Seemingly inexpensive NEMA 14/50 option may have just gotten pretty expensive afterall

[Whiskey]

Some utility companies will provide you with the hardware and up to $500 dollars credit for installation, have you checked into this?

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[Garbone]

Open up the outlet and look at the wire they used. I had a stove outlet near the basement door that had number 8 THHN wire but only a 30amp breaker. Put a 40amp and 14-50 on it and can use my portable Ford 32 amp charger on it in a pinch.

We wired in a 14-50 exterior on number 6 with 50 amp breaker for my GrizzlE that pushes 40 amps, I could hard wire the Ford 48amp and upgrade the breaker but like the longer cable on the GrizzlE as it reaches the charge port even if parked with it away from the charger.

 

[Garbone]

You could use a charger that pulls 32 Amps maximum. The Ford mobile charger is only capable of pulling 32 Amps even though it has a NEMA 14-50 connector on it. You could also use something like a JuiceBox 32. The larger issue would be if what was run to your outlet contains both the neutral and the ground or not. Whatever charger you use, it is going to need both hot wires, a neutral and a ground. You will need to consult with an installation electrician to confirm.

This is not the case. Two hots and a ground in both the GrizzlE and 48amp Ford connect charger. No Neutral. This may not be the case for all but is for them. I had a Ford 48amp charger for 2 days before it was bricked and recalled so know the internals.

 

[jefro]

Part of this is that some install's may need a dedicated GFCI to outlet. While I know for a fact that 120VAC doesn't need a ground to actually use a GFCI and in fact a combo G/AFCI is the proper way to add in a three prong plug outlet. I've never studied how to use a 240VAC GFCI. May or may not need return.

Every EVSE is supposed to have a built in GFCI which kind of goes against the whole test it and don't use two in series.

Might even need a disconnect within sight or 6 feet some such deal.

 

[beatle]

Open up the outlet and look at the wire they used. I had a stove outlet near the basement door that had number 8 THHN wire but only a 30amp breaker. Put a 40amp and 14-50 on it and can use my portable Ford 32 amp charger on it in a pinch.

We wired in a 14-50 exterior on number 6 with 50 amp breaker for my GrizzlE that pushes 40 amps, I could hard wire the Ford 48amp and upgrade the breaker but like the longer cable on the GrizzlE as it reaches the charge port even if parked with it away from the charger.

You won't want to put a 14-50 on a 40A breaker. Those need 50A. There aren't any 40A receptacles so you'll want to use a 14-30. That will limit you to 24A charging though.

For the OP, depending on whether you have 3 conductors or 2, you can run a 14-30 (2 hots + neutral) or a 6-30 (2 hots, no neutral). You're unlikely to need a neutral to charge, but I would wait to see what adapters Ford has available for their chargers. I don't think they have anything but a 14-50 right now which is disappointing.

 

[ChasingCoral]

I would wait till more specs are published before making any decision + wire costs will come down as well.

No need to wait for specs. The Lightning will come with the same Ford Mobile Charger found in the Mustang Mach E. We already have full specs for that.

Your other option is to spend a few hundred dollars on a 240V 24A charger. You will be able to run that on a 30A circuit. That's what I am doing for my Mach E as we only had 30A free in our panel. What you need to do is determine your usual driving needs and see how many kWh of charging you need overnight. That will determine how large a charger is actually required.

 

[Fastnf]

You won't want to put a 14-50 on a 40A breaker. Those need 50A. There aren't any 40A receptacles so you'll want to use a 14-30. That will limit you to 24A charging though.

For the OP, depending on whether you have 3 conductors or 2, you can run a 14-30 (2 hots + neutral) or a 6-30 (2 hots, no neutral). You're unlikely to need a neutral to charge, but I would wait to see what adapters Ford has available for their chargers. I don't think they have anything but a 14-50 right now which is disappointing.

Actually the code calls for moving up to a higher rated plug rather than down if no equal rated plug is available. So a 14-50 plug on a 40 amp breaker is what the code calls for.

 

[MD56]

Charging at 24A at home is nearly 6kW, that's not awful. You should be able to charge overnight as long as you haven't driven 150 miles or something.

I agree, and for those who asked about my driving patters… good point. My daily commute will typically be between 20-30 miles. So for an average day I’m not concerned at all about charge rates. However there will be a handful of times each month where I will have to do a 100-150 road trip and it’s usually a short notice situation. So while it’s not a deal breaker, my hope was to find an option that would let me recover from those reasonably quickly.

the 24amp charging that people have mentioned still seems ok if that’s the best I can do on my current infrastructure. I will be heading out to the garage here shortly to do some more in depth investigation on what guards wire is present.

