Preparing for Mach-E charging at home - preparation and installing charger

[Illinibird]

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[Garbone]

Thank you to everyone that participates in this forum. I became aware of the MME for the first time just last week and ordered one 2 days later. So I've been playing catch up to learn what I need to know about EV's.

I have an electrician currently installing a NEMA 14-50 outlet for me in my garage. Cost was $500. They are putting in a 50amp breaker but it is with 4 gauge wire so if I want to add a 48amp charger at some point in the future, I simply need to upgrade the breaker.

Now, I just need a build date.

Same here, just ordered mine yesterday.

 

[eltonlin]

I have a ChargePoint Home Flex on order. I've run a THHN #6-3C w/ ground cable from the electrical panel in my basement to my garage. Right now, the wire protrudes through a hole in the garage wall. My plan is to install the ChargePoint unit in the garage myself, but have an electrician connect the other end to a new 60 amp breaker. (There is room and capacity in the existing panel.)

For those that have hardwired a ChargePoint unit (or seen it installed), do I need to install a junction box in the wall behind the charger, or can I terminate the cable directly into the back of charger?

Cable terminates @ the EVSE - you can't install a junction box behind it given how it mounts to a stud.

https://www.chargepoint.com/files/home/home-install-guide.pdf

 

[generaltso]

For those that have hardwired a ChargePoint unit (or seen it installed), do I need to install a junction box in the wall behind the charger, or can I terminate the cable directly into the back of charger?

No junction box. Your wiring can come in from the back or up from the bottom. I brought mine up from the bottom since it was surface mounted.

 

[macchiaz-o]

Cable terminates @ the EVSE - you can't install a junction box behind it given how it mounts to a stud.

https://www.chargepoint.com/files/home/home-install-guide.pdf

That is the manual for the older ChargePoint Home product.

For the Home Flex, back-wiring is supported through the portion shown in the gray circle in this illustration. But it appears that the ChargePoint box will only hide a rather small wall opening, since the stud mounting holes are only along its centerpoint:

https://www.chargepoint.com/sites/d...ePoint Home Flex Installation Guide CPH50.pdf

 

[Illinibird]

It's posted!

I give up! I know I asked Tom a bunch of questions but now can’t find them. Maybe I forgot to save it!

So here goes again: My SEMA 14-50 outlet and cord hanger in my garage mounted on drywall (see picture below - sorry I couldn’t rotate it with my program on iPad). My original questions had to do with Ford’s included bracket to hang their Mobile Charger (add to original video or a picture of it); (screw) holes and location in the Ford bracket; anchors needed for wallboard (plastic or metal?); weight of Mobile Charge box; where to mount it in relation to the picture in my garage of the SEMA 14-50 outlet/cord hanger. Can I have some guidance here? Could you include this as part of your video or at least post pictures of the bracket? Thank you.

 

[macchiaz-o]

I give up! I know I asked Tom a bunch of questions but now can’t find them.

So here goes again: My SEMA 14-50 outlet and cord hanger in my garage mounted on drywall. My original questions had to do with Ford’s included bracket to hang their Mobile Charger; picture of it; screw holes in it; anchors needed for wallboard; weight of unit; where to mount it in relation to my picture of my garage outlet/cord hanger. Can I have some guidance here? Could you include this as part of your video or at least pos pictures of the bracket? Thank you.

I haven't seen it yet, but I think it may be this part that looks a bit like a double ended wrench.

Looks like it has two holes in it for attaching to the wall.

 

[Illinibird]

I haven't seen it yet, but I think it may be this part that looks a bit like a double ended wrench.

Looks like it has two holes in it for attaching to the wall.

Yes, in one picture of the charger mounted to wall I could see the two clips on top ($14?? Bracket not painted black??). Only two screws so it can’t be that heavy and plastic anchors should suffice. Thank you!!

 

[macchiaz-o]

Yes, in one picture of the charger mounted to wall I could see the two clips on top ($14?? Bracket not painted black??). Only two screws so it can’t be that heavy and plastic anchors should suffice. Thank you!!

I'm guessing it is black. The parts catalog images are 3D model renderings and artificially colored.

 

[Illinibird]

I'm guessing it is black. The parts catalog images are 3D model renderings and artificially colored.

Thank you; I thought it was black in the picture Ford showed.
Looking at the photo of my 32 amp 240 volt (#6 gauge wire - 50 amp GFCI breaker - larger size diameter conduit; NEMA 14-50) is the outlet and my charge cord hanger. How high should I place the bracket between them? I know this is partly dictated by the length of the 240 volt pigtail on the charger but I was thinking the bracket/charger body should be slightly below the outlet. The orientation of the 14-50 outlet plug blade connections (round ground hole up) and the height of the outlet/charger body and charge cable hanger are in the height ranges of local electrical codes as well as what Ford recommends in the installation instructions. Sorry for the vertical orientation of the picture but my editor on this iPad won’t (or I don’t know how to) correct it where I can move the picture to true vertical with a simple dialing rotation.

 

[machefan]

Anyone know if it's code OK with using a 2 gang plastic box and the NEMA 14-50 outlet in a garage sheetrocked wall? So the outlet will be in a 2 gang plastic blue box with NM 6-3 going inside the wall to the main panel (in basement) on a 50 AMP breaker? Charger will be a 32 AMP that I use now between the LEAF and the MME. Outlet was already installed but I just want be sure it's to code, if not I can rework it later.

EDIT: 6/3 was installed not 8/3

 

[methorian]

Any one know if it's code OK with using a 2 gang plastic box and the NEMA 14-50 outlet in a garage sheetrock wall? So outlet in the 2 outlet plastic gang box with NM 8-3 going inside the wall to the basement panel on a 50 AMP breaker? Charger will be a 32 AMP that I use now between the LEAF and the MME. Outlet was already installed but I just want be sure it's to code, if not I can rework it later.

I can't speak to code, that's up to your inspector and locality. I will say that most electricians I know (work for an electrical supply distributor) do just that for a 14-50 receptacle (2-gang plastic box).

You'll want to double check that 8/3 romex as well, generally 6/3 is recommended for a 50A circuit.

 

[Illinibird]

Any one know if it's code OK with using a 2 gang plastic box and the NEMA 14-50 outlet in a garage sheetrock wall? So outlet in the 2 outlet plastic gang box with NM 8-3 going inside the wall to the main panel (in basement) on a 50 AMP breaker? Charger will be a 32 AMP that I use now between the LEAF and the MME. Outlet was already installed but I just want be sure it's to code, if not I can rework it later.

Since we can’t use plastic (has to be conduit) I can’t answer that part of your question. I do know, however, that they’d red tag you for the electrical configuration you described in my local codes (Frankfort Illinois); non GFCI 50 amp breaker and the gauge of Romex wire (we also can’t use Romex but it has to be #6 gauge wire and not #8).

 

[machefan]

I can't speak to code, that's up to your inspector and locality. I will say that most electricians I know (work for an electrical supply distributor) do just that for a 14-50 receptacle (2-gang plastic box).

You'll want to double check that 8/3 romex as well, generally 6/3 is recommended for a 50A circuit.

Correction 6/3 was used and not 8/3, typo, will edit, thanks!

 

[machefan]

Since we can’t use plastic (has to be conduit) I can’t answer that part of your question. I do know, however, that they’d red tag you for the electrical configuration you described in my local codes (Frankfort Illinois); non GFCI 50 amp breaker and the gauge of Romex wire (we also can’t use Romex but it has to be #6 gauge wire and not #8).

Yea sorry, it's 6/3 was a typo and breaker is GFCI.

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