Ready to go.... install my port for charging in garage

[Gearhead500]

NEC 625.17

Thanks DucTruck. Without diving into the code book from my phone, I read that as the length from the EVSE, not from the box to where it’s terminated. Unless THAT was what was asked and I misunderstood.

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[flabyboy]

Just in case anyone was wondering about the wall charger specs

 

[nfrank]

NEC 625.17

I’m surprised no one is selling a wall charger with a cable management system. My plan A is the use an j1772 extension when I need it. But a 45ft wall charger cable with a cable reel or something would be perfect. I wish someone would build it

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

I’m surprised no one is selling a wall charger with a cable management system. My plan A is the use an j1772 extension when I need it. But a 45ft wall charger cable with a cable reel or something would be perfect. I wish someone would build it

Even just the 25' cable would be fine for most, but I agree a cable reel would be nice. I have an extension cord on a retractable reel mounted in the center of my garage, on the ceiling. It stays about 9 feet up, most of the time, but I can easily reach it and pull it down when I need power. It's nice being able to use tools without having to trip over cords. It's also long enough to basically reach the entire garage. Even for my motorcycles I mounted electrical boxes on the ceiling and let the battery tenders hang down. It's nice not having to trip over them, too.

 

[Gearhead500]

I’m surprised no one is selling a wall charger with a cable management system. My plan A is the use an j1772 extension when I need it. But a 45ft wall charger cable with a cable reel or something would be perfect. I wish someone would build it

So I did misunderstand your initial ask. My bad.
SOOW is my 90% guess of what the EVSE cable is. SOOW OR SEOOW and the many other types are called portable cord. They’re used for flexible construction applications. Think of those cables that lay on the ground for sporting events and concerts.
Each jacket offers a different amount of protection. I can DM you a good infographic my team made tomorrow if you truly want to try this BUT you still would need to terminate into the hand charger that plugs into the truck!

 

[opnwide]

Holy Smokes! As a dentist, there’s a reason I’m not an electrician, as I tend to touch things automatically with my fingers willie-nilly. I foresee a whole lot of multi-millionaire electricians in the next 10 years.

 

[ajdelange]

To a mobile home?
I was being sarcastic. Sorry.
SOOW isnt rated for indoors. You should use NM, THHN, or Armored cable if your local ordnance is reeeeeeeally strict. It def depends on if needs to be rated for wet locations or if your install calls for direct burial which NM aka Romex (most of Lowe’s/Home Depot) is not rated for either. A good tray cable is overkill but the most flexible as it is rated for direct burial, sunlight resistant, hanging, exposed runs…. I’ll stop nerding out on cable, types of jackets, and applications.

NM generally won't cut it on temperature either (would need to go to something bigger than 6 and 6 is bad enough to deal with).

 

[ajdelange]

For those looking to pre-wire, no need to install an outlet/port at all. Just getting the 6/2 or 6/3 wires pulled

Though it is not a bad idea as you will, as has been pointed out, be able to charge at 32 - 40A on day one with the Rivian equivalent of the UMC even if your EVSE is delayed or you slip on your electrician's shedule. If you do that be sure not to lock yourself out of later EVSE installation by cutting wires too short - see below.

This brings to mind a question. Tesla used to put a UMC with at least the 5 -15 and 14-50 adapters in its cars but then went cheap and supplied only the 5-15. The question is as to whether Rivian will supply the 14-50. If they don't be sure to order one so that you have it on day one. It is the one that you will most likely be using to charge at camp grounds, from your mother-in-law's range connection etc.

If you pull wire before or at installation and whether you install a 14-50R or no be sure to instruct you electrician to use plenty of extra wire and not to staple right next to where the wire comes out of the wall. Code has some requirements about where fasteners must be used so he many not be able to grant this request but the goal is to give you flexibility in how you position the EVSE when you do install it. At that time push a good length of wire back into the wall (if you can - this is No. 6 and it isn't exactly flexible). This is to make sure you have the wire you need should you want to replace the EVSE you are installing with something else later on. Or save a loop inside the EVSE box if possible. This is a natural in Tesla HPWC (installation requires a loop) and can be done with Wallbox Pulsar. The unused neutral can also be stored inside these boxes (or in the wall). Others I don't know.

 

[crashmtb]

I’m surprised no one is selling a wall charger with a cable management system. My plan A is the use an j1772 extension when I need it. But a 45ft wall charger cable with a cable reel or something would be perfect. I wish someone would build it

here’s one:
https://evocharge.com/home-charging-solutions/

 

[Autolycus]

The question is as to whether Rivian will supply the 14-50. If they don't be sure to order one so that you have it on day one. It is the one that you will most likely be using to charge at camp grounds, from your mother-in-law's range connection etc.

No guarantee that the design hasn't/won't change, but the Portable Charger that they showed in the story on charging is hardwired with a 14-50 plug. I'm guessing that means they'll just include a short 14-50 female to 5-15 male adapter.

