384 replies to this topic

[MarkoJ]

Line-ups taking place for model 3 reservations.......lol, wtf? Zero specs on the car and a 2-3 year wait.  I like my Tesla but this is just nuts.

 

 

[Mike K.]

You sure that's not a downtown Victoria street and the Tesla sign hasn't been photoshopped?

[dasmo]

Today is the model 3 reveal day! 8PM!

[LeoVictoria]

I am vaguely considering pre-ordering one, but definitely not before the reveal.  I suspect people will be disappointed.   They expect a Model S for $35k.  All sorts of speculation about how it's going to have a 300mile range and go 0-60 in 4 seconds.  Not going to happen.   

 

Also a pre-order for a car to be delivered in best case 2 years is probably stupid.   The world of electric cars could change radically by then.

[Sparky]

 

On a side note, if I ever built another home would definitively do a 320 amp service instead of 200 amps.  Barely will be able to squeeze in a 14-50 Nema (50 amp plug) for the Tesla.  I think when the Model 3 comes that will be our second car and at that point we won't have capacity to charge both at once.

 

 

Marko

 

Don't confuse the size of the service with the number of spaces available for breakers. A 200 amp service is plenty big enough for almost anything you can think of in a home, garage, and shop. What you are short on is breaker space.

 

The solution is sub panels. Take out that 50 amp breaker that you just put in and install a 100 amp breaker in it's place. Connect that to a new 100 amp sub panel with 100 amp wire. Now put the 50 amp breaker for your car charger in your new sub panel and feed the 50 amp receptacle. You now have lots of space for your next 50 amp breaker when you buy your next battery operated car. (or truck if you bought it off Ben Isitt)

 

I doubt if your charger actually draws any more than 30 amps. Our past house that I built had 3-100 amp sub panels fed off of a 200 amp service. (total of 4 panels) Lots of breaker space everywhere. Totally safe, totally legal.

 

There are demand factors used when calculating the load. If you were to totally load your 200 amp service, you would need to rob a bank to pay the hydro bill.

[Mike K.]

...and this is why we pay Sparky the big bucks.

[spanky123]

I am vaguely considering pre-ordering one, but definitely not before the reveal.  I suspect people will be disappointed.   They expect a Model S for $35k.  All sorts of speculation about how it's going to have a 300mile range and go 0-60 in 4 seconds.  Not going to happen.   

 

Also a pre-order for a car to be delivered in best case 2 years is probably stupid.   The world of electric cars could change radically by then.

 

I wouldn't bother with a pre-order. It put you about 6 months ahead of the pack for the S when it was first announced but you can order an X  now and get it at the same time as everyone else.

[MarkoJ]

Marko

 

Don't confuse the size of the service with the number of spaces available for breakers. A 200 amp service is plenty big enough for almost anything you can think of in a home, garage, and shop. What you are short on is breaker space.

 

The solution is sub panels. Take out that 50 amp breaker that you just put in and install a 100 amp breaker in it's place. Connect that to a new 100 amp sub panel with 100 amp wire. Now put the 50 amp breaker for your car charger in your new sub panel and feed the 50 amp receptacle. You now have lots of space for your next 50 amp breaker when you buy your next battery operated car. (or truck if you bought it off Ben Isitt)

 

I doubt if your charger actually draws any more than 30 amps. Our past house that I built had 3-100 amp sub panels fed off of a 200 amp service. (total of 4 panels) Lots of breaker space everywhere. Totally safe, totally legal.

 

There are demand factors used when calculating the load. If you were to totally load your 200 amp service, you would need to rob a bank to pay the hydro bill.

 

My total load when calculated by electrician is 199 amps with a 50amp car charger.  (big house and seconday suite with own washer/dryer).  I don't have enough capacity for a second car charger.

 

 

When you go secondary suite 200 amps is very tight if you need a 50 amp circuit for a car charger.  The car circuits are multiplied by a very higher number for calculating load....I think electrician said 80% or something? so 50 amps x.80 = 40 amps for purposes of load calculation.

 

 

I still stand by comment.  If you are building a new house, especially with a suite, go 320 amps otherwise you'll have issues when you buy the second electric car.

 

and best way to charge a Tesla is with a 50 amp 14-50 Nema...

Edited by MarkoJ, 31 March 2016 - 08:43 AM.

