Useful charging info for newcomers

[SeanNelson]

Here are my questions:
1) Can anyone confirm for me just based on the photos that this is indeed a NEMA 10-50?
2) Is the breaker configuration appropriate if it is a NEMA 10-50? 80 amp breaker seems very high to me, for a receptacle that's supposed to draw only 50A.

1) Sure looks like a NEMA 10-50 to me.

2) There's a big difference between an 80-amp panel and an 80-amp breaker. An 80-amp panel can draw 80 amps for all of the circuits it feeds. There can be multiple breakers in the panel protecting the individual circuits. I don't see any 80A breakers in your photo, but I can see what looks like a 240V/40A breaker - it's the one at the upper-left. The fact that it's a ganged breaker which links two phases together suggests strongly that it's 240V, and the "40" embossed on the switches indicates 40A. Note that it's still just a 40A breaker despite there being 2 of them - 40A for each of the two phases.

 

[thurmy]

Well now that is interesting. Then it would seem there is a 50 amp receptacle in a circuit with a 40 amp breaker, which just seems like it should be an electrical no-no. Also, there are two sets of ganged breakers, one at 40 amp, and one at 20, but that box definitely only services the garage, and there are no other 240-type outlets in there. I wonder what it could be for?

 

[DucRider]

Well now that is interesting. Then it would seem there is a 50 amp receptacle in a circuit with a 40 amp breaker, which just seems like it should be an electrical no-no. Also, there are two sets of ganged breakers, one at 40 amp, and one at 20, but that box definitely only services the garage, and there are no other 240-type outlets in there. I wonder what it could be for?

A 50A receptacle on a 40A circuit meets code (google 40A receptacle and see what you find ).
20A = A/C unit? Small water heater? Pond/fountain pump?
Would be useful to see the labels and not just the breakers....

 

[thurmy]

A 50A receptacle on a 40A circuit meets code (google 40A receptacle and see what you find ).
20A = A/C unit? Small water heater? Pond/fountain pump?
Would be useful to see the labels and not just the breakers....

I appreciate the info re the 50A receptacle on a 40A circuit--clearly I'm no electrician. There's definitely no current receptacle inside or outside the garage (which is a separate building from the main home) that is a 240V receptacle. There may have been a window AC unit in there in the past, as there's a workshop with a small workbench, but no more. Also, there are definitely no labels, that would just make too much sense. The breaker box is completely label-free, inside and out. Also it appears to have been installed upside down, as the etched numbers go from 1 on the bottom right to 20 on the top left.

 

[LeftieBiker]

The outlet was probably installed for a portable A/C welder.

 

[SparkE]

There's definitely no current receptacle inside or outside the garage (which is a separate building from the main home) that is a 240V receptacle.

If it is a 10-50 (and it sure looks like one) then it is a 240V receptacle.

 

[thurmy]

You're right. I meant: there's definitely no *other current receptacle inside or outside the garage (which is a separate building from the main home) that is a 240V receptacle.

 

[winterescape]

Well now that is interesting. Then it would seem there is a 50 amp receptacle in a circuit with a 40 amp breaker, which just seems like it should be an electrical no-no. Also, there are two sets of ganged breakers, one at 40 amp, and one at 20, but that box definitely only services the garage, and there are no other 240-type outlets in there. I wonder what it could be for?

A 50A receptacle on a 40A circuit meets code (google 40A receptacle and see what you find ).
20A = A/C unit? Small water heater? Pond/fountain pump?
Would be useful to see the labels and not just the breakers....

Right, one way to think about is that you size the breaker to trip to protect the "weakest" part of the circuit, or that the wire and the socket must be equal or greater in capacity than the breaker

 

[jayfaw]

Is there any compatibility issue with using the Clipper Creek HCS-50P (w/ NEMA 14-50 plug) on a Bolt Premier? Chevy website says it has no compatible EVSE for the Premier.

 

[Zoomit]

No, all J1772 EVSE's are compatible with the Bolt EV