awtivy t1_ir302jj wrote
Firstly in Canada we have tables in the CEC that dictate the maximum amperage for a certain gauge of wire. This is dependent on the temperature rating of the wire and the material. If it is NMD 90, 90 means 90 degrees. Please confirm if copper or aluminum. According to table 2 for up to 3 #6 wire in a cable you can supply up to 75A. If you prefer you can upsize your breaker to a 60A to supply more current. This is important because most breakers are only rated for 80% so really your 40A breaker is only 32A to the charger. So with a 60A breaker you get 48A to charger a 50% increase.
As for the wire routing there is rules on the number of bends in conduit for every junction box. All wiring must be mechanically protected. If it’s NMD 90 it must be in a wall assembly or in conduit. Depending on the charger some of them can be fed from the back or inside the wall. If possible route the wire in the wall or on other side of the wall and come directly into the charger. I wouldn’t recommend wrapping around with conduit.
What charger are you planning to use?
Source: Electrical engineer consultant
Loon610 OP t1_ir34d0y wrote
Thanks for the input. It’s a Grizzl-e charger. It has a max charge amperage of 40 amps, which would require a 50 amp breaker. The charger has dip switches which can be set to max amps of 16,24,32 or 40 amps. The vehicle is plug in hybrid so it only asks for an input amperage of about 14.2 amps, so I was going to set the dip switch at 24 amps just to be save, although I do believe the manual says to set them at you rated breaker which would be 40 amp breaker and 32 amp dip switch. I’m happy to keep it at 32 amps max charge because even if we got another ev r phev that could handle more amperage, from my understanding the higher amperages are not good for the batteries, and it being a home charger 32 amp would be more than enough to top off or add to what our daily use would be, we would have to be doing long road trips daily to have need for faster charging at home. The reason I want to install now, is there is government rebates to do so, we plan on staying in the home for decades to come and don’t see EVs becoming more common and why not take the rebate now, because 5 years they probably won’t offer it.
The wire will run from the panel up the wall, into the attic and down the wall on the other side of the garage. That wall is shared between garage and carport and the charger will be on the carport side. The issue with going straight into the charger is the design of the charge requires to sit on the wall not in it, and the input only comes in from the bottom. The panel was an upgraded one and added after the house was built, so it sits on the old siding not flush in the wall, funny enough some the NMD wire they installed is just stapled against the old wood siding in the garage (I believe it was a carport and someone enclosed it), so then would that NDM be to code. An electrician did do the work as far as I know, they didn’t some bigger renovations when the house service was upgraded to 200amp.
awtivy t1_ir35wc0 wrote
While you’re doing it all I’d recommend going to the 50A breaker especially if you’re getting a permit and inspected so you only have to do it once! You can always lower the charging rate with dip switch or most cars will let you lower charging rate too. Charging at 40A isn’t going to affect your batteries noticeably. However DC fast charging at 50KW will!
There is a rule that if NMD is above 1.5m I believe it doesn’t need to be mechanically protected.
awtivy t1_ir3i18k wrote
Another option would be to put a junction box on the exterior attic wall. This could serve as a junction point between the NMD90 and either some TECK90 (outdoor armoured cable) or flexible conduit or ridged conduit. Theoretically you can remove the sheath from the NMD90 up to the transition to conduit but I would just size the conduit so it fits with the sheath on. Then just get one 90 for conduit and one of the right angle watertight grommets.
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/southwire-1-inch-liquid-tight-non-metallic-simpush-90-degree-connector/1001386626 Assuming it’s a 1” knock-out.
Also looks like the they are ring terminals so you may need to get bigger rings for #6 wire from lordco or another electrical store.
Loon610 OP t1_ir3sqib wrote
Thanks for the idea, I think I will still come in from the bottom though to avoid the 180 turn with conduit or armoured cable to get in the charger, they say it can be mounted upside down inside but then it’s not guaranteed waterproof. Lordco eh, I see you’re a fellow BC’er haha.
So my plan is either keep the 40amp breaker or possibly upgrade to 50amp, NMD 90 6-3 wire to a junction box in garage wall just on the other side of charger carport location, strip jacket (not insulation)of wire, then from the junction box run wire through flexible non metallic conduit straight into charger through the wall into carport where charger is. What’s your thoughts? Any ideas? Also some have pointed out some jurisdictions require a disconnect switch wired in the circuit, I’m in the Okanagan so we just follow provincial code we don’t have city specific codes like Vancouver. I know disconnects are required for air conditioners here, do you know anything about them for EVS?
awtivy t1_ir3v85j wrote
As far as I know no disconnect required because an EV charger is not really a serviceable appliance. The point of a disconnect on AC unit is so when the AC guy comes to clean it he can easily turn it off and lock it out. For an EV charger it’s just passing power to your car.
The inspector will probably want the NMD inside to be in conduit for the section that is below 1.5m. I would use the watertight right angle connector I sent and just a drill a hole to put it right into the wall right into the back of a junction box inside garage. Then a chunk of conduit up to the 1.5m line and you can run the wire stapled to wall up high.
Loon610 OP t1_ir5qk7k wrote
If you don’t mind would you be able to look at this article for me and see if you see anything I’m missing. Another poster posted in relation to codes, but it seems they may not apply, he talked about ventilation being required but by the code that applied to indoor charging and carports by code are considered outdoors, this carport is also open on 3 sides so lots of ventilation.
From the article “Rule 86-304 requires that each installation of electric vehicle supply equipment rated at 60 A or more, or more than 150 volts-to-ground be provided with a separate disconnecting means
• on the supply side of the point of connection of the electric vehicle supply equipment • located within sight of and accessible to the electric vehicle supply equipment • capable of being locked in the open position”
I’m not exceeding 60amps or 150 volts to ground right? 240 volt is 120 to ground but each leg.
Another rule from the article, the other posted claimed I would need GFCI citing this rule, it only speaks of receptacles which I’m not installing, I’m surprised it seems to only call for GFCI on 120 volt circuit and does not mention it on 240 volt, but maybe that is indirectly mentioned in the second line where it mentions appropriate CSA configuration?
“Rule 86-306 requires that each receptacle for electric vehicle charging be
• a single receptacle of CSA configuration 5-20R supplied from a 125 V branch circuit rated not less than 20 A, protected by a Class A GFCI if installed outdoors within 2.5 meters of finished grade
• of the appropriate CSA configuration in accordance with Diagram 1 or 2 when supplied from a branch circuit rated at more than 125 V or more than 20 A
• labelled in a conspicuous, legible, and permanent manner, identifying it as an electric vehicle supply equipment receptacle”
Thanks again for the help, anything I’m missing here?
awtivy t1_ir8dur1 wrote
So this article was not written very well and neither was the new code rules…
Either way looks like the intent is to have gfci only on a receptacle intended to be used for EVs. Since you are hardwiring yours it’s not required.
Loon610 OP t1_ir8hvv9 wrote
Thanks a lot again for the help, very appreciated. I’m not in the industry so sometimes I worry I’m misunderstanding something or missing something.
awtivy t1_ir8dx0b wrote
Also you’re correct in not exceeding 60A or 150V
Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments