What is the difference between a hardwired installation and a plug-in installation?
So you’ve done your research and decided on the electric car you’re going to buy, and you’re ready for the next big step: figuring out what kind of charging station to buy.
The first major thing to consider when getting a charging station is making sure you have a safety certified charging station and you have the capacity in your electrical panel to install a charging station. To investigate panel capacity check out our electrician locator tool for a list of local licensed electricians that can assist in verifying panel capacity at www.clippercreek.com/installers.
The next consideration will be whether you purchase a hardwired charging station or a plug-in unit.
So, what’s the difference? Let’s start with the hardwired charging stations.
Hardwired charging stations can typically be installed indoors or outdoors (check with manufacturer; all ClipperCreek charging stations, whether they are hardwired or plug-in, are rated for installation both indoors and outdoors).
A hardwired station has three feet of flexible conduit coming from the top or bottom of the station (depending on the model) and service wires that come out of the conduit about six inches for easy installation into a junction box.
When it comes to installation, hardwired units are typically more permanent and are always recommended for outdoor installations as hardwiring the appliance provides a better and more weather resistant connection to power. They can be moved, but you’d probably need to have an electrician come out to uninstall and then reinstall the unit at your new location. With a hardwired station the supply power wires from the station will be connected directly to the power wires coming from the electrical panel (circuit breaker).
Plug-in units don’t have the conduit, but instead have a high quality 240V supply cord/plug that is 12 inches long (this is the longest length allowed per National Electric Code); this includes the plug itself in the measurement. A plug-in station will be connected to power by plugging the supplied plug into a matching receptacle (outlet). All ClipperCreek charging stations are safety certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory and must meet the requirements of UL 2594 and requirements of National Electric Code Article 625. If a charging station is available with a supply plug length of longer than 12 inches the product is likely not safety certified. Visit our “EV Charging Stations: Staying Safe” blog to find out more about why safety certification is very important.
Before you purchase a plug-in model there are few things to consider about plug and outlet safety. This includes things like turning off the circuit breaker before plugging in or unplugging the unit, not supporting the station by the outlet, and only unplugging the station occasionally / if needed. Most outlets are not rated for consistent plugging and unplugging.
For more information on plug and outlet safety please review the manual for the model you are planning to purchase. You can view all ClipperCreek manuals at https://www.clippercreek.com/installation-manuals/ or see the list included at the end of this blog.
If you decide to purchase a plug-in charging station you will also need to decide on which plug type you will purchase. With 240V plugs / outlets there is no standard type which is why ClipperCreek offers a wide variety of 240V plugs with our charging stations to fit your needs. In fact, some homes already have a 240V outlet and you can order the plug that matches what you already have! This allows you to simply mount the station and plug-in. If you have a 240V outlet, but are unsure if ClipperCreek carries the matching plug type, please call us at (877) 694-4194 or email us at information@clippercreek.net. Our customer service team can help you determine what type of outlet you have and which electric car charging stations would be appropriate.
Read: What different plug types do ClipperCreek EVSEs offer?
If you don’t already have a 240V outlet, you can have an electrician install a new outlet which matches the plug you purchase. Once the outlet is installed, simply mount the station to the wall, plug-in, and start charging!
Installing outdoors?
Hardwired charging stations are recommended for any outdoor installation and there are a few reasons for this:
- The 3 foot flexible conduit provides more installation flexibility than the 240V 12 inch supply plug.
- When installing a plug-in charging station outdoors you would typically be required by electrical code to have a “While-in-Use” Weather Proof Outlet Cover installed over the 240V outlet. These covers allow for the 240V supply plug to enter from the bottom which will require the 12 inch supply plug to make a 180 degree bend if the supply plug comes from the bottom of the unit (varies by model)
- ClipperCreek HCS models have the supply plug coming from the bottom of the unit.
- ClipperCreek LCS models and the AmazingE models have the supply plug coming from the top of the unit.
