Lucid Connected Home Charging Station

[Cosmo Cruz]

I'm noticing the drywall in the garage is 5/8 (fire/sound/strength). This wall is 6" and shared with dining room. I was kinda bummed the way he installed the panel (shitty and upside-down) inside the wall. He removed all the insulation and tossed the piece he cut out. I undid his work and stuffed fiberglass all around and behind the panel to fill the voids, taped and spackeled. It still looks shitty because he didn't even bother to flush-mount the box...I should have told him I wanted a surface mount...

So I'm thinking I'm uninstalling everything...going remove the box, build 2x4 mounting studs for the 4-hole mount, re-insulate the wall, re-install 5/8 drywall, and have the electrician come and do a proper inspected connection for the Lucid (whatever it's called) thingie.
I expect that will take 6 or 8 months.

I"m wondering: Is it allowed to substitute 5/8 plywood for drywall just where Betty gets mounted...that would make it easier to get a clean conduit into the back of Betty from behind the wall. My question is does this meet fire safety codes for garages? I know there is a
burn through thingie. Should I just screw the plywood on top of the drywall ?

How would it work if I left the sub-panel (I would re-install it correctly), pulled the 50 amp breaker in the sub panel for the Juice Box and install a100 amp breaker, then feed from that to Betty ? There would be a 100 amp breaker on the main panel and another one in the garage sub-panel? Does it make sense just to skip all this bother and go directly to Betty from the main panel?

I thought I was being wise to have a sub panel in the garage to future proof, but now I'm not so sure I need it.

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

and installing a plywood backer as the studs aren't ideally located.

This is where I'm at. So you are letting the feed cable through a hole in the drywall and plywood backer into the Lucid HVACLSMDEVCC (Betty)? Are you using 100 amp copper cable? grommets? conduit? I just want to do as much as I can before the electrician gets here...he's a shitty carpenter. I think I'd like to undo all he did, remove the panel and replace the insulation and re-drywall the whole area, then mount a 5/8" plywood panel on top of the drywall for the 4-hole mounting. This would be easier than building something behind the drywall to secure the 4-hole mount. I wasn't sure if mounting the wall wart (Betty) on plywood was fire code OK.

I'm busy repairing / cleaning all the drywall in the garage, and throwing stuff out. Lucid has really changed my life.

 

[Bel]

This is where I'm at. So you are letting the feed cable through a hole in the drywall and plywood backer into the Lucid HVACLSMDEVCC (Betty)? Are you using 100 amp copper cable? grommets? conduit? I just want to do as much as I can before the electrician gets here...he's a shitty carpenter. I think I'd like to undo all he did, remove the panel and replace the insulation and re-drywall the whole area, then mount a 5/8" plywood panel on top of the drywall for the 4-hole mounting. This would be easier than building something behind the drywall to secure the 4-hole mount. I wasn't sure if mounting the wall wart (Betty) on plywood was fire code OK.

I'm busy repairing / cleaning all the drywall in the garage, and throwing stuff out. Lucid has really changed my life.

You may consider 150 amp copper or if you want to save a little 125 amp. If you plan to stay in the house for long and its as much as 30 m and you may get a 2nd ev or something else in the garage you mau need more than 100. Labor is about the same so only added cost for upsized material.

Id use conduit and single wires.
Always good to put panel on noncombustable surface but not required. Id use drywall or similar.
Can mount lucid on standoffs, perhaps something like 2" and use a 90 deg conduit elbow to get into the back of lucid.
Lucid with standoffs on plywood is fine ..... without stsndoffs id use noncombustable.

 

[Bel]

This is where I'm at. So you are letting the feed cable through a hole in the drywall and plywood backer into the Lucid HVACLSMDEVCC (Betty)? Are you using 100 amp copper cable? grommets? conduit? I just want to do as much as I can before the electrician gets here...he's a shitty carpenter. I think I'd like to undo all he did, remove the panel and replace the insulation and re-drywall the whole area, then mount a 5/8" plywood panel on top of the drywall for the 4-hole mounting. This would be easier than building something behind the drywall to secure the 4-hole mount. I wasn't sure if mounting the wall wart (Betty) on plywood was fire code OK.

I'm busy repairing / cleaning all the drywall in the garage, and throwing stuff out. Lucid has really changed my life.

Ill install a small subpanel in the garage fed by 150 a copper. And from there a 50 a cb to a 14-50 recepacla and a 70 a cb to a charge point flex home charger. This way i can use the 40 a charger cable that comes with car in case flex brakes. And im prepared for future. I could easily also add a lucid charger. You could do someting similar.

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

Got the Lucid LCHCS (I can never remember the sequence of letters...EVCHS? SUVEVSS? ... why not Betty?) cover off and see I
DO NOT have to drill enormous holes into it. There is a bung for bottom penetration that unscrews. I think I'll just go with a straight shot from the main panel 100 amp breaker right into Betty's bottom, and delete the garage sub panel. Nice clean install. For fire safety I'll put a 5/8" sheet of plywood between and secured to the studs, then insulate the space and drywall over it, so Betty is mounted flush with the garage drywall. I need the plywood for something to screw the mounting plate into for the 4 hole mount. Manual says you can use the two hole mount (not recommended), in which case the stud behind the drywall would be enough (just not enough - this thing is much heavier than the Juice Box 40).

Now I'll get back to cleaning out the garage...something I should have been doing all these years I was waiting for this car...sheesh.

