EVSE Installation, Info and Cost Comparison Thread

[lettcco]

boomer, have you gotten SCE to give you a quote on the TOU meter yet? I called SCE and they said someone will called me within 5 days but that never happened.

 

[Boomer23]

boomer, have you gotten SCE to give you a quote on the TOU meter yet? I called SCE and they said someone will called me within 5 days but that never happened.

Nope. I first spoke to them last Monday and I called back Friday for an update. The lady said that she saw my request on my file, but no further action. I asked her to note in my file that I had called a second time. No word today.

 

[Boomer23]

boomer, have you gotten SCE to give you a quote on the TOU meter yet? I called SCE and they said someone will called me within 5 days but that never happened.

Nope. I first spoke to them last Monday and I called back Friday for an update. The lady said that she saw my request on my file, but no further action. I asked her to note in my file that I had called a second time. No word today.

Update. tbleakne just PMd me that SCE is discontinuing the TOU meters for reasons of "difficulty with local codes and inspectors, and "incompatibility" with newer electric vehicles." ???

Maybe this is why SCE hasn't gotten back to me. I'll call them tomorrow, but it looks like I'm on to Plan B, which is upgrading my main panel and going with SCE's TOU-D-TEV rate plan, which is probably better for me because of my solar PV system.

 

[Taka]

Anyone had an assessment in a condo with multiple garage stalls?

 

[TimeHorse]

Update. tbleakne just PMd me that SCE is discontinuing the TOU meters for reasons of "difficulty with local codes and inspectors, and "incompatibility" with newer electric vehicles." ???

Maybe this is why SCE hasn't gotten back to me. I'll call them tomorrow, but it looks like I'm on to Plan B, which is upgrading my main panel and going with SCE's TOU-D-TEV rate plan, which is probably better for me because of my solar PV system.

Not that I use SCE (I'm on DOM VA Power), but when I called about a TOU they had to transfer me to NC (I'm in Northern VA) and I got a feeling they really couldn't do the work of setting the system up, though the would support it if properly installed. Of course, I'd have to verify that my specific address was able to handle it, but my gut is to just have a qualified electrician do the work of installing the new breaker board and the VA Power TOU and let him/her worry about permitting and working with HOAs. Seems to me a local guy would be more qualified to know about permitting than the utility anyway.

 

[hill]

boomer, have you gotten SCE to give you a quote on the TOU meter yet? I called SCE and they said someone will called me within 5 days but that never happened.

Nope. I first spoke to them last Monday and I called back Friday for an update. The lady said that she saw my request on my file, but no further action. I asked her to note in my file that I had called a second time. No word today.

Update. tbleakne just PMd me that SCE is discontinuing the TOU meters for reasons of "difficulty with local codes and inspectors, and "incompatibility" with newer electric vehicles." ???

Maybe this is why SCE hasn't gotten back to me. I'll call them tomorrow, but it looks like I'm on to Plan B, which is upgrading my main panel and going with SCE's TOU-D-TEV rate plan, which is probably better for me because of my solar PV system.

And maybe this is their justification for shelving many aspects of TOU ... even though it runs contrary to their stated conservation goals.

 

[EVDRIVER]

The Leviton EVSE uses NEMA 6-50R plug, they are available at home depot for about $8, these are the same plugs used often with welders. I now have three of these outlets installed in my garage on separate circuits. One I used for a mig welder for EV fabrication, one for charging and the new third location I installed at the nose of the car for the EVSE with 1" conduit. My cost to do this was about $100. The best part is AV saw this, noted it and took pictures of it and still quoted $2450. Even the wire was looped outside the conduit waiting for the EVSE to be attached, could not be easier for them unless I did it myself.

 

[LEAFer]

... could not be easier for them unless I did it myself.

You should invite them and charge them to watch you doing the last step of that install ! :lol:

 

[EVDRIVER]

... could not be easier for them unless I did it myself.

You should invite them and charge them to watch you doing the last step of that install ! :lol:

That would make a good youtube video. There is the install video on the AV site, I should time the point from mounting the EVSE on the wall and the test. Then add extra time for the permit visit. Let's give them 1 hour assessment, 2 for installation and 1 for permit follow up. Four hours is more than plenty and at even $125 an hour we are at $500 labor, certainly not $1300. They are also charging me $75 just to get the online permit plus $160 which is the actual permit fee. The insulting part was waiting almost a month and having the bid show conduit installation as part of the installation, I really doubt that anyone looked at the pictures or notes. In retrospect I'm considering disputing the assessment charge or asking for a refund since they did not do what they were supposed to do, they did not assess the site they sent a late and incorrect bid, not just overpriced!

