Level 2 EV Charger Hardwire Install (Chargepoint Homeflex)

This video shows how I completed a hardwire installation of the Chargepoint Homeflex Level 2 EV Charger.

[@anpou1129]

Thank you for your advice. I just ordered this same unit and forwarded your video to the electrician who will be doing the installation. I like the hardwire installation resulting in less failure points. Thanks again and great job!

[@bmoulas]

You got a great deal on the electrician. I'm installing this on my own. Going to run 4AWG wire / 70A Breaker. Will put a junction box behind the charger and feed 6AWG wire to the charger itself. Thanks for the leg work on the two screws to secure the case. I added that to my shopping list.

[@charged176]

Glad this helped! I couldn't find any reference about those screws, so I had to make a video to cover it haha!

[@JohnDoe95876]

I got some good ideas from this. TY. On a side note, installing the breaker, and connecting the wiring, is extremely simple. I plan to install my own....no electrician

[@charged176]

Good luck! Glad it helped you with some ideas.

[@davehooper5462]

Great video. It's going to be helpful. I'm going to install mine inside my garage but will still use the methods you did. Identifying the exact supplies that are needed will be very helpful in getting everything together for my installation. Thanks very much!

[@keithharrington4595]

Talk with your local building inspector and a local electrician. Permits maybe required in your jurisdiction. The 2020 NEC requires recepticles in your garages to be GFCI protected, even 250 volt recepticles, their number choice in section 210.8. (A). And wires not inside the walls may need "protection", put in a piping system or tubing.

[@Angel68LA]

Thank you so much for this video. Extremely helpful.

[@jarretbyrd1]

Appreciate the time you took to share this! It will certainly help with the charger install for our new EV! 🙏🏾 💪🏿

[@andrewoh5049]

Great video, thank you very much. I got many useful tips.

[@Dimka1981]

Great video! Thank you so much! Looks fine on the wall! Did you apply for permit from your town?

[@lc5536]

No permit required to my knowledge.

[@kenpumford754]

Good video, very helpful. BTW, how much did the electrician charge?

[@charged176]

Thanks! I paid about $500 for the electrician.

[@sdavis841]

Nice video but can you film the actual charging? Thanks

[@michaelgreen683]

Thanks, dude!! Huge help!!

[@ron1972]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@keithharrington4595]

Caution to all. The NEC is a legal document that your insurance company might be able to stick in your behind should something go wrong. Yes, they may not have to cover fire damage if the NEC is violated. Also, if you are the violator, lawyers may be able to come after you individually. Yes, you might have to buy your roommate a car should theirs be a casualty.

[@rungavagairun]

Good video. Does your model have wifi and the app? If so, how do you like it? If you've been using this charger for over a year, how about a follow up?

[@cyberathlete]

Thank you for this helpful video. Is there a way to limit the rate at which you're charging your vehicle? I just got this installed today, but the car manual says ideal to stay within 30A-40A for charging over night. I have it installed at 60A hardwired. How can I limit the charge rate thank you! PS: My car will be here next week but wanted to know about the various settings and options.

[@charged176]

Glad this helped! You can set the charge rate on the app. Your vehicle should also have a setting that limits the charge rate.

[@deetle1924]

Can you show how the ground wire is connected to the charg point. ?

[@NathanGarcia-m6o]

Beware that the wire is not rated for a 60a circuit. The wire is only rated for 55A. If you wanted it to be rated at 60a you would have to use THHN not NM. Also, wire is not rated to be in conduit outdoors.

[@Airborn14]

Great video. What type of 3/4” liquid tight conduit did you purchase? I’m also looking do to the same install but longer run ~ 75’

[@charged176]

It was from Lowe's, not sure the specific brand name 🤔...

[@omer.khan1]

Why 3/4 coupling, can I put 1 inch coupling instead?

[@motch6182]

How many AMPS is your main panel?

[@twhala]

Not sure if you are allow to run Romex cable thru the conduit. Why not use 6 AWG THHN cable?

[@charged176]

From everything I am reading, you are correct. It was handled by an electrician, he may have cut a corner. Although it seems like extra work to terminate romex, turn it into THHN, code is code....

