This guide explains some of the choices you and your electrician will make in creating a safe way to charge your Tesla. While we don’t recommend you do the work yourself, it is smart to understand the various choices and what they mean.

• Charging Speed Calculator
• Recommendations – Going beyond the minimums
• Getting Power to your Home
• Electrical Service Panel
• Breakers
• GFCIs
• Wiring and Conduit
• Termination Box
• Outlets
• Electricians and Inspections
• NEC Code
• Useful Links at Tesla
• Additional Useful Links

Updated Oct-2019

To find out the minimum outlet required, enter your model. If you plan to charge in freezing temperatures, set the adjust to Yes to compensate for additional power needed to heat the battery. Also, set how many miles you typically drive in a day and the planned charging start and end times. For example, many power utilities offer a lower rate if you charge between midnight and 6 am, so this may be your preferred charging time. If you have the same power costs around the clock, then perhaps you start charging when you typically arrive home at 6 pm and stop when you leave at 7 am. The objective is to find a starting point for how much power you need based on your specific car and time available to charge.

Charging speed needed	15 miles of range per hour
Volts	240 VAC
Breaker Size	50 amps
Max EV Current	40 amps
Wire Size (Copper THW)	#6 awg
Connection	NEMA 6-50 or 14-50 Outlet
Tesla Adapter	6-50, purchase from Tesla 14-50, included with vehicle
Configuration Diagram

NOTE: Tesla does not include the 14-50 adapter with some vehicles starting in June 2019, but Tesla sells the Mobile 14-50 adapter separately.

If you only need a lower power solution today, you may still want to consider one of the higher power options, such as a NEMA 14-50 outlet, or a Wall Connector. For example, let’s say you used our range calculator and found that a NEMA 6-20 (240 VAC, 20 amps) would be adequate for your daily charging needs. If you buy a different EV or have a friend that needs to charge when visiting, or you think you might change jobs in the future that might lengthen your commute, then starting out with a higher power outlet or Tesla Wall Connector might be wise!

Another consideration is if you plan to leave your Mobile Connector (MC) at home. We do not recommend unplugging it daily and storing it inside your car. Aside from the hassle, high-power outlets are poorly suited to many insertions and removals. If you do feel you need to keep the MC within the car, then you should consider getting one of these options:

• Gen 1 Mobile Connector – Suitable for up to 40 amps (M3 SR/SR+/MR limited to 32 amps)
• Gen 2 Mobile Connector – Suitable for up to 32 amps with optional 14-50 adapter
• Tesla Wall Connector – Suitable for up to 80 amps depending on vehicle

The Wall Connector can be set with an internal switch to work with 15 to 100-amp service. Here is the maximum charging current for each Tesla vehicle:

* Older cars came with a Gen 1 MC that is capable of charging at 40 amps
** 72 amp charger for S100 prior to Nov-2018. Current North-America vehicles are limited to 48 amps. Vehicles with 3-phase charging such as Europe, are unchanged.

Power lines to your home arrive underground or overhead from a large transformer. There are three wires, shown in the diagram as blue, white and red.  The 240 volts is between the blue and red wire, while 120 volts is between the blue and neutral white wire, and between the red and neutral white wire.  These colors are just for illustration, and usually, the real wires are all black or the neutral may be a bare wire.

Simplified home power connections

The three wires pass into the meter to monitor how much power is drawn by your home. The wires then feed from the meter into your service panel.  In most cases, the utility service wires are made from aluminum. In many homes, the service panel is also the main distribution panel with all the home’s breakers. In some homes, the service panel feeds a secondary breaker panel. The power is then distributed to appliances, lights, and outlets throughout the home.

The service panel or breaker box distributes power to your home. A home often draws its total power from 100-amp service to 200-amp utility service. Small houses, some condos or very old houses might only have 60-amp service. Very large houses with major electric appliances, heating, and cooling may have 300 or 400-amp service.

Your incoming utility service panel usually has one large breaker, separate from all others. This breaker rating shows the service capacity.

Determining service capacity

An electrician can evaluate if there is adequate power for the home and the necessary open breaker slots for your planned EV charging. This is also the time to consider if you might get a second EV in the future (i.e. two vehicles charging at the same time), add other major electrical appliances such as air conditioning or add a solar array. These may influence a panel upgrade and upgrade sizing.

Increasing home power is rarely a trivial task nor cheap. On the plus side, for an older home, you’ll get a new breaker panel that is modern and safer. Ask for a panel that has room for expansion, with at least 4 free slots once the project is complete.

A circuit breaker protects your home from an electrical load that is beyond the capacity of the wiring or outlets. Without a circuit breaker, a short or overload is likely to cause wires to overheat and possibly catch any combustible material near the wires on fire!

Eaton dual 240V breaker

Understanding How Magnetism and Thermal Expansion

At one time in your youth, probably in some science class, you wrapped some wire around a nail and then connected it to a battery and, lo and behold, you could pick up paperclips with it. When you disconnected the battery, the paperclips fell to the floor. What you discovered is that when electrical current flows through a wire, a magnetic field is created around that wire. Wrapping many turns of the wire around an iron nail essentially concentrates that field making it strong enough to pick up the paper clips. The more current that flows, the stronger the magnetic field. Keep this in mind.

Magnetic Nail Experiment

You also know from practical experience that as you heat things up or cool them down, their dimensions, length, width, thickness, change. You know not to fill an ice cube tray (if you still remember how we made ice before the introduction of automatic ice makers into homes) all the way up because water expands quite a bit as it gets cold and freezes. Most substances don’t change as much as water does and most actually shrink as they cool, but you get the point. Different substances expand and contract at different rates. Now imagine two paper-thin strips of different materials that are bonded together back-to-back, as you heat this up, the two strips change their length. But, if we select the right substances, one strip grows longer substantially faster than the other and this causes the bonded combination of the two to bend, to curve as one side gets longer faster than the other.

The last thing you need to know is that as an electric current flows through a conductor, the conductor heats up. Some do this more than others, Copper, what we often use for electrical wire, doesn’t do it as fast as say nickel-chrome which is what we make electrical heating elements out of.

How a Breaker Works

With these prior things in mind, we’ll show what trips a common household circuit breaker! The common breaker contains two tripping mechanisms.

The first is an iron rod with a wire wrapped around it. The current through the breaker causes the rod to become a magnet. If the current gets too high, the magnet gets strong enough to pull the mechanical trip mechanism to trip the breaker. Remember when you picked up paper clips and then disconnected the battery? The paperclips fell as soon as you disconnected, didn’t they? The magnetic field appears and disappears and shrinks and grows virtually instantaneously with the rise and fall of the current, so this trip mechanism in the breaker reacts instantly to sudden large currents.

