You never gave any context. Just that there was a fire...
We are mocking the lack of any specifics in your post. Was it a fire from a pyro? an ICE vehicle? EV? Faulty wiring (having nothing to do with EVs)? EV charger or wiring for it?
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Who has or is planning to get an electric car / EV Talk
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You never gave any context. Just that there was a fire...
We are mocking the lack of any specifics in your post. Was it a fire from a pyro? an ICE vehicle? EV? Faulty wiring (having nothing to do with EVs)? EV charger or wiring for it?
Tesla charger in a brand new home. Hard wired. Charger was the cause.
You jumped to conclusions because of your bias.
I have no bias, just need context.
Did they determine if it was a faulty charger or faulty wiring? It is very easy to have a problem if the installer doesn't properly torque the terminal screws.
Either way, if it was the charger or the install, this is not really EV related, it would be similar to the example I gave. It could be a sauna, a welder, a stove, just some electronic device that failed or was improperly installed.
Your statement implied "they" had a problem that needed to be resolved before "they" were safe. That's the gist I got from what was said.
As with anything, like you mentioned, skimping out on quality installation / maintenance is going to cause issues.
With a qualified electrician, just like the wiring in our houses, it is safe venture... not "They really need to figure this out" as if it's a widespread problem... I think that's what got the "biased reactions" you mentioned.
Accidents happen - yes. I've had 220v dryer outlets overheat on me and melt cables/surrounding insulation due to terrible wiring jobs. We had a bunch of 110v outlets in our old office building start smoking because we were not only overloading them but they were coming apart due to age.
Well, you say that, but watch out for wet hay. Likely more combustible, especially of the spontaneous kind, then even an ICE…
So not a problem with EVs then? What needs sorting out in general with EVs? You gave cause to jumping to conclusions.
IMO, those outlets aren't meant for prolonged, sustained output. Even if properly wired, it's a ticking time bomb to use it for EV charging. A dryer would pull a high voltage draw for a few minutes at a time for the heating element. That's no problem for the outlet. EV level 2 charger draws full power for hours at a time. Over time, that would destroy the outlet.
Overloading the outlets didn't trigger the breakers? I'm guessing they were daisy chaining multi-plug extensions. That's a fire hazard.
Yeah stay well away from them. We have one ourselves and there are now about 15 EV's in our street now, mostly Tesla and VW models. They are constantly going up in flames and the fire brigade have nicknamed our street, 'Fireball Avenue'! Not good.
Like most things, it depends. If the outlet was installed specifically for a dryer with lower grade box, and thinner gauge wire, I agree. It wasn't meant for that application. However, with the proper gauge wire, high grade outlet/box, installed by a qualified electrician there shouldn't be any problems.IMO, those outlets aren't meant for prolonged, sustained output. Even if properly wired, it's a ticking time bomb to use it for EV charging. A dryer would pull a high voltage draw for a few minutes at a time for the heating element. That's no problem for the outlet. EV level 2 charger draws full power for hours at a time. Over time, that would destroy the outlet.
Overloading the outlets didn't trigger the breakers? I'm guessing they were daisy chaining multi-plug extensions. That's a fire hazard.
OMG, when did you break into my home and take this picture?
So we used to work in an old commercial building in the middle of nowhere and noticed several of our outlets were doing this (below). Upon removing the outlet box we found more evidence of burnt everything. It was clear that whoever had wired the place in the past (it was an old building) had not done it well.IMO, those outlets aren't meant for prolonged, sustained output. Even if properly wired, it's a ticking time bomb to use it for EV charging. A dryer would pull a high voltage draw for a few minutes at a time for the heating element. That's no problem for the outlet. EV level 2 charger draws full power for hours at a time. Over time, that would destroy the outlet.
Overloading the outlets didn't trigger the breakers? I'm guessing they were daisy chaining multi-plug extensions. That's a fire hazard.
I have a picture of the burnt outlet box somewhere but haven’t been able to find it, will post when I can. Lol
What was interesting was, several other outlets in the building did this within the same month and all had to be replaced / re-wired.
And yes, 100% agreed about those old 220v dryer outlets
. I set my car to pull less than what it wanted to and that made everything happy.
Backstab connection.😨😱😱 I never ever use them. One of the first things I did when I bought a new house was replace every receptacle making sure to screw in the wire and tape for good measure.
If you hire an electrician and he backstabs a receptacle, fire his (_!_). No electrician worth his license would ever use these backstab connectors.
So back to EVs - my wife and I have adapted to the Supercharger lifestyle now for a handful of months since our apartment complex raised their charging rates to $.84/kWh.
Most of the local Superchargers up here in Northern CA (San Jose) area moved their off peak times forward an hour to 11pm. There are still a few 72 kW stations that go to off peak rates at 10pm - which we now frequent when needing a charge.
I charge once a week, my wife charges several times a week. Her work reduced output rates on their Level 2 chargers adding about $.10/kWh to the cost of charging - so supercharging off peak is significantly cheaper for us.
A little inconvenient - but amazed that there are still some people in our complex who use the level 2 chargers …
There’s a Safeway grocery store next to one of the 72 kW superchargers we like to go to (at 10pm) - but Safeway is super expensive here in Northern CA.
