NEC Article 625 EV Charging
Tesla Wall Connector Wire & Breaker Size
The Wall Connector is field-adjustable, so the wire and breaker follow the amp setting you commission. Here is the full-output spec, the dial-down table for every setting, and the install calculator, all on the NEC Article 625 continuous-load basis.
Wall Connector Amp Setting to Wire & Breaker
Pick the amp setting your circuit supports and commission the charger to it. Each row is the charger output at 125% continuous, rounded to a standard breaker, with the 75°C copper conductor. A setting sizes the circuit only where NEC 625.42(B) and NEC 750.30(C) are satisfied on the installed unit. The conditions are under the table.
| Amp Setting | Breaker | Copper (75°C) | Aluminum (75°C) | Ground (Cu) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48A (max) | 60A | #6 | #4 | #10 |
| 40A | 50A | #8 | #6 | #10 |
| 32A | 40A | #8 | #8 | #10 |
| 24A | 30A | #10 | #8 | #10 |
| 16A | 20A | #12 | #10 | #12 |
Sizing a circuit from a dialled-down setting rather than from the unit's 48 A rating is NEC 625.42(B), and 625.42(B) attaches conditions. They are facts about the installed equipment, so no calculator can check them and this page does not claim they hold on your job. A qualified person verifies them on site, or the circuit is sized from the full rating:
- Where the adjusting means is part of an energy management system, that system uses monitoring and controls to automatically cease current flow if it malfunctions. 750.30(C) applies its subdivisions where an EMS is used to limit the current on a conductor. (NEC 750.30(C)(2))
- Access to the ampere adjusting means is restricted by at least one of the five means 750.30(C)(3) names: behind a removable and sealable cover over the adjustment, behind a cover or door that needs a tool to open, behind a locked door accessible only to qualified personnel, password protected with the password held by qualified personnel only, or software whose access to the adjusting means is password protected for qualified personnel only. (NEC 750.30(C)(3))
- The equipment supplying the branch circuit is field marked with the maximum current setting, the date of the calculation and setting, identification of the loads and sources associated with the current limiting feature, and the words "The setting for the EMS current limiting feature shall not be bypassed". Those markings meet the requirements in 110.21(B) and are located so they are clearly visible to qualified persons before examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance of the equipment. (NEC 750.30(C)(4))
- The adjustment was made in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, and the adjusted rating appears on the rating label with enough durability to withstand the environment involved. (NEC 625.42(B) / 110.3(B))
NEC 625.42(B) + 750.30(C) + 110.3(B). NEC 625.42(A) reaches the service and feeder load calculation; only (B) changes the EVSE's own ampere rating, which is what 625.41 sizes the branch from.
Wire at the 75°C column of NEC Table 310.16 (the Wall Connector's terminals are 75°C-rated). NM-B cable uses the 60°C column; at the 48A setting that means #4 copper. Continuous-load sizing per NEC 625.41; ground per NEC 250.122.
Your Exact Run: Wire, Panel, and Parts
Enter your run length, conductor material, and panel to get the exact wire, voltage drop, panel-capacity check, and a parts list. Set the charger to 48A for a full-output Wall Connector install.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size breaker do I need for a Tesla Wall Connector?
At its maximum 48A output, a Tesla Wall Connector needs a 60A double-pole breaker. EV charging is a continuous load, so the breaker is rated at 125% of output (48 × 1.25 = 60A) per NEC 625.41. The Wall Connector is field-adjustable, so if you install it on a smaller breaker you commission it to a lower amp setting to match: 50A breaker = 40A setting, 40A breaker = 32A, 30A breaker = 24A, 20A breaker = 16A. The one route the NEC gives for a smaller branch is the EVSE's own restricted-access adjusted setting under NEC 625.42(B), and it is a route a calculator cannot take for you: the conditions it attaches, under 750.30(C) and the manufacturer's instructions, are facts about installed equipment. The 4 this tool can name are not a full compliance checklist. Size from the full rating unless a qualified person has verified them, and 625.42(B) itself, on site.
What wire size for a Tesla Wall Connector?
At the full 48A setting on a 60A circuit, use #6 copper (or #4 aluminum) at the 75°C column of NEC Table 310.16, which is correct because the Wall Connector's terminals are 75°C-rated. If the run uses NM-B cable, the 60°C column applies and you need #4 copper. Match the wire to your chosen amp setting using the table above, and check voltage drop on runs over about 100 feet.
Does a Tesla Wall Connector need a GFCI breaker?
No. The Tesla Wall Connector is hardwired and has built-in CCID (charge-circuit interrupting device) ground-fault protection per its UL 2594 listing. NEC 625.54 requires GFCI only for EVSE supplied by a receptacle, so a hardwired unit is outside its scope and goes on a standard (non-GFCI) breaker. Installing it on a GFCI breaker as well causes nuisance tripping. GFCI breakers are for cord-and-plug (NEMA 14-50) chargers, not hardwired units.
Can I put a Tesla Wall Connector on a 60 amp breaker?
Yes, that is the standard full-output install: a 60A breaker with #6 copper lets the Wall Connector run at its full 48A (11.5 kW). You then set the charger's amp limit to 48A during commissioning so it never exceeds what the 60A circuit allows.
Do I need a dedicated circuit for a Tesla Wall Connector?
Yes. The Wall Connector must be on its own dedicated branch circuit that serves no other load (NEC 625.40). NEC 625.40's own Exception permits one branch circuit to feed multiple EVSEs where 625.42(A) or (B) allows it; it does not permit an EVSE to share a circuit with an ordinary appliance. It cannot share a circuit with outlets, lights, or another charger unless the two are coordinated by a listed load-management system.
Related EV References
48 Amp EV Charger Wire Size
The full spec for any 48A charger on a 60A circuit, not just Tesla.
Will My Panel Handle It?
Load calculation to confirm your panel has room for a 48A charger.
EV Charger Wire Size Chart
Every charger amperage 16A to 80A with wire, breaker, and NEMA plug.
EV Charger Calculator
Wire, breaker, panel, and GFCI for any EV charger install per NEC 625.