- Below is an image showing how a plug-in HCS model could be installed outdoors:
- When installing a plug-in charging station outdoors you would typically be required by electrical code to have a “While-in-Use” Weather Proof Outlet Cover installed over the 240V outlet. These covers allow for the 240V supply plug to enter from the bottom which will require the 12 inch supply plug to make a 180 degree bend if the supply plug comes from the bottom of the unit (varies by model)
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- The charging station must be installed close and to the left of the outlet.
- With a hardwired charging station you generally do not need to have a GFCI circuit breaker in place whereas you would be required to have this for any 240V outlet used for an electric vehicle charging station per National Electric Code requirements.
- Note – using a GFCI breaker to supply a charging station can result in nuisance tripping of the breaker during charging. The trip threshold for a standard U.S. GFCI breaker is 5mA which is relatively low for electric vehicle charging. For comparison, charging stations have 20mA GFCI protection built it. At the 5mA trip threshold you may experience nuisance tripping of the circuit breaker during charging due to noise on the line generated by the vehicle.
- Level 2 (240V) charging stations are high power, continuous use devices and hardwiring will provide the best connection to power. This is consistent with other outdoor high power continuous use devices such as HVAC equipment, sprinklers, etc.
Still not sure which model to purchase? Give our Product Specialist Team a call at 877-694-4194 or email the team at information@clippercreek.net for further assistance.
Plug and Outlet Safety:
- 240V plugs are specifically designed for occasional relocation, such as moving from one home to another home.
- For personal safety, the circuit breaker MUST be turned off prior to plugging in AND/OR unplugging 240V appliances (including this EVSE).
- A dedicated NEMA outlet (receptacle) is highly recommended. NEMA outlets wear out over time particularly when repeated insertion and removal of NEMA plugs occur. Check the receptacle to be sure it is not worn. A worn receptacle can cause the plug connection to overheat and become a fire hazard. Do not use a plug that gets excessively hot. It is recommended that plug-in EVSE remain plugged in.
- Have an electrician verify all wiring to the outlet is correct and in compliance with local code requirements before connecting the EVSE.
- Do not use this EVSE with an extension cord or wall plug adapter. Plug this EVSE directly into the receptacle.
- Ensure that the EVSE is mounted to the wall or placed on a support so it does not hang from the receptacle. Receptacles are not designed to support the weight of the EVSE.
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Our building is having trouble with the chargers not charging cars there power to device
Hi John,
Sorry to hear about the troubles! Please give our technical support team a call at 530-887-1674 for assistance.
I just bought a audi etron….I had an electrician install a 240v plug in my garage. The car charges fast in a few hours 6-8. Can you tell me the benefits of adding the power station, strongly considering but would like to get your opinion.
Hi,
I’m installing a residential EV charger (the HCS-50). I was hoping to do plug in, but we care most about the charging station being outside. Is it better to do hardwired for outside? Or no difference?
Thanks
Hi Debi! Glad you reached out to us. All of our charging stations are built into NEMA 4 rated enclosure and can be installed outdoors, however we would recommend a hardwired model for an outdoor installation for ease of installation and the best protection from the elements. For more information on this please give our Product Specialist Team a call at 877-694-4194.
We have a 2017 Chev Volt. I believe your company mfrs. the 120 V charger that GM supplies. Is it true that charger is wired internally for 240 V charging as well requiring just an adapter to go from the basic h/h 3-prong male plug to a 240 V male plug in order to plug into a 240 V wall receptacle wired to a 30 amp breaker etc. like for a dryer or a stove? Please let me know. Thank you.
ClipperCreek, Inc. is a supplier of components used in the cordset for the Volt program. ClipperCreek recommends the Volt cordset be utilized as intended by the seller, in this case GM, as documented in the provided instructions and safety labeling.