EDIT: Just noticed that if you hover over "240V outlet" on the Charging page, it does mention 14-50 specifically. Added screenshot of the text.

EDIT2: Duh, if you click "Getting the most out of your portable charger", it also has the below info. 14-50 confirmed for sure as the default plug on the included portable charger, and an adapter to 120V/(5-15, presumably) will also be provided.

 

[DucRider]

No guarantee that the design hasn't/won't change, but the Portable Charger that they showed in the story on charging is hardwired with a 14-50 plug. I'm guessing that means they'll just include a short 14-50 female to 5-15 male adapter.

It will need to be a bit more than that.
The charge cord with the 14-50 will be pulling 32A, if all you do is throw a 5-15 adapter on it will still "advertise" 32A available to the vehicle on circuit than under best case scenario can support 16A.

The Tesla (& Nissan & ??) portable EVSE can sense what adapter is installed and the EVSE then "knows" how much power the circuit can support and advertises accordingly.

The 1st gen Tesla portable did not take into account that a 14-50 could be installed on a 40A circuit and advertised 40A available when the 14-50 adapter was installed. The 2nd gen is limited to 32A.

Although Rivian hasn't specifically stated the amperage of the included portable cord, a little math gets us to 32A (Rivian states 25 miles/hr on the 48A EVSE, 16 mi/hr on the portable charge cord).

 

[Autolycus]

It will need to be a bit more than that.
The charge cord with the 14-50 will be pulling 32A, if all you do is throw a 5-15 adapter on it will still "advertise" 32A available to the vehicle on circuit than under best case scenario can support 16A

Although Rivian hasn't specifically stated the amperage of the included portable cord, a little math gets us to 32A (Rivian states 25 miles/hr on the 48A EVSE, 16 mi/hr on the portable charge cord).

FWIW, while they haven't specifically said "32A", they have implicitly said that by listing 7.6kW. You don't even have to look at the miles/hour charge rate. To get 7.6kW off a 240V outlet, you're pulling 32A.

I admit that I've given no thought at all to what the adapter would have to do to be safe and compliant with various code and certification requirements, but I'm sure it's going to be a simple adapter from the end user's perspective.

 

[ajdelange]

No guarantee that the design hasn't/won't change, but the Portable Charger that they showed in the story on charging is hardwired with a 14-50 plug. I'm guessing that means they'll just include a short 14-50 female to 5-15 male adapter.

Can't be that simple. The 240V plug is bi-phase (±120V) where as the 5 - 15 is one phase (+120V only). Besides which the EVSE is required to tell the car how much current it is allowed to take which is 12 A from a 5-15 and, either 40 or 32 depending on whether the 14-50 receptacle is wired to a 40A or 50A breaker. Thus the "adapter" has to be able to communicate its nature to the EVSE which probably does via programming "pins" on the EVSE end. IOW it has two connectors, a 14-50P on one end of a cable and another special connector which interfaces with the EVSE itself.

I note with interest that Rivian will allow 32 amps, the conservative approach as is appropriate for a 40 A breaker. This is the approach taken by Tesla in its Gen 3 UMC but the discontinued Gen 2 allowed 40. Tesla still sells a "UMC" hard wired to a 14-50P which will allow 40. This can result in a code violation.

EDIT2: Duh, if you click "Getting the most out of your portable charger", it also has the below info. 14-50 confirmed for sure as the default plug on the included portable charger, and an adapter to 120V/(5-15, presumably) will also be provided.

Yes, that's clear and that is the good news here.

Now let's look at this picture. What do we see, or rather what don't we see? What we don't see is the neutral blade. What that means is that the plug in this man's hand can be plugged into a 14-30R, a 14-50R or 14-60R receptacle. No problem with the latter 2 but definitely a violation with the first. This cannot be a production unit. Or not the EVSE with a production adapter.

 

[Laurent]

Now let's look at this picture. What do we see, or rather what don't we see? What we don't see is the neutral blade. What that means is that the plug in this man's hand can be plugged into a 14-30R, a 14-50R or 14-60R receptacle. No problem with the latter 2 but definitely a violation with the first. This cannot be a production unit. Or not the EVSE with a production adapter.

Even tough the 4th blade is not visible, it looks like a standard 14-50P plug to me, just like this one:

 

[Autolycus]

Now let's look at this picture. What do we see, or rather what don't we see? What we don't see is the neutral blade. What that means is that the plug in this man's hand can be plugged into a 14-30R, a 14-50R or 14-60R receptacle. No problem with the latter 2 but definitely a violation with the first. This cannot be a production unit. Or not the EVSE with a production adapter.

It's definitely got all 4 pins matching a 14-50 (round pin at the top and 3 vertical blades of the same length) and there's no way it will fit in a 13-50 receptacle, which has a 90-degree bend in it's bottom pin. Here's a different frame and cropped to just the plug:

They're advertising it as 7.6kW, so they're limiting it to 32A to avoid the issue with pulling more than is allowed for 40A hookups using the 14-50 receptacle.

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