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NEMA 14-50 Outlet Location

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The Model S is too big to fit in my garage, so I will have to park it in my driveway. I plan to have a NEMA 14-50 outlet installed sometime in the next few weeks, and I need to decide where to put it. I can either mount a weatherproof outlet outside my garage door (which I expect would be rather large and unsightly) or I could have the outlet installed inside the garage and run the charging cable outside to the car. If I choose option 2, would it damage the charging cable if I closed the garage door over it? I have done that before with extension cords without a problem, but I assume they are much thinner than the charging cable will be. If anyone has any thoughts or experience with a similar setup, I would appreciate your feedback.
 
You could put in one of these, this is what camp sites have, you get your 14-50, a "TT-30" (Travel Trailer 30A 120V outlet), and a standard 120V 20A GFCI outlet, $116 + shipping. Needs to be fed from a 60-100A breaker. Plus you are all set if you want to "share" your power and post on "Plugshare" or you ever get an RV :)

Btw, I would recommend outside installation, you will eventually damage the cord if you repeatedly close the garage door on the cord, plus it might be so thick it triggers your garage door auto reverse feature when it hits an object it's closing on

50, 30, 20 amp Surface Mount RV Power Outlet Box - RV Park Supplies

Picture:
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The Model S is too big to fit in my garage, so I will have to park it in my driveway. I plan to have a NEMA 14-50 outlet installed sometime in the next few weeks, and I need to decide where to put it. I can either mount a weatherproof outlet outside my garage door (which I expect would be rather large and unsightly) or I could have the outlet installed inside the garage and run the charging cable outside to the car. If I choose option 2, would it damage the charging cable if I closed the garage door over it? I have done that before with extension cords without a problem, but I assume they are much thinner than the charging cable will be. If anyone has any thoughts or experience with a similar setup, I would appreciate your feedback.

I would consider paying the $1200 for the HPWC as it's designed to be mounted outside. It can be turned all the way down to 32A, and 40A is one of the options.
 
The Model S is too big to fit in my garage, so I will have to park it in my driveway. I plan to have a NEMA 14-50 outlet installed sometime in the next few weeks, and I need to decide where to put it. I can either mount a weatherproof outlet outside my garage door (which I expect would be rather large and unsightly) or I could have the outlet installed inside the garage and run the charging cable outside to the car. If I choose option 2, would it damage the charging cable if I closed the garage door over it? I have done that before with extension cords without a problem, but I assume they are much thinner than the charging cable will be. If anyone has any thoughts or experience with a similar setup, I would appreciate your feedback.

I'm in the same situation. I thought about mounting either the NEMA or the HPWC outside but I think it's too tempting for thieves to do so--you only have to unplug the UMC when the car is plugged in, and all that copper cable hanging from the HPWC 24 hours a day...

The two solutions I've thought of are:

1. Chip out a trough in the concrete below the garage door to run the cable through. This solution leaves the garage door intact and could be easily filled in at a later date.

2. Cut a mouse hole in the bottom of the door and run the cable through that. In this solution you'd also need half of a metal pipe to go over the cable so that the cable is protected from the now sharp edge of the door. There may be some kind of plastic goop that can be used to cover the sharp edges. This solution is easier to do than chipping out a section of concrete.

The other problem I can think of is that Denise drives her car forward into the garage, which means she backs out. I haven't yet been able to convince her how dangerous that is. However, the problem is that there hasn't ever been a car parked in the driveway before so I can just see her getting in the car, backing up, and bang. I believe the solution here is going to be putting some kind of board that will have to be moved before backing up. Fortunately, 90% of the time I leave before she does, but it's the remaining 10% that worry me. Well, maybe I can now convince her to back into the garage.

Either solution would be much easier if the charge port wasn't on the wrong [expletive deleted] side of the car. Why Tesla didn't put a charge port on both sides just baffles me.
 
I'm in the same situation. I thought about mounting either the NEMA or the HPWC outside but I think it's too tempting for thieves to do so--you only have to unplug the UMC when the car is plugged in, and all that copper cable hanging from the HPWC 24 hours a day...

The solution to the UMC being stolen is to not leave it plugged in, when not in use (I would think most would want to keep it in the frunk/trunk for emergency unexpected on the road charging anyway). There are NEMA 14-50 plugs/sockets made that have handles on them, so it is easy to get a grip and plug/unplug them, plus you could "makeup" a short 3-5' extension, so you are not wearing the contact out on the Tesla UMC's 14-50, and it will be easier to remove the male plug with the handle on it.