If you are interested in level 2 charging we would recommend purchasing a level 2 (240V) EVSE and for the Chevy Volt I would recommend our LCS-20 or LCS-20P. The LCS-20 would provide the fastest charge for the Volt, which is about 4 -4.5 hours from completely empty to completely full and would be the lowest cost solution to receive the fastest charge. The LCS-20 is available for a hardwired installation for $379 or for a plug-in installation (LCS-20P) for $395. The LCS-20P is available with four different plug types; either the NEMA 14-30, NEMA L6-30, NEMA 14-50, or NEMA 6-50 plug. The most popular plug choice among our customers who have purchased the LCS-20P is the NEMA 14-30, as this type of plug is common for electric dryers. Below are links to each of the LCS-20 models:
Hardwired LCS-20LCS-20P with NEMA 14-30 plugLCS-20P with NEMA L6-30 plugLCS-20P with NEMA 14-50 plugLCS-20P with NEMA 6-50 plugPlease let us know if you have any questions.
Good afternoon, I would like to purchase one of your hardwired charging stations, however only the plug in style is available in my area (Québec Canada). Can the plug in be converted to hardwired by an electrician?
Thanks!
Hi Derek,
Thank you for a great question! I would recommend you reach out to our distributor in Canada, Sun Country Highway. They carry both the hardwired and plug-in versions of most models.
You can visit
the Sun Country websiteor call them at (866) 467-6920. It would be recommended to purchase the hardwired version rather than modifying the plug-in version.Please let us know if you have any other questions.
I am in a condo building in Arlington, VA. with 181 units. We are thinking of installing a charging station that would have to serve several types of EVs. Is there any way a user could connect his/her EV and have the cost go to their credit card or be charged to their Clipper Creek account. Is this a commercial device as opposed to a residential device? Any suggestions you could provide would be useful. Thanks in advanace. btw, I’m on the Building and Site committee for the condo association.
Hi Roy,
Thanks for reaching out! We do have solutions available for collecting a fee for the use of the charging station. To figure out which solution is best for your condominium we like to discuss your application, how many charging stations you will be installing, and go over the different ways payment can be collected. All of charging stations are commercial grade, but many are sold at a residential price point. Additionally, our charging stations are compatible with all electric vehicles on the road, including Tesla. Tesla vehicles have a proprietary connector; however, the driver can use the Tesla provided adapter to charge using our charging stations.
Your information has been passed along to our Product Specialist team who will reach out directly to discuss in greater detail.
I see that Amazon sells just the ChargePoint charging cord. I don’t need the wi-fi or app functionality for my home charger, so do I need the wall unit at my house, or can I simply have the charging cord hard wired to a junction box? Thanks.
Hello Alan! We manufacture ClipperCreek charging stations only, for questions regarding other manufacturer’s equipment we would recommend you contact them directly.
Regarding the necessity of the charging station versus simply using a cable, charging stations are built into the EV charging standard for electrical safety; first for the user, then the vehicle and then the power grid. A charging station is required to charge any electric vehicle that utilizes the SAE J1772 standard. A charging stations primary function is as electrical safety equipment. A standard home charging station, whether it is a Level 1 (120V) station or a Level 2 (240V) station, will provide pass through AC power to the vehicle for charging. The vehicle will convert this AC power to DC power and utilize that to recharge the batteries, the actual charger is on-board the vehicle. A charging station implements several layers of redundant safety features to protect the user from potential electrical hazards while connecting and disconnecting the station to the vehicle for charging. Once connected to the vehicle the station will inform the vehicle that power is available and at what level. From that point the vehicle takes over, initiates and takes full control of the power transfer, unless an electrical fault occurs, in which case the station will stop the power transfer immediately.
Our charging stations come fully assembled and ready to use. All you would need to do is hardwired the unit to power or if you purchase a plug-in model just plug it in to the matching outlet.
If you have questions about what ClipperCreek model would be best for your vehicle, please give our product specialists a call at 877-694-4194.
I need to purchase an EVSI, but want to know which is more efficient, which is a faster charge, etc. Thanks
Hi Dan,
Start with our
EVSE Residential Buyer's Guide. There are several factors to consider before making your purchase and we have a lot of information to get you started on that page. Also, you can call us anytime and we will help you with any questions so you can determine the perfect EVSE for your situation. We are available Mon-Fri from 8-5 Pacific Time at 877-694-4194.