The second trip mechanism in a common breaker passes the current through a small heating element which heats up a strip made of two different materials bonded back-to-back. As the current flows, the heating element heats up. If it heats up enough, the strip bends to touch the trip mechanism, which disconnects the power. This mechanism responds to low/slow faults in the circuit, a sustained drawing of even just a couple of amps over the limit. But, because it takes time for the heating element to heat up, this mechanism allows devices to draw a “surge” or “inrush” current at startup. Motors often draw a high current at start-up as they overcome static friction. Heating elements also often draw a higher current when they’re cold until they heat up.

Internal breaker parts

When the breaker handles a short circuit, hundreds of amps may be flowing for a very short duration. As the breaker opens, an arc forms between the contacts. An array of thin copper plates that are not electrically connected to each other serve to dissipate the arc away from the contacts.

A big thanks go to our guest columnist Chuck for explaining breakers!

Breaker Types

There are many breaker types, but the breaker must match the service panel design. Some of the popular breakers include those made from GE, Eaton, Homelink, Murray, Siemens and Square D. A breaker for a 120 VAC circuit fits into one slot, and a 240 VAC breaker fits into two adjacent slots. Some manufacturers offer a quad breaker that fits into 2 slots that control one 240V circuit and two 120V circuits. If your panel has no open slots, you may be able to replace two breakers in two slots with a quad breaker in those same slots.

Square-D quad breaker

Special Case – 50-amp Outlet on a 40-amp Breaker

Code appears to allow a 40-amp breaker and circuit for a 50-amp NEMA 14-50 outlet for one very specific case – a range or oven that is always left plugged in. There is no 40-amp outlet made, so using a 50-amp outlet appears acceptable in this one narrow case. We cannot find any allowance for use of a 14-50 outlet for any other use. It’s our opinion it’s a bad idea, and very likely against the NEC code to have an exposed 50-amp outlet in your garage that is connected to a 40-amp breaker and related undersized wiring. Do not let anyone talk you into this risky setup.

In a two-wire circuit, be it 120V or 240V, there are two wires. (We’ll get to the ground wire in a moment, trust me.) In 120V two-wire circuits in North America, we call these Hot and Neutral. Hot is usually color-coded black, and sometimes red). Neutral is always color-coded white. Current flows from the Hot to the Neutral. Along the way, that current can do some work. But, regardless of the work that is done, the amount of current flowing in the hot wire should always be the same as the amount current flowing in the neutral wire.

Nothing, however, is ever perfect. Some of the current sometimes can “leak” out. In fact, the electrical code allows up to 20 mA to leak out of a residential circuit. Where that current may leak to is something we’ll take up in a moment. But, for now, it’s enough to say that if you are touching the circuit, then through your body is one path it might leak through. And a current greater than about 50 mA is considered quite-often-fatal. So, 20 mA is thought to provide enough safety margin to avoid most fatalities (“Most” fatalities? you may ask. Well, unfortunately, there is no such thing as safety, only degrees of danger. And the experts — whoever they may be [whispering] they actually work for the insurance industry[/whispering] — have decided that 20 mA results in an acceptably-low number of fatalities.)

In a 240V two-wire circuit (again, we’ll get to the three-wire circuit in a moment, trust me) there are also two wires. We call them Leg One and Leg Two or just L1 and L2 for short-short nomenclature, that is, not short circuit. Sometimes, the wires are color-coded black. Sometimes one is red. Sometimes one is white but painted black or red, or wrapped with some black or red tape; this is called “decoding.” In this case, current flows between the two legs so that the current in L1 must equal the current in L2. Again, there might be some “leakage” in “the real world” and code allows up to 20 mA.

In a three-wire 240V circuit, there are three wires. They are called L1, L2, and Neutral. Neutral is always color-coded white. L1 and L2 may be both black, or one black and one red. Decoding techniques may be used here to color code better. In the two-wire 240V circuit, 240V is the only voltage you can get. In this new three-wire circuit, you can get 240V between L1 and L2, or you can get 120V between L1 and neutral, or you can get 120V between L2 and neutral. Current in this circuit is tricky. Basically, current in L1 minus current in L2 plus current in neutral must equal zero. But, again, code allows for 20 mA of “leakage.” The advantage of the three-wire circuit is that you can get the 120V which is easier to work with for some applications. Consider a clothes dryer, for example. The heating element uses 240V between L1 and L2, but the drum light bulb may run from 120V.

What about the ground wire which is often just bare copper or maybe insulated with green plastic or green with a yellow stripe? That is a safety measure. It’s attached to any exposed metal on the appliance so that if something inside breaks and the hot wire or L1 or L2 touches the metal which may be touched by the user, that current immediately flows through the ground wire tripping the breaker and making the situation safe. Normally, no current should flow in the ground wire. Think of it as the overflow drain on your sink. Normally, no water flows down the overflow drain. The overflow drain’s only functions in an emergency if you leave the water running too long. In the case of the ground wire, it’s not too long that counts, but the voltage in the wrong place.

A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter is a safety device that monitors the current in the hot, neutral, L1 and L2 wires as appropriate for the circuit involved. If it detects any missing current — well, more than 20 mA of missing current — then it shuts everything off virtually instantly. When more than 20 mA is unaccounted for, it’s better-safe-than-sorry, best to shut everything off.

So where does current leak to? Well, the ground wire is one possibility. Remember, any exposed metal is connected to the ground wire. If an internal fault develops inside a device such that hot, L1, or L2 touches any of that exposed metal, the current flows to the ground and the GFCI sees it as leakage and shut down the party.

But there is a more sinister option. That current could leak through your body. And 50 mA is likely fatal. So, again, it’s good to shut things down.

But if current enters your body, why does it flow? Where does it flow out of your body too? The most common answer is that it flows through something wet and then to ground. This is why GFCIs are required on outlets used in bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchens, garages, outdoors, around swimming pools and spas, places that can be expected to be wet.

You don’t need water to have a ground fault. An internal fault in a device can cause a ground fault too!

GFCI Outlets and GFCI Breaker

Tesla includes a GFCI in the Mobile Connector and the Wall Connector. There should be no need for an expensive GFCI breaker on a 240V garage circuit. A GFCI is required by code on all 120V circuits in the garage. This can either be a GFCI breaker or a GFCI outlet.

A big thanks go to our guest columnist Chuck for the GFCI section!

Between the breaker and the outlet or Wall Connector is a run of wire. The safe wire size depends on the type of conductor (Copper or Aluminum), the expected maximum amount of current flowing through the wire, and other factors such as if the wires are exposed or installed within walls.

