Charger Install With Pics

[starise]

This all costed me in the neighborhood of 800.00 to install it myself including the charger. That number would have been lower had I opted to use Romex at a lower current rating. The expense of 6-2 MC was well worth it.

One of my goals was to put in a circuit and charger that would allow for 48 amps. In my case, the main thing that saved me a lot of time and trouble was using 6-2 MC. I bought a 50' roll of it based on a recommendation here. I managed to mount the charger in a place that allows for either charging a car outside the garage, or charging in the garage.

My installation involved simply pulling the MC up from charger into attic over garage, and back down opposite wall to basement electrical panel

I had an air conditioner condensate line over my charger making use of MC very helpful. In additon I piped gas along the wall of my garage, so getting around those pipes using conduit would have been a very time consuming and unattractive option.

Cutting MC really isn't that bad. They make a special too to cut it, but really all you need to do is bend it in half where you want to cut it, and use cutters to finish cutting the metal. This allows the cut without chance of damage to wires.

See 1st pic.

 

[starise]

My Autel charger came with a mounting plate that allowed me to use the stud in the wall for full strength. Not quite so fortunate with the charger port mount. I bought some decent drywall mounts rated to 150 lbs for the holes that did not have wood behind them. I would always make sure at least one mounting hole is grabbing solid wood.

 

[starise]

I wanted to make one clarification. If I had been mounting my charger ourside rather than in a garage, I would have opted for either conduit or wire direct into back of charger. I would NOT have used 6-2 MC. MC is not an outdoor application.

When pulling MC clad 6-2 into charger I always leave some extra slack in wire. Best to retighten at least twice since bending #6 THHN wire tends to loosen in connections as you are bending it into place, so always re torgue wire screws after final wire bends. Put wires into terminals, bend to appropriate place and re tighten. Loose connections always reduce the capacity of wire and can cause overheating, especially on a continuous circuit like this.

 

[starise]

Notice in above pic I folded plastic sheath back down over wire and taped it to help protect wires fro sharp metal edges. There are inserts you can buy to insert into MC for protection. I figured this wire will always remain stationary, so little chance of any issue due to wires rubbing conduit.

While Autel makes a model with charging holster that plugs into main unit, I opted for separate holster model because I didn't want holster to protrude too far into garage space. #4 wire would have been overkill since #6 THHN in flexible metal conduit is code compliant for 48 amps charge on a 60 amp breaker.

The job is easier if you have something like a folding workbench or table. That way you can work at waist height and not be kneeling on a cold garage floor. Input voltage configuration in Autel is L1,L2,G. Might be different in Tesla charger. Whatever you do, do confuse G with L .

After setting the dip switch to 48 amp configuration closed it up.

 

[jcanoe]

I see you installed MC straps.

Screw the Straps Around MC Cable​

Single-hole straps make for easy and sturdy supports. Avoid connecting them with nails or you’ll risk smashing the MC cable with a hammer. Install a strap within 12-in. of each box. All subsequent straps need to be within 6-ft. of each other. When you’re routing electrical MC cable, be sure to avoid sharp bends that could damage the cable sheath or the conductors.

Working With Metal-Clad (MC) Cable

 

[starise]

Next are the panel connections. I had quite a mess down in the basement, my main panel has three smaller sub panels coming off of it. The way the house is configured, there is a very limited amout of space at the back corner to feed wires. As a result it tends to be a cluttered area and one where real estate is tight.

I ran the wires down the same channel shared by my main service cable. A dryer vent also happens to occupy the space. Once wires are run, the plan is to make a cover to go over chase for aesthetics, preferably ventilated.

I installed my own electrical panel and have some knowledge of electricricity in a home. If you don't have such knowledge, I suggest either learning it or leaving this next part to a qualified electrician. Even if main braker is turned off the main lugs going to panel are still energized and can easily electrocute anyone touching them.

In this configuration, the ground wire always goes to the ground lug, not the neutral lug. I fed wires in through approved MC connector into panel from top. LV wires always routed far away from main feed. Ground left to gound lug, L1,L2 to right side where breaker will be on bottom left of pic. For reference the breaker above it is a 50 amp GFCI. If you are installing your charger outside in a wet location you may be required to have this type of breaker which ran me in the 200.00 dollar range compared to the standard 60 amp breaker I bought for this charger at 14.00 . Big difference.

 

[starise]

Lastly it's a good idea to label the breakers as I have done here. Autel provided a sticker with amperages for various setting in the kit. I'm not sure I will stay with 48 amps until I see how it influences the rates of charge for the car. I "might" drop back to 48 amps instead.
One again, as I did at the other end, I put wires in terminals on breaker before I click it into panel. After breaker was in I re tightened wires to be sure the wrangling I did installing didn't loosen wires.

Power should be off at main breaker or pre main breaker during install. Head lamps are helpful here for when you turn the power off. I wired this job hot, but I was very careful. I do not recommend anyone wire hot.

 

[starise]

I see you installed MC straps.

Screw the Straps Around MC Cable​

Single-hole straps make for easy and sturdy supports. Avoid connecting them with nails or you’ll risk smashing the MC cable with a hammer. Install a strap within 12-in. of each box. All subsequent straps need to be within 6-ft. of each other. When you’re routing electrical MC cable, be sure to avoid sharp bends that could damage the cable sheath or the conductors.

Working With Metal-Clad (MC) Cable

Thanks for info.

I used very good drywall anchors for each strap.