[Enyrd]

Hello all!
I am taking delivery soonish of a 2023 Bolt EV. Can anyone recommend an electrician for installing a level 2 charger in the Redwood City, CA area?
Relatedly, has anybody in this area dealt with the Chevrolet program where they pay up to $1500 for the job?
There is a 120 outlet already where I want the 240. Does that make it easier for an electrician to run the wire between floors?
Thanks!

 

[LoneR]

Use the Chevy sponsored Qmerit partner. They will locate an installer. Having an existing 120V outlet makes no difference to the 240V installation.

 

[no-gas]

I used the Chevy's Qmerit program. I submitted the application using my phone since you need to take few pics and upload them. Super easy process.
With couple of hours, I received an acknowledgement from an electrician. An hour or two later, I received a quote which suggested I had to pay $900 out of pocket. I exchanged few text messages and soon, the electrician realized that mine was a standard install. He revised the quotes and they are installing the outlet this Friday. Took less than a week for everything!
I was very surprised how easy this was.

 

[jefro]

Kind of suprised GM is still paying for installs.

You can also usually get free estimates from local contractors. Your local rules may or may not require a permit.

An existing outlet may actually cost more unless a very unique situation where they could pull new wire in say an existing EMT or conduit.

 

[ARob]

There is a 120 outlet already where I want the 240. Does that make it easier for an electrician to run the wire between floors?

It is highly unlikely wiring to the existing 120V outlet is sufficient for 30-50A 240V outlets. Likely the existing wiring is stapled to joists so it wouldn't be useful to put a new wire through the floor. If it is run through conduit, there is a chance they can use the existing wire to pull new wire through.

But the box may be re-useable. That is a very minor cost, so effectively no real benefit. You may want to keep the 120V outlet and install the 240 separate. Have quotes done both ways.

I moved this to the West regional section as it is mostly a local question. Surely, virtually any electrician in that area has experience installing EV charging circuits. Ask around local places like NextDoor or contact local EV clubs. Also, check out this thread for some useful info on the topic: A Few Considerations for Home Charging Installations -...

Plugstar has a search tool for electricians: PlugStar

 

[GregBrew]

Use the Chevy sponsored Qmerit partner. They will locate an installer. Having an existing 120V outlet makes no difference to the 240V installation.

Except when it does...

If the one 120V outlet is the only one on the circuit, it's relatively cheap and easy to convert the circuit to 240V, "borrowing" the Neutral for the other Hot lead, and changing the outlet to a 240V-rated one. The white wire will need to be taped red at both ends. You can then use the circuit to provide up to 16A at 240V, assuming that the circuit already has #12AWG copper, and is rated for 20A. (If it was rated at 15A, then 12A is the maximum charge rate.) There are many EVSEs on the market that can produce 12A or 16A charge currents only at 240V, or are configurable to 12A or 16A, and only use two Hots and the Ground.

Being able to add ~100mi (at 12A) or ~125mi (at 16A) in ten hours overnight is often enough for many people. It would be a relatively cheap way to figure out if you need to go to the expense of running a dedicated 50A circuit for a 240V EVSE.

It's a widely-known "secret" that the "basic" GM 120V OEM EVSE can be run on 240V, with an adapter, giving 12A of current.

Note: I'm not a licensed electrician, and the above description is not a recommendation. Doing this is at your own risk.

 

[[email protected]]

Sorry but don't do the above. Have it wired with #8 or #10 wire. It'll be worth it down the road. (no pun intended). Hard to say if following the same path will be easier. Probably not. I added a breaker panel near the air conditioning compressor. Since the AC is used only a couple of times a year the wiring was suitable for the charger and I keep the breaker off for the AC to avoid running both at once even though it never comes up.

 

[Reevvolt]

Hi, all Qmerit installs include #6 wire and a 50 amp breaker. They will install a nema 14-50 plug or hardwire a level 2 charger that you purchase for the same price, or at least they should. The hardwired level 2 chargers are the best and check with your electric utility as many are offering $500 rebates to have one installed.

 

[BobBolt]

Hi, all Qmerit installs include #6 wire and a 50 amp breaker

When did this change happen?

 

[Reevvolt]

When did this change happen?

Unless each area of the United States is different it has been this way for quite awhile. A NEMA 14-50 plug requires a 50 amp breaker as the name suggests and the wire would then be required to be number 6. The gfci breaker is a code issue

 

[BobBolt]

Unless each area of the United States is different it has been this way for quite awhile. A NEMA 14-50 plug requires a 50 amp breaker as the name suggests and the wire would then be required to be number 6. The gfci breaker is a code issue

Code requirements aside, the original GM offer referred to a 40A circuit on a NEMA 14-50. I see that wording appears to no longer be on the website. The whole 40A NEMA 14-50 issue has been argued here to death so I didn't intend to start that discussion again.

 

[LoneR]

Only a few years ago, Code and inspectors allowed a breaker <= the rated circuit design. We always installed a higher rated cable and outlet, than the circuit design.

 

[jefro]

Dunno what Canada does but a 50A outlet unless specifically for a range and one other use needs at least a 50A breaker. A gfci is a good add on in case someone might get their little fingers on the line or some other issue with insulation.