Also noticed a lot of the surrounding supercharger peak rates dropped so most are $.40-$.50/kWh which is a little bit more palatable than the $.61/kWh they were before. Still, I enjoy the 10pm 72 kW rates of $.30/kWh.
I have owned an EV here in California since 2022. I really do not see any advancement of EV charging here. The only thing I see are Tesla Superchargers popping up all over.
There’s a new supercharger being built next to an h-mart (grocery store) we enjoy frequenting - and we’ll start charging there once it’s finished (almost done) but it is a very busy area.
Most of the local Superchargers up here in Northern CA (San Jose) area moved their off peak times forward an hour to 11pm. There are still a few 72 kW stations that go to off peak rates at 10pm - which we now frequent when needing a charge.
I charge once a week, my wife charges several times a week. Her work reduced output rates on their Level 2 chargers adding about $.10/kWh to the cost of charging - so supercharging off peak is significantly cheaper for us.
A little inconvenient - but amazed that there are still some people in our complex who use the level 2 chargers …
There’s a Safeway grocery store next to one of the 72 kW superchargers we like to go to (at 10pm) - but Safeway is super expensive here in Northern CA.
Also noticed a lot of the surrounding supercharger peak rates dropped so most are $.40-$.50/kWh which is a little bit more palatable than the $.61/kWh they were before. Still, I enjoy the 10pm 72 kW rates of $.30/kWh.
I have owned an EV here in California since 2022. I really do not see any advancement of EV charging here. The only thing I see are Tesla Superchargers popping up all over.
There’s a new supercharger being built next to an h-mart (grocery store) we enjoy frequenting - and we’ll start charging there once it’s finished (almost done) but it is a very busy area.
Yea, part of the problem is CA was an early adaptor and the rate of growth has outpaced the rate of EV chargers...
Remind me, which EVs do you have?
There are adapters available so you might benefit from having one (or two).
I check the EA app frequently and I see quite a few "coming soon", but part of the problem is that permits are taking forever in CA...
I got these cars cuz I love batteries and EVs, nothing else … with that out of the way:
We got a used 2018 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD in 2022 with 30,000 miles on it. It has over 100,000 miles on it now and we absolutely love it.
Loved it so much I got a 2024 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD in 2024 August last year - right around the time things got spicy. Absolutely love the car. Hoping to drive it till the wheels fall off.
I do have the CCS adapter on my 2024, I use it at the ChargePoint HQ fast chargers now and then. We haven’t opted for the CCS upgrade on my wife’s 2018 (she prefers the 2018 fyi) because of so many Superchargers here. But the non-Tesla options up here aren’t great and often significantly more expensive than the superchargers.
Up till this year we lived off of wall plugs and cheap level 2s.
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Apartments seem to be the weak spot for EV's. One of our guys has one of our 3's and he lives in a small apartment complex in a rural town. We give our guys the Tesla level 2 chargers for their homes and unfortunately they won't let him install. I am getting one installed in the next week or two. It definitely seems like that is a strong piece to the EV puzzle for a great experience with no hassle.
On the road when I charge it’s usually 79p a kWh minimum. I think 89p is the worse I’ve seen.
Fortunately I don’t have to use them all that often. Mostly it’s 0p at work for me!
From my perspective, having a level 2 charger in a garage in a house would be heaven right now. I dream of the day when we can have that.
When I first moved into my apartment complex in late 2023, they had 2 EV spots in each lot (of 50+ spots) and they charged $65/mo for them and it was $.25/kWh.
Now it’s $.84/kWh. lol
I’m lucky to live near ChargePoint HQ. So I can get $.40/kWh 70kW charging and $.30/kWh level 2 charging, but it is almost 2 miles away so I kinda have to do some coordination.
Otherwise, (in my big blast above) - we’re starting to super charge more and more off peak at a local Safeway (15 mins south of us) that has $.31/kWh supercharging while we grocery shop.
Even though I very rarely use it, I’d never have bought an EV if I couldn’t have a charger at home. But then I’d never buy a house without a garage and a drive.I’m lucky to live near ChargePoint HQ. So I can get $.40/kWh 70kW charging and $.30/kWh level 2 charging, but it is almost 2 miles away so I kinda have to do some coordination.
Otherwise, (in my big blast above) - we’re starting to super charge more and more off peak at a local Safeway (15 mins south of us) that has $.31/kWh supercharging while we grocery shop.
A neighbor of mine (at this apartment complex) asked me what I thought about EVs and I told him the same thing - he got a Honda Pilot, lol.
Looking forward to the future. My wife’s job stint up here should be done next year about this time. Dreaming of a Level 2 charger in a garage with a significantly cheaper electric rate.
I’ve always prioritised a garage and drive. Now we are in our forever home I don’t have to worry about it.A neighbor of mine (at this apartment complex) asked me what I thought about EVs and I told him the same thing - he got a Honda Pilot, lol.
Looking forward to the future. My wife’s job stint up here should be done next year about this time. Dreaming of a Level 2 charger in a garage with a significantly cheaper electric rate.
I think charging away from home can work if it suits your lifestyle. But we don’t go out to eat, shop or go to the cinema etc, so it wouldn’t suit us.
I’m lucky that I can charge at work the one day a week I go in. That is enough for the rest of the week for me most weeks.