Camco 14-50 Plug with handle: Amazon.com: Camco® Power Cord Plugs with PowerGrip™: Automotive
Camco 14-50 Socket with handle: Amazon.com: Camco® PowerGrip™ Replacement Receptacle Female: Automotive
6/4 cable to makeup short extension cord: Cable Yung-Li Cord Bulk 6x4c STOW 105* 600 Volt 1 Foot Length Yellow UL - Flexible Cord - Our Item #: 9632, Category: 600 Volt STOW : StayOnline
 
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The solution to the UMC being stolen is to not leave it plugged in, when not in use (I would think most would want to keep it in the frunk/trunk for emergency unexpected on the road charging anyway).

It's going to be plugged in overnight while the car is charging, when not in use it will be entirely in the garage (I'll keep a second one in the car). It's the plugged in overnight part that concerns me. If the NEMA plug is outside, no tools are required for theft--and a thief that has a clue could sell it on EBay for more than he could sell the copper for as scrap. If it's plugged inside it's not as tempting because they would at least need a heavy duty cutter. While I'm not generally a believer in security by obscurity, in this case it's about the only security possible.

The HPWC on the other hand, if mounted outside, would have the cable hanging there 24 hours a day.
 
It's going to be plugged in overnight while the car is charging, when not in use it will be entirely in the garage (I'll keep a second one in the car). It's the plugged in overnight part that concerns me. If the NEMA plug is outside, no tools are required for theft--and a thief that has a clue could sell it on EBay for more than he could sell the copper for as scrap. If it's plugged inside it's not as tempting because they would at least need a heavy duty cutter. While I'm not generally a believer in security by obscurity, in this case it's about the only security possible.

The HPWC on the other hand, if mounted outside, would have the cable hanging there 24 hours a day.

The RV camper outlet I have in the above picture has a hole(s) on the sides of it, when the cover is closed, to place a lock on it, if you do that, the 14-50 can't be unplugged (the holes are visible on each side on the bottom of the picture, there are matching holes in the cover)

If you live in such a questionable neighborhood, that this is a big problem, moving sounds like an option as well :)
 
Put either the 14-50, the nice RV Park box, or an HPWC in a custom-built box that you mount permanently to the outside of your house. Think of rain, sun, snow, all the times you want to charge through a year, keeping the cables, etc in good condition, and everything safe from theft.

The box on the outside of the house can be built to be weatherproof, large enough to hold everything, designed to match the house, and can have a combo lock for your access. A custom box will look good, increase the life of the electrics, and make it easier for you to use. The overall cost is small compared to your investment in the Model S, or a new garage.

Putting the cord under the door, through a trench, or a mouse-hole will lead to many long term problems.
 
If you live in such a questionable neighborhood, that this is a big problem, moving sounds like an option as well :)

I wouldn't say that it's that questionable of a neighbourhood, but thefts aren't zero either. The neighbourhood watch emails indicate there are perhaps five thefts per month in a five mile radius (and usually the more swankier areas then the street where I live).

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Put either the 14-50, the nice RV Park box, or an HPWC in a custom-built box that you mount permanently to the outside of your house.

I though about that too but the additional cable run and building such a structure would be many thousands of dollars as opposed to $375. (plus the $500 for the extra UMC, which I'd get anyway).
 
It's the plugged in overnight part that concerns me. If the NEMA plug is outside, no tools are required for theft--and a thief that has a clue could sell it on EBay for more than he could sell the copper for as scrap. If it's plugged inside it's not as tempting because they would at least need a heavy duty cutter. While I'm not generally a believer in security by obscurity, in this case it's about the only security possible.

I thought the UMC locks to the car.
 
Just met Dadaleus and his Model S. It turns out the UMC is truly locked to the car when the car itself is locked. The button on the connector does not do anything when the car is locked.

Cool. I didn't know that. It appeared at the Get Amped tour that you could press the button to release, but then they never locked the car either.
 
I think running the cord under the garage door is not a problem. To test this I tried it with my Volt.

There's absolutely no sense that it would have a problem.

If you do mount a 14-50 outside you could shorten the cable to no longer than you need to make it less desirable to thieves.

ChargeThruDr1.JPG
ChargeThruDr2.JPG
 
Would creating a small port in your garage wall to pass the cable through work? You could mount your HPWC or UMC inside and pass the cable through to the outside then back in to store it on the wall inside in the morning.
 
I've run a Roadster UMC (much thicker than the S UMC) under my garage door for visitors with no problem. It doesn't set off the sensor, door closes just fine as long as it is laying on the ground. Most garage doors have a seal at the bottom that will give enough to accomodate the cable.