[@jside83]

My buddy used 2 #6 THHN wires with a #10 ground on a 50 amp breaker hardwired. When he turned on the breaker there was a pop in the charger, and upon further inspection the little small “coiled” fuse inside the charger had blown. Any idea why this happened? I wanted to do my own, but now think I will be hiring an electrician

[@charged176]

Sorry to hear this. Must have mixed up some of the wires. Let us know when you can confirm the problem. Definitely go with an electrician.

[@deetle1924]

I am confused. A 240 cable in the USA has 4 wires. 2x 120 volt. 1x neutral and 1x ground. But the charger only has 3 connectors. In the video it connects 2 wires and green ground cable. So you just don't use the neutral?

[@jifferwyght8871]

On 240 there can be 2 load wires and a ground. Or 2 load wires , a neutral and a ground. For example 6/2 with ground or 6/3 with ground. It will specced out by the manufacturer if a neutral is needed. Water heaters typically didn't call for the neutral but times they are a changing.

[@david4gtr592]

Excellent video, you gave me several great ideas. My chargepoint homeflex will be in the garage, and I was planning to use a 50 amp breaker as the BMW X3e I bought apparently can't take too many amps, so too high would just be overkill. I actually cant find a suggestion on what the max amps a hybrid bMW can take, so it's driven me crazy trying to plan the circuit, but you really helped me out. Thank you!

[@keithharrington4595]

The National Electrical Code has its own section on car chargers. Around section 626 (not with my book). Gfci breakers for car charging recepticles, circuit rated for 125% of current used because it is considered a continuous load, so your 50 amp circuit can only handle a 40 amp charging. And I think it is 110.14 that requires terminals on equipment be rated at 60 c for less than 100 amps, so when you see thhn at some high amperage in the 90 c column, when you connect it to your breaker it drops to the 60 c rating. But please start with your building department to see if a permit is needed. This may be your legal standing against your insurance company should your house burn to the ground. One last thing. Electricians are not arrogant know-it-alls. They simply understand the the codes are generally written with the blood or tears of people. They care that the job be done correctly more than who does it. "KNOWLEDGE IS THE TREASURE THAT YOU GIVE ALL OF YOURS AWAY AND STILL HAVE EVERYTHING YOU STARTED WITH." So, is it stealing if you take some from someone else? That impossible problem for you, might be an average Tuesday solution for an electrician. Good luck.

[@GTIZmoKiDD]

Did you order hardwired or nema?

[@electricpony575]

did you use 6/2 ? it looks looks there is a grounding screw on the center A/C connector so why not go with 6/3?

[@gregb5876]

Why not run the cable directly through the wall? We're you required to go through your soffit?

[@charged176]

You can go through the wall into the back of the charger, but there were firebreaks and lots of stuff blocking the inside of my garage where we would have had to make the cuts.

[@andrewhaines7404]

I see that this video is about a year old. How has it held up being outside in the weather? Are you in an area that gets snow?

[@charged176]

It is working great and just like new. Mounted in a location that gets minimal sunlight. We never get snow here.

[@ParkRoadGuy]

With the breaker, does it matter which of the two 'hot' wires are connected to which spot on the breaker?

[@lc5536]

Gonna defer to an actual electrician. Good luck!

[@keithharrington4595]

No, for a 240 volt home circuit, no. With hot to either breaker terminal, neutral (if there is one required) to the neutral bus/bar and ground to the ground bus/bar. Many projects you can do yourself, but it might not help to have a pro double check you and after that, the inspector guy if required.

[@joshluvsla]

Did the green light come on once you turned on the circuit breaker? I think I got a faulty one

[@charged176]

The green light is on when you are connected to the internet. I believe it is white when you are not connected to the internet.

[@superjwalter2011]

@@charged176 Why does it need to be connected to the net? If I don't care about tracking usage, and scheduling charges, can I just charge without internet connection? It is simply a plug after all??

[@charged176]

@superjwalter2011 after initial setup, it will still charge without an internet connection. I am not sure if it will work if you do not do initial setup.

