Installed new Tesla Charger in Lock Box

Oof. Might want to clean up how much bare wire is visible there on the contactor connections. Outside setup is clean though!

Why have the contactor, Just added security?

I’m sure it’s just depth perception but that l1 and ground wire is giving me anxiety 🤣

Those bricks are going to come in handy for the neighbor that want to use your charger. How considerate of you to give them the key

What's the contactor for?

Put it on the wires - you will thank you later [insulated sleeve](https://share.google/KWGNxkDAiWi8RAwTX)

Came to say the same 😬

You need to bond the box. Also, why a contactor on top of a smart switch?

Eyy nice Lilypad. I have the West Marine one. Not as soft as yours. I like the box idea, I live off the main road but still like the idea of protecting my charger. I have a garage but it’s always full.

Why is this needed

I'm so glad someone said it. Was getting worried for OP'S house looking at these pictures and came to say the same.

You can lock it out via the app so other cant use it. Is this so someone doesnt steal the charger or wire? Why do you need this?

Yea it's giving me an anxiety attack. Potential fire hazard right there considering the high amps.

You can use the app to restrict use of the charger by VIN. Unless you concerned that someone is going to steal the charger itself.

Yes, that is why I ask

Got a link for the lock box?

Am I reading it right it’s rated 120v? Based on the thickness of the wires, are you running 240v through this?

Absolutely love how that looks on the outside. Where’d you get that black box?

120v coil. That’s what the 12/2 is for

I would probably worry about putting that much exposed copper in a metal box.

Yea. I might. Just wanted to keep the wire cover away from the Contactor connections.

They are about two inches away and stable.

1 the wires are stripped to long 2 use a wire nut. That’s lug is likely not rated for wire that small and definitely not rated to handle 2 wires of different sizes 3 don’t switch the neutral… although you shouldn’t even be using it so I wouldn’t hook it up

Oh I see, thanks!

I can kill the power when not in use in case some dumb ass tries to steal it. They won’t kill themselves with a live wire and there be a dead body on my driveway. I can replace a charger. The bricks are gone. They were temporary.

My garage charger is for my wife. Lily pad is great summertime fun. This charger is for me outside.

https://a.co/d/09crkwR4

120v to power the Contactor. 240v on Contactor on 60Amp breaker.

https://a.co/d/09crkwR4

LOL Yup, Us men always get stuck outside.

Got it! Thanks!

You’re welcome. I watched a few videos of EV charger lock boxes and this one seemed good. Took a chance.

Thanks!!! Will do today. I thought the lug was the way to go. And yes about the neutral. It is in the Contactor but it is not connected in either the sub-panel or charger. I just put it in the Contactor so it looks complete. I appreciate the advise.

Yes we do. I got tired of plugging in my car with the charger inside and leaving the wire under the garage door when it closed. Just a project that made sense.

I knew someone would comment on that lily pad too!🤣🤣🤣🤣

I can kill the power to the charger with automation or voice commands through smart home when estimated charging is complete.

Ha. Yeah we love ours! It stays on the boat so it sadly becomes a spider haven! 🤮

That would not be good. For them.

Contactor lets me kill the power with smart switch home automation. Safety outside.

Mine stays in the rv in the summer when we’re are not at it. No boat yet. Big River Parker, AZ.

Where do I put the sleeve?

[deleted]

Will do today. Thank you for that.

If it’s in a lockbox what’s the point of the contactor ?

When to do switch out the lug you should also bond the box. There should be a 5th screw in the bag that you got the cover plate screws from

What!!! I have no idea where you read that. I kill the power to the wall charger when it is not in use. Incase someone tries to steal it there will not be a live hot wire that can kill or hurt them.

Yes. Thanks. Will bond the box this morning.

>You’re willing to ~~kill someone~~ save someone's life over a….wall charger? Fixed it for you.

It’s in polish but easy browser translation shall be enough [how to mount insulated sleeve on wire](https://elektrykadlakazdego.pl/zaciskarka-tulejek/) Sleeves shall be at the end of the wires, and then putted into the connection box

Which is entirely unnecessary

Gotcha. Getting them now. I appreciate the advice.

You can control a Tesla Wall Connector with Home Assistant and the Tesla Fleet integration, with no additional hardware.

You do realize the cord is only energized when connected to a car and it has requested power?

Yes. I do.

Can you explain how the inline contactor and smart switch works? My utility gives a discount for only charging during several windows during the day, but my EVs have terrible configurations that only allow setting up one charging window. If I could have my setup only deliver power during windows configured by my smart home system, this would enable me to achieve charging during multiple time windows.

Why in a lock box though?

