10Kw Fast Charger w/ Inverter

[bluedream42]

I know a lot of current Leaf owners are talking about when/if they can get an upgrade to the 6.6Kw charger but I think it is doubtful that Nissan will offer it.

I propose a better solution for everyone who did order the fast charge option (hopefully everybody did). Obviously an external charger using the CHAdeMO port can handle 6.6Kw and more. Doing a little penciling and realizing that nobody is going to have 3 phase power in their home I thought a more sensible power requirement would be to have 240v-50a circuit for 'rapid' charging.

At 10Kw you could charge the Leaf in a little over two hours. So for example after the commute home and having a mostly empty battery pack you could charge up to 80% while deciding where you want to go out for the evening.

If there is enough interest in such a project I'd like to start a Kickstarter page for it.

Phase 2 of the project would be to add an inverter to the system that could feed emergency power back to your home.

Thoughts, concerns and comments.

-Glenn

 

[davewill]

I know at one point Ingineer was floating a concept that would put such a device under the hood, hooking it into both the J1772 and the CHAdeMO wiring. The idea was that you could plug into a 30a J1772 (which many of us already have) and that would power a 6.6kw "QC". One obvious advantage would be not having to shell out for an expensive CHAdeMO plug. I seem to remember his concept would have the unit QC while the CHAdeMO was charging at max current, then switch to the internal charger after that. I have to wonder whether it's truly possible to make it small enough and light enough to place under the hood, though. However, the thought of taking advantage of public 30a J1772 or (even 70a J1772 :mrgreen: ) on the go...

I have less interest in an at home only mini-QC, most of the time 3.3kw is enough.

 

[GeekEV]

As I understand it, the ChaDeMo plug isn't cheap and neither is a suitably rated inverter. Getting the ChaDeMo spec for the signaling aspects is even more expensive. Such a project just isn't economical in such low volumes.

 

[TimeHorse]

I've often though about this too, but agree the CHADeMO plug would be prohibitively expensive.

Now a 6.6kW charger would be many times better than the current 3.3kW charger for all the time saved during my emergency can't-get-home stops and to fit an entire charge cycle with the 1a-5a window for the Dominion Schedule EV program. And I'd pay at least $1,000 for this!

Of course, I have a ClipperCreek CS-100 in my home (when it's hooked up again :roll: ) so I'd be more than happy for an inverter that could do 19kWh from a J1772!

 

[klapauzius]

If the cost is not prohibitive, I would certainly consider this.
But if I understand the proposal correctly, the end result would be a
scaled down QC station at home, so that would be something that would
output 500 V DC at 20 amps? Going from 240 V household AC to that would require some expensive components, no?
Or maybe not?
Like to hear more....

 

[EVDRIVER]

Start with the L3 cable $2700. Then go from there This is already an active topic.

 

[klapauzius]

Wow...that is one expensive cable...Can I brew espresso with it too?

 

[mitch672]

Wow...that is one expensive cable...Can I brew espresso with it too?

nope, but if someone can get a hold of one, and reverse engineer it, make a mold, and copy it for 1/4 or 1/3 the price, then we'd have something. I expect someone will eventually do that, but who knows when.

 

[klapauzius]

It looks like the chargers can be bought off the shelf already ( http://manzanitamicro.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ),
but they are not cheap. At $3.6k for the charger alone, I would pass...

Probably a few years down the road we will get these ready-made for the Leaf at lower prices.
Meanwhile I think I can live with L2 at home.

 

[TimeHorse]

It looks like the chargers can be bought off the shelf already ( http://manzanitamicro.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ),
but they are not cheap. At $3.6k for the charger alone, I would pass...

Probably a few years down the road we will get these ready-made for the Leaf at lower prices.
Meanwhile I think I can live with L2 at home.

I miss L2 at home.

 

[klapauzius]

nope, but if someone can get a hold of one, and reverse engineer it, make a mold, and copy it for 1/4 or 1/3 the price, then we'd have something. I expect someone will eventually do that, but who knows when.

Presumably for that money ($2700 for L3) one would not only get the cable but the protocol handling electronics too, right?

 

[davewill]

Presumably for that money ($2700 for L3) one would not only get the cable but the protocol handling electronics too, right?

Nope. You can't get the protocol stuff unless you pony up BIG bucks. If this gets done, it will to have to be a reverse engineering thing...and you won't be able to go legit (and certainly not commercial) because of patents. Anyway, this is why I thought the under-hood concept was the only viable one...no plug needed.

 

[klapauzius]

It seems like all the DIY projects that have been suggested so far, always exceed anything in cost, that we will eventually (hopefully) be able to buy from some company.
Same seems to be true for meaningful existing car-conversions...If you dont see this as a hobby (an expensive one at the moment), anything but buying existing models from large manufacturers seems to be impractical.

 

[KJD]

It seems like all the DIY projects that have been suggested so far, always exceed anything in cost, that we will eventually (hopefully) be able to buy from some company.

It appears to me what you say is true. Sad but true, I might add.

It now looks like the best alternative is try and get more of these installed where ever we can.

http://www.plugincars.com/nissan-launch-9900-quick-charger-us-110204.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How many business owners do you know that already have 3 phase power to their site ?

KJD

 

[Herm]

expensive protocols and connectors: I guess they want to keep the doityourselfer faaar away

 

[lne937s]

Nissan's "LEAF to Home" Power Control System actually uses a 6kW DC charger for home use that is reversable to feed energy back into your home...

http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2011/_STORY/110802-01-e.html
http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/TECHNOLOGY/MAGAZINE/power_your_home.html
http://blog.nissan-global.com/EN/?p=1251

 

[mitch672]

Yes, but how much does it cost? Considering it is V2G, I'm betting way more than just a fast charger.

 

[klapauzius]

Nissan's "LEAF to Home" Power Control System would be nice, especially if you have solar also.
Also in areas where you have different on\off-peak rates this might be useful (or not...typically during the day you would need the car and during night time its pointless to feed back to the grid?).

I would assume by the time you can buy this, there will be 3rd party quick-chargers "light" on the market as well (one would hope). Conceptually it seems straightforward to implement this, its just that the costs are prohibitive to an individual right now.

I guess we have to wait a few years.

 

[TimeHorse]

I guess we have to wait a few years.

 

[lne937s]

Nissan's "LEAF to Home" Power Control System would be nice, especially if you have solar also.
Also in areas where you have different on\off-peak rates this might be useful (or not...typically during the day you would need the car and during night time its pointless to feed back to the grid?).

I would assume by the time you can buy this, there will be 3rd party quick-chargers "light" on the market as well (one would hope). Conceptually it seems straightforward to implement this, its just that the costs are prohibitive to an individual right now.

I guess we have to wait a few years.

Considering Nissan's in-house developed 48kW quick chargers are a fraction of what they cost from third parties, I wouldn't assume that this will be too expensive or that the third parties would be able to undercut them.

http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2011/_STORY/111130-01-e.html

Also, the wireless charger is 6kW, but that probably won't work with current cars.