Copper or Aluminum

Aluminum wire is cheaper than copper, but the wires must be thicker to carry the same amount of current. In addition, every type of attachment (breakers, outlets, etc.) must be specifically rated for use with aluminum wire (and many are not). Lastly, care must be taken to apply the correct anti-oxidizing paste. If aluminum wiring is not properly installed, over time it can cause dangerous overheating resulting in fires! For this reason, we strongly recommend the use of copper wires for EV charging to avoid the risk of improper installation. The Tesla Wall Connector is rated only for copper wire.

Wire Types

Within Copper or Aluminum there are also multiple types, primarily relating to the insulation and temperature handling abilities. Generally, you want a wire rated for 75°C or more. This ampacity table provides more details on current handling for a wide range of wires sizes and types.  For the recommended wire, use the chart below.

You can always go with a wire that has larger current handling abilities than specified in the code. A thicker wire has a smaller number, so a #3 wire can handle more current than a #4 wire. The amount of current being pulled by your charger heats up the wires, losing a small amount of power. A thicker wire has less resistance and less power losses.

Sheathed or Conduit

For lower power circuits, typically wires are bundled together with plastic sheathing. Plastic sheathed 14/2 and 12/2 is commonly used for 120VAC circuits in homes. Sheathed cables are available for just about any size, but often the installation becomes difficult with thicker cables. A conduit can be plastic or metal but must be rated for electrical use. PVC plumbing pipe is never suitable and does not meet any electrical codes. There are also codes which may limit physical exposure to wires, so conduct may be required. Your electrician can determine the proper types for your specific installation.

Single Run

Ideally, the wires should be one continuous run from the breaker to the outlet or Wall Connector. Code does allow for a spliced connection, so long as properly done and occurs within an accessible electrical box. With the high currents involved with charging, it becomes another risk point for failure and should be avoided if possible.

An outlet must mount in a suitable electrical box. It can be plastic or metal, although some situations may require one or the other. For example, a metal box is required if using metal conduit or metal-sheathed wiring. Metal is also preferred for an EV outlet, as it is far stronger. Some codes may require plastic when mounted behind drywall between a garage and a living area. If sealed properly, it prevents toxic carbon-monoxide gas from ICE vehicles in the garage leaking into the home. Just another good reason to switch to non-toxic EVs!

4″ Steel box, 21 cubic-inches

The size of the box is also important, and code requires the box to be large enough to accommodate the wires and the outlet. The calculation is a bit tricky, but we’ve made a handy calculator for the required box size using NEC section 314. For example, if you use a NEMA 14-50, with three #6 wires and a ground, you’d need a box with at least 30 cubic inches.

If you can’t find a metal box big enough, there are extension boxes, which look like a box with an open back. These are attached to create an even larger box. For surface mount installations, typically installed with conduit, some outlets are made that include the box as part of the outlet, which may be a better solution for some.

If you are mounting the outlet outdoors, it needs to be installed with a rainproof enclosure. The enclosure must meet the NEC box size requirements too.

If you run a non-metallic sheathed cable into the box, the cable must be protected with the proper hardware, so the sharp edges of the box do not cut into the cable. In addition, a ground wire must be physically attached to the back of the box.

Outlets are made in three grades, residential, commercial and industrial. Once you or your electrician selects the outlet size, we strongly recommend using an industrial outlet. These are designed for many more insertions and removals with far longer service life. These outlets can be costly, but we feel they are well worth it.

Outlet	Configuration	Voltage	Circuit breaker	Industrial Versions
NEMA 5-15		120V	15 Amp	Leviton 5262 Leviton G5262 (GFCI)
NEMA 5-20		120V	20 Amp	Leviton 5352 Leviton G5362 (GFCI)
NEMA 6-15		240V	15 Amp	Leviton 5651
NEMA 6-20		240V	20 Amp	Leviton 5461
NEMA 10-30 (not recommended)		240V	30 Amp	Leviton 5207-S10 Leviton 5054†
NEMA 14-30		240V	30 Amp	Hubbel HBL9430A* Leviton 55054†
NEMA 6-50		240V	50 Amp	Leviton 5374-IG Leviton 5378†
NEMA 14-50		240V	50 Amp	Hubbell HBL9450A* Leviton 55050† CE CESMPS54HR**

† Outlet is part of a surface mount box
* Tesla Recommended
** Rainproof outlet and enclosure
NEMA 10-30 Adapters from Tesla are available, but due to the lack of a ground wire, we don’t recommend it. Use NEMA 14-30 if you’re adding a 30 amp connector.

We recommend you hire a qualified electrician to evaluate your needs and complete the necessary work for a safe and quality charging connection. Armed with a bit of additional knowledge from this article goes a long way to getting exactly what you need. We also recommend you obtain a permit from your local city. While this adds a small cost to the project, it provides an inspection by the city to verify the work is done properly. If your electrician balks at getting a permit, perhaps you should consider another electrician. The electrician may price the project higher with a permit – partly because the electrician must do the job right, and partly as it may take some additional time to pull the permit and be on hand for the inspection. You may be able to save a few dollars by handling the permit yourself. Many cities even let you do this entirely online.

While no one wants to spend money unnecessarily, doing it right is important. Should the installation cause a serious problem, having the proper permits and inspections may make it easier in dealing with insurance claims. Done properly, it may also increase the value of your home to a future buyer.

Tesla maintains a list of recommended electricians that are trained to install Tesla charging equipment.

Key talking points with your Electrician

• Can an existing circuit be used?
• Does your home have enough power (remember, most charging is done when other appliances are not in use)?
• Should you upgrade to a higher-power outlet or Wall Connector for the future?
• Where to install the outlet for easy access to the left-rear charging port?
• You want copper wire, not aluminum.
• Ask for the cost difference of using thicker wire than required.
• Suggest that an extra foot of wire be looped behind the outlet box in case you later install a Wall Connector.
• Decide who will get the permit and be on hand for the inspection when done.
• Consider if a whole house surge or lightning protector might be worth including in the project.

The NEC (National Electrical Code) is a standard for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment in the United States. It’s the work of literally hundreds of engineers and scientists coordinated by the National Fire Protection Association, the NFPA, which comes out of the insurance industry. Quite a bit of the NEC is focused on reducing the risk of fire, for which the insurance industry often ends up paying. The NEC is not a law, but a model for a local jurisdiction to use by the local building code’s compliance office. Many cities and counties adopt the code as a requirement for work done within the region. The code changes every three years, and states and cities may adopt these changes or can be 3- 9 years behind the latest code. In addition, a city can elect to skip sections or have additional local requirements. As there are slight variants in the version of the NEC and local code, we can’t provide every option and detail. Your electrician should be up on your local requirements.

