Option for 220v

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regundo

New member
Joined
Jan 12, 2019
Messages
3
Hello, I am renting a house and I have a 220v outlet in a room next to a window, and also there are holes drilled in the corner for cable wire.

What's my best bet for getting this to the leaf? Can I run a wire through the window, or drill a hole? Would it be a big deal for my landlord if I get it done properly?

What kind of ESVE should I get?

I've attached some pictures of the outlet, room, and fuse box. Is my fuse box ok to go?

Thanks!

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Geez! Fuses?

Can you get a better shot of the prongs on the outlet, perhaps with your flash on and/or more lighting? From me guessing by the pic and looking at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector#/media/File:NEMA_simplified_pins.svg, it might be NEMA 6-15.
 
Technically you have a 240 volt circuit that can handle up to a 24 amp charging cable (but not the 30 amp unit that comes with the 2018 Leaf). In reality, that circuit is likely too old for the job to be handled safely by it. If the landlord won't at least pull new cable through the same route and install a new outlet, I'd suggest using a 16 or 20 amp charging cable, to allow for the degradation. You definitely want a new outlet, though. And that house needs new wiring.
 
That electric is scary. It looks like every fuse is a 30 amp. Chances are all the wires in that panel aren't 10 gauge. You probably have 12 gauge wire running on 30 amp fuses. At some point the fuses were getting blown and someone just kept putting bigger fuses in till they stopped popping. That's a potentially deadly situation.

That A/C plug is a nema 6-30. It should have 10 gauge wire going to it if it was intended to be used for an air conditioner. Since the receptacle was next to a window it's probably a safe bet.

I rented out my starter house that was built in 1960. The 1960 wiring was ok, the wire junctions were all bad and the ck serries panel was junk. After redoing the junctions, adding a bunch of circuits, replacing all the old switches, receptacles and most of the fixtures then upgrading to a square d QO main panel I felt comfortable renting it out.
 
It least it is better than a penny under a blown fuse. A reason for breakers is that you can not up size the fuses.with them.
 
regundo said:
Can I ... drill a hole? Would it be a big deal for my landlord if I get it done properly?
Yes, it would be a big deal. Don't do it.

But I'd definitely try to negotiate a complete electrical upgrade, which could include a new outlet for your EVSE. Just don't take it upon yourself.
 
Thanks guys. I asked my landlord and she said she'd try to see if her brother-in-law knows anyone who could check it out...

I'm wondering if I shouldn't insist on getting an actual electrician out there.

Question: If she doesn't want to spend that much money, would it be possible to just upgrade that outlet + line (if need be) and maybe a 110 outlet (for my computer) and have it work properly? I know the rest of the house wouldn't be so safe, but would that allow me to charge my car and have a working line for computer/tv?

Thanks.
 
Moving that outlet to the exterior is not a huge deal. You'd make the hole on the outside exactly behind the interior outlet, then mount a new outdoor electrical box. If that's close enough to your car, mount a new outdoor outlet there and you'd be done. If it's not close enough, then instead of mounting the outlet there, you would then run conduit from the new electrical box to where you DO need the outlet, and mount another box and the outlet where you do need it. The landlord would have to be OK with the aesthetics. Finally, remove the interior outlet and put on a blank cover (or remove the interior box and patch with drywall).

Need I mention that this should be done by knowledgeable personnel and be permitted?
 
A most electricians are only going to pull permits for major stuff like service upgrades and such.

That fuse box is going to need to be ripped out and replaced with a breaker box.
When I was living in Virginia in 2006 the house I was renting was getting a fuse box to breaker box upgrade. I asked the guy how much he was charging to do it, $4,000. That's when I realized that I was in the wrong line of work.
Bought some books, learned to do my own.
 
Some nanny state municipalities require permits be pulled to change a light switch.
So it don't always happen.
What's required by law and what actually happens are usually not one in the same.
 
regundo said:
Hello, I am renting a house and I have a 220v outlet in a room next to a window, and also there are holes drilled in the corner for cable wire.

OMG! I can't believe that panel is still in use. That fuse system has to date back to the 1920s. I wouldn't even want to live there!

Edit: Surprised to see how common it is to still see this type of system in use, and the fuses so readily available. I found one YouTube video that said these went out of code in like 1928. I can't imagine how they've managed to stay in use for so long.
 
Question: If she doesn't want to spend that much money, would it be possible to just upgrade that outlet + line (if need be) and maybe a 110 outlet (for my computer) and have it work properly? I know the rest of the house wouldn't be so safe, but would that allow me to charge my car and have a working line for computer/tv?

That would be possible. Once again, though, modern grids have 120 and 240 volts, not 110 and 220.
 
mwalsh said:
regundo said:
Hello, I am renting a house and I have a 220v outlet in a room next to a window, and also there are holes drilled in the corner for cable wire.

OMG! I can't believe that panel is still in use. That fuse system has to date back to the 1920s. I wouldn't even want to live there!

Edit: Surprised to see how common it is to still see this type of system in use, and the fuses so readily available. I found one YouTube video that said these went out of code in like 1928. I can't imagine how they've managed to stay in use for so long.

It cost the land lord $4,000 to upgrade the panel in the house I used to live in.
That might be part of it.
It may be so bad that no electrician wants to touch it unless they are doing a full home rewire.
 
Oilpan4 said:
It cost the land lord $4,000 to upgrade the panel in the house I used to live in.
That might be part of it.
It may be so bad that no electrician wants to touch it unless they are doing a full home rewire.


I can see that. The insulation on wiring in a 1960's home I was working on (roofing) a few years back was so brittle that I opted to build a new flashing around the service mast in sections, and solder them together, rather than disconnect the service and drop a one-piece flashing over the mast. The insulation is fine until you start messing with it and it literally crumbles in your hands.
 
mwalsh said:
It cost the land lord $4,000 to upgrade the panel in the house I used to live in.
... The insulation is fine until you start messing with it and it literally crumbles in your hands.
Curious definition of "fine". ;)
 
davewill said:
Curious definition of "fine". ;)

I wasn't being paid for electrical work, so I didn't mess with it. Therefore, fine. :D

Actually, I wasn't being paid for the roofing work either, but that's a long story. ;)

I will say this, if I ever moved into that house, a full rewire would be very high on my list. To get grounded outlets if nothing else!
 
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