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no reason to start over - the Taycan forum already has this hashed out in detail…and the Macan is not unique in this space…it is in fact more of the same - there is literally nothing new in this space - so this thread is 100% what you need to know.
home EV charging is pretty much unchanged from this thread started for Taycan owners - Macan EV is a 60/48 amp vehicle for 11 kW of max charging speed - the included PMC+/PMCC (TBD) EVSE (EV charger) can be plugged into a NEMA 14-50/6-50 outlet in North American - this a 50 amp circuit and EV chargers are allowed by electrical-code/building codes to use 40 amps maximum on 50 amp circuit - 9.6 kW…
the included/free Porsche EV Charger (called an EVSE) is 9.6 kW - listed in standard equipment as "mobile charger base" - not sure what this is - it's a new term from Porsche - I'm going to 'guess' it's the Porsche Mobile Charger Plus - PMC+ - but we'll have to actually 'see' when vehicle's start showing up
you can purchase other EVSE's plug-based or hardwired for any kW size you desire - up to19.2 kW
the Macan EV's maximum charge rate is 11 kW - so the included charger can not charge your Macan at "max" - but 9.6 kW is NO SLOUCH so it's not critical to go bigger, but it's an option and will charge your Macan faster
If you want to charge your Macan EV at it's full 11 kW capability in North America - you'll need a hardwired EVSE and 60 amp circuit (48 amps charging) - no "plug based" EVSE's for 60 amp circuits in North America
choices for 60/48 amp EVSE's are:
Porsche Wall Charger
Tesla Universal Wall Charger <---- my recommendation
Chargepoint Flex <------ my 2nd choice
Enphase/ClipperCreek
JuiceBox
Autel
Wallbox
others…
good home charing is one of EV owner ship's little pleasures - so you wake up to a full and ready EV every morning - and this is your first EV not your last EV - so what ever EV charging infrastructure you put in your garage will work all your current EV(s) and future ones - EVSE's are _NOT_ vehicle/vendor specific - they will work to charge any North American EV - so do it once, and use it for years.
Last edited by daveo4porsche; 03-05-2024 at 10:17 PM.
_IF_ you're getting a NEMA socket installed for your Macan EV follow Porsche own advice/requirements as documented by them for installing a NEMA 14-50/6-50 - Porsche specifically recommends against using 120V household outlets for charging - so get a 240V L2 NEMA socket or 240V EVSE hardwired installed…don't believe me - then listen to Porsche it's covered in this document…
key recommendation from the document are - bold emphasis mine
Porsche recommends home owners only install industrial quality electrical NEMA receptacles and have the installation performed by qualified electricians in accordance with the National Electrical Code or applicable local equivalents.
For example, the following receptacles are recommended for their industrial quality and ability to handle high current with minimal electrical resistance for long periods of time:
Hubbell HBL9450A = NEMA 14-50 Receptacle (4-wire)
Hubbell HBL9367 = NEMA 6-50 Receptacle (3-wire)
A 50-amp branch circuit should use minimum 6 AWG, 90°C-rated copper wire for conductors supplying level 2 Porsche charging hardware plugged with a NEMA 14-50 or 6-50 supply cable. Receptacle terminal screws must be tightened to manufacturer specifications. The use of ferrules on the supply conductor wiring is recommended to further safeguard the circuit connection at the receptacle.
Caution
If the electrical receptacles/outlets are not of sufficient quality, higher temperatures can occur in the receptacle when charging the vehicle using the supplied charging hardware (e.g. Porsche Mobile Charger). This can result in thermal damage to the receptacle and associated wiring. Low quality NEMA receptacle use or improper installation are not an indication of a defect in the vehicle or Porsche charging hardware.
General Precautions on (125V) Supply Cable Use
The “domestic” (125V) supply cable is provided for emergency use only, and should not be used by customers for daily home charging. Please discuss installation and use of a suitable 250V circuit with all customers.
Information Caution
The surface of the charger and associated equipment can become very hot under normal use. This is normal and not an indication of a defect in the charger. Observe the operating instructions provided with the charger, particularly the warnings and safety instructions.
