Is Hardwiring an EV Charger Better than Using an Outlet -- Plus all the Electrical Work We Had Done

[@Longsnowsm]

This is why I keep my charge rate turned down. I saw another video where it was explained that turning up the amp rate was causing the breaker to kick and the outlet to get hot. With the Tesla you can turn down the amp rate. I am just plugged in, but I don't need the car to charge fast so I dialed back the rate. I also bought a mobile charger that I can select the charge rate. I don't think I will add a charging station because I like the flexibility of having the plug if I need it. I will just keep my amp rate turned down.

[@BrianCooper901]

Ours is just a plug but it's not very high powered, 220V 30amp I believe. The plug and the end of our cord is in a NEMA rated box so I would hope there is some fire protection built into that before the breaker trips. I don't think we would ever need one that was bigger at our house since we can charge overnight if necessary. Hard wiring seems like it would be better since it is a fixed connection where as an outlet is subject to wear especially if it is plugged and unplugged on a regular basis. Not all outlets are created equal either there are some low quality ones out there.

[@jmanko]

The problem with 14-50's melting is because people go to Lowes or Home Depot and get the cheap $10 leviton plug. That plug isn't meant for 40 amps of continuous usage over 6-12 hours. You need to buy Hubble or any other brand that is certified for EV charging. They normally cost upwards of $50 to $100. Very heavy duty. I have a hubble brand outlet in my garage. Charge my car up 40 amps. Had it going for 10 hours continuous before with no issues. Outlet is still as good as new. Now one thing I don't do that maybe this Tesla guy does is I don't pull the plug out testing different chargers. It's been plugged in since day 1 and I've left it there. So no room for the prongs wearing out.

[@ArkansasEV]

Until last year I worked at Lowe's for over 12 years and in the electric department quite often and nobody ever told me this. I never knew how cheaply made those outlets were. I'm sure it's what I have but with only a 16 amps maximum cord I guess it's fine for now. Of course if someone has to depend on the Lowe's or Home Depot employee to truly help them with their electric or plumbing problem then they probably just need to call an expert to do the work for them. So many times, especially in plumbing, customers would be asking me questions that I did not know the answer to. I'm not a plumber. They'd get really irritated that I could not explain to them how to fix their problem. In electric we were not allowed to tell them much at all because if we did and their house burned down they'd cry and moan then say it was our fault and go see a lawyer.

[@Bashaum]

This is one of the reasons i had my EVSE hardwired in, one less point of failure point. Also, i wanted the additional charging speed that hardwiring gives you. I bought an Emporia.

[@DS-mz7dy]

I have a plug on a 30 amp circuit that uses a clipper creek EVSE to charge my volt. The volt charges pretty slow anyway and it's all I need to charge. The top amperage of the EVSE is 16 amps so it is well within the safety limit of the circuit. The problem people have with plugs is using cheap NEMA receptacles that weren't meant to draw power for as long as EVs do, they were meant for things like welders and clothes dryers which don't typically have a load on them as long as an EV. I'm pretty sure that you must hard-wire an EVSE if it is over 48 amps (which is the max draw on a 60 amp circuit). Your low amperage EVSE probably is just fine for charging, just takes a little longer and will still be done by morning.