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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Don" data-source="post: 3041" data-attributes="member: 601">First, there are no 110 or 220 volt circuits in the USA  -  They are all 120 or 240 unless they originate from a 3 phase source in which case they would be 120 and 208It would be difficult and expensive to install a 50 amp circuit in most garages, and for this car it would also be a waste of money.  You may never own a car with a 6.6Kw charger built in and even if you some day do buy one, a 30 amp circuit would charge it  -  Running the correct size wire for 50 amps would be a major expense if the run was more than a few feet and almost totally unnecessary . . . . unless you like to weld.  Using a 50 amp breaker requires either 8 gauge or 6 gauge wires, depending on the length and the wire alone would cost you up to $2 per foot, compared to less than 50 cents per foot for the 12/3 this car actually requiresFor this car, a dedicated 3 wire 120 volt circuit with either a 15 or a 20 amp breaker would suffice  -  You can do that with 12/3 wire if the distance is less than 100 feet or so.  So long as you're running 12 gauge wire, you might as well use a 20 amp breaker.  For Level 2 charging, a 3 wire 240 volt circuit with a pair of 20 amp breakers in the panel will be plenty and this can also be done with 12/3 wire.  For less than $100, I ran two new circuits from the 60 amp panel already in my garage and I plug my upgraded OEM EVSE into one or the other, depending on how quickly I need to recharge  I already have a 50 amp, 240 socket in my garage (it runs my wifes ceramic kiln) plus a 30 amp 240 volt socket (my 5 HP air compressor is plugged into that one) but since I can't imagine ever needing more than 20 amps @ 240 for car charging, that's all I installed for my EVSE(s)Lastly, the OEM EVSE after upgrading by www.evseupgrade.com will 'charge plugged into any ordinary socket on the planet' as it can handle anything from 100 volts up to 240  -  208 is no problem.  The plug they install on the upgraded EVSE is a NEMA L6-20 240 volt plug, so it's not designed for more than 20 amps.  There ARE aftermarket Level 2 chargers which are designed for 30 amps (some even for 50 amps) but our car will never draw more than 15 or 16 amps from the wall no matter what EVSE you're using, which is why I would save my money and just install a 20 amp circuit using 12 gauge wire.  True, if you want to go overboard and install a 30 amp 240 outlet, it won't hurt anything . . . . but you'll have to use 10 gauge wire and if it's a long run, that will cost you some extra $$$Don</blockquote>

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