Tesla – Home charging

Tesla – Installing a Wall Connector

Tesla – Wall Connector Installation Manual

Tesla – Electrician referral

Tesla – Buying a Model 3 Gen 2 Mobile Connector

Tesla – Buying adapters not included with Mobile Connector kit

TeslaTap’s Supercharger Superguide

Our Model 3 Home Charging Guide

Acronyms and Abbreviations to help in decoding terminology.

From our guest columnist Coastal Cruiser, Aug-2019 Update Overview Determining the Best Charging Solution Charging Speed Calculator Mobile Connector and Outlets Tesla Wall Connector Considering the Future J1772 Connection Safety Recommendations FAQs Useful Links at Tesla Additional Useful Links

Charging your Model 3 at home is different from charging on the road. On-road trips your time is limited, and you want the fastest charge possible. Since a personal home Supercharger costs more than the car, you can take advantage of the fact that charging at home can be done at a more leisurely speed… often overnight while you sleep.

As a reference, a Supercharger can charge a Model 3 at more than 200 miles per half-hour. Destination Chargers at hotels can charge a Model 3 with the long-range battery at up to 44 miles of range per hour, while a Model 3 with the standard-range battery can charge at up to 30 miles of range per hour. At home, you have the flexibility to charge your car at Destination Charger speeds as well, or you can typically charge as slow as 5 miles of range per hour from a standard 120-volt electrical outlet… or somewhere in between utilizing various types of outlets.

We’ll help you choose the best charging solution based on:

• Number of miles per day the car is typically driven
• Existing electrical infrastructure where the car is parked and costs to upgrade to a higher amperage circuit if needed
• Future-proofing: Consider the need to charge additional Tesla vehicles or non-Tesla EVs

Number of miles per day the car is typically driven
This is the primary consideration. What goes out must go back in. There is an easy calculation that determines the outlet required, or if you would benefit from a dedicated charging device such as a Tesla Wall Connector, which is capable of higher charge rates. To calculate the charging speed required, simply make note of the highest number of miles you might drive your Model 3 in a given day. Then you just divide that number by the number of hours available to charge the car. For example, if your commute is 50 miles, and the car is parked at home for 12 hours, divide 50 by 12. The result is 4.2. That means your charging solution should add at least 4.2 miles of range per hour to the car. Simple. Naturally, that is a minimum. You are free to install a charging solution of any capacity above that to act as a buffer, or for those times you drive extra distances.

There is one consideration that may affect the number of hours available to charge the car. If your utility company offers discounted rates for EV charging you may wish to charge only during the lowest cost rate period. EV rates and schedules vary among utilities, but let’s take the same example above and assume your utility allows for EV charging at discount rates between Midnight and 6 AM. That’s a six-hour window, so divide 6 into 50. That equates to a required charging rate of 8.3 miles of range per hour. Your charging solution now must provide twice the current to fully charge the car at the preferable rates. The calculator below helps you find your ideal charging speed.

Cold Weather Adjustments
Throughout this article, we assume the car is not charging in freezing weather. The battery pack does not charge if its internal temperature is too low and may require heating the battery. The process is automatic if needed. This heating reduces the charging rate by 2-4 miles range per hour. If you expect to charge in freezing weather, take this into consideration. In extreme cold, charging at 120V may only keep the battery heated and may not add any additional miles of range!

Existing electrical infrastructure and costs to upgrade to a higher amperage circuit if needed.
Now that you have determined the number of miles of range per hour you wish to put back into your car each day, you need to determine the electrical service required to plug the car into. Keep in mind that the charge cord that comes with the Model 3 (the Mobile Connector Gen 2) is 20’ long. Ideally, the outlet should be close enough to the charge port on the car (left rear) to use the Mobile Connector. The optional Tesla Wall Connector can be ordered with a 24’ cable.

All but the lowest charging rates are going to require a 240V circuit. A standard 120V can be used to charge the car, but as you can see in the below chart, charging is limited at best to around 7 miles of range per hour (a.k.a. trickle charging).

Many charging solutions take the form of using the included Mobile Connector plugged into some type of wall outlet, but if you wish to charge the Model 3 with the Long-Range battery at the fastest speed that the car’s onboard charger can handle, a hard-wired Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) is required. An EVSE is simply the connection between the car and the power source, such as the Mobile Connector, but a hard-wired EVSE is usually connected directly to an electrical panel and can provide more current than any outlet is capable of. In the case where the maximum charge rate for the LR Model 3 is desired, the ideal solution is the optional $500 Tesla Wall Connector (the SR Model 3 can charge at full speed from a 6-50 or 14-50 outlet). Third-party hard-wired EVSE devices are available, but few compete with the Tesla Wall Connector on price, nor are most capable of charging the LR battery at maximum speed (a 60-amp capable EVSE is required).

After consulting the chart below consider how far your electrical service is from where you park your car. Check if there room for an additional 240V breaker (usually 2 slots). Is it necessary to run wiring from the main panel to where the car is parked? Is the total service at the main panel adequate? Older homes often have 100-amp service, which may require upgrading for higher power outlets.

The costs to upgrade the electrical infrastructure can run from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars and maybe a determining factor in how fast you can charge your Model 3. If an upgrade requires running a significant length of wire to reach the car then see the below FAQ for a money-saving tip.

Model 3 Mobile Connector, Gen 2, with NEMA 14-50 adapter

Note the following as you examine the below chart that breaks down the various outlets for charging your car at the desired speed:

1. Most of the outlets shown in the chart are for you to match to existing service in your home. If you have an existing outlet (like an unused dryer outlet in the garage) that matches an outlet listed here, check the miles of range per hour on the far left of the entry. If that number equals or exceeds the figure you came up from the prior step for calculating your charging needs, you’re good to go! If the Mobile Connector reaches from the car to the outlet you have an existing charging solution. Good job (just make note of the safety recommendations). The outlets in the chart are labeled NEMA x-xx. NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) is an industry-based group in North America that determines standards for electrical delivery equipment. The first number in a NEMA label is the series or category of the device in question, such as a voltage category. The second number is the current rating in amps. For example, a standard 120V 15-amp household outlet is classified by NEMA as a 5-15. Don’t worry about remembering this.
2. If you need new service to accommodate the number you came up with from the prior step, the choices are very straightforward, so you usually don’t need to pore through the chart. A 50-amp NEMA 14-50 or 6-50 outlet (see FAQ for differences) charges either the standard-range battery or the long-range battery at a speed of 32 amps or 30 miles of range per hour (mrph). This is the maximum charging rate for the standard-range battery, but the long-range battery can be charged at up to 48 amps or 44 mrph if connected to a higher amperage source such as the Tesla Wall Connector (there is a 32-amp limit on the Gen 2 Mobile Connector).

