I bought a Chevy Volt and would like to charge it. My driveway does not have any sort of power so I need to run a new line.
I live in a manufactured home ( trailer house ) which is raised off the ground. I am going to hire an electrician to inspect my work and run it through the floor and into the breaker panel. But I want to run the cable my self and save a little money.
What is the proper way to run a cable like this? Do I need conduit? If I do can I run it on the ground or does it need to be raised off the ground?
If I go in a straight line it is around 50 feet but if I go around the perimeter of the house it is like 75 feet.
I will be running 15 amps from the cable.
Thanks in advance for the advice!
Best Answer
I assume by your question you want to run a 120 volt line and use the Level 1 charger that comes with the car.
If you are going to the trouble and expense of adding a receptacle circuit I would highly recommend a 20 amp circuit not a 15. The cost difference is small and takes the same amount of work to install.
At a later date it could be easily converted to a 20 amp 240 volt circuit to accommodate a Level 2 charger that will charge your car in 4 hours or so.
The smallest dedicated EV charger for a Chevy Volt will need a 20 amp circuit not a 15.
On the Clipper Creek web site you can choose your vehicle and it shows you the recommended chargers.
Normally, the larger the charger (higher amperage and voltage) the higher the cost but the faster it charges.
All that said, to answer your question, under the trailer and outside you should run PVC conduit to protect your wiring and survive the elements. Also, PVC is the easiest for a novice to install. NM cable can not be used in a wet or damp location so you will need to run THWN rated wire from the breaker box to the new receptacle in an approved conduit like PVC. You should run #12 gauge wire for a 20 amp circuit pulling 3 wires colored black, white, and green.
If you are going to hire an electrician to assist it may be just a few dollars more to have them do the whole job. Consider this.
Good luck and stay safe!