 

[hill]

Is anyone else aware that the Coulomb brand EVSE has already been delivered to some private EV'ers?

 

[TimeHorse]

Is anyone else aware that the Coulomb brand EVSE has already been delivered to some private EV'ers?

Well, I don't know about the Coulomb unit per se, but since Leviton is working with Coulomb to build the new EvrGreen unit, I would expect that those with the Coulomb units are getting a good sample of what the Leviton unit will be like.

 

[Boomer23]

Update. tbleakne just PMd me that SCE is discontinuing the TOU meters for reasons of "difficulty with local codes and inspectors, and "incompatibility" with newer electric vehicles." ???

Further update. I just spoke to SCE's PEV help line and was able to confirm that SCE has notified their staff that they are no longer offering TOU second meter installations for EV charging. The salient point that the lady read to me from the letter she was given relates to overheating, I presume overheating of something in the second meter due to EV charging. She is going to mail me a copy of the letter.

I've requested to go to a TOU tiered domestic plan TOU-D-T as soon as possible, and then I'll transition to the TOU-D-T-EV plan when I get my EV.

This also means that I have no choice but to upgrade my main panel, which is currently at capacity of 20 breakers, to connect an EVSE circuit.

 

[garygid]

You cannot make room by replacing some 120v breakers with the dual "half-width" breakers?

 

[lettcco]

not sure if this is against the code, but is it possible to "T" off a line from the meter and build a secondary breaker box, vs tapping from the main breaker box thus avoiding the need to upgrade? The meter should still see the load from both location...the only differences is you can't shut down everything from one location.

 

[Boomer23]

Good suggestions, guys. I'll follow up on them.

The panel labeling says "Maximum of 20 branch circuit poles". My electrician counted and came up with 20 breaker switches total. Some are horizontally dualled and some are vertically dualled. I just counted and I get 18 switches, so maybe I can still do something. I'm having another electrician out tomorrow, so I'll ask his opinion.

 

[DaveEV]

not sure if this is against the code, but is it possible to "T" off a line from the meter and build a secondary breaker box, vs tapping from the main breaker box thus avoiding the need to upgrade? The meter should still see the load from both location...the only differences is you can't shut down everything from one location.

Not from the meter, but from your main panel you can replace 2 existing breakers with a large 2-pole breaker that feeds into a sub-panel so that you can install additional loads.

That said, depending on the size of your main breaker/panel, you may not have sufficient capacity after performing a whole house load analysis.

 

[hill]

Update. tbleakne just PMd me that SCE is discontinuing the TOU meters for reasons of "difficulty with local codes and inspectors, and "incompatibility" with newer electric vehicles." ???

Further update. I just spoke to SCE's PEV help line and was able to confirm that SCE has notified their staff that they are no longer offering TOU second meter installations for EV charging. The salient point that the lady read to me from the letter she was given relates to overheating, I presume overheating of something in the second meter due to EV charging. She is going to mail me a copy of the letter.

I've requested to go to a TOU tiered domestic plan TOU-D-T as soon as possible, and then I'll transition to the TOU-D-T-EV plan when I get my EV.

This also means that I have no choice but to upgrade my main panel, which is currently at capacity of 20 breakers, to connect an EVSE circuit.

In a nut shell, your inquiry is pretty simple. SOME EV chargers are now rated for more than the 40amps that the TOU's are rated for . . . thus, at no additional charge, SCE is claiming that they will be changing out the old 40amp meters for ones that can handle up to 100amps.

 

[smkettner]

This also means that I have no choice but to upgrade my main panel, which is currently at capacity of 20 breakers, to connect an EVSE circuit.

I would ask about a subpanel.

 

[hill]

Here's the Coulomb base line charger ... "on-sale" now:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/26/coulombs-ct500-ev-charging-station-now-available-for-residentia/

They've got quite a selection of bigger models too. AV needs to step it up imo.

.

 

[gasmiser1]

Here's the Coulomb base line charger ... "on-sale" now:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/26/coulombs-ct500-ev-charging-station-now-available-for-residentia/

They've got quite a selection of bigger models too. AV needs to step it up imo.

.

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Any idea how much it will cost?