My New Potential EVSE Setup

[kevintylernelson]

We're actually now looking to just move into a single family house with a garage or at the very least a carport/driveway. I'm so done with cables, if I can park in a garage then I'm definitely getting the new Plugless Power charging system. If not, then at least I'll be able to install any EVSE wall charger no matter the cord length and it will reach my car just fine.

My advice to anyone looking to get an electric car who lives in a townhouse is to please do your research and find out just how difficult it might be to plugin the car. And if your backyard allows it, turn it into a small driveway to make plugging in your car easy.

 

[fooljoe]

Good idea. Unfortunately we're just not at the point yet where driving an EV works with unreliable home charging. At the very least you need a reserved parking spot where you have the right to install a charging station or at least an outlet.

My advice to anyone looking to get an electric car who lives in a townhouse is to please do your research and find out just how difficult it might be to plugin the car. And if your backyard allows it, turn it into a small driveway to make plugging in your car easy.

This was going to be my next suggestion for you. I pulled up google maps and it looks like you have an alley behind your house that you could possibly park in, but I suppose it would require cannibalizing a portion of your backyard, eh?

 

[wwhitney]

Dig a small trench (20-40cm, 8-16").

Per (2011) NEC Table 300.5, your trench needs to deep enough to cover your cable with 24" of soil. The required cover is reduced to 18" if you use a "Nonmetallic Raceway Listed for Direct Burial Without Concrete Encasement" or to 6" if you use RMC or IMC.

Insert 240V cable into a plastic cable conduit:

The conduit you pictured is ENT, which is not allowed for direct burial, NEC 362.12(4). I think 18"-24" of soil could easily crush it.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[arnis]

Thanks for analysis. As always - total overkill.
Pictures are only for illustration.
I personally used cable specifically made for in-ground installation.
Not afraid of water, salts, pressure, freezing, moles. Then used the conduit
just to stay safe with "what if cable dies - I don't want to do it again".
Still that conduit can't be crushed if ground is not overloaded (cars, trucks),
In your own garden we can do whatever we want. Not a lot of people have
the right to dig just to verify all those NEC values :lol:

 

[kevintylernelson]

This was going to be my next suggestion for you. I pulled up google maps and it looks like you have an alley behind your house that you could possibly park in, but I suppose it would require cannibalizing a portion of your backyard, eh?

Unfortunately we have a telephone pole right behind our backyard in the alley positioned about 3 - 4ft inside our yards perimeter, so the door would need to open further to the left. The next problem is that it would leave no space for a our shed or room for our large dog to roam around. Limited sized yards definitely suck, that's mainly why we've decided to move into a house that has at least 1/2 acre of land.

 

[wwhitney]

Thanks for analysis. As always - total overkill.

I feel that for installations subject to the NEC, suggestions and advice should comply with the NEC. If your work is not subject to it, then you don't have to worry about it.

Cheers, Wayne