lugs by struggling to fold and get the the three 6 or 8 gauge conductors into the box.

 

[johgo]

Many electricians do not seem to be aware that Leviton's $9 14-50 receptacle from Home Depot can be dangerous when used for EV charging.

For best long-term safety, have the electrician hardwire your home charging station instead of mounting a receptacle. This means running electrical conduit directly to the charging station, eliminating the need for a receptacle, cord and plug. The cost should not be significantly different than having a potentially dangerous 14-50 outlet installed. You can also get faster charging from a hardwired charging station if installed on a 60-amp or 80-amp breaker rather than the 50-amp maximum breaker allowed on a 14-50 outlet.

If you must use a 14-50 outlet, it should be an industrial-type receptacle made by Hubbell, Bryant, or Cooper. Leviton's $9 14-50 outlet from Home Depot can be a fire hazard when used for charging an EV. To see what kind of receptacle your electrician installed, turn off the circuit breaker to the outlet and remove the outlet's cover plate. The receptacle manufacturer name will be clearly stamped on the metal plate that supports the receptacle.

If you find that you have a Leviton receptacle, have an electrician swap in one from Hubbell, Bryant, or Cooper. The receptacle costs $75-100, plus labor. Don't try to do this yourself - the receptacle screw terminals should be properly tightened with a torque screwdriver.

Some firsthand experience talking:

A Cautionary Tale

If you have not checked your home 14-50 plug, do it today. Run, dont walk. I was lucky. The plug was in a steel box on a cinderblock wall

 

[APSenec]

A Cautionary Tale

If you have not checked your home 14-50 plug, do it today. Run, dont walk. I was lucky. The plug was in a steel box on a cinderblock wallView attachment 17047View attachment 17048View attachment 17049

There's so many reasons to just hardwire the EVSE
- Ditch the expensive GFCI breaker
-Ditch the receptacle issue here
-Simplify install
-Increase the EVSE ability to full 48 amps (in my case anyway)
-

 

[Lucken]

The downside is you impact the portability of the charger. I've gone through a number of EVs and my variables have been:

* Charge port location (left or right side of car, front or rear of car)
* The side of the garage I'm parking on

Both of these have, on occasion, necessitated moving the charger location. So there's that.

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

There's so many reasons to just hardwire the EVSE
- Ditch the expensive GFCI breaker
-Ditch the receptacle issue here
-Simplify install
-Increase the EVSE ability to full 48 amps (in my case anyway)
-

I had dinner with two other nationaly known electrical engineers. Siemens. Emerson. One consults for Tesla. They were astounded that people on our forum debate using receptacles and especially the cheap HD grade. Tesla as company policy implores users to only hardwire. And Tesla does not sell plug in chargers.

You left off the best reason for hardwiring: not burning your f--king house down.

 

[hydbob]

I had dinner with two other nationaly known electrical engineers. Siemens. Emerson. One consults for Tesla. They were astounded that people on our forum debate using receptacles and especially the cheap HD grade. Tesla as company policy implores users to only hardwire. And Tesla does not sell plug in chargers.

You left off the best reason for hardwiring: not burning your f--king house down.

Technically, neither does Lucid. The mobile charger included with the car is the same as the mobile charger included with Teslas...which they now charge for, so technically, only Tesla charges for plug-in chargers =).

https://shop.tesla.com/product/mobile-connector

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

The downside is you impact the portability of the charger. I've gone through a number of EVs and my variables have been:

* Charge port location (left or right side of car, front or rear of car)
* The side of the garage I'm parking on

Both of these have, on occasion, necessitated moving the charger location. So there's that.

Strongly disagree. Want to move the charger around? Just have junction boxes wired in appropriate locations. If you have a properly wired j box, a electrician can hardwire move the charger from one side to the other in minutes. Your insistence on convenience can be accomplished without the risk of burning the garage down. Your choice.

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

A Cautionary Tale

If you have not checked your home 14-50 plug, do it today. Run, dont walk. I was lucky. The plug was in a steel box on a cinderblock wallView attachment 17047View attachment 17048View attachment 17049

Notice on the cheap receptacle the cheap ass screws. Flat blade. They CANNOT be properly torqued. Sorry @Bunnylebowski, you Qmerit electrician was dead wrong. And I use the word dead on purpose.

 

[APSenec]

I had dinner with two other nationaly known electrical engineers. Siemens. Emerson. One consults for Tesla. They were astounded that people on our forum debate using receptacles and especially the cheap HD grade. Tesla as company policy implores users to only hardwire. And Tesla does not sell plug in chargers.

You left off the best reason for hardwiring: not burning your f--king house down.

I assumed that was implied, and obvious!

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

I assumed that was implied, and obvious!

Ah, young grasshopper, you will learn that nothing is obvious on this forum.

 

[Lucken]

Strongly disagree. Want to move the charger around? Just have junction boxes wired in appropriate locations. If you have a properly wired j box, an electrician can hardwire move the charger from one side to the other in minutes. Your insistence on convenience can be accomplished without the risk of burning the garage down. Your choice.

I really see little risk when an outlet is properly wired with quality receptacles. I think people get a bit hysterical over this. Sure, if someone is incompetent or substandard equipment or wiring is used, that’s another question. I’ve been using EVs since 2017 and never felt a plug getting close to being hot.

 

[Babyrocko1908]

A Cautionary Tale

If you have not checked your home 14-50 plug, do it today. Run, dont walk. I was lucky. The plug was in a steel box on a cinderblock wallView attachment 17047View attachment 17048View attachment 17049

I'm glad everything worked out. I've had a garage fire. One of the worst days of my life!

 

[Babyrocko1908]

I've not only had mine professionally hardwired, I've also added a 24-hour monitored thru my home security system smoke detector in my garage and fire extinguisher.

 

[APSenec]

Ah, young grasshopper, you will learn that nothing is obvious on this forum.

Ohhh...... Not so young anymore....