Plug-in EVSE - safer to leave it plugged in all the time, or should I unplug/plug every day?

MikeD said:

I very much like the concept that if my device's plug fits into a receptacle (especially one that is on a dedicated circuit), then I can feel confident the circuit will have the capacity of safely supplying the required load to that device.

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Let me put it this way: while you may like the concept, that's not the protocol for any circuit, single receptacle or multi-receptacle, per the consensus expressed by the NEC. Anyone plugging in an EVSE to an unfamiliar circuit needs to check the circuit breaker protecting the receptacle if they want to be sure of not overloading the circuit.

Cheers, Wayne

GlennD said:

MikeD said:

Kieran973: I just looked at Clipper Creek's info on the LCS-20/LCS-20P that you referred to and noticed that their available plugin versions provide for only the following 4 plugs: NEMA 6-50, 14-50, L6-30, and 14-30

It does not provide a 6-20 version, which I find curious, which I would think is the appropriate plug for you (if you decide plugin). I did see a post from 2016 from someone who installed a NEMA 6-20P on their LCS-20P and stated they had no problem with it. I will try to ask Monday if there is a good reason for no 6-20 option.

BTW note that all lock plugs (like L6-30) are prohibited in the current NEC.

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It is the typical Chinese unit lacking GFCI. Using UL recognized components means nothing. The entire unit has to be recognized. As I understand it even making the unit plug in when it was tested for direct wire in means another test..

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GlennD,

You are wrong. The Clipper Creek models noted are made in USA, have GFCI protection, and are UL and/or ETL Listed for both USA and Canada.

Daily wear and tear is a bad idea, all the more so if there is weight on the plug.

wwhitney: You are not addressing the point that I am trying to make. You only seem to defend the NEC and its (often) arcane rules, suggesting they be followed to the letter, seldom attempting to explain the WHY behind them (which to be fair I have found to be difficult to uncover), when the reality is they are only MINIMUM standards, created and sometimes evolving over time along with experience data and new technology, but perhaps sometimes lagging in its changes due to recognizing the sizable expense involved with certain changes (like GFCI and AFCI technology). This in part explains their arcane-ness tendency, but it seems at the cost of confusion and fud. I am only trying to argue for the expression of reasonably understandable rules-of-thumb, if you will, even if at the cost of being OVER NEC code at times, that people have a chance of understanding and perhaps remembering, for everyone's peace-of-mind. You don't seem to say much about "best practices", and I wish you would...

You wrote "Anyone plugging in an EVSE to an unfamiliar circuit needs to check the circuit breaker protecting the receptacle if they want to be sure of not overloading the circuit.". True enough, but reasoning further do you really want to have ANY circuits in your house that you have to either remember or check the circuit breaker [uh, is it this breaker or is it this one -- I can't read what it says here anymore -- my memory/mind is starting to fail -- etc], because YOU chose to install a receptacle in your house that doesn't self-document its circuit characteristics?

In Kieran973's case, since he hasn't expressed an interest in using this EVSE other than at this apartment (like at RV parks), I suggested for a plug and cord solution that he have installed what seemed to me the most appropriate receptacle, a 6-20R, since it most clearly self-documents, both for him and other EV owners that may follow, that the outlet is 240v, has no neutral, and most likely a dedicated 20a circuit (and not 15a, even though the current NEC appears to allow). Choosing a 14-50, 14-30, or 6-50 receptacle/plug only serves to obscure FOREVER the rating of both the circuit and the EVSE (and for the first two whether or not there is a neutral), and I suggest people avoid that kind of obfuscation when they are able to because they are the one making the relevant choice. (BTW Clipper Creek does not currently appear to provide a NEMA 6-30P option, that you mentioned in another post.)

Kieran973: I would go hardwired for outdoor use. The absolutely NECESSARY GFCI breaker won't be needed, you don't want to have to worry about neighborhood children, less likely to be stolen, etc, etc.

When you are ready to go, it shouldn't be hard to turn off the breaker, open up the outlet box, remove what's necessary in the wiring, and plug up any holes, if you have that stuff already waiting in the outlet box.

I was not talking about Clipper Creek, I know that they comply and are UL approved. I was talking about Chinese EVSE's.

In an other reply I was talking about the Tesla non approved by UL EVSE's.

MikeD said:

You only seem to defend the NEC and its (often) arcane rules, suggesting they be followed to the letter, seldom attempting to explain the WHY behind them

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Not all of the rules are defensible, some of them are stupid or arbitrary. However, the NEC does represent the consensus standard, so it is reasonable to base one's expectations on it. My comments about multi-receptacle circuits were meant to provide some insight into the reason behind the NEC rule.

MikeD said:

YOU chose to install a receptacle in your house that doesn't self-document its circuit characteristics?

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If for whatever reason you find it easier to install a 6-30R on a dedicated 20A circuit, it is not hard to document by putting a label on the receptacle face plate that says "20A".

MikeD said:

(BTW Clipper Creek does not currently appear to provide a NEMA 6-30P option, that you mentioned in another post.)

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Earlier in the thread you stated that the Clipper Creek LCS-20/LCS-20P "provide for only the following 4 plugs: NEMA 6-50, 14-50, L6-30, and 14-30". That is the entire reason I suggested putting a 6-30R on a 20A circuit. If the manufacturer's instructions don't say that you can change the cord on an appliance, doing so generally should be avoided, as it is at best an NEC gray area, probably it is prohibited.

