How to Install Tesla Wall Charger at Your Home in 6 Steps

The Tesla wall charger is one of the easiest EV chargers you can install at home. It comes with many benefits, such as faster charging, delivery of the right charge for your vehicle, and the ability to charge at home with a residential electricity rate. But have you ever wondered how to install a Tesla wall charger at your home and if you can do it yourself?

The Gen 3 Tesla wall charger is super easy to install and some people can do it themselves. Below are the 6 main steps to do it yourself.

How to Install Tesla Wall Charger at Your Home in 6 Steps

​Tesla Wall installation isn’t too complicated, and if you know the basics of your home and have some of the standard tools, you can install your Tesla Wall charger at home in 6 steps.

#1 – Preparation (Tools and Components)

Before you even start, it’s important to assemble the right tools and make sure you have the Tesla Wall components you need before proceeding. The tools you will need include most standard power tools and power tools, such as a tape measure, multimeter, drill, and drill bits.

The Tesla Wall components come with the charger, and you get everything in one box. Note that some components are located inside the Tesla Wall charger, so you will need to open the back to access these components. These components include a cable box, a mounting template for the cable box, a 4mm hex bit, wall mounting hardware for the cable box, cable ties, and mounting hardware for the wall connection to the cable box. Furthermore, the wall charging station itself and the quick start guide.

#2 – Choosing the Parking Location

Not only is the location of the charger in your garage important, but also where you park your Tesla car. You need a place where your car can easily fit in, but also a place that is close to a wall where you can install the Tesla wall charger. The Tesla wall charger doesn’t have the longest charging cable. Therefore, you need to plan the perfect place for your Tesla car, considering the possible locations for your Tesla wall charger.

#3 – Choosing the Spot for the Charger

Certain requirements and restrictions apply to the Tesla Wall charger, such as height limitations. The minimum height for the Tesla Wall Charger is approximately 18 inches indoors (24″ inches outdoors), while the maximum height is 60 inches. Tesla recommends a height between 45 and 48 inches for convenience.

With such placement, you’ll be able to have the charger at the average chest height and ideal height for the plug in the Tesla car.

Once you have found your parking space and an ideal place for the Tesla wall charger, it is important to know that the Tesla wall charger has four input holes for cable management. You can enter the cable from the top, bottom, rear left, or rear right. After you have considered everything, you can find the bolt to mount the Tesla Wall Charger.

After you find where you want to mount the Tesla Wall Charger, use the included mounting template to determine the mounting location where you need to drill to mount the wall charger. Depending on where you want to mount the cable grommet, you may need to move the wall charger to the left or right, or leave it in the center of the stud. Instructions come from the mountain template provided by Tesla. Also, remember that the holes in the charging station must be drilled according to the cable feedthrough.

#4 – Wiring

Once you have assembled the Tesla Wall Charger cable box enclosure, it is time to do the wiring before closing the Wall Charger and setting it up for its first use. The next step will be the wiring. After you have selected the wire entry, you will need to pull the conductors into the cable box.

The EGC conductor goes to the ground terminal, and the L1 and L2 conductors go into the properly marked terminals. Secure the conductors and fasten them with cable ties in the appropriate place.

#5 – Finishing the Installation

In this step, you should install the cable box on your wall and connect the conductors in the cable box properly. Then attach the Tesla Wall charger to close the cable box. Simply place it on top of the cable box and secure it with the four fasteners that come with the charger. Now you can wrap the cable around the box. Tesla recommends doing this in a clockwise direction and making sure the charging handle is in the side mount. Congratulations, you now have a Tesla wall charger installed in your home and just need to set it up for its first use.

#6 – Commissioning a Tesla Charger (Before the First Use)

Now you can turn on the circuit breaker and the Tesla Wall charger should light up. But even before you plug it into your car, you should start up the charger. This is something you will only do the first time to complete the installation.

Tesla’s quick start guide has a QR code that you can scan to join the charger’s network. You can also do this manually by locating the charger in your WiFi settings and using the username and password from the quick start guide. When you connect to the charger’s network, scan the code QR in step #9 in the Quick Start Guide.

There you need to confirm the power of the circuit breaker by checking the light pattern you see on the wall charger. After this step, you need to connect the wall charger to your home network. After the connection, an overview page will be displayed. Follow the overview page and the installation is complete!

Press and hold the button on the charger for five seconds and you can connect the charger to your Tesla car for the first charge.

Which Tesla Wall Charger Version to Choose?

There are three versions of the Tesla Wall Charger, known as Gen 1, Gen 2, and Gen 3. Gen 1 is a somewhat outdated charger at this point, but Gen 2 and Gen 3 chargers are what you would want.

Ideally, you should go for the Generation 3 charger as it is the latest and most efficient charger that supports all Tesla electric vehicles. The Generation 2 charger is rated at 80 amps and uses a 100-amp circuit breaker, while the Generation 3 is rated at 48 amps and uses an 80-amp circuit breaker.

Although both Generation 2 and Generation 3 chargers can charge Tesla electric vehicles at the same rate, Generation 3 is much more efficient.

Everything You Need to Know Before Installing a Tesla Wall Charger

You can install a Tesla wall charger yourself, and while the installation is fairly simple and well explained by Tesla, you may still need a licensed electrician in some states. We believe anyone can easily install a wall charger in their garage, but wiring it directly to the home’s electrical panel isn’t as simple and it would be best to hire an electrician to do it for you.

Also, keep in mind that you can install a Tesla Wall charger both indoors and outdoors. However, if you install it outdoors, some requirements such as the minimum height are different from the minimum height for indoor installation, and you should keep that in mind.

Conclusion

The Tesla wall charger costs about $420 and its unit with about 20 feet of cable is more than enough for a decent installation. It’s a great investment because you can quickly charge your Tesla at home at a private electric rate.

Plus, it can be installed both indoors and outdoors, so almost anyone should be able to find a perfect parking spot for the Tesla and a wall charger.

For a helpful video on setting up a Tesla charger, check out the one below:

The image featured at the top of this post is ©OlliverQueen/Shutterstock.com.