Best EVSE/charging solution for my situation?

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6-3 wire looks like @ $260 vs. 6-2 wire being $160. Is there a decent chance that a future car/EVSE would require the 6-3 wire instead? I don't want to spend money for nothing, but I don't want to kick myself later either.
 
It seems unlikely that the J-1772 standard will be changed or abandoned anytime soon, so charging stations aren't likely to start using neutral wires. Just remember that to have a normal 240 volt outlet for a dryer or welder or RV connection you should have the neutral wire there. If this will always be for just a charging station you should be ok.
 
jake14mw said:
6-3 wire looks like @ $260 vs. 6-2 wire being $160. Is there a decent chance that a future car/EVSE would require the 6-3 wire instead? I don't want to spend money for nothing, but I don't want to kick myself later either.

My Daddy taught me, if you're going to take the time to do it, then spend the time doing it right. I would run number 6 wire, and make sure I had all four wires. You never know what the future holds.
 
My memory may be faulty, so I'll just pose this as a question:
Are more wires used in a socket installation vs hard-wired ?
 
SageBrush said:
My memory may be faulty, so I'll just pose this as a question:
Are more wires used in a socket installation vs hard-wired ?
L2 is two hot and ground only.
If you use a NEMA 14-50 then code requires a neutral that will be unused for an L2 EVSE.
 
LeftieBiker said:
It seems unlikely that the J-1772 standard will be changed or abandoned anytime soon, so charging stations aren't likely to start using neutral wires. Just remember that to have a normal 240 volt outlet for a dryer or welder or RV connection you should have the neutral wire there. If this will always be for just a charging station you should be ok.

The only exception that I know of is the stock conversion. It uses the neutral so the EVSE runs at 120V but the EVSE's J1772 neutral is connected to the other hot wire through a relay. The only disadvantage it that the unit remains a 12A unit. At 240VAC it is twice as fast as at 120VAC but not as fast as a dedicated L2 30A unit.
 
If I go with 6-3, is this wire the right stuff? https://www.amazon.com/Southwire-63950002-125-NMB-Cable/dp/B001D4C2OO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1514261339&sr=8-4&keywords=6-3+wire
 
jake14mw said:
If I go with 6-3, is this wire the right stuff? https://www.amazon.com/Southwire-63950002-125-NMB-Cable/dp/B001D4C2OO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1514261339&sr=8-4&keywords=6-3+wire

I believe so, but wait for one of the electricians here to confirm it.
 
jake14mw said:
If I go with 6-3, is this wire the right stuff? https://www.amazon.com/Southwire-63950002-125-NMB-Cable/dp/B001D4C2OO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1514261339&sr=8-4&keywords=6-3+wire

That will work. Just remember that it is not for use where it may get wet in the course of normal use. If used in conduit, it needs to be large enough that the fill rate is around 50-60% (can't remember what code requires).
 
jake14mw said:
What size PVC conduit for the 6-3 wire?
PVC conduit is only required if the NM cable is exposed to damage or for aesthetics. If the PVC is just a sleeve, then any size it will fit in will work. You'll still need to clamp the cable to the destination enclosure.

If the PVC conduit is complete from box to box, you'd need to use at least 1" PVC. But you'd be better off pulling individual wires.

Cheers, Wayne
 
wwhitney: Isn't there an argument to be made for using cable rather than individual wires from the standpoint that a cable of 3 or 4 wires is much less likely to be damaged when pulling thru a conduit, especially less likely to be bent at an acute angle at some point and/or stretched and thereby reducing the wire's cross-section at that point? So at the very least a non-experienced installer needs to be more careful using individual wires?
 
No, I think pulling a cable would be harder, the overall jacket on the cable will restrict the motion of the component conductors. The increased pulling force would be more likely to damage the conductors, although I'm not sure that there would be much chance of damage either way. Nobody pulls cables through conduit, except short sleeves or short distances to avoid having to do a splice.

Cheers, Wayne
 
The Romex runs 60 ft through the basement. The conduit is only being used in the garage because I am running on the surface of the wall. Total run is 30 ft with 3 90 degree bends. Thanks.
 
I believe code backs up the "common sense" notion that if a vehicle could possibly crush a cable/wiring along a solid wall then that cable/wiring should be protected by thick metal conduit and not PVC. In my case the Blink installers (electricians) ran a NM 8-2 cable from the breaker panel along the floor joists in the basement ceiling and only used a protective metal conduit for 4 feet down the cinder block wall to the direct wired EVSE.
 
MikeD said:
I believe code backs up the "common sense" notion that if a vehicle could possibly crush a cable/wiring along a solid wall then that cable/wiring should be protected by thick metal conduit and not PVC.
Nope. It does specify that if you are installing PVC conduit to protect cable from damage, it should be schedule 80 PVC (2011 334.15(B)). But I don't think any wiring method is going to be adequate for a direct vehicle strike; that is a good reason to run the cable higher up the wall.

If I were trying to be as quick and cheap as possible and didn't care about aesthetics (i.e. not actually me), I'd run the NM cable at the wall/ceiling corner. Any part of the cable under 7' above the floor would be protected with Schedule 80 PVC.

Cheers, Wayne
 
smkettner said:
Consider using armored cable for a few extra $$
Code-wise that wouldn't be of any benefit--types NM, MC, and AC cable are all prohibited where subject to physical damage.

Cheers, Wayne
 
wwhitney said:
smkettner said:
Consider using armored cable for a few extra $$
Code-wise that wouldn't be of any benefit--types NM, MC, and AC cable are all prohibited where subject to physical damage.

Cheers, Wayne
So my electrician should not have run this stuff in my garage???

afc-cable-systems-armored-cable-1420-32-00-64_400_compressed.jpg


https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Wire-Armored-Cable/6/N-5yc1vZc57mZ1z10myq

What on earth is the purpose?
 
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