ChargePoint Woes; Advice & Help Please!

[SightUp]

On April 18, 2022 I ordered my home charging unit totaling 750$ USD after taxes and shipping directly from ChargePoint's website. This was one month prior to when my car was supposed to arrive to me. Lo and behold, I didn't get my car until yesterday on 7/22/22. It's remaining at the dealership to get detailed over the weekend. The home charger sat in the box this whole time unopened. So now that I get to actually finally get to take the car home, I wanted to setup everything in the garage to I can charge it nightly.

I made a thread asking advice which to purchase several months ago here. https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/mach-e-level-2-charger.16367/

I gathered from the responses I should have gotten the ChargePoint Home Flex, NEMA 6-50 Plug and that it was highly customizable. However, upon opening it, I do not have the right socket in the wall. I actually need the 14-50.

I got on the horn with ChargePoint's 24/7 customer service. Got to say, I am not impressed. After 20 minutes of being asked the same 3-4 questions over and over and over I went semi Karen and asked to speak with anyone else, a supervisor even. I think the guy was French Canadian and we were not understanding each other what so ever. But he understood that request well enough. But instead of getting me to a supervisor or another rep, he sent me to the root of the menu system. So after waiting 20 more minutes, I get someone finally. He spoke a level higher than the previous rep. We were semi able to communicate with each other.

He said it shouldn't be a problem, I will be able to exchange it, and they will get the right one out for me and to expect an email within 24 hours. I have had this way beyond 30 days though.

So here is what I would like some help with.

1. Do you think they will really replace it so many months out already?
2. Was the thread that recommended a 6-50 wrong or right?
2a. If right, what do I need to do to make it work? Just get an adapter from Home Depot? Why would I still want this one instead of the 14-50? (Evidently I can dedicate 30 amps safely.)
3. Could they just send me the right cable? Are the innards of the boxes between the 6-50 and the 14-50 the same? Or would I have to replace everything?
4. I don't have the car yet so I guess I will ask now, but will this need an adapter to work correctly between the vehicle and the charger?
5. How badly did I mess up by not opening it day one?

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[kdonnel]

The guts are the same. The only difference is the supplied pigtail.

1. You could get your outlet changed to a 6-50.
2. You could find a 14-50 pigtail
3. You could get it hardwired.
4. You could wait on ChargePoint to swap it for you.

 

[SightUp]

The guts are the same. The only difference is the supplied pigtail.

1. You could get your outlet changed to a 6-50.
2. You could find a 14-50 pigtail
3. You could get it hardwired.
4. You could wait on ChargePoint to swap it for you.

So if the guts are the same, should I just forget about trying to get a new 'pigtail' and get a wall adapter?

I am under the impression it will be several hundred to thousands to get it hardwared or get the house 50 amp ready.

 

[kdonnel]

So if the guts are the same, should I just forget about trying to get a new 'pigtail' and get a wall adapter?

I am under the impression it will be several hundred to thousands to get it hardwared or get the house 50 amp ready.

So it sounds like you have a 14-50 outlet?

If so you can replace the supplied 6-50 pigtail with a 14-50 pigtail.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Smart-Choice-4-ft-50-Amp-4-Prong-Range-Cord-5304490740/206740121

I believe a proper pigtail is a better long term solution safety wise rather than using an adapter.

If you already have a 14-50 outlet it should be cheap for an electrician to repurpose the outlet and hardwire the ChargePoint.

 

[generaltso]

If ChargePoint is willing to swap the pigtail or the whole unit for a 14-50, just let them.

 

[ARK]

To answer #2, I don’t think anyone specifically recommended the 6-50 version over the 14-50 version to you?

It makes no difference for an EVSE, the 14-50 has a neutral wire which is unused. The reason 14-50 plug EVSEs are sold is that the 14-50 seems to be a bit more common than a 6-50 outlet. The 6-50 outlet doesn’t have a neutral wire.

 

[SightUp]

To answer #2, I don’t think anyone specifically recommended the 6-50 version over the 14-50 version to you?

It makes no difference for an EVSE, the 14-50 has a neutral wire which is unused. The reason 14-50 plug EVSEs are sold is that the 14-50 seems to be a bit more common than a 6-50 outlet. The 6-50 outlet doesn’t have a neutral wire.

I do not mean to say they did, but the way people spoke about it made me believe it was the better option and from what I understand now, it technically will charge more quickly. But it's not a common port, right? But at the end of the day, it's just a connector at the end of a pigtail that can be exchanged.

 

[kdonnel]

I do not mean to say they did, but the way people spoke about it made me believe it was the better option and from what I understand now, it technically will charge more quickly. But it's not a common port, right? But at the end of the day, it's just a connector at the end of a pigtail that can be exchanged.

A 6-50 will not charge any better or faster than a 14-50.

A 6-50 does not have a neutral. A 14-50 has a neutral. At this time EVSE do not require a neutral.

If getting a new outlet installed a 6-50 should be cheaper because the materials(the wire in particular) would be cheaper because there is one less conductor.

A 14-50 ultimately is more versatile as it includes a neutral. Should you need to use it for something that requires a neutral you would be ready.

 

[SightUp]

I am all about accessories. So if the wire is the real issue here, I do not mind buying another wire if everything else is going to be the same.

 

[AZBill]

The plug in the wall can also be swapped to a 6-50, then you can use the ChargePoint as is. Hardware stores carry both types of plugs. With the 6-50, you just cap off the neutral wire in the electrical box.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

If you decide to do the outlet change (from 14-50 to 6-50) please hire an electrician. The voltage and amperage will easily kill you if you don't know what you're doing. Best of luck.

 

[macchiaz-o]

I made a thread asking advice which to purchase several months ago here. https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/mach-e-level-2-charger.16367/

I gathered from the responses I should have gotten the ChargePoint Home Flex, NEMA 6-50 Plug and that it was highly customizable. However, upon opening it, I do not have the right socket in the wall. I actually need the 14-50.

I just went and re-checked that thread. NO ONE recommended the 6-50. One person said either one would be fine, and a few people only made mention of 14-50.

But anyway, you'll be fine. As others have already replied, you just need to have the receptacle on the wall switched over to a NEMA 6-50R. Any electrician can do this very easily and it should be extremely inexpensive (as far as typical electrician bills go).

If ChargePoint is willing to swap it out for you, that's super generous of them. I called them once to find out if they'll sell their 14-50 cable because my local electric utility only sells the 6-50 version at a discounted price... The answer was a hard no. They do not sell the cables separately. And yeah, I understand one can buy a cable at Home Depot, but I was looking for the first party, fully legit solution at that time.

 

[AKgrampy]

If I were in your shoes I would see if ChargePoint would accommodate your request and exchange your unit or exchange the pig tale. If that turns out to not be able to happen I would change the wall socket.

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