Charging Speeds for Common Electrical Outlets using Mobile Connector (slowest to fastest)

Miles of range per hour	Actual Charging Amps	The NEMA outlet required	Tesla Adapter needed	Voltage	Circuit breaker
3-5 mrph	12A	NEMA 5-15 Standard Household outlet	5-15*	120V	15 Amp
4-7 mrph	16A	NEMA 5-20 20A outlet seen in newer construction in garages and bathrooms	5-20**	120V	20 Amp
11 mrph	12A	NEMA 6-15 Garage: Arc welder, compressor, etc. House: AC, Dryer Motels: AC/ heater unit.	6-15**	240V	15 Amp
15 mrph	16A	NEMA 6-20 Garage: Arc welder, compressor, etc. House: AC, Dryer Motels: AC/ heater unit.	6-20**	240V	20 Amp
22 mrph	24A	NEMA 10-30 House: Dryer outlet (older), Stoves (older)	10-30**	240V	30 Amp
22 mrph	24A	NEMA 14-30 House: Dryer outlet (newer)	14-30**	240V	30 Amp
30 or 371 mrph	32A SR or 40A LR1	NEMA 6-50 † Welders, 3rd party EVSEs (install with ground plug UP, as in this illustration)	6-50**	240V	50 Amp
30 or 371 mrph	32A SR or 40A LR1	NEMA 14-50 † Ovens, Ranges, RV Parks The most common outlet type for charging Tesla vehicles (install with ground plug UP, as in this illustration)	14-50*	240V	50 Amp

¹ Only with long-range battery AND Gen 1 Mobile Connector or the optional Corded Mobile Connector with a fixed 14-50 cable from Tesla (cars ship with Gen 2 MC, which is limited to 32 amps and 30 mrph)
† Outlet charges a Model 3 at maximum speed
* Adapter included with the car
** Adapter must be purchased separately. It can be ordered from Tesla.

The Mobile Connector comes with adapters for the NEMA 5-15 and the NEMA 14-50. If you need a different adapter, you should order an adapter from Tesla. See the FAQ for 3^rd party adapters for your Mobile Connector to plug into outlets not listed here.

Tesla Wall Connector

* The Tesla Wall Connector is installed on any circuit between 15 and 100 amps. Lower rated circuits result in lower charge rates. The breaker shown is the recommended minimum size for the fastest charging of your Model 3. There is a switch within the Wall Connector that must be set to match your circuit breaker.

Before locking down your charging solutions, think about any other electric cars you may want to charge now or in the future. For example, if you are installing an EVSE such as a Tesla Wall Connector you may wish to have a NEMA 14-50 outlet installed at the same time. This is a common outlet used by many EVs. If you are the type of host that always has a beer in the fridge or an extra shrimp to throw on the barbie for unexpected guests, you will certainly want to have a charging outlet handy for your guests’ EV (assuming they are as smart as you and drive an EV!).

You may also consider purchasing a 3^rd party EVSE that works with your J1772 adapter. This should work for both Tesla vehicles and non-Tesla EVs.

Summary

1. If you already have an outlet where the car is parked at home and it meets your minimum charging miles of range per hour rate, you’re basically set unless you need an adapter not supplied with the Mobile Connector kit. Other adapters are available from Tesla and EVSE Adapters. See our Safety recommendations and ensure the circuit is in good working order.
2. If you’re installing new service your likely choice is a NEMA 6-50 or 14-50 (see FAQ) or a Tesla Wall Connector, if your electric service can handle the load. See FAQ for selecting an electrician.
3. Keep in mind the need to charge other EVs as you decide on the charging solution for your Model 3.

The Model 3 also comes with a J1772 adapter that accommodates public J1772 charging equipment. The charge rate depends on the power level provided by the installation and equipment.

1. This guide describes what you need to charge your Model 3 and why you need it. It does not describe how to install a charging outlet or upgrade your electrical service. Such work should be performed by a licensed electrician, with the proper permits and follow-up inspections. The US-based National Electrical Code, better known as NEC, establishes procedures for constructing electrical circuits, which are then adopted by most locales (which may modify or append the code). Human safety and property safety are tantamount priorities to the NEC. Regulations can seem burdensome, yet time and time again following the electrical code has proven that it is worth doing the job right, when we see the results on TV and in the newspaper when it’s not followed. Be sure whoever works on your home electrical infrastructure is following code. This goes double for electric cars, which may draw more power than any other appliance in your home. Having electrical work performed to code, by a licensed electrician, with the requisite permits and inspections may also help in the event of an insurance claim.
2. You may well be able to charge your Model 3 by plugging it into an existing outlet, say an unused dryer outlet. Be forewarned however that the current draw from your Model 3 may be higher than any load serviced by the outlet before. Tesla cars can draw the maximum current rating for an outlet (generally 80% of the circuit breaker’s rated capacity). It’s wise to have an electrician check the circuit BEFORE plugging in the car. The outlet must be in good working order (no loose connectors, broken housing, or burn marks). The circuit breaker must be the correct size to match the outlet type. Finally, the wiring must be in good condition and of sufficient size to carry the rated current. DON’T ASSUME ALL THIS IS TRUE JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE USED THE OUTLET FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Don’t risk a fire. Have the outlet that your Model 3 uses checked out. It’s a one-time safety check to ensure years of service charging your beautiful electric car!
3. Most outlets installed in residences are “residential grade”. Given that you are asking for the best performance from your outlet it is wise to swap in an “industrial-grade” outlet. The additional cost is well worth it for the extra gripping strength provided by industrial-grade outlets. An outlet is the weakest link in the system to bring electricity to the car so don’t skimp. The FAQ on best outlets has details.
4. Many outlets are not designed for continually plugging and unplugging the charging cord. This goes double for the high current outlets likely used by an electric car. Best practices are to plug the cord in and leave it in. This means the Mobile Connector that came with the car would be left home when you are on the road. With an industrial-grade outlet, you can get away with unplugging the Mobile Connector as needed for road trips. If having the Mobile Connector with you at all times is important, you should consider either purchasing a second Mobile Connector to keep with the car or installing a Tesla Wall Connector or equivalent at home.

Q: Should I use a NEMA receptacle with the Mobile Connector or a Wall Connector?
A: Either option has its own merits. Here is a comparison checklist:

Mobile Connector

• Charges at a maximum of 30 miles of range per hour
• Comes with 20’ cable
• Usually less expensive for total installation
• Ties up Mobile Connector for home charging
• NEMA 14-50 requires 3 wires plus the ground wire. NEMA 6-50 requires 2 wires plus the ground wire
• Requires 50A circuit
• Plain unobtrusive look
• Charging from any outlet is limited due to a 32-amp maximum charge rate of the Gen 2 Mobile Connector. That is why the long-range battery is limited to being charged at 32-amps, or 30 miles of range per hour, even on a 50A circuit.

