DIY EVSE Pre-Wiring and Outlet from New EV Meter (SCE)

[garygid]

Usually the meter mounts onto a round "meter ring" that is on a "meter" or "service" panel, which your electrician must install.

Usually, the PU will actually attach the wires to the "hot" (grid) side of the meter, but your electrician does all the other wiring, and installs the empty conduit, I believe.

 

[Danny]

I have two drawings that show diagrams of wiring the new panels up with the existing meter, but I don't know how to get them into this posting. Can anyone tell me how? The total of both of them is about 720 kb. They are both jpg documents.

 

[Boomer23]

Danny, go to this thread on posting pictures. Since your images are jpegs, they should work just like photos.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1469

 

[EVDRIVER]

Looked at the 6-20R today at Home Depot. It was Leviton brand and said max #10 wire. I have #8 wire and I am sure it would be a pain to connect.
I might make an adapter to the existing 14-50R or if the Leviton evse box opens I may change the cord to match the 14-50R.

Pigtail, it's done everyday.

 

[Danny]

Ok, here's hoping.

 

[TRONZ]

AWESOME! Thank You for that diagram. I will bring it to the HOA meeting next week.

 

[smkettner]

Second meter looks like PITA. I wish the second meter could be in the same box just below the existing meter. Then a single breaker to the single circuit.

I think I will be on whole house TOU and see how it goes.

 

[Danny]

It is definitely a difficult decision on whether to use one meter or two. I am planning on getting the second meter since I get into tier 3 with my house in the summer time. Adding about twice the consumption would probably break through the tier 5 level. That is, of course, if I stay with the Domestic rate. TOU-D-TEV would improve my cost by about $400/year, while the second meter on TOU-EV-1 with the first meter still Domestic for the house would save me a little under $600/year. My expenditure over what it would take to get power to the garage using one meter would be about $800 to $1000. So, for me, it will pay for itself in about two or three years.

Choosing a place for the meter and panel was a bit of a problem for me, because there is no more room on either side of my current meter, and I'm told that it has to be next to the old one. The current one is right at the corner of the house, so I guess the other one will have to be on the adjacent wall around the corner.

Anyway, if all goes well, we will pull permits tomorrow.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Edison will set the meter and get power to it, but all the other hardware (panel, circuit breakers, wire, conduit, etc.) is on me.

 

[TRONZ]

OK just got off the phone with SCE (Rudy). He came out and inspected our utility closet and gave me some choices. Pretty much the second TOU is looking best but this is his concern. He is not sure where the new panel can fit. Not alot of room left over in the closet so Physical dimensions are critical. What is the SMALLEST size panel I should be looking at? Is a 100amp panel the smallest or can I try smaller for the typical EVSE equipment we are seeing? :!: Rudy is sending me a fax of what he would like to see in our utility closet and a preferred location If it is new info I will post.

Would a 100amp panel like this work???

http://www.hardwareandtools.com/Square-D-HOM612L100SCP-Homeline-100-Amp-Main-Lug-Indoor-Load-Center-6719793.html

 

[mitch672]

OK just got off the phone with SCE (Rudy). He came out and inspected our utility closet and gave me some choices. Pretty much the second TOU is looking best but this is his concern. He is not sure where the new panel can fit. Not alot of room left over in the closet so Physical dimensions are critical. What is the SMALLEST size panel I should be looking at? Is a 100amp panel the smallest or can I try smaller for the typical EVSE equipment we are seeing? :!: Rudy is sending me a fax of what he would like to see in our utility closet and a preferred location If it is new info I will post.

you should be able to get a very small 60-100A, 4-8 circuit panel even at Home Depot or Lowes (Square D Homeline is reliable and inexpensive, and breakers are inexpensive as well). a 4 circuit panel is something like $20, and it very small, like 8" high, by say 4-5" wide, by 4" deep or so. Go to HD or Lowes and check them out, you can get exact dimensions there, or even just buy one, they are very inexpensive.

 

[TRONZ]

Wow! Got the fax from SCE. Looks like I am going to be VERY dimensionally challenged on putting in a second meter/panel. Gonna go beat my head against a wall for awhile....

 

[Boomer23]

Wow! Got the fax from SCE. Looks like I am going to be VERY dimensionally challenged on putting in a second meter/panel. Gonna go beat my head against a wall for awhile....

So what's the specific problem? I have a similar issue. I only have about 12 inches of width of exterior wall between my main panel and a sliding door frame, and no option of locating the second panel around the corner. I'm hoping that a separate meter socket like the one pictured in Danny's drawings, along with a small load center or sub-panel with 3 or 4 breaker slots will work.

Is SCE allowing you to use a separate meter socket with a sub-panel, or are they requiring you to use an all-in-one meter panel that will have to be much larger?

 

[Boomer23]

Wow! Got the fax from SCE. Looks like I am going to be VERY dimensionally challenged on putting in a second meter/panel. Gonna go beat my head against a wall for awhile....

So what's the specific problem?

TRONZ, are you still with us or did you really knock yourself cold...? TRONZ...

 

[TRONZ]

OK, just got back from the HOA meeting and it was a non event. They loved the idea of EV's showing up and could care less about what SCE does. So the path is now cleared for me, SCE and the Building dept to try and figure out what the heck can be done in our buildings existing utility closet. I think I am going to plan a face to face meeting with Rudy (The EV Planner for SCE) asap.

 

[Boomer23]

Great news, TRONZ, good for you and your HOA, very encouraging.

Can you let us know whether SCE will allow you to use a space-saving separate meter socket and load center as opposed to a full, large meter panel for the second meter?

Thanks.