I'm curious about the scratch since it is a used car. Is this something that happened potentially during delivery? How bad is it? If it wasn't caught during the inspection process on delivery I'm really surprised they would do anything about it.
I'm curious about the scratch since it is a used car. Is this something that happened potentially during delivery? How bad is it? If it wasn't caught during the inspection process on delivery I'm really surprised they would do anything about it.
In reply to Cotton :
It's a very minor scratch on the plastic applique on the b-pillar. That's one of the great things about carvana versus a normal dealer, they are engaging the body shop now to pay for the repairs, which amounted to just under $200.
Combined with the very nice compressor, plug kit, can of slime that they bought, I am delighted with carvana as opposed to a traditional dealer.
tuna55 said:In reply to Ian F :
The hole you are intended to use is solely located in the box rather than the lid. The box itself is designed such that the receptacle is slightly outboard that parting line. What this does is to place the cord partially through the box and partially through the cover. Since it's big and stiff, the cover won't stay closed on it. I may modify it and weatherproof it myself, but it will not make me very happy.
The hole is supposed to be on the bottom, otherwise it's not weathertight. In a way, it's worse than that - since rain water can get wicked right down the cord and into the receptacle. The cover and the receptacle need to be turned around so the cord is pointed down.
It's also not designed for a cord that thick, which is why the lid won't close on it. One idea that may work is to add another gasket or two between the cover and the receptacle plate in order to space the cover away from the receptacle so the cord stays under the plane of the cover edge.
But please flip the cover so the hinge is on the top.
Would cutting off the plug (or opening the charger and replacing the entire cord) and hardwiring be acceptable? It would certainly be easier to weatherproof.
There wasn't this much charger talk in my Tesla build diary simply because I got luckier in my wiring geography. It has nothing to do with the car. Some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug.
The only way to flip it over is to break open the case and replace the cord with a longer one. It isn't long enough to turn 180 degrees.
The box itself has a hole which is easily big enough for the diameter of the cord, but truly the cord is just in the wrong spot, whereas some portion of the diameter is encroaching on the lids territory.
So the box stinks, doesn't stay closed, and the centerline of the hole is in the wrong spot.
Every mounted charger I've seen had a one foot cord out the bottom. There's no elegant way to make that work.
Any reason you can't mount the receptacle upside down too? Meaning, turn receptacle 180 degrees along with the box so the cord goes out the bottom.
In reply to dculberson :
I'm not sure that I follow. The cord is too short to turn around and face upwards, so if I mounted the receptacle and cover right side up (inverted from his they are currently oriented) the cord cannot do the 180 to get there.
Unfortunately, what I have found is that, despite the ability to open the case and replace the cord, that it is a very expensive cord!
At this point running a flexible conduit from the charger to the box and hard wiring the thing with the regular 6 gauge wire is sounding better and better. Cords and boxes are expensive.
What is the proper way to join 6 gauge wire in a box? I think wire nuts are not the right choice, and that a junction would be in order.
Remote start on a plugged in EV is divine. It's outside in the driveway, plugged in, and it's below 40 degrees. I hit a button, go downstairs, pour my coffee, get my shoes and hat on, go out and it's toasty warm in there. Zero range used.
a bolt with a 4x6 utility trailer is all the truck i need.
To me, it seems that I can detach the cord from the unit, which is some form of threaded on connector, and replace it with a threaded fluid tight conduit fitting. Likewise that same type of connector at the junction box. Then I would only have to connect the two #6 and 1 #10 wires in the box and be done.
The manual says the only way to get NEMA 3 is through the cord. Any hardwired solution is NEMA 1. To me, it seems hardwiring as I have stated is more weather tight. I don't want to void any warranty by doing something my own way though.
Also to consider is that they may have used a nonstandard connector at the charger specifically to disallow what I am trying to do.
Thoughts?
In reply to AngryCorvair :
I am considering exactly that.
I think this is what they are telling you to do:
That's not really very flexible in terms of mounting options. What an odd design choice. I guess if it's primarily for industrial applications you figure the entire installation would be designed around the charger, but it's pretty hostile to anyone else.
Alternatively, you can wire it from behind and seal the Siemens unit to the wall. Like so:
In reply to Slippery :
That option is specifically listed as being for indoor use only.
Slippery said:I think this is what they are telling you to do:
Interesting, so some comments:
That box doesn't even look close to weathertight. The cable is still bending on the way into the box, which gives them a lot more room. When I try to bend my cable such that it is straight when entering the hole, the strain on the connection to the box seems too high.
At any rate, all of my holes and punctures are made, so I'd love to not to that again.
tuna55 said:In reply to Cotton :
It's a very minor scratch on the plastic applique on the b-pillar. That's one of the great things about carvana versus a normal dealer, they are engaging the body shop now to pay for the repairs, which amounted to just under $200.
Combined with the very nice compressor, plug kit, can of slime that they bought, I am delighted with carvana as opposed to a traditional dealer.
That's pretty cool. I'm looking for an s63, so checked their website. Nothing in inventory right now, but I'll keep checking.
Keith Tanner said:That's not really very flexible in terms of mounting options. What an odd design choice. I guess if it's primarily for industrial applications you figure the entire installation would be designed around the charger, but it's pretty hostile to anyone else.
Agreed. Nearly every wall mounted charger is thus.
I'm not following the comment about replacing the cable being expensive. I've purchased that same cable for my lift (I forget the type, SJOOW?) and it wasn't bad at all. If you can't easily disconnect the cable inside the box, that's fair enough. Again, that seems a bit of an odd design choice.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Where did you find it?
I'm looking for 6 AWG, 6-50 plug, for outdoor use. Maybe 3 feet.
I am not being clear.
If I am to buy a cable to use with a plug, I need an outdoor 6 awg weatherproof setup. I can't find something under $60.
If I am going to hardwire it instead, I just use the same wire as I used inside, but with some form of junction block in the box, and a fluid tight conduit from the box to the charger. The latter sounds far more tight, but the Siemens literature states the opposite. I have a call in to them to help, but I am confused.
Also minus one for Amazon. They reduced their price, but won't honor it on my purchase, so I am literally buying another and returning it so I can save $40.
It may be a different vendor on Amazon. It's also probably just plain easier for them to take it back than to do price verification. Looking at pure efficiency can lead to decisions that look weird when taken in isolation.
I was thinking of using the rubberized cable in place of the plug cable, going into a hardwired junction box. Effectively the same as cutting off the plug and connecting the wires directly. That's how my lift is connected to a ceiling box under the recommendation of a licensed electrician. No need for a fluid tight conduct.
Home Depot has 6/3 SOOW for $3.65/ft and 6/4 for $4.50. I found Lowes to be less expensive, but either way those costs don't seem unreasonable for a couple of feet. A 50A plug is about $20.
I just got off the phone with super incredihelpful tech support.
Fluid tight flexible conduit into the bottom is totally 100% acceptable. That's what I am going to do.
Now all that I need is the conduit, some fittings, some wire, and the question from earlier. Is a big wire nut really the best way to join the three pairs of wires?
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