When used, it is recommended to limit 125V charging to a maximum of approximately 12 hours. Charge only to a minimum needed get to a nearest High-Power Charger (HPC) or DC Charger for recharging.
Long story short - if you're getting a NEMA socket installed (or already have one) you must use a Commercial grade NEMA Hubble socket (Porsche document has specific part numbers) - residential grade $12 Leviton NEMA sockets from Home Depot or Lowes aren't going to cut it - EV's can pull 40 amps continuously for 8/10/12 hours charging - and frankly the residential grade plastic sockets are not designed to be robust for that type of usage daily - their plastics fatigue and eventual melt/fail leading to potential serious problems - don't cheap out on your home EV install - 40 amp/9.6 kW is a serious amount of power - make sure your electrician uses commercial grade breakers/wire/panels/sockets-outlets/boxes - otherwise your EV charger will cause this stuff to fail eventually because it's a continuous high load device that stresses electrical systems.
no reason to start over - the Taycan forum already has this hashed out in detail…and the Macan is not unique in this space…it is in fact more of the same - there is literally nothing new in this space - so this thread is 100% what you need to know.
home EV charging is pretty much unchanged from this thread started for Taycan owners - Macan EV is a 60/48 amp vehicle for 11 kW of max charging speed - the included PMC+/PMCC (TBD) EVSE (EV charger) can be plugged into a NEMA 14-50/6-50 outlet in North American - this a 50 amp circuit and EV chargers are allowed by electrical-code/building codes to use 40 amps maximum on 50 amp circuit - 9.6 kW…
If you want to charge your Macan EV at it's full 11 kW capability in North America - you'll need a hardwired EVSE and 60 amp circuit (48 amps charging) - no "plug based" EVSE's for 60 amp circuits in North America
choices for 60/48 amp EVSE's are:
Porsche Wall Charger
Tesla Universal Wall Charger <---- my recommendation
Chargepoint Flex <------ my 2nd choice
Enphase/ClipperCreek
JuiceBox
Autel
Wallbox
others…
good home charing is one of EV owner ship's little pleasures - so you wake up to a full and ready EV every morning - and this is your first EV not your last EV - so what ever EV charging infrastructure you put in your garage will work all your current EV(s) and future ones - EVSE's are _NOT_ vehicle/vendor specific - they will work to charge any North American EV - so do it once, and use it for years.
@daveo4porsche these proactive posts are very helpful. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.
@daveo4porsche these proactive posts are very helpful. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.
thanks it was bound to come up - i'm guessin the Macan EV is going to pull a whole bunch of "new" Porsche people onto EV's - and even though the Taycan is very similar in terms of "ev'ness" they aren't going to review the Taycan forum - this topic inevitability comes up so I thought I'd head it off -LOL
Small install cost optimization "opportunity" if you're having a NEMA socket installed
NEMA 14-50 sockets are 4 wires - 1 hot 120V, 1 hot 120V, 1 neutral, 1 ground - 240V 50 amp circuit - 9.6 kW maximum EV charge rate
NEMA 6-50 sockets are 3 wires - 1 hot 120V, 1 hot 120V, 1 ground - 240V 50 amp circuit - 9.6 kW maximum EV charge rate
EVSEs don't use/require the neutral - and if your wire run is "long" from your circuit box you can actually save quite a bit on wire/materials costs if you provision a NEMA 6-50 socket - because you won't pull the unused 4th neutral wire…
NOTE: 99% of EVSE's don't require NEMA 14-50 or use the neutral - as with all things there is an exception that proves the rule - some JuiceBox EVSE actually require the "neutral" - that because beyond being an EVSE - they were also a small "computer" and used the 120V power supply to run a WiFi connection and used off the shelf 120V component since JuiceBox has opensource/hobbiest DIY build-it-yourself from parts origins they used "off the shelf components for the "computer" portion of the EVSE - which was mostly for command/control/statistcs - charging an EV via the North American J-1772 does not and CAN NOT require a neutral - because there not even a neutral pin/connector in the J-1772 connector that attaches to the EV charging port (there are 5 connectors inside a J-1772 charging cable - 2 high voltage pins, 2 low voltage data pins, 1 ground pin - no 6th pin for an electrical neutral) - but some EVSE use 120V "internally" as part of their non-EV charging feature set - please consult with your intended EVSE vendor to make sure they offer a NEMA 6-50 version of their EVSE and you're good to go - but there are some minority legacy EVSE's that do require a NEMA 14-50 socket to having the necessary 120V power to run internal "computer" components that are in addition to it's main function of charing your EV - however I think these days even Juice box is now a pure 240V 3-wire EVSE - but it never hurts to "check".
