UPDATE- Rivian EVSE warm breaker normal?

[WSea]

UPDATE-
Charging for the last few hours and just measured the breaker temp at 110F

Is a warm breaker in the load center normal while charging?
Installed the charger on Saturday and charged for the first time. Was suprised at how warm the breaker was.
When I built the house 3 years ago I installed a 14-50 in the garage with a 40a breaker. Couldn't remember if I pulled 8 or 6ga wire. Turns out it's 6. I only had 8ga on hand so I hardwired the whip with 8ga and kept the 40a breaker. Charging at 16.8 mile/hr. Probably swap out the whip wire to 6 and the breaker to 50 or 60 in the future. I do the have charger unit toggled for 32a. Total wire run is about 25' load center to charger.
Has anyone checked their breaker?

Sponsored

 

[Dark-Fx]

How warm are we talking? Minimum wire rating is 60C. That's going to be uncomfortably hot to the touch.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

If you're leaving the 14-50R then leave the breaker at 50A. You shouldn't use a 60A breaker with a 14-50R.

Yes, when pulling 40A the breaker will get a little warm. It shouldn't be hot, but you can feel it being warmer than ambient.

 

[CLayman]

Now you've got me curious. I have mine on a 60A breaker. Don't know the gauge the electrician pulled through, but I get 25 miles/hr with it.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Now you've got me curious. I have mine on a 60A breaker. Don't know the gauge the electrician pulled through, but I get 25 miles/hr with it.

Are you hard-wired? If you're using a NEMA 14-50 then you've got some code problems, me thinks.

 

[WSea]

How warm are we talking? Minimum wire rating is 60C. That's going to be uncomfortably hot to the touch.

Warm to touch compared to other breakers. Wouldn't say hot. Trying to get my hands on a temp sensor for next charging session

 

[WSea]

If you're leaving the 14-50R then leave the breaker at 50A. You shouldn't use a 60A breaker with a 14-50R.

Yes, when pulling 40A the breaker will get a little warm. It shouldn't be hot, but you can feel it being warmer than ambient.

The 14-50 recepticle was removed. Hardwired connection. Metal junction box now used for 6GA wire to whip wire connection

 

[WSea]

Are you hard-wired? If you're using a NEMA 14-50 then you've got some code problems, me thinks.

Hardwired

 

[SACDFJC]

Mine gets warm. With a temp gauge I see around 90-95F. The conduit is warm at the charger too. I run a 60 amp circuit and 4ga wire on about 25' run charging at 48 amps. I think you'll find a lot of threads on EVSE's getting warm.

 

[Aroohoo]

Mine gets warm. With a temp gauge I see around 90-95F. The conduit is warm at the charger too. I run a 60 amp circuit and 4ga wire on about 25' run charging at 48 amps. I think you'll find a lot of threads on EVSE's getting warm.

4ga, that's beefy for 48A!
Where you worried about voltage drop so went with a larger gauge?

 

[SACDFJC]

4ga, that's beefy for 48A!
Where you worried about voltage drop so went with a larger gauge?

I bought all the wiring supplies based on the box being over 50 feet from the panel. I then decided to install the charger in a completely different location < 25 feet away from the panel. Since I had already purchased the 4ga I just used it. 6ga would have worked just fine.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Mine is warm to the touch but just slightly warm. I wouldn't call it hot even.

 

[WSea]

Mine is warm to the touch but just slightly warm. I wouldn't call it hot even.

Appreciate the feedback. Have chatted with some buddies with tesla's and their breakers get warm too. My guess is mine's around 90-100F. I will meausre the temp during my next charging session

 

[Christopher]

I bought all the wiring supplies based on the box being over 50 feet from the panel. I then decided to install the charger in a completely different location < 25 feet away from the panel. Since I had already purchased the 4ga I just used it. 6ga would have worked just fine.

I did the same 4ga run. It was like a hundred bucks more. Now we'll have more options in the future, such as higher amperage chargers, or making it a sub panel and adding two chargers to it.

 

[electruck]

Warm to touch compared to other breakers. Wouldn't say hot. Trying to get my hands on a temp sensor for next charging session

The other breakers are unlikely to be pulling anywhere near 40A.

Sponsored