60 Amp or 50 Amp Circuit for Tesla Universal Home Charger???

[Peugfan]

Agree with this. #4 romex can be impossible to find, so might as well do #6 in conduit.

Lowes (some stores stock it). It's only $10 a foot. It will be difficult routing it around bends. #6 Romex is bad enough.

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[kdonnel]

so.... I love to see people go 'all electric', but hate to see people spend more than they have to.

The first question I would ask is "What do you anticipate your average TOTAL household daily electric miles driven to be after you have 2 electric cars?"

If your answer is less than 200 miles a day.... you really do not need 2 chargers or circuits, and you really don't need to charge at more than 32 amps..... on a 50amp breaker, using 6/3 THHN. Since you say your garage is at opposite side of house, your best bet is pulling wire thru 1" or 1-1/4" EMT, over the roof, or under the soffit if you have a pitched roof.

For two years I have charged two EV with a single ChargePoint Home connected to a 30 amp circuit, so charging at 24 amp.

We average about 21000 miles between the two EV, split 15000 on the MME and 6000 on the Bolt.

The 30 amp circuit was cheap to extend to where the charger needed to be located as it all involved the unfinished parts of the basement. Running a totally new circuit would have cost substantially more as I would have had to have wire run through the finished parts of the basement.

Not once in two years have a wished I could charge faster or both EV at the same time.

There are reasons to install 60+ amp circuits.

1. You are on a time of use plan and have a short window to maximize the plan.
2. You anticipate using vehicle to home
3. Emotionally you know you will not be happy unless you have the fastest

 

[dvdboulet]

I have 400 amp service that was installed as described.

Out by the meter I have 2 200 amp breakers that each feed a panel in the house.

The meter is a Class 320 that has two hole lugs.

That is a typical 400 amp residential service install.

Yes that's exactly like mine. A separate trunk-line comes in from the (single) outside meter to feed each panel.

 

[sukhoi_584th]

I have 400 amp service that was installed as described.

Out by the meter I have 2 200 amp breakers that each feed a panel in the house.

The meter is a Class 320 that has two hole lugs.

That is a typical 400 amp residential service install.

Interesting, I guess that makes sense considering a single panel for 400 A of residential use would be gigantic. I'll now go cry while glaring at my 100 A panel feeding EVSE, A/C, two wall ovens, and a dryer. It just barely passes load calc.

I agree the OP should reconsider what they actually need. The planned installation sounds excessive.

 

[kdonnel]

Interesting, I guess that makes sense considering a single panel for 400 A of residential use would be gigantic. I'll now go cry while glaring at my 100 A panel feeding EVSE, A/C, two wall ovens, and a dryer. It just barely passes load calc.

I agree the OP should reconsider what they actually need. The planned installation sounds excessive.

Upgrading to 400 amp service was the only truly cost effective upgrade I did when adding options to my semi custom built home.

At the time, 2005, it was only an additional $750 to upgrade to 400 amp service.

 

[dvdboulet]

Interesting, I guess that makes sense considering a single panel for 400 A of residential use would be gigantic. I'll now go cry while glaring at my 100 A panel feeding EVSE, A/C, two wall ovens, and a dryer. It just barely passes load calc.

I agree the OP should reconsider what they actually need. The planned installation sounds excessive.

Original Poster here...

Yes, I appreciate the honest input from everyone who, from their own experience, has shared how even in a 2-EV household they haven't personally found the need for more than a single circuit shared across the two cars (whether via software-coupled power-sharing chargers or a single charger with vehicles taking turns). I hear you all loud and clear.

However I've decided anyway to just go ahead with a sub panel so that I can eventually support two dedicated 60 A rated circuits which would allow two independent 48 A chargers to run simultaneously. Even if I don't need it today, or tomorrow, I would just feel better about the work I'm doing now to fish the wires and get everything installed knowing that I'm pre-wired for what might just be the rare edge-case charging scenario. Over-engineering in this case also gives me peace of mind knowing that the typical power draw will be well under what the system is rated to bear. And if I ever ended up getting an EV like the Lightening that can charge with something more powerful than a 48 A charger, I'm set for that too.

I was able to get the 2-gauge feeder cable for my subpanel and 4 gauge to run to the charger(s) close to wholesale today from a friend who has an account with a local supplier. Still quite a bit of money but saved a few hundred vs cutting from a spool at Lowes.

 

[dtbaker61]

I have 400 amp service that was installed as described.

Out by the meter I have 2 200 amp breakers that each feed a panel in the house.

The meter is a Class 320 that has two hole lugs.

That is a typical 400 amp residential service install.

aha, you guys do it differently that we do here.... our local AHJ and Utility require a single disconnect.

in you case however you should make sure an electrician does a load calc to determine which 200amp sub can take another circuit.... and then have a discussion on whether it can be one 50, or 60, or two. Keep in mind that the load thru chargers are for 'extended periods of time' and breakers and wire need to be sized accordingly.

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