All of the EVSE's I listed in my original post on this thread are either "hardwired" where it doesn't matter - or have NEMA 6-50 options when you purchase them - so these days I'd be hard pressed to even find an EVSE that "requires" NEMA 14-50 socket for their 120V internal functions, but one may still be out there so do your homework before making a choice.
also historically with the Taycan the choice of a NEMA 14-50 or 6-50 "plug" on the included EVSE is a $0 "swap" at order time - inquire with your dealer as to details
Why is NEMA 14-50 the default if it's not required?
NEMA 14-50 is the "default" and this is. good choice by porsche and other EV vendors - but it's not made for home use - it doesn't matter at home
NEMA 14-50 is good choice for a _MOBILE_ EVSE because when away from home there are far more NEMA 14-50 sockets "in the wild" vs. NEMA 6-50 sockets - so it's best to have a NEMA 14-50 with you in the car to maximize the opportunity to use any NEMA sockets you encounter in your travels - this was important several years ago but times are changing - these days I'll assert the following is true:
in practice these days I'm. using my "own" mobile charger less and less (honestly almost never anymore) - you're more likely to need a spare tire than use your mobile EVSE these days
the rise of FastCharging (and it's a trend that is accelerating not slowing) means you are less and less likely to "need a mobile" EVSE while away from home
more and more business (hotels in particular) have EV chargers for their guest - which means you're using their EVSE, not unpacking your own EVSE
if you really really want to cover your bases while away from home - you can easily purchase for $40 or less a NEMA 14-50/6-50 adatper (either direction) so that when traveling you can use both a NEMA 14-50 or 6-50 plug that you may encounter
Basically these days even when traveling there is less and less "need" to use a "raw" NEMA 14-50 socket to charge your EV while away from home - there are more and more fast/slow EV chargers installed at more and more locations - it's gotten to the point these days that for the most part - you do not even need to bring your mobile EVSE with you - because the option of using someone else's (commercial, private, parking lot, business) EVSE is pretty high or easy to find - honestly I haven't unpacked my mobile EVSE road warrior kit from my Taycan since mid-2021 - because when away from home I've been able to use existing EV chargers rather than having to plug my own mobile EVSE into a bare/raw NEMA outlet…now this isnt' true everywhere you may go - if your'e going to remote wilderness/national park type areas - there are not a lot of EV chargers, but sometimes there are bare NEMA 14-50, TT-30 or even NEMA 5-15/5-20 outlets - and for that you'll need to bring your own mobile EVSE with the right NEMA plug adapters to charge your EV when away from major civilization…but if you're sticking to national highway destinations it's very likely you don't need your own EVSE while traveling cause you're using someone else's…either fast or slow.
if you're wire run is 25ft or longer enquire with your electrician about a cost difference for a NEMA 6-50 3 wire install - copper is soooo expensive it might save actual money and it makes ZERO difference to your 50/40 amp EVSE for charging your Macan or any other EV…NEMA 14-50 plugs are the default because they are more ubiquitous, but as noted that's mostly a concern in terms of using your own mobile EVSE while away from home - which is far less of a concern these days than it was in say 2018…
also every major EVSE vendor that offers plug based EVSE's offers NEMA 14-50/6-50 variants - so there is _NO DIFFERENCE_
NEMA 14-50 is purely an "away from home" consideration if you're planning on using NEMA sockets with your own EVSE while away form home and road tripping - campground for example all then to offer NEMA 14-50 since it's the standard RV hookup for power for campers and RV's…
these days given the cost of wire - NEMA 6-50 all the way!!!
