Electric Car charging
#1
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Electric Car charging
I'd like to run a new 250A circuit outside my garage to charge up EV. My thought is to run UF cable from the main panel in the garage up through the attic and inside an interior wall then break through the brick and into the Voltech charger. Total run is about 40 feet and I'll run 10 (maybe 8?) gauge even though I'll put it on a 20A breaker (future proofing hopefully). First problem is that I can't find thicker UF - so what do I use?
Also, I would really like a way to shut off the power from inside the garage. There's no light switch for this that I know of so I'm thinking of running from the main panel to a small sub panel/disconnect (20A ok for now?). After the disconnect I'll switch to UF for the run through the brick into the charger. Any thoughts on that?
Thanks in advance.
Also, I would really like a way to shut off the power from inside the garage. There's no light switch for this that I know of so I'm thinking of running from the main panel to a small sub panel/disconnect (20A ok for now?). After the disconnect I'll switch to UF for the run through the brick into the charger. Any thoughts on that?
Thanks in advance.
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20 for now but if/when we get a Leaf EV with a faster charger we'll probably need to go to 30A or possibly 40A. I'd like to avoid pulling the cable or wire more than one time if possible.
#4
#6 for future proofing though #8 would be okay. NM-b is slightly cheaper and easier to work with. So long as the cable never leaves the garage except to enter the back of a wall mounted receptacle no need for UF. You can use an unfused 60 amp A/C pull out disconnect.
Assumes the garage is attached.
Assumes the garage is attached.
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Wow, that's really far into the future - but I'm lazy so that's ok
The current charger has NPT inputs under and in the back but I don't know about the future chargers. Is it ok to run #6 or 8 in a short run of PVC into a PVC "junction box"? Or would I need to swap out the #6 at the A/C disconnect?
The current charger has NPT inputs under and in the back but I don't know about the future chargers. Is it ok to run #6 or 8 in a short run of PVC into a PVC "junction box"? Or would I need to swap out the #6 at the A/C disconnect?
#6
If it isn't two large for the terminals you could use six all the way. If six won't fit just reduce size as you suggested. Be sure the breaker is sized to the charger. So if I have followed your post a 20 amp breaker. However you may need to pigtail smaller wires to fit the breaker. If so you may want to revisit using #8 or #10. When I wrote #6 I thought you were wiring a general subpanel for all loads in the garage.
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That's me, I'm adding a new subpanel in the same garage. I started a new thread because I thought this forum would be better suited. This EV charger (which is really just a power supply) will be fed from the main which is also located in the same garage.
Since I'll be adding the disconnect in the garage before the wire runs outside the chargers lug size can be accounted for by downsizing the one foot run.
Since I'll be adding the disconnect in the garage before the wire runs outside the chargers lug size can be accounted for by downsizing the one foot run.
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So the pigtail in the main panel is a no-no?
And, what about the PVC question? Is it ok to run Romex in a short PVC run to an exterior PVC box with NPT connections? I figure I'll run the largest gauge the 20A breaker can hold into the (interior) disconnect and then run 10/2 to the charger. With the current charger there won't be a PVC run, instead it'll come through the brick and into the charger. I'm just asking about the future.
Oh and thank you very much for the help
And, what about the PVC question? Is it ok to run Romex in a short PVC run to an exterior PVC box with NPT connections? I figure I'll run the largest gauge the 20A breaker can hold into the (interior) disconnect and then run 10/2 to the charger. With the current charger there won't be a PVC run, instead it'll come through the brick and into the charger. I'm just asking about the future.
Oh and thank you very much for the help
#10
So the pigtail in the main panel is a no-no?
Is it ok to run Romex in a short PVC run to an exterior PVC box with NPT connections?
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Would this GE disconnect (TNA60R1CP 60A 240V non-fused disconnect) be a good choice? As a recap, it'll be mounted indoors opposite the charger. It'll be fed by a 20A breaker and the only reasons why I want it are to give me a place to pigtail in a smaller gauge wire and to avoid unauthorized use.
I didn't get to check the wire gauge the 20A breaker will accept but hopefully it's at least 8 because that's what I plan on running into the disconnect (outfeed will be 10 or maybe 12). If not I'll put that pigtail in the main panel.
Thanks,
Dan
I didn't get to check the wire gauge the 20A breaker will accept but hopefully it's at least 8 because that's what I plan on running into the disconnect (outfeed will be 10 or maybe 12). If not I'll put that pigtail in the main panel.
Thanks,
Dan
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Hi Folks,
Hope you all had a good 4th. Things have been busy but the new plan is to run #6 from the 30A breaker in the panel to a L6-30 receptacle mounted inside the garage using pigtails on each end.
I finally found time to run the #6 but ran into an issue at the store. The store employee (who began by stating he is not electrician and the store doesn't teach codes) said that's the pigtail inside the panel would not pass inspection.
I'm free today and have help. Tomorrow, when the office opens I won't have help or time to work. Is there a section(s) in the NEC that I can have on hand in case of a problem when the inspector arrives? I guess I could always remove the panel pigtail and install a 40 receptacle (but that would create other issues with the EVSE plug).
Thanks in advance
Hope you all had a good 4th. Things have been busy but the new plan is to run #6 from the 30A breaker in the panel to a L6-30 receptacle mounted inside the garage using pigtails on each end.
I finally found time to run the #6 but ran into an issue at the store. The store employee (who began by stating he is not electrician and the store doesn't teach codes) said that's the pigtail inside the panel would not pass inspection.
I'm free today and have help. Tomorrow, when the office opens I won't have help or time to work. Is there a section(s) in the NEC that I can have on hand in case of a problem when the inspector arrives? I guess I could always remove the panel pigtail and install a 40 receptacle (but that would create other issues with the EVSE plug).
Thanks in advance
#15
said that's the pigtail inside the panel would not pass inspection.
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He seemed very sure of what he was saying so maybe it is a local code thing. I wish I'd confirmed this with a local inspector Friday.
It's two hots for 220 and no neutral for #6-2, right? I know I took a few months off so I'm a bit rusty.