EVSE stats from EnergyStar

[ajdelange]

But some folks know that code requirements and safety standards like the NEC and UL/CUL are nonsense and it is safe to ignore them.

Some of us know which parts are nonsense. We are well aware that the lay person does not have the depth of undersrtanding to be able to do that and that's why we would never advise a lay person to violate the code.

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[ajdelange]

The reason I originally brought up the overheat issue, which was claimed to be FUD, was that this very thing happened in my house. I had a 120V wall outlet, with nothing plugged into it, melt down arch and leave burn marks on my drywall.

Of course it's FUD. Is this ever going to happen to anyone else? Well, yes it will because despite UL listing, code rating etc, etc. defective items slip through the system. You had a defective outlet (or it was installed improperly). It is known that this happens, it is expected and the system is designed for it (it has to be - there is no 100% reliable system). The object of the system is, therefore, to get the expected value of the claims paid out by insurance companies to cover damage like this below the expected value of the premiums they collect. I expect this concept is way over your head so I'll stop here.

Now let's look at your experience and how you interpreted it and, further, what the implications of what you wrote are.

50A circuit breakers will over heat and trip in 2 hours when running 50A continuous. The 50A rated NEMA connectors can also overheat and fail under that continuous load, there is potential for arcing and that creates a fire hazard. Max continuous (>2 hours) is 80% of the circuit rating, thus 40A limit for 50A circuit and 48A limit for 60A circuit.

You had a 125V outlet presumably on a 15 A breaker that failed with nothing plugged into it and want the readers to believe therefore, that a 250V circuit drawing 48A is likely to arc and create a fire hazard after 2 hours. The illogic here is astounding. Can't you see that? Do you think there would have been less damage if the breaker had been changed to a 20 A breaker.

BTW an arch is a curved structure like the one in St. Louis. Electrical arcs are plasmas produced when current carrying conductors are pulled apart. Thus something mechanical happened to your outlet. Very possibly you damaged it when you unplugged something or someone tripped over a cord plugged into it or it just got so old it wore and broke. Having it connected to a larger breaker would not have prevented this.

 

[DucRider]

Some of us know which parts are nonsense. We are well aware that the lay person does not have the depth of undersrtanding to be able to do that and that's why we would never advise a lay person to violate the code.

Yet you come on an internet forum and tell people it is perfectly safe to do just that?
Tell them that an EVSE does not need to be considered continuous duty? Or that the whole notion of continuous duty is bogus and they can ignore that requirement for any device specified by code (water heaters, de-icing and heating equipment, etc)?
Or that it is safe to remove a safety interlock and use a 30A rated circuit/receptacle for a 48A draw?
Some people may think they know what is nonsense.
The code does allow for continuous duty at 100% of breaker/circuit capacity under very specific conditions (including 100% rated breakers, enclosures labeled for 100% that meet size and ventilation requirements, etc).
All overcurrent devices are designed and tested at 100% of their nameplate current rating in open air (UL 489 for molded case circuit breakers). As a result, that continuous current rating is printed on the device nameplate. When an overcurrent device such as a molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) is applied in an assembly, it must be sized at 125% of the continuous load per NEC 210.20(A). This results in an overcurrent device being applied at 80% of its nameplate rating. This application sizing rule accounts for the resulting higher ambient temperatures found when an overcurrent device is contained within an enclosure.

 

[ajdelange]

Yet you come on an internet forum and tell people it is perfectly safe to do just that?

Clearly you are not reading what I post and/or your understanding of technical matters is not sufficient to understand it. I probably should not post material here that requires in depth knowledge of engineering/physics as very few if any understand. It is clearly a waste of my time and yours to respond further so I shall finalize by repeating what I have inserted into many of my posts and that is that while it may be entirely safe to do some things the code dictates against I would never advise anyone to do any of them.

Clearly you are trying to keep stirring this pot. I will not aid you.

My final word on this is to the more reasonable people here: Do not violate the NEC!!!

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