frontpage Posted by mkzmkz • Feb 16, 2025
Feb 16, 2025 2:05 AM
Item 1 of 1
frontpage Posted by mkzmkz • Feb 16, 2025
Feb 16, 2025 2:05 AM
75-Feet Southwire 8/3 Romex SIMpull Stranded Indoor CU NM-B W/G Wire
+ Free Shipping$152
$200
24% offLowe's
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Useful for solar if you want to run low voltage/high amperage.
Lot of people run high voltage to save on copper.
Seems ok but not necessarily slick…
Second, that wire is only good for 65A noncontinuous loads at 75c. If you want 60A continuous as you would need for an EV, you'd need something rated for 75A, or 4AWG THHN. Your wire is undersized.
Refer to the Ampacity charts: https://www.cerrowire.c
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For a stove/range you do need a neutral, which this 8/3 supplies.
For EV charging, I agree, you'd want at least #6 AWG conductors.
Over a decade ( since 2014 ) of using the $10 nema14-50R's from the big box store with zero issues.
Including homes, rv parks, …. etc.
PS — they are closer to $25 now in store but are about $15 if purchased online from the same big box stores. They are certified and meet code.
My suggestion is to check with your local code office for your application.
Then read the documentation that came with your product on the min gauge and number of conductors necessary.
Always better to oversize (lower gauge) the wire and dangerous to undersize it.
Finally AL and CCA are not the same as copper. Dont let anyone convince you otherwise. Try to use Cu whenever possible. AL is fine just size it correctly. Skip CCA. That is the same as AL and is just trying to fool you.
Not true. 220 and a ground is all you need for every one i have done
When people mindlessly spout off about big box store brands they don't actually understand what specific brands/items are actually good or bad, it's just a lazy blanket statement. There's really cheap quality 5-15 plugs, outlets, etc all that, sure, but usually under their house brand, ex: Smart Electrician at Menards. Also don't buy XAGDA142 brands off Amazon either....those will probably melt.
I've found quality products from Eaton, Leviton and P&S Legrand at big box stores and my local hardware stores. They usually have their own lower end items too you should be aware of when you pick electrical supplies depending on the project. All I buy for 5-15/20 receptacles is P&S spec grade and I try to stock up on their 240V plugs as I need them for various applications. Never had any issues. And I've made A LOT of cords and receptacles with various 240V plugs,outlets.
Refer to the Ampacity charts: https://www.cerrowire.c
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Also from a previous comment 7.2kW is plenty. Many cars are capable of more now, but 7kW more than enough for home use, even for bigger vehicles. This 8 gauge Southwire is fine, but 8/2 is sufficient for an EVSE.
edit: Also as others mentioned do not use the cheap Leviton 15-60 or 6-50 outlets at your local big box store for ~$10, they do fail. I had one melt and almost start a fire myself a few years back. Hardwire is preferred, but if you need a receptacle get an industrial rated unit. https://www.reddit.com/r/evcharging/wiki/14-50r/
Including homes, rv parks, …. etc.
PS — they are closer to $25 now in store but are about $15 if purchased online from the same big box stores. They are certified and meet code.
Leviton (the cheapest things around, carried at a lot of places nationwide) has a more expensive 14-50R (model "#1450R") that they released exactly 1-year ago because of their melting #279-S00 receptacles, especially after the contacts have been exercised a few times from removal/reattachment of EVSE cables. I think I remember their contacts also only being half-height. They knew they had a problem, and the new model has a car with a plug on it, specifically because it can handle the abuse. I did have Levitons or other store-specific brand $10 things I installed at my last two houses and they were fine (EVSE never unplugged), but since EVs took over in recent years, too many people have been posting about melting of these $10-12 receptacles, and it appeared the heat buildup was always at the plug contacts, not at the wire lugs.
Some contact cleaner or never removing the EVSE will help the cheaper receptacle be less likely to burn up imo, but it's cheap insurance to simply use a quality receptacle in the first place, for anything fused at 50A. It's a $35-40 difference for a single receptacle - a no brainer.
The quality difference is the same way that there's $1 residential receptacles that are also code-compliant with all the proper certifications, yet people who run continuous 10-12A loads on them (garages, or people running PCs during the crypto mining booms) see far quicker failure in the same way - heat buildup and melting. Even when wires are bolted on instead of spring retention. Then for others the low-grade receptacles' bent-metal get weak and won't grab the prongs properly, and things melt. Another situation where spending 4x as much on a better receptacle will make for a far better experience over the years, and a bit safer - it's maybe $300/house for quality vs junk of the 5-15Rs and 5-20Rs throughout.
People should just pay for quality receptacles, for the small price premium. Especially on a single EV charging port.