Hi. I wired a circuit for an electric car charging station, 40 amp circuit 208 volts. I ran #8 hots and #10 egc. The installer came today to install charger, he said it needed #8 egc instead of #10. He is right that the manufacturer specs call for it but he supposedly showed the guys on sight a code reference requiring it. I read the entire section in 2008 nec concerning electric car cargers and there is no reference to this. I do not have 2011 nec and would like to know if it is in there. I cannot imagine why a egc for a charger would be different than any other equipment. this is for my own curiosity since I am told he repulled egc. Just to clarify this is not a grounded conductor it is 2 hots and egc only. Thanks, Jube.
egc for electric car charging station
- Thread starter Jube
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ceb58
Senior Member
- Location
- Raeford, NC
The only reference I see is in 625.9 (E) It refers you back to article 250. Table 250.122 calls for a #10 Cu EGC. By the table your OCP is over 20 amps but not over 60 amps so the #10 would be compliant but as you said the mfg. instructions trump the code.
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
What brand is it? We install lots of chargers for three different manufactures, and none of them call for the #8 ground.
Thanks for the responses. The brand is leviton and they are installed for ford motor co. I got the paperwork calling for #8 egc halfway through installation. I chalked it up to some confused manual writer and assumed common sense would prevail, they got me and I'll be a big boy and take my whipping. I just wanted to make sure I did not overlook anything as far as code goes. Thanks again, Jube.
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
I haven't installed any Levitons, I figured it might have been one of those Columb's, they seem to be popular in Canada. We do GE,Eaton and Blink.
texie
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Occupation
- Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
This reminds of a post from the other day where the instructions for a resi washing machine stated that it must be connected to an individual 15 amp branch circuit. How many code minumum houses have you seen where this is available?
I think you are right that this is a case of a manual writer not in sync with the NEC.
At the risk of offending some, I must say that I am amazed at the great lengths the mfgs of EV charging systems go to about the installation of these things....factory certification, inspect this and that by a "specialist", on and on. It's just another piece of equipment that any competent electrician should be able to install. They make it sound like rocket science.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
This is the same issue with Hot Tubs. The manufacturers in some cases call for a full sized equipment grounding conductor. It is getting ridiculous to wire any product any more. I did a house with 2 ice makers at 1.2 amps each and it called for individual 15 amp circuits-- yeah right...
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
Yeah, with this sue happy world we live in now, everybody has to cover there rear, even if it is something stupid. Somebody probably sued the manufacture because they didn't call for separate circuits, and both ice makers quit causing them pain and anguish!:roll:
Rampage_Rick
Senior Member
- Location
- British Columbia, Canada
Seems like a big focus of the charging stations is "life safety" just like with hot tubs. The things are engineered to the point where you should almost be able to plug them in under water... If gasoline was invented today there's no way you'd be allowed to pump it yourself.
Point of fact: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment is little more than a GFCI and a simple communications circuit. The EVSE tells the car how many amps it's allowed to draw, but the charger itself is built into the car. Some of the units are pretty pricey for what they accomplish. Of course, once you get into data logging and two-way internet communication the prices hit the moon.
Point of fact: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment is little more than a GFCI and a simple communications circuit. The EVSE tells the car how many amps it's allowed to draw, but the charger itself is built into the car. Some of the units are pretty pricey for what they accomplish. Of course, once you get into data logging and two-way internet communication the prices hit the moon.
MonicaH
New member
- Location
- California, USA
Thanks for this informative post.
By the way, have you heard that New York City's Mayor Bloomberg has called for incorporating 10,000 new EV charging stations in the area before 2020? The effort was only one of the clean technology measures suggested in the mayor's 12th and final State of the area address. You can get more details here: New EV Charging Stations by 2020.
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
In New Jersey, you can't pump it yourself.:roll:
ASG
Senior Member
- Location
- Work in NYC
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer, PE
Don't leave out Oregon.
- Location
- Massachusetts
I think you are right.
I also think if there where no cars and someone described driver controlled vehicles driving towards each other at 50 MPH with only a painted line and driver input keeping them apart they would call it nuts.
readydave8
re member
- Location
- Clarkesville, Georgia
- Occupation
- electrician
Yes, even more so motorcycles.
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