Getting Charger Installed

[asianman35]

I finally got my truck on Monday, so I scheduled an electrician to come out next week to install a JuiceBox 40 plug in charger, which I have already bought. This is the description they wrote in my estimate, just wanted to double check that everything makes sense to you guys. It obviously will include a plug, which isnt mentioned, but moreso I wanted to double check the wiring reqs and breaker reqs. Thanks

Installation of 1 circuit from the main service panel located in
the basement of the home. This circuit will follow an HVAC
bulkhead from the panel room to the adjacent maintenance
room. This room shares a wall with the garage above where the
customer provided charger will be installed. The wire being
used for this installation will be 6-3 MC cable. This wire is being
used for the future possibility of a faster charger being
installed. But for the use of the charger being provided by the
customer we will install a 50 amp breaker on this #6 copper
wire.

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[Oafy44]

I finally got my truck on Monday, so I scheduled an electrician to come out next week to install a JuiceBox 40 plug in charger, which I have already bought. This is the description they wrote in my estimate, just wanted to double check that everything makes sense to you guys. It obviously will include a plug, which isnt mentioned, but moreso I wanted to double check the wiring reqs and breaker reqs. Thanks

Installation of 1 circuit from the main service panel located in
the basement of the home. This circuit will follow an HVAC
bulkhead from the panel room to the adjacent maintenance
room. This room shares a wall with the garage above where the
customer provided charger will be installed. The wire being
used for this installation will be 6-3 MC cable. This wire is being
used for the future possibility of a faster charger being
installed. But for the use of the charger being provided by the
customer we will install a 50 amp breaker on this #6 copper
wire.

congrats. Quick question - is there room on the panel for 60 amp vs 50? Many on here have done 60 and I took their advice. Also do you think you will live at your house for a while and a few years from now have multiple EVs ? I went ahead and had the electrician run an additional 60 amp so in the future if I have another EV- which is probably a good bet in the next 10 years you can charge two vehicles at the same time.

My kids are 12/9/6 so at some point they will have a cheap Mach e/ model 3 / lightning to drive around and I know it ain’t going to be any cheaper to install these things down the road.

 

[RickLightning]

I am not an electrician, but you're not upping the amperage much in the future with #6 wire. I have a 60 amp breaker, serving my 48amp charger, with 4 gauge, plus a 6 gauge ground.

Whatever wire they use, the 50amp breaker is correct, because it's a 40amp charger.

 

[Oafy44]

I am not an electrician, but you're not upping the amperage much in the future with #6 wire. I have a 60 amp breaker, serving my 48amp charger, with 4 gauge, plus a 6 gauge ground.

Whatever wire they use, the 50amp breaker is correct, because it's a 40amp charger.

I was just thinking down the road would be your not leaving much room if they decide to get a 48 amp/ and or want to/ need to use that circuit for something additional. 50 would work for a 40 amp no problem - but if they feel they need/ want a 48 charger down the road they would be at mass capacity. If they stay with 40 forever then 50 would be fine.

 

[RickLightning]

Yup.

I got a 60 amp circuit for my 48 amp charger. Only needed 3 wires because it's hardwired, but I made them run 4 so that IF I wanted to change to a plug-in, the wiring would be setup.

And the cost to run wiring for a 100 amp circuit for the 80amp charger is very high as compared to a 60 or 50 amp circuit.

One other point - if you become a two EV household, and you're ok with 48 amp charging, then some chargers allow load sharing on a circuit. For example - JuiceBox. I have a JB48. If I get two JB48s, I can connect them to the same 60amp circuit and they will load share. Right now, the JB48 is only $689 with coupon.

 

[Oafy44]

Yup.

I got a 60 amp circuit for my 48 amp charger. Only needed 3 wires because it's hardwired, but I made them run 4 so that IF I wanted to change to a plug-in, the wiring would be setup.

And the cost to run wiring for a 100 amp circuit for the 80amp charger is very high as compared to a 60 or 50 amp circuit.

One other point - if you become a two EV household, and you're ok with 48 amp charging, then some chargers allow load sharing on a circuit. For example - JuiceBox. I have a JB48. If I get two JB48s, I can connect them to the same 60amp circuit and they will load share. Right now, the JB48 is only $689 with coupon.

Nice. Thanks for telling me about that.

You are right about the 100 amp. I ran that first at my shop (business) and was about double then running 2 - 60 amps at my house.

 

[Maquis]

The electrician is correct in installing a 50A breaker even though the wire can handle a 60A. This is because your JuiceBox plugs into a 50A receptacle. It would be a code violation to protect a 50A receptacle with a 60A breaker. If you upgrade to a 48A hard-wired EVSE in the future, the wiring will support it, all he has to do is replace the breaker.

IMO, your installation was done properly.

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