Electrical wiring for charger

[Zoidz]

Aluminum is permitted by code for certain applications. It's still used frequently for service and subpanel feeds. But the terminal connections must be rated CU/AL (Copper/Aluminum). Most (all?) EVSE are probably not AL rated. The electrican could use a crimp on ferrule rated for AL->CU termination.

But AL must be a larger gauge for the same ampacity, so you get into other physical issues. #6 Copper THHN is rated at 75 amps, around 80 - 90 cents a foot. You need #4 AL THHN for the same 75 amps, around 55 - 65 cents a foot. Aluminum is cheaper, but not a 3x difference, assuming your electrician is buying at a true supply house and not Home Desperate. His quote seems......odd.

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[Electrified Outdoors]

You want a 60 amp circuit for an EV charger that charges at 48 amps. How long of a run are we talking about (from the panel to the charger)? If it were me I would not go with aluminum.

3-4k seems very expensive to me especially if there is no drywall there yet.

Need more info on the length of the run between the breaker panel and charger location. Are they running wire underground? At those prices it sounds like a long run or something where trenching will be involved.

If it is indeed a long run to a garage then I agree install a sub panel. That will make adding on later much easier.

 

[Jay]

Thanks everyone for your input

This is pre drywall. Main panel is on left of the door and I am planning to have Outlet around highlighted blue area so that I can park rivian on right and any future ev can be parked in reverse if needed. Hardly 35ft even from Main panel.

Do you guys advise to get subpanel intalled around the highlighted blue mark and get it taken care afterwards?

 

[SparkyR1t]

If the main panel is in the garage a few feet from where the wall connector will be I would probably have the electrician just run a 1 1/4” empty conduit to a junction box near your blue circle. Then the hard part is done and later basically just need to pull wire and add a breaker in the main panel. This way your costs should be maybe $150-$200 for
Conduit and a junction box.

 

[WSea]

Interesting. I did not know aluminium wire was still allowed. You did not say what kind of charger, but the Rivian charger specifically says copper only in the manual. And that would be up to a 60 amp circuit.

In seattle City Light uses aluminum for your overhead or underground connections

 

[WSea]

The only place you should even consider aluminum wire is the utility service feed to your meter on the house. They will typically use aluminum either underground or overhead.

Your prices quoted seem high unless we are 150’ from your main panel to the garage

I personally would have a 100 amp subpanel In the garage and then you can branch out easily from that panel to automobile wall connectors

Thats what I have and I load share twoTesla wall connectors set for 48amp each one for the Tesla and th other for the Rivian or whatever the future may bring
Good luck

Should have read more comments instead of repeating yours

 

[Cosmacelf]

Thanks everyone for your input

This is pre drywall. Main panel is on left of the door and I am planning to have Outlet around highlighted blue area so that I can park rivian on right and any future ev can be parked in reverse if needed. Hardly 35ft even from Main panel.

Do you guys advise to get subpanel intalled around the highlighted blue mark and get it taken care afterwards?

Ugh! Too bad the builder is behind in asking you about the EV wiring, electricians do not like having to deal with insulation and I don’t blame them.

No, I would not recommend a sub panel, no need.

Running conduit is possible, using 6 gauge THHN wire, but I’m going to stick with my 6/2 MC cable recommendation. Cheaper, easier and quicker. Do NOT let him use 6/2 Romex, or else you’ll be stuck with 50A max, rather than 60A. Explicitly state that.

 

[JWreck]

Oh, it’s Taylor….yeah they’ll rip you right off.

 

[Jay]

Ugh! Too bad the builder is behind in asking you about the EV wiring, electricians do not like having to deal with insulation and I don’t blame them.

No, I would not recommend a sub panel, no need.

Running conduit is possible, using 6 gauge THHN wire, but I’m going to stick with my 6/2 MC cable recommendation. Cheaper, easier and quicker. Do NOT let him use 6/2 Romex, or else you’ll be stuck with 50A max, rather than 60A. Explicitly state that.

Thank you

 

[sub]

Do you plan to live here long? If so, I would plan for the future when all of your vehicles are EVs. Even if you don't currently have any. Plan on 60A per parking space.

But looking at how much they plan to charge you (about 10x what it should be), I might just tell them not to bother and hire a more reasonably priced electrician after you move in. With the main panel in the garage, installing an EV charger should be quite easy even after the drywall goes in.

 

[Jay]

Do you plan to live here long? If so, I would plan for the future when all of your vehicles are EVs. Even if you don't currently have any. Plan on 60A per parking space.

But looking at how much they plan to charge you (about 10x what it should be), I might just tell them not to bother and hire a more reasonably priced electrician after you move in. With the main panel in the garage, installing an EV charger should be quite easy even after the drywall goes in.

Nice idea. Will contact few local certified electricians

 

[golden_frog]

I ran 100 ft of 6/3 Copper wire in my 1993 built home last year. Wire was about $300. Took 2 hours. I'm a physician by trade, but my dad was an HVAC guy so I picked up a lot of skills working with him as a kid. Would not recommend working on a breaker box as an amateur diy guy. But anyone could run the wire on new construction and have an electrician do the last bit of hookup

$4k is insanity and would leave me questioning what other ways the builder is screwing me.

 

[nc10]

Thanks everyone for your input


Do you guys advise to get subpanel intalled around the highlighted blue mark and get it taken care afterwards?

I also put in a Rivian charger on a 60amp circuit, copper 6 ga wire. Very short one.

- I think it will be rare that you will need 2 chargers. We have 2 EV's never have needed to charge both at the same time . Rivian charger cable is long enough to reach both spaces.

- My power company offers a much lower rate , ~ 5 cents/kwhr, if you charge an EV at nite, but 15 cents/kwhr during the day. They required putting in separate meter, though. (my general rate is about 11 cents) You might want to check if you power company offers any EV rates and what you need to do to take advantage of them, before deciding on a subpanel and location. My power company also offered a $200 rebate once I put in the charger. Power company supplied the new meter for EV charging, but I had to put in the box. Looks like my main meter, but tracks charging KWHR during the day and the night separately.

-I got several quotes for putting in my charger last summer. The wiring run was only about 10', from my current incoming meter/breaker box. There was a small breaker box near the meter (had a breaker for well pump) which had room for the 60 amp break for the charger. I supplied the charger. Quotes ranged from $1500 to about $2500, (in South Carolina, fairly low cost of living area) to put in the charger in my garage, the new breaker, and the new meter box, really simple installation.

 

[MIG]

Those are really weird options, and no way should anything come to $4000 for a new home construction, that's ridiculous.

I had 6AWG copper in conduit installed at our home and our country house. The one at our home was a 60-foot run of conduit through a crawlspace terminating on the other side of the block wall in the garage, so a bit of a pain in the ass. Paid $950 including the 60Amp breaker. $4,000 for new construction is just theft.

 

[MIG]

- I think it will be rare that you will need 2 chargers. We have 2 EV's never have needed to charge both at the same time . Rivian charger cable is long enough to reach both spaces.

Rare today, maybe less rare tomorrow. Always a good idea to anticipate future needs.

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