Cheers, Wayne

wwhitney said:

MikeD said:

You only seem to defend the NEC and its (often) arcane rules, suggesting they be followed to the letter, seldom attempting to explain the WHY behind them

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Not all of the rules are defensible, some of them are stupid or arbitrary. However, the NEC does represent the consensus standard, so it is reasonable to base one's expectations on it. My comments about multi-receptacle circuits were meant to provide some insight into the reason behind the NEC rule.

MikeD said:

YOU chose to install a receptacle in your house that doesn't self-document its circuit characteristics?

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If for whatever reason you find it easier to install a 6-30R on a dedicated 20A circuit, it is not hard to document by putting a label on the receptacle face plate that says "20A".

MikeD said:

(BTW Clipper Creek does not currently appear to provide a NEMA 6-30P option, that you mentioned in another post.)

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Earlier in the thread you stated that the Clipper Creek LCS-20/LCS-20P "provide for only the following 4 plugs: NEMA 6-50, 14-50, L6-30, and 14-30". That is the entire reason I suggested putting a 6-30R on a 20A circuit. If the manufacturer's instructions don't say that you can change the cord on an appliance, doing so generally should be avoided, as it is at best an NEC gray area, probably it is prohibited.

Cheers, Wayne

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Mike,
If you check the installation manuals for the Clipper Creek plug-connected units, you will see that their recommended branch circuit overcurrent ratings match their plugs, regardless of output. They are also required to be mounted to the wall so there is no increased danger from using locking plugs.

Thanks, everyone. I think I'm going to go with the hardwired 16A/240V Clipper Creek lcs-20. This is assuming that the 20 amp circuit can handle 240 volts. I'm not sure if there's any way I can tell without just having the electrician look at the wiring. If the circuit can't handle it, then I'll explore with the electrician either converting the wiring to 240V, or just go with the 16A/120V Clipper Creek acs-20. The electrician gave me an estimate of $700, which seems pretty reasonable given that they're running new wire/piping from a third story apartment down to a ground level EVSE, as well as installing the EVSE.

Kieran973 said:

Thanks, everyone. I think I'm going to go with the hardwired 16A/240V Clipper Creek lcs-20. This is assuming that the 20 amp circuit can handle 240 volts. I'm not sure if there's any way I can tell without just having the electrician look at the wiring. If the circuit can't handle it, then I'll explore with the electrician either converting the wiring to 240V, or just go with the 16A/120V Clipper Creek acs-20. The electrician gave me an estimate of $700, which seems pretty reasonable given that they're running new wire/piping from a third story apartment down to a ground level EVSE, as well as installing the EVSE.

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It is only reasonable if you are not a DIY person. I have pulled permits and run wiring. In California a homeowner can do his own wiring. But not for others. At the city I retired from we did our own electricial work. City stuff is not inspected) so I have done basic wiring. It took forever for the one electrician left to get to our projects.

Kieran973: FYI in a Chat today with a Clipper Creek representative, he wrote regarding my question about a NEMA 6-20P option for their LCS-20 that their electricians did not think that the usual 6-20 receptacle/plug was "robust" enough to support EVSE charging, and so, as an alternative, recommended using direct wiring. I did not say BTW that the receptacle would be outdoors.

On their FAQ they recommended using direct wiring for their outdoor EVSEs (even though they noted the 2017 NEC allows outdoor EVSE cord and plug wiring if additional safety steps are taken).

Thanks for looking into that, MikeD. As much as I'd like to be able to use a plug-in EVSE that I can unplug and take with me when I move apartments for no extra $$, the more I look into it, the more the hardwired lcs-20 seems like the way to go, only because the EVSE will be 100% outdoors. Part of me thinks that it would be fine to just plug the lcs-20p into a 240V socket, then put a plastic weather cover over it, then put a locked junction box over that, but hardwiring is probably still safer.

Question for you (or anyone else): is the ClipperCreek lcs-20 difficult to install? My electrician said he was concerned that he would have to bring the 20A pipe right into the EVSE, and that there was only a knockout for him to insert his wire in the back. But the ClipperCreek Q&A page that I found says that all their hardwired EVSEs "have three feet of flexible conduit coming from the top or bottom...of the station with the service wires sticking out of the conduit an additional six inches or so for easy installation into a junction box." So hopefully it is in fact easy....

Whether you go hard-wired or plug-in, it would be handy but not required to have a circuit shut-off somewhere near the charging unit. When I had my L2 unit installed in the garage back in late 2011, the distance to the controlling circuit breakers in the load center was quite far and the electrician suggested the shut-off. As it turned out, this became very handy as I had a unit that failed and was replaced under warranty. The ability to shut down the circuit without having to run to a distant load center made removal of the old unit, installation of the new one, and various testing to be done quickly and easily.

Where I live now, I have the L2 unit about 15 feet from the relevant load center in the garage so no additional shut-off is needed. Since your installation is a good ways and two floors from the EVSE, a close-by shut-off could be very handy.

Good luck with your solution, and update the forum with results and pictures please!

Thanks for the tip. I can absolutely post pictures if folks are interested. The work won't be done for a few weeks but I'll report back when it's finished.