Leviton EVSE Group Buy - Are you interested ?

[DeaneG]

...The campground mentioned above already sounds like a better plan then a generator - but I like to have options.

Maybe an RV plug adapter, a sleeping bag, thermos of coffee, and a good book?

 

[LakeLeaf]

just lugging a 200-300# generator around, and using gasoline to recharge the Leaf is probably not the best idea.

You're right - it probably isn't a great idea

RV parks are a much better choice, just make an L14-50R adapter to an 6-30R, if you want to be extra safe you can put a 2 pole 30A breaker inline in the special cord you make.

This seems to be the best idea in my situation

Also, many hotels use 6-20R receptacles for the built in windows AC/heat units, so making an adapter for that might also allow you to stop at a motel for a charge.

Most of the hotels between there and here are collections of old cabins or B&B's. It would take some exploring to find appropriate places and then being on the up and up about plugging in could be difficult. I would imagine at the campground they'd have no issue renting a space with a power tap.

Thirdly, a commercial laundramat may also have some electric dryer outlets, but most are probably natural gas... and of course most residential houses usually have a 30A electric dryer outlet (some even if they use natural gas)

I'm sure there must be one or two of these along the route, but I haven't run across any.

any of these 3 are better than dragging a gas generator around with you...

in all of these cases having a portable L2 EVSE such as the Leviton is a great idea, along with an assortment of adapters.

Yup. I don't live *that* far away from ya'll, but it is all up hill from the big Sac. I've done some calculations and come up with being able to crest the last pass between the dealer and me with 6 miles left on the batteries under somewhat ideal conditions. After that I figure there is enough downhill to regen enough power to get me the last 10 miles home - and hopefully that last 200 foot climb up my street would still be in the tank when I got there.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[LEAFer]

Should be not trouble at all.

You could also try an RV park with 50amp service if they would let you plug in your portable EVSE. The connector would be a NEMA 14-50R if you need an adapter.

Living in the mountains, there is little chance that a charge station will pop up on my road home some day in the near future. On the other hand - there are quite a few campgrounds with RV hookups between there and here. Great idea! I hadn't even thought of this. All the more reason to go with the Leviton.

Placerville has legacy charging stations which may be good candidates for upgrade to the new J1772. Same is true for TahoeCity and Truckee. So ... 60 miles from Placerville up the hill ... at 50mph you should be able to make it, except during heavy HVAC use. But you are still limited to 3.3kW, which is a pain.

 

[garygid]

If you really need/want to carry a generator on some "adventures", the 71 pound GP3250 model might be a lot easer to handle, and is about 5" less wide, so it might actually fit into the LEAF's cargo space.

 

[greginmadison]

Count me in for a 40 AMP model. I Want to pull my own 8 Gauge wire. But am confused if it is a 3 wire or 4 wire. All the pics I see is a 3 wire because the plug to the car is 3 wire plus one sensing wire. I could pull a 4 wire 8 gauge wire I guess. Anybody really know?

 

[garygid]

While pulling in wire, you might as well pull in the Neutral (in addition to the two Hot wires (L1 and L2), and Ground) just in case you want to put in a 120v socket at the same location.

The one extra wire does not cost very much extra.

 

[wwhitney]

While pulling in wire, you might as well pull in the Neutral (in addition to the two Hot wires (L1 and L2), and Ground) just in case you want to put in a 120v socket at the same location.

You couldn't put in a standard 120V socket without having an additional circuit breaker, since 15A receptacles aren't allowed on 40A circuits.

Wayne

 

[greginmadison]

Ya, I was going to pull in the extra 20 amp single pole GFI circuit, could always use it for a garage refridge anyway.

 

[Harv]

I would definitely be interested in buying 40A charger. I live in Granite Bay, about 25 miles northeast of Sacramento. Please include my name. Thanks.

 

[garygid]

For my intended "portable" use of a L2 EVSE, the SIZE (11" high, 9" wide, 3.5" deep) of the 16 amp unit is much easier to carry around. It provides all the power the rollout LEAF's charger can use, and (with adapters), can use 20-amp (and up) circuit breakers. Even some 120v circuits are on 20-amp breakers.