Sucks that you need to lock it down at your home, but the install looks great from a layman’s perspective. The experts have already weighed in on their concerns/improvements

Yes, it's certainly too much exposed wire. There are quick disconnect termination stabs that you can see that would be better suited to use.. Also, the ground wire sent to the charger is too small. Need #10 copper ground for #6 wire and it's the same size ground that came in with the #12 Romex, which is #14 for both #14 and #12 Romex.

Have fun wrapping up that cable inside the box. I made my own retractable one. https://www.reddit.com/r/evcharging/s/gwprxzP7Z4

Too small of a ground. You need #10 from the main panelboard all the way to the charger and you are running #14.

But...why? Just cover it. It takes 2 minutes and costs nothing. Sure it will probably be fine. But the alternative is an electrical fire. I'd be thinking about it every night. The logic is missing here.

Charger has #6 all the way. The #12 was for the Contactor and the box. Thanks for that though.

Thanks for pointing that out. I posted this to get solid advice. I have already made that adjustment. Time waits for no man, neither do electrical fires. 🤣🤣🤣 Appreciate it.

Very nice!!!! 💯💯💯. I will. It will be fun every time.

Yes it does suck to have to lock it up. Also for weather aspects too.

I'm not talking about the conductors, which are fine. The bare ground connections to the distribution block are clearly #14, that's what I'm referring to.

If by distribution block you mean the panel?

The bare copper solid wire that is connected to the thing below the contactor, that is a distribution block. You really need to upsize the ground both directions, to the charger and to your main electrical panel.

It is #6. The small ground is the ground wire coming in from the #12 for the 120v for the Contactor. Will have the electrician review everything of course. Thank you for pointing that out though. Appreciate it.

That's what I'm telling you, it's a #14 ground that comes with the yellow 12/2 Romex is too small for a 60 amp circuit. It is not a #6 ground at all and needs to be #10. I do this stuff for a living.

Gotcha!!! Thanks.

What size ground wire is pulled with the #6?

The #6 has 6 gauge black, red, white, and ground. The small ground you see is for the #12 wire coming from the smart switch controlling the Contactor.

Crimp ring connectors look clean. 🧼

They do for sure.

But yours is 48A; mine is 16 ;)

Never hurts to get advice. I know personally I’m not a professional electrician but I am obsessed with doing as much as I can without paying a convenience fee of hiring others to do stuff right so I do a lot of research to make sure stuff is done as correctly and by the book as possible.

For sure. I do as much as I can. I will have my buddy who owns an electrical company come sign off on it.

For sure. I do as much as I can. I will have my buddy who owns an electrical company come sign off on it. Bought my wife a Tesla. Had the main house electrical panel upgraded. Had a sub panel installed and her charger. Then decided to get a Tesla for me and add another charger myself. Did all the electrical upgrade to the lights and outlets. Finalized with this 2nd charger. Will have the electrician sign off before I do the drywall.

Came here to say this! The outside looks great, the wiring is a horror show

I’ve installed both charger for our cars myself. Thankfully I already had a 200amp service at my house which made it much easier. My main panel is also in the garage already which was another big help. Not that either would have stopped me, would just been much less happy about it. But I also have some friends online that are electricians so I did call on them for advice myself when the NEC book was unclear.

who the fuck wired this? wow

Why lock it up?

After a week of having to wind the cord up like that I'm quitting and just leaving the whole thing open.

Also don't short change yourself on wire in the pull box next time leave wire for future rework. Also is the pull box grounded didn't see it.

Made some changes. Killed the Contactor. It didn’t actually work for what I wanted out of the rig. Got Polaris insulated connectors coming, got two feet extra wire on one side and two on the other. The box is grounded but doing it better since getting pointers. The post comments helped with advice. I appreciated it all. I learned a lot and the house is still standing. Breaker is off.

Heck ya, and it's nice when it's all done and you have both the satisfaction of doing it yourself and saving a ton of $$ over hiring someone.

Agreed. 👍🏻

i'd get a generic 3rd party level 2 charger with a key tab (around $200 on Amazon) to tap and unlock to charge each time to skip this set up. Some fancier level 2 chargers are bluetooth connection. No high-tech here. it does nothing but adapters 240 volt wires to the tesla port.

Why cover it . You can lock it to only your tesla in the app

you'll have amperage derating because of heat in the summer. these often derate even without a box

Agreed. Box faces east. Only gets morning Sun. I won’t be charging I daytime during summer.

That looks very DIY. That doesn't look like it will pass inspection. Hate to say it but it looks like an accident waiting to happen. Looks like a safety hazard. Just think about 240v is in that box.

I do appreciate the comment. I have since gone another route, avoiding the contactor, as it did not work as intended. It has been replaced, and the wires have been connected with Polaris Insulated connectors, and the box is properly grounded.