# EV 50 amp outlet



## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Anyone put a 50 amp outlet in their garage? the 14-50 plug seems to be recommend which wants a 8/3 or 6/3 ...no? I thought I read 2 are only used, anyone have experience? I'm asking because I'm finishing a basement and want to look fwd .....

Wire in these gauges get $ quick


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

jayhawk said:


> Anyone put a 50 amp outlet in their garage? the 14-50 plug seems to be recommend which wants a 8/3 or 6/3 ...no? I thought I read 2 are only used, anyone have experience? I'm asking because I'm finishing a basement and want to look fwd .....
> 
> Wire in these gauges get $ quick


I had the electrician put a 14-50 in my garage for a welder. It is wired with #6.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

EVs don't use the neutral but you have to run it for 14-50 which just makes sense. It is the generic standard.

Yes it is a few extra dollars in wire, but you can always leave neutral disconnected if you decided to go with a dedicated EV charger that only uses three wires later. Don't want to have to run a 4th wire later for some reason.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

I doubt that an inspector will pass a 50 Amp 220 outlet with a lifted ground.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

There is a 50amp 240 outlet, think it is 6-50 that is just 3 wires, but the 14-50 is the standard. Better to have a he 4 wire setup and use an adapter if a welder had a 3 wire plug than to have an EV or RV, or electric range you want to plug in but can't due to not having enough wires.

Without looking it up you are talking what $1 foot, for the extra wire even if it is a 100 ft. run that is pocket change compared to having to do it over becuse you "saved" a buck on the front end.

I got by on a 14-30 outlet for my EV for a bit, then had one incident that made me with I had a fadter ootion and gave the car a l dedicated 100amp circuit with a wall connector instead of an outlet and mobile connector. Can charge at 80amps which is good for 58miles per hour. The 100amp circuit vs charging at 80 is due to continuous loads being restricted to 80% of circuit capacity. Few things can load a circuit like an EV does.


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## arrigetch peaks (Mar 27, 2019)

#8 wire is good for 50 amps. #6 wire is good for 60 amps. *There are more restrictions to those wire sizes. #10 grounding conductor is good up to a 60-amp circuit. If you are just running that circuit less than 100 feet from the panel without other conductors in the same pathway you should not have a problem with. Bare minimum I would install 8-3. That will have a Black, Red, White, and a ground. Not having the neutral (white wire) could limit your applications later. I hope I did not confuse you.


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## arrigetch peaks (Mar 27, 2019)

bernstem said:


> I doubt that an inspector will pass a 50 Amp 220 outlet with a lifted ground.


Bernstem, I am not familiar with the terminology of "Lifted Ground". Can you explain?


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

arrigetch peaks said:


> bernstem said:
> 
> 
> > I doubt that an inspector will pass a 50 Amp 220 outlet with a lifted ground.
> ...


Almost all basic home electrical circuits have three wires. Positive, negative, and ground. Older wiring will have only a positive and negative without the ground wire. A circuit without a ground wire is sometimes referred to as having a lifted ground.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

bernstem said:


> arrigetch peaks said:
> 
> 
> > bernstem said:
> ...


To expand further a 240volt circuit uses two positives, a 14-50 has 2 positives each a 120volt circuit of it's own basically, then the neutral and ground. If looking at romex it will say 3+1 that is 3 insulated circuits and the one bare ground.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

thanks, i'll go get 25' of 6/3

surface mounting in a more visual appealing 'weather proof' metal box.


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