[@davidneidhart4114]

I'm not a licensed electrician, but the "dial it up to 11 with the app" comment gives me concerns, especially since Romex cable inside vinyl coated flex conduit will not dissipate heat as effectively as THHN wire inside EMT. And I believe THHN is usually rated to 90°C vs 60°C for Romex. 6 Gauge Romex might not even meet code with a 60 Amp breaker. Kinda depends on who you ask, as far as I can tell. And stuffing it inside 3/4 inch conduit is controversial even if you run it conservatively ( "fill ratio" factors into heat dissipation ). Which begs the question: why not run THHN inside the conduit instead of Romex? No conduit in the soffit or elsewhere? Just another geek trying to sort out his own Homeflex installation. Thanks for the reminder to get a real honest-to-gosh electrician involved... My wife and my insurance company would be really pissed if I burned down the house!

[@lc5536]

I definitely am not advocating operating any equipment past its intended settings or tolerances. As to your other questions on the materials, I am sure that there is at some point maximum efficient/optimal combination of material ratings that can be used. I chose what met the specs and what I considered most aesthetic. No issues with my installation after 1 year of use.

[@digjoeyt]

I could be wrong but his cable on the ground before install didn't look like romex. It looked like 6/3 600-Volt Black Flexible Portable Power SOOW Cord which would be the best in my mind!! Weather and oil resistent!! Expensive cable but good!! Or did he say it was romex?

[@vitaminC231]

@@digjoeyt He didn't mention the cable type, but if so, that is nice haha!

[@digjoeyt]

@@Billy.80 gotcha, good catch. I'm doing the same as him as far as running a dedicated from the meter main, but planning on using 6/3 soow for 100 ft. I want to somewhat futureproof the ChargePoint service. I guess I could save a buck or two @ ft using THHN, but for the long run not as manageable or neat. And the cable will be inside and outside. I'm not an electrician but handy. Still I will have a licensed sparky doing the termination work. Next thinking of solar paneling the roof and going net metered.

[@keithharrington4595]

@@digjoeyt please check tje National Electric Code on this one. There is a section on soow and its allowable uses. Under the "Not Allowed" uses is permanent building wire. Not with my book so if you need a section number, hit me up and I will find it.

[@ericdiamond7194]

Just curious, why did you install outside instead of in the garage ?

[@daniel3801]

Because he parks outside?

[@andrejamal5438]

It charges faster than inside

[@keithharrington4595]

A question for the pro's: 2020 NEC 625.44 (C). Allows for direct wiring like this video. Does the charger now qualify as an "appliance" under article 100 requiring a disconnect under article 422. Yes a receptacle counts as a disconnect or a lockable breaker if it is not in site of, but does the article positions 400 and 600 separate these requirements or should this man have also installed an A/C type disconnect on the side of his house?

[@pld8993]

Under 625.44, because this charger is mounted to the wall and would need a tool to remove, it is required to be hardwired, no recep allowed in this case. It is not an appliance under 422 because it is identified as Special Equipment and subject to 625. No disconnect needed because it's not more than 60A, 625.43.

[@keithharrington4595]

Smart to involve a pro. You are with level 2 effectively adding another stove to your house. Are your wires big enough....no your service wires. A look in your main panel may get you 50 amps stove 50 amps a/c heating 30 amps water heater 5 - 20 amp breakers 6 - 15 amp breakers. A total of about 410 amps without the 50 amps for the car. With a 200 amp service you can easily see that adding the breaker size is not how it is done. Several considerations enter into the calculations and at the time of building, the wires are shrunken down to support the calculations, yes smaller wires for what is there. Please make sure your service can support this. You might need a second one just to get your car charged.

[@jasoneaton4514]

That's not how load calculations work

[@keithharrington4595]

@@jasoneaton4514 please explain away. I will break out my nec and follow your references.

[@christianpeacecraft552]

Only certified electricians to install chargepoint ?

[@lc5536]

No, you can do it yourself, but they are the pros that can keep you within code and safe.

[@jeremymaas8464]

Hahaha, why didn't you just go ahead and pay an extra one time fee for the hopefully licensed electrician to allow you to film him working for educational purposes? Hell, you might then have garnered enough views to collect a bit of revenue from you tube to cover the cost of installation!! Could you please keep your excitement down in any future videos, and try to remain calm and somewhat monotone? Thanks a million!!!