Do I need an indoor or outdoor rated EVSE?

[Kipa]

I'm going to mount the unit inside the garage, but the cord/connector will be taken outside (through slot in garage door) and plugged into the car parked in the driveway exposed to weather. Can I use an "indoor" rated unit (which are cheaper), or do I have to get an outdoor rated unit? Thank you,

Bonus question - any brand preferences? The Schneider (indoor rated) looks good to me at Home Depot, but not sure I'm educated enough to make a call yet.

Kipa

 

[RonDawg]

I believe the J1772 cord and handle set is already outdoor rated but I could be wrong. As far as EVSE's themselves, do you have a Leaf with the 6.6 kW (6.0 actual) on board charger (2013 SV, SL, S w/Charge package)?

If you don't, or don't mind a bit longer charge time, the Clipper Creek LCS-25 at $495 is outdoor rated and is cheaper than the Schneider. It is a 20 amp unit though. For $50 more there is a plug-in version called the LCS-25P which is technically indoor rated, but I believe that is due to its use of a plug; the housing and cord set appear to be identical to the hard-wired version.

 

[planet4ever]

As Ron says, the indoor/outdoor rating applies to the EVSE box and it's electrical attachment to the wall, not to the cord or J1772 connector. Another way to go if you don't feel you need the very fastest charging is the EVSE Upgrade. That is considerably less expensive even than the LCS-25, and is the only thing I have ever used at home. It is extremely reliable, and is the most flexible EVSE you can get. The downside is that you lose your "trickle charge cord" unless you unplug it every day and take it with you. Personally, I've unplugged mine three times in 2+ years. You don't need an emergency EVSE in the car unless you are heading off for a special trip.

Ray

 

[DanBaldwin]

+1
You need an indoor rated EVSE

I have the Schneider EVSE, and mine would be a mixed review. It works fine, never had a problem in almost a year, but the case is thin, difficult to open, and there isn't enough room around the knockouts for the cord connector. I had to put the cord connector INSIDE the case to make it fit. The EVSE has LEDs arranged in a circle to tell you how many hours it charged. Apparently originally you could count the number of LEDs lit to see how long it charged. The new EVSEs (like mine) only have one LED lit at a time, so you have to infer from it's position how long the car has been charging. Much more difficult to read if you are interested in that information.

 

[Kipa]

Thank you. Great info. We do have the Leaf with the 6.6 charger, and wanted to go ahead and make full use of its capabilities - that's why the EVSE Upgrade or Clipper Creek unit you mention isn't on our list.

Kipa

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

I have the Schneider and frequently feed the cord out under the garage door without any problems.

The flimsy case on the evlink has been often noted but doesn't seem to matter. I've never had to open it once it was installed. I've never paid attention to the ring of lights or any of the other features, to me it's just a glorified extension cord, and having zero problems to date with the unit is the most important feature of all.

 

[RonDawg]

We do have the Leaf with the 6.6 charger, and wanted to go ahead and make full use of its capabilities - that's why the EVSE Upgrade or Clipper Creek unit you mention isn't on our list.

Again, the charging times aren't that much longer at 20 amps vs. 27.5 (the max that your Leaf can draw). If you charge overnight, as the majority of Leafers do, does it matter if your car charges in 4 hours or 6?

The faster on board charger is most useful when having to use a public charging facility to get a boost charge to make it to your destination. That assumes that you get the full 27.5 amps (and many don't provide that). The only time I can see a need for the fastest possible charge speed at home is if two persons on different shifts are sharing the same car, or one person is working a second job or has some other extended driving duty the same day.