Tesla Wall Connector

• Charges Model 3 with either standard or long-range battery at the maximum rate (30 / 44 miles of range per hour respectively)
• Comes with either 8.5’ or 24’ cable
• $500 for Wall Connector (either cable length). Includes shipping.
• Usually more expensive installation
• Allows Mobile Connector to be stored in the car for road trips. Could save $300 for the second Mobile Connector.
• Requires 2 wires plus the ground wire
• Requires 60A circuit to provide maximum charging to the long-range battery. It can be used on any circuit from 15 to 100 amps, but only charges based on limits of your car.
• Hip looking, cool lights and looks stylish
• Better flexibility: Install on a 40A circuit to charge one Model 3 with the standard-range battery at the maximum rate. Install on 60A circuit to charge one Model 3 with the long-range battery at the maximum rate. Install on up to 100A circuit to charge multiple Tesla vehicles from the same circuit at the best possible charging speeds.
• A Wall Connector bypasses the 32-amp limitation of the Gen 2 Mobile Connector, thus allows the long-range battery to be charged at the maximum rate of 48-amps, or 44 miles of range per hour.

Q: I’m confused about the maximum charging amps the Model 3 can handle. Some say 40 or 48 amps. Some say 32 amps. Please explain.
A: The Model 3 with the standard-range battery has an onboard charger that can handle up to 32 amps. The Model 3 with the long-range battery has an onboard charger that can handle up to 48 amps. However, the Gen 2 Mobile Connector that comes with all Model 3s maxes out at 32 amps. It is a limitation of the size of the charging cable. You can charge the Standard battery at maximum speed with the included Gen 2 Mobile Connector. To charge the long-range battery at maximum speed you need to use a dedicated EVSE, such as a Tesla Wall Connector that is rated for 48 amps or more and connected to a 240 volt 60-amp (or more) breaker. Most EVSEs cannot charge at more than 32 amps, so make sure to check carefully before buying something other than the Tesla Wall Connector.

What complicates the picture is that the old Gen 1 Mobile Connector that came with the Model S/X had a 40-amp maximum. Furthermore, Superchargers bypass the car’s built-in charger and charge the battery directly at a far higher rate. So, it breaks down like this:

Q: I have a 6-50 outlet. It’s a 50A outlet, just like the 14-50. What’s the difference? Do I need to upgrade?
A: No. The NEMA 6-50 and the NEMA 14-50 are both 50A outlets that charge the car at the same speed. The 6-50 outlet requires two wires plus a ground. The two wires create a 240V circuit. The 14-50 outlet requires three wires plus a ground to meet code. Like the 6-50, two of the wires create a 240V circuit. The third wire is a center tap or “neutral” wire that adds a 120V circuit as well. This configuration is great for electric ranges because the oven runs on 240V, but a clock and any lights on the stove only need 120V power. However, Tesla does NOT use the neutral wire. So, for charging your Model 3 the two outlet types are equivalent. Just note that the Model 3 comes with an adapter for the 14-50 outlet (due to its popularity), but you would need to buy a 6-50 adapter separately ($35). For new service, if the distance to run wiring to the outlet is significant, the 6-50 outlet is more cost-effective (less copper to run) and provides the same charging speed.

Tip: Have your electrician install either the 6-50 or the 14-50 outlet with the ground plug to the top. That way the Mobile Connector cord hangs properly from the socket. Also, be sure that your outlet is installed in a place that stays dry and that it is at least 18” above the floor to prevent the Mobile Connector module from dragging on the floor.

Q: What are the best outlets to buy? Is there a difference?
A: There is a difference. Electrical outlets are manufactured to different standards to match the application. There are a myriad number of ways to classify an application, but to keep things simple you want to avoid common “residential” grade outlets. This is the least expensive option, but not ideal for charging an electric car. The next grade up is “commercial” grade, but even better is to choose “industrial” grade. The industrial-grade outlets have spring tensioning in the receptacle to ensure a tight grip and better withstands repeated insertions of the charging cord.

A few reliable brand names that make industrial-grade outlets are Cooper, Eaton, Hubbell, and Leviton. For the 50A 14-50 outlets, Tesla recommends the Hubbell HBL9450A, or the Cooper 5754N.

Examples of industrial Grade Outlets

Leviton 120V 15A (#5262 NEMA 5-15)	Leviton 120V 20A (#5352 NEMA 5-20)	Hubbell 240V 30A (HBL9430A NEMA 14-30)	Hubbell 240V 50A (HBL9450A NEMA 14-50)

Q: Where can I obtain adapters and other charging accessories that Tesla does not make?
A: There are several 3^rd party companies that specialize in charging accessories for electric cars. Here are a few we know of:

• AC works
• Cord Depot
• EVSE Adapters
• Stay online

Q: I am buying/have bought a Tesla Wall Connector and wish to plug it into an existing outlet rather than hardwire the unit to the electrical panel. I know I won’t get the maximum charge rate for my Model 3 with the long-range battery, but I don’t need the maximum charge rate. Can do?
A: Yes! The Wall Connector has a dial that lets you configure it for the circuit amperage you are plugging in to. You can simply order a cord that matches the outlet type. Let’s say you have a NEMA 14-50 outlet. That is a 50 amp, 4-wire outlet, so you would need a 50 amp, 4-wire cord.

NEMA 14-50 Plug on 1-Foot Cord

NEC code requires the cord to be under 1 foot in length.

Q: I just have a standard 120V 15A socket in my garage, which according to your chart only charges the battery at 4-5 miles of range per hour. Is there any way I can charge at a higher rate without having to re-wire my garage?
A: Possibly. You might be able to convert the circuit that the outlet is connected to from a 120V circuit to a 240V circuit without the need to upgrade the wiring between the breaker box and the outlet. This only works if the desired outlet is the ONLY outlet on the circuit to the breaker box, a somewhat rare situation. You’ll also need to switch wires to a new 240V dual breaker. You need two open adjacent slots for a 240V 2-pole breaker. Keep in mind you free up one breaker slot used by the current outlet.

This change boosts charging speed to 11 mrph. Because only the voltage is increasing, not the current, the wiring can remain as is. Use an electrician and permits when making this change. The existing NEMA 5-15 outlet(s) connected to the circuit needs to be replaced with a single NEMA 6-15 outlet such as this industrial-grade Leviton 5651 model seen here:

NEMA 6-15

Q: I just have a standard 120V 20A socket in my garage, which according to your chart only charges the battery at 6-7 miles of range per hour. Is there any way I can charge at a higher rate without having to rewire my garage?
A: Same answer as above except you need a 240V 20A outlet. That is a NEMA 6-20. Here is an example of an industrial-grade Leviton 5461 outlet.

