Home Charging Advice

[teacherdoc]

Was hoping for advice on how to proceed with my charging set up.
I have a 6-50 outlet (50 amps).
I have a rivian wall charger that I am going to have an electrician install. Should I have him convert that outlet and use the wires for the wall charger (I guess this would cap wall charger at 40 amps - with proper adjustments) OR should I leave the outlet there and have him create a new 60a circuit and install the wall charger above that outlet (I park right in front of that area). Thanks for your input!

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[Christopher]

If you're going to be spending money on an electrician, I'd have them run a new circuit for the Rivian charger and keep the 6-50 and convert the 6-50 to 14-50. Always good to have.

New circuit would be a $15-$30 60a breaker and 6 feet of 4/3 NM-B for $75, plus 1hr labor.


Your panel and where the charger location are would be a very easy install.

If you don't want to spend anything, just cancel or return the Rivian charger and use the mobile charger to the existing 6-50 with an adapter

 

[Cosmacelf]

Seems that the previous occupant had an EVSE that could be plugged into a 6-50 outlet. If you are paying full price for your Rivian EVSE, I’d recommend checking out other EVSEs that can plug into 6-50 receptacle and call it a day. 40A vs 48A charging isn’t a huge difference unless you routinely do a lot of driving.

Re-reading your post, it says you already have a Rivian wall charger. In that case, yeah, just install a new 60A circuit. Don’t get freaked out when he decides to use 6 gauge Romex, which is likely what he’ll use.

Alternatively, you could buy a 6-50 extension cord, chop off the receptacle end and connect it to the Rivian EVSE yourself, no electrician.

 

[electruck]

Sorry but 6/3 NM-B (Romex) does NOT meet code (inadequate temp spec) and should NOT be used to wire a 48A EVSE. No competent electrician should be using Romex for this. 6 AWG THHN through conduit would be a proper install for a short run like that.

 

[Christopher]

Sorry but 6/3 NM-B (Romex) does NOT meet code (inadequate temp spec) and should NOT be used to wire a 48A EVSE. No competent electrician should be using Romex for this. 6 AWG THHN through conduit would be a proper install for a short run like that.

I stand corrected, thank you. 6/3 would only allow for 44a so you'd have to dial back the charger or go to 4/3.

THHN/THWN in conduit would be unnecessary extra work running conduit since the panel is recessed in drywall and the run would be inside the drywall.

 

[Tango45]

If you're going to be spending money on an electrician, I'd have them run a new circuit for the Rivian charger and keep the 6-50 and convert the 6-50 to 14-50. Always good to have.

New circuit would be a $15-$30 60a breaker and 6 feet of 4/3 NM-B for $75, plus 1hr labor.


Your panel and where the charger location are would be a very easy install.

If you don't want to spend anything, just cancel or return the Rivian charger and use the mobile charger to the existing 6-50 with an adapter

This. 100%. With your panel that close, it’ll be peanuts to have the electrician install a 60 amp circuit and hardwire the Rivian EVSE so you get the fastest possible charge speed (my panel was in the basement, like 30ft from the install location). I’d also have the electrician change the 6-50 to a 14-50 to give you flexibility for that one time in your life when you absolutely have to charge two EVs at the same time. Just because it’s already there…

 

[electruck]

I stand corrected, thank you. 6/3 would only allow for 44a so you'd have to dial back the charger or go to 4/3.

THHN/THWN in conduit would be unnecessary extra work since the panel is recessed in drywall and the run would be inside the drywall.

Although I have seen one report of someone being able to force(?) 4 AWG wire into the terminals, the terminals are designed for a max of 6 AWG.

40A vs 48A charging isn't going to make that huge of a difference but if I were already having an electrician out to install a new circuit, I would go ahead and max out the EVSE. Patching drywall is not a big deal.

 

[Christopher]

Although I have seen one report of someone being able to force(?) 4 AWG wire into the terminals, the terminals are designed for a max of 6 AWG.

40A vs 48A charging isn't going to make that huge of a difference but if I were already having an electrician out to install a new circuit, I would go ahead and max out the EVSE. Patching drywall is not a big deal.

That was me. I ran 4 AWG THWN just in case newer charger tech allowed for higher amperage in the future or if I wanted to run a sub panel and split it. Let me tell you it was a b**** to get those wires inside the Rivian charger but I got it done.

 

[EarlyAdptr]

For what it's worth, I struggled with this decision as well. I'm happy with my ultimate choice (Rivian Wall charger direct-wired to panel) but now that I've had my R1S the charging power of the NEMA circuit would have been more than capable. I've throttled my charge rate down to 30amps each night and it still only takes a few hours. I haven't really put much in the way of miles on the truck yet - so haven't stressed about range much - just my normal daily driving (~30 miles / day).

 

[Cosmacelf]

Sorry but 6/3 NM-B (Romex) does NOT meet code (inadequate temp spec) and should NOT be used to wire a 48A EVSE. No competent electrician should be using Romex for this. 6 AWG THHN through conduit would be a proper install for a short run like that.

Absolutely correct, the reason I said dont freak out if the electrician uses 6 gauge Romex for 60A is that a lot of electricians do that anyways. That rating is meant to protect installation for worse case scenarios like running Romex above the insulation in an attic that could hit 130 F in the summer. In a wall, many electricians wouldn’t see a problem using it, but you are correct that it isn’t code.

The easy correct thing to do is to use 6 gauge MC cable for 60A installs. More info about all of this here: https://carcharging.us/tech/install.php

 

[rivianguy]

Was hoping for advice on how to proceed with my charging set up.
I have a 6-50 outlet (50 amps).
I have a rivian wall charger that I am going to have an electrician install. Should I have him convert that outlet and use the wires for the wall charger (I guess this would cap wall charger at 40 amps - with proper adjustments) OR should I leave the outlet there and have him create a new 60a circuit and install the wall charger above that outlet (I park right in front of that area). Thanks for your input!

I'd leave the one you have and get a new full 60 put in to max out the Rivian charger.

 

[teacherdoc]

Thank you for all the advice!

 

[dekeen]

Unless you need that current outlet for something else, I would just use that circuit and
swap the 6-50R for a 14-50R and set the dip switches on the Rivian wall charger to 40 amps. You won't notice the difference in charging speed. You are fine with a 50 amp circuit.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Unless you need that current outlet for something else, I would just use that circuit and
swap the 6-50R for a 14-50R and set the dip switches on the Rivian wall charger to 40 amps. You won't notice the difference in charging speed.

Depends on the use case.

40A charging should get ~20 miles per hour range gained. That is sufficient for most, but I wouldn't say it's not noticeable.

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