Chargepoint Home Flex install (wired) - stripped wire prep?

[grein002]

I've purchased the ChargePoint Home Flex and mounted it to the wall. I have a 25' run of Wireco 8/3 THHN metal clad (see here) from the 60A breaker in my panel. If you are familiar with the charger, you will know that the included power cord has flattened metal "pins" to insert into the snap-close connectors. My question is, should I just insert the stripped 8AWG into these holes, or does it make sense to prep the stripped ends, perhaps by flattening and tinning with solder?

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[Mach-Lee]

First of all, #8 MC is only good for 50A with a 75°C termination temp. So you need to return the 60A breaker and get a 50A one. The EVSE will run at 40A. You also only need 8/2, neutral wire is not used.

Inserting copper wire strands into the ChargePoint terminals is acceptable.

 

[ocdxfv]

I wouldn’t solder them. I used a wire ferrule.

 

[Maquis]

I second what Mach-Lee said. If you needed to prep the wires in any special way for terminating, it would be spelled out in the installation instructions.

 

[Stu H]

First of all, #8 MC is only good for 50A with a 75°C termination temp. So you need to return the 60A breaker and get a 50A one. The EVSE will run at 40A. You also only need 8/2, neutral wire is not used.

Inserting copper wire strands into the ChargePoint terminals is acceptable.

I thought that the following is a good rule (Copper wire):

15 Amp 14 ga
20 Amp 12 ga
30 Amp 10 ga
40 Amp 8 ga
50 Amp 6 ga
60 Amp 4 ga

1 size larger (lower ga number) if using aluminum wire....

Did I miss something?

 

[Aubury]

I thought that the following is a good rule (Copper wire):

15 Amp 14 ga
20 Amp 12 ga
30 Amp 10 ga
40 Amp 8 ga
50 Amp 6 ga
60 Amp 4 ga

1 size larger (lower ga number) if using aluminum wire....

Did I miss something?

You can't use aluminum directly in the chargepoint install. You would have to pigtail to copper before it goes into the EVSE.

 

[MrLoganRoss]

Be safe and hire an electrician! ?

 

[david_quick]

First of all, #8 MC is only good for 50A with a 75°C termination temp. So you need to return the 60A breaker and get a 50A one. The EVSE will run at 40A. You also only need 8/2, neutral wire is not used.

Inserting copper wire strands into the ChargePoint terminals is acceptable.

this is one thing I noticed when I converted my EVSE from plug in to hard wired. The 14-50 it came with did not have a neutral. Now that has me wondering if they all are that way.

 

[grein002]

240V equipment doesn't need a neutral unless it needs 120V for some of its internal functions. If the EVSE doesn't need 120V, it has no internal connection for neutral, and they can save some $ by omitting the conductor / prong.

 

[orangethunder]

I've purchased the ChargePoint Home Flex and mounted it to the wall. I have a 25' run of Wireco 8/3 THHN metal clad (see here) from the 60A breaker in my panel. If you are familiar with the charger, you will know that the included power cord has flattened metal "pins" to insert into the snap-close connectors. My question is, should I just insert the stripped 8AWG into these holes, or does it make sense to prep the stripped ends, perhaps by flattening and tinning with solder?

No need to flatten the wire. Just let the wire clamps do their thing.

But your breaker is too big for 8 gauge wire. Highly recommend you swap out with a 50amp breaker (which will charge at 40 amps, i.e. 80% of breaker size for use by continuous loads).

 

[grein002]

Yeah, I've ordered 6AWG MC to replace the 8AWG.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Yeah, I've ordered 6AWG MC to replace the 8AWG.

Yes 6/2 is what you want for a hardwired 60A breaker. You have to look up the ampacity for the specific type of wire you’re using.

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