EV chargers

[Treg the electrician]

I have been installing EV chargers and putting them all on GFCI breakers . One day i was installing a tesla charging system and it is hardwired so i was wondering if i can just put it on a regular two pole breaker . does anybody know ?

 

[wwhitney]

What version of the NEC applies, and is the hardwired EVSE located outdoors at a dwelling unit?

Cheers, Wayne

 

[pmoney44]

Tesla says do not install on GFCI breaker. The Tesla wall connector comes with integrated gfci protection.

 

[Treg the electrician]

Awsome! thank you

 

[wwhitney]

Tesla says do not install on GFCI breaker. The Tesla wall connector comes with integrated gfci protection.

It does not come with GFCI protection, it comes with CCID20 which is a higher trip threshold (20 ma) than Class A GFCI (4-6 ma).

Under the 2020 NEC, if you are installing a hardwired EVSE outdoors at a dwelling unit, and it's on a 50A or smaller circuit, you must GFCI protect it per 210.8(F). If Tesla's product won't work on a GFCI, then it is not suitable for that application.

However, indoors (garage), no GFCI is required for a hardwired EVSE.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[brycenesbitt]

There's a separate mega thread on this. The outdoor GFCI requirement refers to an "outlet" as triggering the requirement. It's not clear if a hardwire EVSE has an "outlet": at least the commentors could not agree on where that "outlet" may be. Hopefully the NEC code committee will clear this up, and even better exempt equipment that already has personal protection circuitry.

You'd be hard pressed to shock yourself with an EVSE given that it turns off the power when the plug is removed from the vehicle.

See https://forums.mikeholt.com/threads...-2020-nec-for-outdoor-hardwire-evses.2577165/

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Tesla says do not install on GFCI breaker. The Tesla wall connector comes with integrated gfci protection.

While it has some type of integrated ground fault protection, it does not have GFCI protection as required by the NEC. The code required protection can only be provided by a device that is listed to UL 943 as a Class A GFCI. The device is an EV charger is not so listed.

Also any time any manufacturer says do not install on a GFCI protected circuit, the only thing they are telling you is that you cannot use their product in locations when the NEC requires GFCI protection.

 

[tadpole122538]

So what if it's a fed with a 60 amp breaker

 

[brycenesbitt]

Also any time any manufacturer says do not install on a GFCI protected circuit, the only thing they are telling you is that you cannot use their product in locations when the NEC requires GFCI protection.

At the present time, in my area, there is no requirement to GFCI protect the branch circuit from the breaker to hardwired equipment. And that's how they get installed, just like kitchen or bath circuits.
--
Plugs for EVSE require a GFCI, because, well, there's a plug and exposed prongs when the plug is halfway out.

===================================--
A comprehensive review of NFIRS, NIOSH, NEISS, NEISS-AIP and NHTSA data does not support a conclusion that additional backup protection is justified (there's a stunning lack of incidents).



Other county data is similar

 

[brycenesbitt]

So what if it's a fed with a 60 amp breaker

All depends on the wire.
Under the 2026 NEC you're likely to be able to go up to 80A with a plug and cord setup.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

At the present time, in my area, there is no requirement to GFCI protect the branch circuit from the breaker to hardwired equipment. And that's how they get installed, just like kitchen or bath circuits.
--
Plugs for EVSE require a GFCI, because, well, there's a plug and exposed prongs when the plug is halfway out.

I don't think that there is any rule in the code that requires GFCI protection for the branch circuit...it is just that in some cases providing a GFCI breaker is the easiest way to comply with the GFCI protection rules.

Plugs never require GFCI protection, only the receptacle that you insert the plug into requires GFCI protection.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

All depends on the wire.
Under the 2026 NEC you're likely to be able to go up to 80A with a plug and cord setup.

What would prohibit that now?

 

[wwhitney]

What would prohibit that now?

2023 NEC 625.44(A) and (B) list the allowable connections methods between the EVSE and the premises wiring, and the listed options do not include any receptacles rated above 60A.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[brycenesbitt]

2023 NEC 625.44(A) and (B) list the allowable connections methods between the EVSE and the premises wiring, and the listed options do not include any receptacles rated above 60A.
Cheers, Wayne

I tried to get CMP-12 to see the wisdom of allowing harsh environments or commercial installations to use other connection methods (including locking connectors). But no. There was no support for that as far as I could tell.
But they were gungho for 80A receptacles. That's a lot of power to allow people to handle with their bare hands.