 

[Garbone]

I agree, and for those who asked about my driving patters… good point. My daily commute will typically be between 20-30 miles. So for an average day I’m not concerned at all about charge rates. However there will be a handful of times each month where I will have to do a 100-150 road trip and it’s usually a short notice situation. So while it’s not a deal breaker, my hope was to find an option that would let me recover from those reasonably quickly.

the 24amp charging that people have mentioned still seems ok if that’s the best I can do on my current infrastructure. I will be heading out to the garage here shortly to do some more in depth investigation on what guards wire is present.

 

[beatle]

Actually the code calls for moving up to a higher rated plug rather than down if no equal rated plug is available. So a 14-50 plug on a 40 amp breaker is what the code calls for.

Had to google that as it sounds counterintuitive, but it's true.

I also learned that you cannot change the charge current from the vehicle, at least on the mache. This is also disappointing.

 

[MD56]

I may have found a good compromise. I did confirm that the 240v leg running to my garage is in fact 30amp / 10g wire (bummer). However when i pulled the cover of the breaker panel I was reminded that a year or so ago we replaced an electric range (with a gas one) which had a dedicated 40amp circuit. We had just capped it off and it's not used by anything. So, i think i can get up in the attic and pull that leg up from the kitchen and stretch it over to the garage. I dont think it's going to have enough length to completely make the trip but it'll cover most of it and hopefully cut way down on my materials cost ?. If that works out, from what's been said above (and i've confirmed via google) I can use the NEMA 14-50 on a 40amp circuit. That gets be back to just being able to use the Ford Mobile charger which was my original goal.

 

[Garbone]

I agree, and for those who asked about my driving patters… good point. My daily commute will typically be between 20-30 miles. So for an average day I’m not concerned at all about charge rates. However there will be a handful of times each month where I will have to do a 100-150 road trip and it’s usually a short notice situation. So while it’s not a deal breaker, my hope was to find an option that would let me recover from those reasonably quickly.

the 24amp charging that people have mentioned still seems ok if that’s the best I can do on my current infrastructure. I will be heading out to the garage here shortly to do some more in depth investigation on what guards wire is present.

I may have found a good compromise. I did confirm that the 240v leg running to my garage is in fact 30amp / 10g wire (bummer). However when i pulled the cover of the breaker panel I was reminded that a year or so ago we replaced an electric range (with a gas one) which had a dedicated 40amp circuit. We had just capped it off and it's not used by anything. So, i think i can get up in the attic and pull that leg up from the kitchen and stretch it over to the garage. I dont think it's going to have enough length to completely make the trip but it'll cover most of it and hopefully cut way down on my materials cost ?. If that works out, from what's been said above (and i've confirmed via google) I can use the NEMA 14-50 on a 40amp circuit. That gets be back to just being able to use the Ford Mobile charger which was my original goal.

I would not be surprised if that leg is stapled to the stud above the outlet behind the drywall and you will not be able to pull it back. If you can pull it back us it to pull a string in its place in case you ever want to reuse the outlet.

The run up out of the breaker box can also be used to pull a string and a longer replacement if needed. Safer than a jbox in the attic. Sounds like a project.

Be safe.

 

[MD56]

I would not be surprised if that leg is stapled to the stud above the outlet behind the drywall and you will not be able to pull it back. If you can pull it back us it to pull a string in its place in case you ever want to reuse the outlet.

Yep, that's a possibility for sure. It's metal clad romex so even if stapled i'm hoping we might be able to pull it still (cut the cladding and pull the wire). Fortunately, my father in law spent several years as an electricians apprentice, so i'm in good hands.

 

[Pioneer74]

I may have found a good compromise. I did confirm that the 240v leg running to my garage is in fact 30amp / 10g wire (bummer). However when i pulled the cover of the breaker panel I was reminded that a year or so ago we replaced an electric range (with a gas one) which had a dedicated 40amp circuit. We had just capped it off and it's not used by anything. So, i think i can get up in the attic and pull that leg up from the kitchen and stretch it over to the garage. I dont think it's going to have enough length to completely make the trip but it'll cover most of it and hopefully cut way down on my materials cost ?. If that works out, from what's been said above (and i've confirmed via google) I can use the NEMA 14-50 on a 40amp circuit. That gets be back to just being able to use the Ford Mobile charger which was my original goal.

Whomever buys your house is going to be mad when they go to hook up an electric stove.

 

[jefro]

Does the Ford charger have jumper settings to select max charge rate?

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