Electric Car charging


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Old 03-12-14, 08:27 AM
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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.
 
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Old 03-12-14, 08:50 AM
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Did you mean a 240 volt circuit? How many amps?
 
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Old 03-12-14, 09:10 AM
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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.
 
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Old 03-12-14, 09:51 AM
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#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.
 
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Old 03-12-14, 10:11 AM
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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?
 
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Old 03-12-14, 10:34 AM
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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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Old 03-12-14, 10:46 AM
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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.
 
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Old 03-12-14, 12:11 PM
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The problem is the #6 probably won't fit the 20 amp breaker so I was wrong to suggest that. Go with the largest size wire that will fit the 20 amp breaker.
 
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Old 03-12-14, 01:17 PM
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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
 
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Old 03-12-14, 02:09 PM
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So the pigtail in the main panel is a no-no?
Not a no-no I'd just keep it simple and use a wire size that fits the breaker. Definitely #10 and probably #8.
Is it ok to run Romex in a short PVC run to an exterior PVC box with NPT connections?
NM-b can't be used outside for even a short run because the conduit is considered a wet location. I'd suggest THWN individual wires but UF-b could be used.
 
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Old 03-13-14, 01:21 PM
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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
 
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Old 03-13-14, 01:47 PM
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Yes, that would work.

.
 
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Old 03-13-14, 01:49 PM
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Thank you Ray. I'll pick one up.
 
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Old 07-06-14, 08:38 AM
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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
 
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Old 07-06-14, 09:36 AM
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said that's the pigtail inside the panel would not pass inspection.
Maybe he was Canadian. It is NEC (U.S.) compliant but not allowed in by the CEC (Canada) Local code may vary from NEC. Only the hots need to be pigtailed and only if they won't fit the breaker. Neutral and ground should fit.
 
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Old 07-06-14, 10:38 AM
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Originally Posted by ray2047
Maybe he was Canadian. It is NEC (U.S.) compliant but not allowed in by the CEC (Canada) Local code may vary from NEC. Only the hots need to be pigtailed and only if they won't fit the breaker. Neutral and ground should fit.
Haha, he could have been I suppose.

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.
 
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Old 07-06-14, 11:32 AM
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No it is two 240 hots and a ground. (You don't have 220 and there must be a ground if the conduit is non metallic.)
 
 

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