[mandeville135]

Sorry if this has been posted before, but has anyone tried using the Tesla outdoor post for an outdoor charging set up? I'm taking delivery of my R1S in a few months and am starting to plan the electrical work involved (it's easier to pass a law in Congress than get something through my HOA so the planning starts now), and I need to find a pedestal to install outdoors. Has anyone used the Tesla Pedestal and just drilled holes in the mount to make it compatible with the Rivian L2 charger?

 

[archiboy]

Why not consider a mobile home or RV pedestal? The MH pedestals are typically hard wired (50 to 200 amp). RV will have a NEMA 14-50 plug. If you think it'll be ugly... do a search for "marina power pedestal" there may be some ideas there to keep your HOA design review committee happy. Might be cheaper than the Tesla solution too.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Why not consider a mobile home or RV pedestal? The MH pedestals are typically hard wired (50 to 200 amp). RV will have a NEMA 14-50 plug. If you think it'll be ugly... do a search for "marina power pedestal" there may be some ideas there to keep your HOA design review committee happy. Might be cheaper than the Tesla solution too.

HOA May already have approved the Tesla pedestal and if others exist in the neighborhood then a precedent has been set…. It very well may be the path of least resistance. HOAs typically like “Consistency” as well.

 

[mandeville135]

My HOA would never approve a marina pedestal. The constraints are pretty strict around how the pedestals look in the neighborhood. The Tesla pedestal will be the easiest to get approved for a single family detached house.

 

[EaglesPDX]

I could see HOA not liking stand alone outdoor charging pedestals at all. Can you mount it on side of the house, preferably out of side on the side. Assuming no garage to put it inside of. Put in side of the house, out of sight and then cord long enough to reach the Rivian charge point? Worst case, inside the garage with a cord coming out under the garage door?

 

[mandeville135]

My car port is pretty far from my house. They do have guidance for the pedestals around what would be approved, and the Tesla pedestal fits. Does anyone have any experience with trying to adapt the Tesla pedestal?

 

[EaglesPDX]

Does anyone have any experience with trying to adapt the Tesla pedestal?

I don't see a Tesla pedestal for sale in Tesla store. Do you meant Tesla charger unit with cord that attaches to a pedestal mount of some kind or do you mean a Tesla DC charger pedestal?

If other owners have Teslas and have a charger, they likely have just mounted the charger to a pedestal purchased elsewhere. Take a close look at the charger see if the pedestal is a Tesla product and ask the owners.

If it is just a third party pedestal that you can buy anywhere, then if you show them a picture of Rivian's similar charger matched with the same pedestal, they should be OK. It would be odd they would only allow Tesla chargers.

If they only allow Tesla chargers, there are adapters that will take a Tesla plug on one end and have a J1772 plug on the other end.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

I don't see a Tesla pedestal for sale in Tesla store. Do you meant Tesla charger unit with cord that attaches to a pedestal mount of some kind or do you mean a Tesla DC charger pedestal?

they make a L2 EVSE pedestal.

https://shop.tesla.com/product/wall-connector-pedestal

 

[EaglesPDX]

they make a L2 EVSE pedestal.

https://shop.tesla.com/product/wall-connector-pedestal

Says "Wall connector" on my Tesla app "Store" don't think the pedestal is Teslas but easy enough to duplicate the pedestal in the picture for a Rivian charger.

 

[mandeville135]

It's clearly Tesla's pedestal. It's literally on their site. The url says pedestal. The INSTRUCTION BOOKLET says pedestal. Can we please focus on the question here? Not looking for "should be easy to replicate". Looking for an answer to "has anyone bought this exact pedestal and drilled holes to mount the Rivian wall connector?".

 

[EaglesPDX]

You've got some detailed drawings from the Tesla site. Show them to your electrician along with the similar install drawings for the Rivian charger and you'll have your answer. Ask your neighbors what electrician they used since they will be familiar with site and costs to do the work.

 

[mandeville135]

I think you're still missing my question. I'm not asking cost. I'm asking feasibility. Clearly my neighbors don't have Rivian chargers mounted on Tesla Pedestals, otherwise I'd ask. I'm asking this forum about the feasibility of using this pedestal for a Rivian charger. Example of useful insight:

• Are there design elements of the pedestal that inhibit the ability for it to be used for the rivian charger, like openings that just will not line up
• Are there structural issues that would prevent it, like drilling new mount points would compromise the structural integrity of the mount plate

If you don't know that's fine, you don't have to answer. Buts thats the very very specific question I'm asking that I think has been overlooked here.

 

[EaglesPDX]

I'm asking feasibility.

And by looking at the Tesla pedestal install instructions and the Rivian charger install instructions your electrician can tell you if the Rivian charger can be made to fit the Tesla pedestal. It's just bolts and basic wiring.

 

[mandeville135]

It literally has different / nonexistent mount points. It's not wiring. It's drilling into the metal. If you don't know, please just say so and see if someone with the experience replies.

 

[EaglesPDX]

It's drilling into the metal.

That's the no-brainer part. Physcially mounting the Rivian charger of similar weight to the post means just drilling some holes or an adapter plate. How the wiring channels are in the pedestal vs. how the Rivian charger's wants its wiring would be more questionable. But neither is really an issue. It's a hollow metal post. Just have the electrician who did the Tesla installs look at it and I'm sure he can answer all your questions.

 

[mandeville135]

The Tesla pedestal is designed to go directly in the back of a Tesla wall charger. The rivian charger recommends cabling for outdoor charging goes into the bottom. The rivian charger does have a back entry port, but it doesn't line up with the Tesla pedestal. There are dozens of considerations that have to do with compatibility. If you literally have no idea, and didn't even know Tesla made a pedestal until you read this post, then the question is clearly not directed at you. I'm looking for members of this forum that have gone through what I am describing. Please stop answering if you don't have that first hand experience. I have a family member who's an electrician, he's never mounted a Rivian charger to a Tesla pedestal WHICH IS WHY IM ASKING THE RIVIAN FORUMS. So please stop answering with information that is wrong, conjecture, or not useful.

 

[EaglesPDX]

There are dozens of considerations that have to do with compatibility.

If you work with the electricians who installed the existing pedestals I'm sure they can answer all your questions.