NEMA 6-20

Q: What do I need to know when hiring an electrician?
A: The first thing you need to know is that all electricians are not created equal! Skill levels and attention to detail, even among licensed electricians, vary widely. Choosing an electrician is sort of like choosing a mate… you don’t just take the first one that happens along. Be cautious. Use your “I’m a good consumer” skills when interviewing an electrician. Here are some tips:

• Tesla has an Electrician referral service. This is not a panacea, just a starting point. The caveat here is that the price quote may be higher than from other electricians. People across the board report that prices are higher when the word “Tesla” is mentioned.
• Tesla also has a Direct home charging installation service in select states
• Go to an electrical supply house. Avoid a big box store like Home Depot or Lowes. An actual electrical supply distributor that has a retail counter. These guys know all the local electricians and may be able to give you a quality recommendation.
• Regardless of how you source the electrician, ask for references. Check Yelp.
• Get multiple quotes. This cannot be overstated. Each electrician has their own point of view, and prices naturally vary. Don’t go with the lowest bid. Ask questions. Go with the person who also asks you good questions, seems most capable, and provides references.
• Know what you are talking about before you call. That’s what this guide is for. If you’re having an outlet installed be familiar with the model numbers of the industrial version of that outlet. Ask specifically for an industrial-grade outlet or order it yourself in advance. See if the electrician balks or seems confused by the question. Stipulate the use of COPPER wire. Don’t accept aluminum wire. If the electrician won’t comply with your wishes send them packing.
• If you’re installing an outlet consider claiming it is for an RV, not an EV. It is widely reported that electricians charge more to wire up outlets for electric cars. Especially Tesla vehicles!

Q: Do I need to buy a second Mobile Connector for when I travel? I like keeping the one that came with the car plugged in at home. It’s too much hassle removing it from the trunk and uncoiling it every day. And I read the caution about constantly plugging and unplugging the cord.
A: It depends. Keep in mind that you don’t need the Mobile Connector to use Superchargers or Destination Chargers. And you can carry just the J1772 adapter which allows you to plug into 3^rd party charge stations that employ the J1772 standard. That covers a lot of ground. However, if you’re the type that likes being ready for anything, an extra Mobile kit may come in handy. If you’re ever low on charge near an RV park or campground, the 50A NEMA 14-50 adapter or a TT-30 adapter (see next FAQ) could come in really handy. If you’re ever visiting friends or relatives you can at least trickle charge the battery in their driveway. That means it’s good to have the 15A 5-15 and 20A 5-20 adapters with you. In cold climates, such a connection keeps the battery warm.

Before purchasing a second Mobile Connector for $300, take another look at the Tesla Wall Connector for $500. For the extra $200 you get the advantages of the Wall Connector noted above. Or consider swapping out your home outlet for an industrial model, as noted earlier in the FAQ section.

Q: Are there any other adapters I should travel with besides the ones that come with the Mobile Connector?
A: Yes. Some RV parks have special 120V 30A outlets that accommodate travel trailers and smaller RVs. The outlet type is called a TT-30. Tesla does not make an adapter for this outlet, but EVSE Adapters has a TT-30 adapter. Not cheap, but a good addition to the “be prepared for anything” tool bag.

Q: Why can’t I charge my Model 3 as fast as at a Supercharger or Destination Charger?
A: You can charge at home at least at the same speed as a Destination Charger. Destination Chargers are just Tesla Wall Connectors. The Model 3 has a built-in charger that maxes out at 32 amps for the standard-range battery and 48 amps for the long-range battery. If the Wall Connector is wired to at least a 60-amp circuit (either your home unit or at a hotel), it charges the car at the maximum rate (44 mph for the long-range battery and 30mph for the standard-range battery). Be advised that the Wall Connector can be installed on any circuit from 15 to 100 amps and charge the car accordingly. So, in that sense not all Destination Chargers are equal. It all depends on what amperage circuit the unit was installed on.

Note: A single Wall Connector charging one car only requires a 60-amp circuit and breaker to charge the long-range battery at the maximum rate (32 amps for the standard-range battery). If using multiple Wall Connectors (up to 4) you can install them on a single circuit up to 100A and the units load share to make maximum use of the power and allow all the cars to charge uniformly.

A Supercharger bypasses the onboard charger in the Model 3 to supply high power direct current (DC) directly to the battery. When using household power, the car’s onboard charger converts household alternating current (AC) into DC that the battery requires.

Q: What is it that determines how much power the car tries to draw?
A: Good question! It is important that the car never draws more current than the electrical circuit is rated for. Normally this happens automatically. It is the adapters that came with the car in the Mobile Connector kit (or purchased from Tesla) that determine how much current to draw. Let’s say you are charging from a 20A outlet. You would, therefore, plug one end of the 20A NEMA 5-20 adapter into the outlet, and the other end into the Mobile Connector (which then plugs into the car). The adapter signals the onboard charger to draw no more than 16A. Code requires no more than 80% of a circuit to be utilized for continuous loads.

The Tesla adapter signals the proper rate of charge for the outlet type it is connected to. Knowing this helps keep you from getting into trouble when looking for special adapters that violate power limits to connect with unusual outlets. These 3^rd party adapters, ostensibly designed to work on a Tesla, may break the normal rules and could overload a circuit.

Here’s an example: Cathy wants to go camping in her Tesla. She is staying at an RV park that does not have the typical 240V 50A NEMA 14-50 outlets for RVs. They only have the lower-powered outlets for small RVs. The outlet is called a TT-30 (for Travel Trailer) and is 120V, 30A. Tesla does not make an adapter for a TT-30 outlet. However, a company called AC Works^TM has made an after-market TT-30 adapter that uses the Tesla supplied 14-50 adapter to allow plugging into the TT-30 outlet. This is problematic. The fact that the 3^rd party adapter uses the Tesla 14-50 adapter means that the car thinks it is plugged into a 240V 50A outlet when it, in fact, it is a 120V 30A outlet! At best this means a tripped circuit breaker (the car tries to draw 32 amps on the circuit, which is the maximum current the Gen 2 Mobile Connector allows). Not recommended!

AC Works TT-30P adapter

The suggested workaround for such a kludgy setup is to use the car’s charging screen to manually dial back the charging rate to 24 amps. This is not wise because it is too easy to forget to do so. The better solution when looking for outlet adapters that Tesla does not make is to find a company that makes an adapter that plugs directly into the Mobile Connector and signals the exact right amperage to draw. We recommend Cathy purchase an adapter that properly signals the car to draw the required current from the outlet, such as this one from EVSE Adapters.