 

[abbas2099]

I had mine connected over the weekend.. The car was charging at 17 kw. The breaker is 100 amps. My Tesla app shows the house pulling an extra 20 kw when the car is charging from the grid. All we need now is a setting for when to turn the charger automatically on.

 

[DeaneG]

...All we need now is a setting for when to turn the charger automatically on.

I have to go downstairs just after waking up to plug in our AGT. Can't do it the evening before due to high electricity rates. Really need that charge window function in either the car or the EVSE.

 

[abbas2099]

I have to go downstairs just after waking up to plug in our AGT. Can't do it the evening before due to high electricity rates. Really need that charge window function in either the car or the EVSE.

at 20 kw/hour draw during peak hours it would be crazy... I have to remember to plug in the car at 11 pm. I hope they add that functionality soon.

 

[hydbob]

at 20 kw/hour draw during peak hours it would be crazy... I have to remember to plug in the car at 11 pm. I hope they add that functionality soon.

There is a very crude way to do this until scheduled charging is available. Plug you car in, open your app, adjust charge level all the way down to the current level. At 11pm, open your app, and set the charge level to 80 or whatever you want. This at least saves you from having to plug it in physically.

 

[borski]

There is a very crude way to do this until scheduled charging is available. Plug you car in, open your app, adjust charge level all the way down to the current level. At 11pm, open your app, and set the charge level to 80 or whatever you want. This at least saves you from having to plug it in physically.

Wow, that sucks but is kinda brilliant. I plan on doing this from now on, haha.

 

[DeaneG]

Wow, that sucks but is kinda brilliant. I plan on doing this from now on, haha.

My PG&E E2A rate gets cheap at midnight... too late for this geezer. Maybe I can get some TaskRabbit to do it.

 

[borski]

My PG&E E2A rate gets cheap at midnight... too late for this geezer. Maybe I can get some TaskRabbit to do it.

Yeah, I hear you. I'm on TOU-C with Medical Baseline (but would be on EV-2A if I didn't have the medical baseline), so mine gets cheap at 9pm.

 

[SaratogaLefty]

Yeah, I hear you. I'm on TOU-C with Medical Baseline (but would be on EV-2A if I didn't have the medical baseline), so mine gets cheap at 9pm.

I have a PG&E plan that is no longer available. I am "grandfathered in" but not sure if it is the best option??​

Electric Vehicle Rate Plan EV-A​

This rate plan is for electric vehicle owners and applies to both home energy use and electric vehicle charging. It offers lower prices during times of day when energy supply costs are less expensive, especially after 11 p.m. on weekdays and after 7 p.m. on weekends. Electricity is more expensive during Peak (2 p.m. - 9 p.m.) and Part-Peak (7 a.m. - 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. - 11 p.m.) periods on weekdays. Avoid charging during peak hours. To maximize savings, consider shifting other household energy usage to less expensive, low demand hours.

 

[SaratogaLefty]

I have a PG&E plan that is no longer available. I am "grandfathered in" but not sure if it is the best option??​

Electric Vehicle Rate Plan EV-A​

This rate plan is for electric vehicle owners and applies to both home energy use and electric vehicle charging. It offers lower prices during times of day when energy supply costs are less expensive, especially after 11 p.m. on weekdays and after 7 p.m. on weekends. Electricity is more expensive during Peak (2 p.m. - 9 p.m.) and Part-Peak (7 a.m. - 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. - 11 p.m.) periods on weekdays. Avoid charging during peak hours. To maximize savings, consider shifting other household energy usage to less expensive, low demand hours.

Peak rate is currently around $.61 and Off Peak is around $.25. No bargains!!

 

[borski]

Peak rate is currently around $.61 and Off Peak is around $.25. No bargains!!

If you go to solar, you won’t have a choice but to switch, and I think they’re moving all people to TOU plans over time.

 

[DeaneG]

I have a PG&E plan that is no longer available. I am "grandfathered in" but not sure if it is the best option??​

Electric Vehicle Rate Plan EV-A​

We have solar, and EV2A is currently the least-costly option.

 

[Sheena]

So it looks like you can set up the charger to deliver anywhere from 40 to 100 Amps.
Why would you not use 100?
If you were charging another vehicle with lucid charger, would it damage it at 100 amps

 

[DeaneG]

So it looks like you can set up the charger to deliver anywhere from 40 to 100 Amps.
Why would you not use 100?
If you were charging another vehicle with lucid charger, would it damage it at 100 amps

EVs charge at the slower rate of whatever the charger can supply, or what the car can handle. The Air can handle up to 19kW on AC (level 2). Our Volvo EV can take up to 11kW.
Lucid's charger (EVSE) can be set to operate on a circuit designed for 40 to 100 amps maximum. Per national electrical code the EVSE will deliver a maximum of 80% of this rate: 32 to 80 amps.
The charger could be installed on a circuit of less than 100 amps for cost reasons - if it would be prohibitively expensive to arrange for this much current given the home's existing electrical facilities. Some choose to upgrade their home at a cost of up to about $4K. I chose to re-use an existing 60 amp charging circuit and so incurred no new wiring cost for my installation.

 

[abbas2099]

So it looks like you can set up the charger to deliver anywhere from 40 to 100 Amps.
Why would you not use 100?
If you were charging another vehicle with lucid charger, would it damage it at 100 amps

The charger does a maximum of 80 amps but can be on a 100 amp breaker.

 

[Negan1000]

The charger does a maximum of 80 amps but can be on a 100 amp breaker.

Ordered Lucid Charger on 11/6/22. Just got notified it will be delivered 11/13 by Fedex. I guess I'll have it installed before my Touring is delivered.