3w ago

Another Dumb Electrical Code Change Could Ban DIY EV Charger Installs

www.motortrend.com

Technology @beehaw.org

lostwonder @beehaw.org

3w ago

Another Dumb Electrical Code Change Could Ban DIY EV Charger Installs

www.motortrend.com /news/nec-2026-diy-home-ev-charger-install-ban

29 comments

Yes, it's total BS.
I'll also share the flip side here, though, from https://electricaleducator.com/for-homeowners/nema-14-50-what-you-need-to-understand/ :
I spoke to Leviton and the general consensus is that the receptacles are not being installed correctly. Additionally, EV chargers draw a load for a longer period of time than a normal appliance. Homeowners and even some electricians are not using the necessary torqueing tools. Terminals that are too loose and, yes, too tight, will fail. Leviton came out with an upgraded version for EV chargers that we will do a deep dive on. If you’re installing an EV Charger, you should probably opt for the more robust Leviton product.
So, it is more dangerous than other appliances, and I've never seen an inspector check tightness. That said, I totally agree that it is unlikely to deter someone from installing one and more likely that people will do a shit job and it'll be done without someone checking it. So, pretty bad either way, honestly.
- Hubbell has one, too.
Permanently installed electric vehicle power transfer system equipment shall be installed by qualified persons.
This seems to indicate direct wired installations, which should only be done by a licensed electrician.
- It could also indicate anything with a control box designed to be fixed in place. Basically anything that isn’t the portable 120v charge cable, because the 240v control boxes have to be “sized” appropriately to the specific circuit they are connected to to prevent the car from overdrawing power.
  
  Yeah, it really does depend on how the municipality /state decides to read it, that’s the worst part. What’s the spirit here?
I feel like having a qualified person perform the installation is more important than the actual permit.
I understand why people don't want this requirement though, it will add at least a couple hundred more dollars to the cost.
IMHO, though, a couple hundred dollars more up front, is worth the headaches down the road from a shitty install.
- IMHO, though, a couple hundred dollars more up front, is worth the headaches down the road from a shitty install.
  Unfortunately, it's nothing but overhead cost for people who are sufficiently skilled and can follow electrical codes. Sigh.
  
  My city specifically says, as a homeowner, I can do basic electrical without pulling permits. Now I'm in the South and I've rented houses which were internally wired with lamp cord - people can and will do some crazy fucking things. But my city doesn't have an unusually high electrical fire rate.
  As always on an old house tho - grandfathered in many ways - I point to things and say "it was like that when I bought it." Why yes, I'm prepared to claim the EV hookup is part of the original 1902 electrical service.
  
  a couple hundred
  Are electricians very cheap where you live? In the US Northeast, I was quoted several thousand for an EVSE install that was about 30' from the breaker and had room in the panel. The hardware is only a couple hundred.
  
  There are plenty of people who are capable of grasping what the three wires (Or whatever the USA has) do and where and how to place and connect them, but there are also fuckwits.
A relevant “dishwasher guy” video just came out this week.
Cheap 240-volt outlets are susceptible to overheating, which can start a fire.
Citation needed. Where does one buy an outlet like this? Certainly not from the big box store.
e: lol, motherfuckers downvoting for asking for a citation because I'm incredulous that a 240V outlet can't handle what the circuit breaker can provide.
- Citation needed. Where does one buy an outlet like this? Certainly not from the big box store.
  Yep, Home Depot, Lowes, etc is where you'll find them. They cost about $15 each.
  These cheap outlets are okay for 240v loads that are only on for short periods of time at lower current, say 20A or maybe 30A. This would be fine for an electric clothes dryer for example. However, once you start pulling 40A through it for 5 or 6 hours, the minimal metal in the construction of the outlet can handle it, and they will literally melt from the heat. When they melt, they can cause fires.
  The outlets that are built to handle the heat and current do exist but they cost $60 to $100 each. Also, putting an outlet in the garage requires GFCI. The cost of a regular 50A breaker is about $20. The GFCI version of the 50A breaker is $120. So folks looking to go cheap will buy the $15 outlet and the $20 breaker and set themselves up for multiple problems.
  
  Wait, WTF? Why can they sell that outlet? Got a link to the testing?
  e: because basically you're saying that my 50A breaker isn't serving a 50A circuit for my dryer and my range. That's fucked up. I know they don't draw that much but the safety should be built in.
  
  This is complete nonsense. Any UL listed plug will sustain a load indefinitely. There are millions of them running dryers in the US for hours at a time already.
I used one of these cheap plugs for installing my MIL's EV charger before I heard of the issues. However, It's been fine because I under-utilized it due to the continuous load. I'm using it on a 40 amp circuit (code allows for this, as there is no 40 amp receptacle, so these plugs are allowed in this situation) with a 40 amp breaker and the charger is set to "40 amps", which is really 32 amps, via dip switches, so it's drawing 80% of 80% of 50 amps.
Given the problems I've heard, though, I might just change it up and just hard wire it, even if I'm almost certainly fine anyway.
Almost nobody actually needs a 50 amp charger, unless you're driving something like a Hummer EV. As long as you're charging at 230V, a 15-20 amp draw is PLENTY for 99% of situations. Even at that lower amperage, most cars would charge from close to dead to 100% in less than 12 hours and the majority of people only discharge above 60-70% on their daily commute. Even a 110V 15 amp outlet can handle charging that overnight.
- Technology Connections has been turning this horse to glue and hopefully it'll start sticking soon.
  Most people don't drive more than a 15A outlet can charge overnight, most days. The solution for the biggest chunk of drivers is a standard household outlet.
  A "dryer outlet" probably more than handles 98% of drivers.
  We have this mentality from driving ICE cars so long that we gotta bring it down to E and then fill it up quick so we can get on with our day. No. Treat it like your cell phone. Charge it up slow when you aren't using it.
  
  Yup. I had to break this habit with my Mother-in-Law. She would park her car at home and not plug it in, then get range anxiety after a few days of that.
  I printed and laminated a "Did you plug your car in?" and put it beneath her alarm panel, so when she armed it at night she'd remember to go plug it in, if she forgot when she got home.
- Even a 110V 15 amp outlet can handle charging that overnight.
  This is something I wish more people realized. If it doesn't fully charge you overnight, it'll get you close, and it'll likely be enough for your daily commute. It also generates less heat and thus is better for the long-term health of your battery to trickle charge instead of fast-charging all the time.
  
  Yeah even 20 amps at 230V is way less intense and is a good middle ground.

29 comments