[nagel]

 

My total load when calculated by electrician is 199 amps with a 50amp car charger.  (big house and seconday suite with own washer/dryer).  I don't have enough capacity for a second car charger.

 

 

When you go secondary suite 200 amps is very tight if you need a 50 amp circuit for a car charger.  The car circuits are multiplied by a very higher number for calculating load....I think electrician said 80% or something? so 50 amps x.80 = 40 amps for purposes of load calculation.

 

 

I still stand by comment.  If you are building a new house, especially with a suite, go 320 amps otherwise you'll have issues when you buy the second electric car.

 

and best way to charge a Tesla is with a 50 amp 14-50 Nema...

 

Maybe we can all chip in for your service upgrade since we've kicked you 5 grand to buy the Tesla and probably will again when you buy a second.

[LeoVictoria]

1% problems...

[Dr. Barillas]

Lining up for a car is about as silly as lining up for some retro Air Jordans.

[spanky123]

 

My total load when calculated by electrician is 199 amps with a 50amp car charger.  (big house and seconday suite with own washer/dryer).  I don't have enough capacity for a second car charger.

 

 

When you go secondary suite 200 amps is very tight if you need a 50 amp circuit for a car charger.  The car circuits are multiplied by a very higher number for calculating load....I think electrician said 80% or something? so 50 amps x.80 = 40 amps for purposes of load calculation.

 

 

I still stand by comment.  If you are building a new house, especially with a suite, go 320 amps otherwise you'll have issues when you buy the second electric car.

 

and best way to charge a Tesla is with a 50 amp 14-50 Nema...

 

 

That may be the best way but a 14-30 circuit will still fully charge you overnight.

[sebberry]

My understanding is that the speed of charge will impact the longevity of the batteries.  Faster charges usually net you lower per-charge range as well as age the batteries faster.  Most of us can observe this with our phones - fast charge it and you'll get less use out of that charge.

[MarkoJ]

My understanding is that the speed of charge will impact the longevity of the batteries.  Faster charges usually net you lower per-charge range as well as age the batteries faster.  Most of us can observe this with our phones - fast charge it and you'll get less use out of that charge.

 

Charging at 240v vs 120v is much more effiecient in terms of your hydro bill....battery life, tough to say, not enough data yet.

 

The current code in BC for brand new homes is a 120v-20 amp (nema 5-20) but it is only 8km/h -> https://www.youtube....h?v=p_doq2hIUYU

 

Hopefully in the future they will make electric cars that can get 15 km/h off a nema 5-20 and then I'll be ok

[MarkoJ]

Just saying why not spend a small amount extra upfront when building to future proof your home.

 

I ran two cat5e wires to every single outlet/room in the house.  Super cheap but also super future proof in my opinion.

[nagel]

Just saying why not spend a small amount extra upfront when building to future proof your home.

 

I ran two cat5e wires to every single outlet/room in the house.  Super cheap but also super future proof in my opinion.

I did the same with my 2014 major reno but haven't used a single one yet because my router is pretty good.  I think I wasted money on the wire.

 

Anyways why haven't they figured out how to put a solar panel on the roof of Teslas yet to charge while you drive?

[lanforod]

I did the same with my 2014 major reno but haven't used a single one yet because my router is pretty good.  I think I wasted money on the wire.

 

Anyways why haven't they figured out how to put a solar panel on the roof of Teslas yet to charge while you drive?

You must not do much HD streaming. Wires > Wifi.

 

I think solar build into cars will come at some point. Aesthetics come into play a bit maybe in why they haven't done it yet.

[nagel]

You must not do much HD streaming. Wires > Wifi.

 

I think solar build into cars will come at some point. Aesthetics come into play a bit maybe in why they haven't done it yet.

Netflix and Plex but yeah, not much.

[LeoVictoria]

I did the same with my 2014 major reno but haven't used a single one yet because my router is pretty good.  I think I wasted money on the wire.

 

Anyways why haven't they figured out how to put a solar panel on the roof of Teslas yet to charge while you drive?

 

They do that.  The Prius has an option for solar panels at least.

But the power isn't even in the same scale as what is required.  You'll get maybe a few hundred watts of capacity from a car roof.   The Tesla battery packs are anywhere from 70kw to 90kw.  So 500w of solar panels on your roof would require about 18 hours of 100% perfect sunshine to charge your car.  In real life the output is so much lower it's not worth the cost of the panels.  

[LeoVictoria]

Live stream starting now https://model3.tesla.com/