TT-30 Adapter for Tesla, Gen 2 – Signals the correct rate of charge to the car

Q: I have heard of a product on eBay called Dryer Buddy^TM that lets you share a dryer outlet with your EV. Is this thing worth a damn? I occasionally use my dryer in the garage.
A: It can be. But buy the right version! Otherwise, you end up with a “Cathy the camper” problem as described in the prior question. One version of the Dryer Buddy requires you to use your 50A 14-50 adapter to plug into a 30A outlet! Your 14-50 adapter tells the car it is plugged into a 50A outlet, and if you don’t override the amperage limit setting on the car’s charging screen, the breaker will trip. That is if everything goes as it should… otherwise, house wires dangerously overheat and catch fire!

To explain how to purchase the correct version of the Dryer Buddy here is an excerpt from a forum thread discussing the product. Member “Rocky_H” responds to a member leaning toward buying the version that comes with a 50A 14-50 socket.

“… You talked about getting Dryer Buddy #4. I recommend against people doing that. It’s a bad idea. First off, it’s not even the right outlets you’re talking about. The #4 version plugs into a 10-30 in the wall and splits it to a 10-30 and a 14-50. So, you would be plugging into a 14-50 outlet on it with the Tesla charging cable. That’s a really bad idea for your regular daily charging scenario. If you forget to turn down the amps in the car or if it resets from a software update or something (that happens sometimes), then you are overdrawing the circuit, and you need to hope the breaker trips. So definitely don’t get that version, which puts a 50-amp outlet type on a 30-amp circuit. The one you might want would be the one that plugs into a 14-30 (if that’s the outlet in your wall) and just duplicates it to two 14-30 outlets.

But furthermore, if people are going to use a Dryer Buddy, I only recommend using the PLUS AUTO versions. They have sensing and auto-switching in them to make sure you don’t accidentally have both outlets drawing at the same time, which (again) would have to rely on your breaker tripping. So if you get the proper one with two 14-30 outlets in the PLUS AUTO version, it’s about $295.

Oh, and the ordering website for the Dryer Buddy products is weird and confusing. They don’t list all the versions of the products. You must select it in two parts to get one item. You pick the Dryer Buddy version with the outlets you want, add that to your cart ($143), and then you also add the upgrade to the PLUS AUTO as a separate item ($152).”

Q: You state the maximum speed I can charge at with the Gen 2 Mobile Connector is from 5 to 30 miles of range per hour using an outlet. I need faster charging on the road due to very long days on the highway, and my route doesn’t take me near a Supercharger. I do have access to a 14-50 outlet. I understand the original Gen 1 Mobile Connector does not have the 32-amp limit the Gen 2 MC has. If I had a Gen 1 MC could I charge faster from that 14-50?
A: You have a very unusual situation but there is a solution. Tesla makes a special Corded Mobile Connector that plugs into a 14-50 outlet. It does NOT allow different adapters to be used though! There is simply a fixed 14-50 plug permanently attached to the end of the cable that allows the car to charge at 40A or 37 mrph, which is nearly 20% faster than what the standard Mobile Connector allows.

Levity Q: We have solar / are intending to install solar. No batteries though. Too finicky. It seems like it is best to charge the car during the day when we have the most excess power. Except, the car’s not here during the day! What’s a greenie to do?
Levity A: OK. This is a nice can of worms you have opened. Let’s start with the simple, easy to digest worms first. If your solar is NOT tied to the grid, you have few options. Solar power is a use-it-or-lose-it thing unless you have a way to store all that photonic energy.

There are a variety of contraptions you could concoct to store the energy for when your car needs it. If you live in a wooded area you could strip all the branches off the trees and have a circular platform loaded with rocks that is raised to the treetops during the day via solar-powered motors. At night the platforms would be released, and they would create power via regen on the same electric motors to charge your car. Or you could use the daytime solar output to heat all your neighbor’s swimming pools via a complex underground piping system, and then use thermo-electric couplers to draw the heat from the pools at night to create enough electricity to charge your car.

Or instead we would take a page from Neo’s book from ‘The Matrix’:

For now, batteries are still about the most economical way to store electrons. And for battery storage, the Tesla Powerwall is an incredible value. Compared to a do-it-yourself system –sourcing the lithium-ion cells, charge controller, inverter, battery management, all the odd wires and pieces, and the time to assemble everything– a Powerwall not only has all those parts fully integrated, it costs about half the DIY approach. We’re not kidding here. We’ve run the numbers against a real DIY system, and kilowatt for kilowatt the version 2 Powerwall is about 50% less expense.

Now if you have installed a grid-tied solar system it’s a whole different ballgame. Grid-tied means you are connecting the solar inverter (the thing that turns DC from the solar panels into AC to run the house) to the electric utility, and you have the potential to sell power to the utility. So effectively you use the utility company as a “battery”. You sell the power generated by your panels during the day, then buy the power back at night when your car charges. The tricky part is the rate you sell your power for, vs. the rate, you pay to buy it back. That is where the big worms come in and understanding the ever-evolving games the utilities are playing with rate plans for this scenario is really a guide unto itself. So that’s as far as we can take it. Our best recommendation to charge your car at the best possible rates with grid-tied solar is to read up on net metering, and net metering vs. net billing, and then investigate what your local utility is offering.

Tesla – Home charging

Tesla – Installing a Wall Connector

Tesla – Electrician referral

Tesla – Buying a Model 3 Gen 2 Mobile Connector

Tesla – Buying adapters not included with Mobile Connector kit

Good forum post about electrician costs #1

Good forum post about electrician costs #2

TeslaTap’s Supercharger Superguide

Home Charging Wiring Guide

Acronyms and Abbreviations to help in decoding terminology.

EVSE Adapters – 3^rd party adapters for electrical outlets that Tesla does not have an adapter for. These adapters are recommended because they properly signal the car to charge at the appropriate rate.

Electrek article on Model 3 charging options

Wiki article on NEMA outlet standards

NEMA outlet identifier chart

Many phones today use the Qi-standard wireless charger. You can add one to your car as well.

DIY instructions for installation in the Model S or X Console

For the Model 3, there is the Tesla Wireless Pad, available in a single and dual phone configurations.

Qi Wireless Charging Compatible Phones

• Apple iPhone: 8, 8 Plus, X, Xs, Xs Max, Xr, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
• Samsung Galaxy: S6, S7, S8, S9, S10; Fold; Note 8, 9, 10
• LG: Vu, V30, G6 (US version), G7
• Microsoft Lumia: 1520, 1020, 930, 929, 928, 920
• Google Nexus 4, 5, 6; Pixel 3XL, 4, 4XL
• BlackBerry: Passport, Priv, Z30