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My electrician said "you don't need a dedicated EV circuit, just put a new outlet on the existing dryer breaker" — is that safe?

Getting a Model Y next month. Called an electrician. Told him I wanted a 240V outlet in the garage for charging. He looked at my panel, then said: "you don't need a dedicated circuit — I'll just add a NEMA 14-50 outlet on the same breaker that runs your dryer. Saves you $300 in wiring. You just can't run both at the same time." Is this actually safe? Feels like a shortcut but he's licensed and I don't know what to argue against.
89 answers
9 ANSWERS
craig_denton
@craig_dentonSeptember 29, 2026
Your dryer is almost certainly on a 30A breaker. The Mobile Connector pulls 32A by default when you plug it into a 14-50, so right away you'd be over the breaker for hours every night. If the breaker is doing its job it trips. If it's old and tired it might not, and then the wire just gets hot. A 14-50 on a 30A circuit isn't allowed anyway. The receptacle has to match the breaker.
greg_whitaker
@greg_whitakerSeptember 29, 2026
"You just can't run both at the same time" is doing a LOT of work in that sentence. Who's enforcing that? You? At 11pm?
rsaldana
@rsaldanaSeptember 29, 2026
Where do you live? $300 for a dedicated run sounds cheap to me. I was quoted $1500 for one 50A line about 20 feet in 2018. If he'll really do it right for $300 more, just pay it.
lisa_hartman
@lisa_hartmanSeptember 29, 2026
Northern NJ. He didn't actually give me the dedicated price, he just said doing it this way saves about $300. I'm guessing the real job would be more than that.
rsaldana
@rsaldanaSeptember 29, 2026
Probably. Get two more quotes and don't let this guy do the shared one either way.
lisa_hartman
@lisa_hartmanSeptember 30, 2026
Called a second company this morning. They can't come out until the week after the car shows up, which is annoying, but they said shared dryer circuit was a hard no before I even finished describing it.
greg_whitaker
@greg_whitakerSeptember 29, 2026
Honestly I'd be more worried about what else this guy is "saving" people money on.
gregm_67
@gregm_67September 29, 2026
I'm on Long Island. I had a 6-20 put on its own circuit for $300 all in, licensed guy. It's 16A and it covers everything we drive. You don't necessarily need a 14-50 - but you do need your own circuit.
mreyes_84
@mreyes_84September 30, 2026
Hardwire a Wall Connector on its own circuit if you can. No receptacle to melt.