NOTE: RV's use/require NEMA 14-50 because they are both 240V and 120V consumers - for the 240V items on the Rv they use the two hots from the NEMA 14-50 power supply socket, but for the internal "household" AC outlets they are normal 120V outlets - and 120V outlets need the neutral to operate - so for RV usage the 4th "neutral" wire is both used and critical for compatibility and proper behavior for the 120V appliances/outlets inside the RV - but for EVSE's the neutral is unused/non-require/un-necessary - in Fact in the Porsche power supply cables for the PMC+/PMCC the NEMA 14-50 power supply wire doesn't even have the wire for the Neutral plug-blade -there is a 4th "blade/conductor" on the male-plug - but it's a dummy blade and has no actual 4th wire inside the power supply cable - it's purely there for compatilbity with the NEMA 14-50 female socket - but it's inert and unused and not even connected to anything.
Last edited by daveo4porsche; 03-06-2024 at 04:51 PM.
I didn't track through the Taycan links posted in this thread, and the information provided here is clear and thorough, but since it's an FAQ and to keep the info in one place, a few random additional or at least restated thoughts. (The term EVSE used above and below is the "correct" term for what are colloquially called "chargers.")
The 120v/12 amp (1.44 kw) (EVSE capacity) circuits that you can access with a standard home receptacle (NEMA 5-15R) will take days to fully charge your Macan and are often referred to as "Level I". They might be usable to top off occasionally. (These are on a 120v 15 amp or 20 amp breaker--remember the 80% rule for continuous power draw of an EVSE on the circuit).
240v/16 amp thru 240v/50 amp (EVSE capacity) circuits (20-amp through 70-amp breakers respectively) are all Level II. As stated above, up to 40 amp EVSE capacity (50 amp breaker) you can use an appropriate outlet (including Nema 6-20 on a 16-amp EVSE, or Nema 6-50 or 14-50 for a 40-amp EVSE); above that you need hardwire as stated above; the majority of EV's these days max out at 240v/48 amp (11.52 kw as stated above) (60 amp breaker). Most hardwire EVSE's can support up to 48 amps (but a few go to 50). Also, in case you're wondering, most of these EVSE's can be limited by software or switches to lower amperages.
Not discussed above, but perhaps worth including here is the nozzle end of the circuit (plugged into the car). (In the following, I am referring only to the home-charging (Level I/II AC charging) aspect, not the fast-charging (so-called Level III, or DC fast charging aspect). Other than Teslas, the vast majority of present-day EV's and EVSE's are J1772 (CCS1 combo for fast chargers). Tesla's are NACS or now J3400. It appears that in North America, eventually everything new will be NACS. (Also note that it's possible to have a J1772 receptacle that will not receive a fast-charger CCS1 nozzle, but it will work fine with any J1772 home EVSE (which right now is almost all of them). Those limited receptacles are typically only on PHEVs. I only mention that because a lot of accessories that are J1772 are not suitable for CCS1 fast charging, only suitable for home charging. It is possible to interoperate among these using appropriate or when-available adapters, except don't try to use an adapter intended for AC charging on a DC fast charger!
Finally, just to mention the principle: EV electrical systems/batteries are natively DC. Your residential current in North America is AC. Your EV has a built-in charger that can convert the AC you feed it to DC to charge the battery. Fast chargers are already DC. As mentioned above, the fastest readily available AC charger rate is 19.2 kw and most top out at half that speed or a bit more. DC chargers ranges top out from 150-350 kw or more. A different order of magnitude in other words.
Also, not to be critical of the beautiful Porsche EVSE, it is way more expensive than most other top-end EVSE's (which are now in the $400-$600 range not including installation).
03-05-2024 | 07:32 PM
FAQ: Home charging for Macan EV owners