I wonder if it is designed to REQUIRE 240v, or if it will also work on 120v as a 16-amp L1 EVSE.

The 32 amp model is 12.0" high, 17.5" wide, and 6.0" deep. To be most useful as a portable, it might also need socket adapters.

So, if I can get a LEAF, I will be most interested in the physically smaller (16A) model.

 

[smkettner]

For my intended "portable" use of a L2 EVSE, the SIZE (11" high, 9" wide, 3.5" deep) of the 16 amp unit is much easier to carry around. It provides all the power the rollout LEAF's charger can use, and (with adapters), can use 20-amp (and up) circuit breakers. Even some 120v circuits are on 20-amp breakers.

I wonder if it is designed to REQUIRE 240v, or if it will also work on 120v as a 16-amp L1 EVSE.

The 32 amp model is 12.0" high, 17.5" wide, and 6.0" deep. To be most useful as a portable, it might also need socket adapters.

So, if I can get a LEAF, I will be most interested in the physically smaller (16A) model.

For 120v you just plug into any normal outlet.
With level 2 you are still limited to the 3.3Kw charger in the LEAF so about 20a 240v connection would seem fine.

Keep in mind 120v is half the power as 240v at same amperge.

 

[DeaneG]

For my intended "portable" use of a L2 EVSE, the SIZE (11" high, 9" wide, 3.5" deep) of the 16 amp unit is much easier to carry around.

Wish we knew the size of the 24-amp Leviton unit, which is perfect for a standard 30A dryer outlet. It uses the same wall bracket as the 16-amp model. I'm hoping that means it's the same size.

 

[Gavin]

I think I saw a PDF that showed that the 16a and 24a are in the same housing...

off to the leviton site...

Gavin

 

[Gavin]

grrr...they moved that PDF...only can find this updated one that shows the 16 and 32....will keep looking...

but for now...here is this.

http://www.evrgreenchargers.com/PDFS/from john/Evr-Green Home Charging Stations.pdf

Gavin

 

[DeaneG]

grrr...they moved that PDF...only can find this updated one that shows the 16 and 32....will keep looking..

At least the 24A is still in the product table. I am worried about the lack of product pix or dimensions, hope they keep it in the lineup.

 

[ChicoBob]

grrr...they moved that PDF...only can find this updated one that shows the 16 and 32....will keep looking...

If you look at the installation kit pdf, it shows the same mounting plate dimensions for both the 16 and 24 amp box, only different power socket.

 

[AndyH]

This is the brochure Leviton sent me on July 26th via email.

http://www.absoluteefficiency.com/LEAF/BRO_evrgreen.pdf
2.8MB

 

[LakeLeaf]

This is the brochure Leviton sent me on July 26th via email.

http://www.absoluteefficiency.com/LEAF/BRO_evrgreen.pdf
2.8MB

The plug appears to be a 3-wire plug. Would this be two hots and a ground? Dryer outlets tends to be 2 hots, a neutral, and a ground, but dryers sometimes run on 240 (two hots) and sometimes on only 120 (one hot and the neutral) [to rings the chimes and such]. So if you bought this with the intent of plugging into an existing dryer outlet - I assume you'd replace the plug on the end of this with a four prong plug with nothing wired to the neutral of the 4th prong? I don't think you have any issues plugging a four prong -three wire plug into a 4 hole-four wire outlet if you only ever draw 240?

 

[LEAFer]

See my post here: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=668&start=500

Unless you are extremely qualified, and also not interested in getting an Inspector to approve your installation ... I would not recommend using an existing receptacle (requiring you to modify the plug at the end of the Leviton). Instead order the Leviton Mounting Kit and use the 6-xx receptacle provided therein.

Edit (additional comment): Modifying the Leviton would void its UL approval/listing. Being a non-hardwired unit will raise enough eyebrows with Inspectors; the fact that it's a Leviton *AND* UL listed will be reasonably "thick ice" to skate on (points in your favor). Modify it ... and you're significantly increasing your chances of failing inspection. .... again if you are interested in getting such approval

 

[LakeLeaf]

See my post here: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=668&start=500

Thanks for the pointer to that thread - I had avoided reading it through until now. It has a wide range of opinions in it, but I think it has answered my questions.