Newby charging question

[planet4ever]

I have two options for my home charger being offered by the local Leaf club. A 25 amp for $625 or a 40 amp for " a lot more " What would the difference be in charging rate?

First, you are asking about EVSEs, not chargers. The difference in charging rate also depends on which charger you have built into the LEAF. You probably have a 2013, based on your purchase date, but if you have a 2011 or 2012, or a 2013 S model without the charge package, the answer is simple: There is no difference in charging rate. That's because the charger (not EVSE) is limited to 16 amps.

For a 2013 SV or SL, or S model with the charging package, the charger (inside the car, remember) can go up to 27.5 amps. The "25 amp" EVSE is probably a Clipper Creek LCS-25, which is really 20 amps. Clipper Creek calls it 25 because it needs to be installed on at least a 25 amp circuit. So the difference in charging rate is 27.5 : 20.

In practical terms that means for cars with the faster 6kW charger it will take up to 4 hours to charge your car with the 40 amp EVSE, and up to 5.5 hours with the 25 amp EVSE. If you are charging overnight, I don't see that it makes any difference for most people. Exceptions would be if you have a super off-peak electric rate with a very short window, or come home for lunch and need to recharge then, or come home for dinner and plan a longish evening trip.

Ray

 

[thankyouOB]

Thanks for your replies. I'm wondering if keeping it at 100 % charge is ok if we are using the vehicle every day and want to have that range security for longer commutes?

i would charge to 80%, even overnight, then add the last two bars just before you leave. that would take about an hour with L2 standard charging.

that way, you are not leaving the car parked for any length of time at 100% SOC.
i typically start my charge at 3 am.
I almost never leave the house before 9 am, so there is plenty of time to squeeze in an hour while reading the paper, coffee, shower, ablutions.

 

[Galiano]

I have two options for my home charger being offered by the local Leaf club. A 25 amp for $625 or a 40 amp for " a lot more " What would the difference be in charging rate?

First, you are asking about EVSEs, not chargers. The difference in charging rate also depends on which charger you have built into the LEAF. You probably have a 2013, based on your purchase date, but if you have a 2011 or 2012, or a 2013 S model without the charge package, the answer is simple: There is no difference in charging rate. That's because the charger (not EVSE) is limited to 16 amps.

For a 2013 SV or SL, or S model with the charging package, the charger (inside the car, remember) can go up to 27.5 amps. The "25 amp" EVSE is probably a Clipper Creek LCS-25, which is really 20 amps. Clipper Creek calls it 25 because it needs to be installed on at least a 25 amp circuit. So the difference in charging rate is 27.5 : 20.

In practical terms that means for cars with the faster 6kW charger it will take up to 4 hours to charge your car with the 40 amp EVSE, and up to 5.5 hours with the 25 amp EVSE. If you are charging overnight, I don't see that it makes any difference for most people. Exceptions would be if you have a super off-peak electric rate with a very short window, or come home for lunch and need to recharge then, or come home for dinner and plan a longish evening trip.

Ray

Sorry I should have been clearer but this is all new to me. I will have a 2013 SL soon.
given the cost of the car I don't think I should go with the cheaper EVSE ( which stands for ?) I would like the fastest charge I can get and might regret going with the cheaper EVSE.

Interesting that our dealer seems to leave this entirely up to the purchaser of the car.

 

[davewill]

... Sorry I should have been clearer but this is all new to me. I will have a 2013 SL soon.
given the cost of the car I don't think I should go with the cheaper EVSE ( which stands for ?) I would like the fastest charge I can get and might regret going with the cheaper EVSE.

Interesting that our dealer seems to leave this entirely up to the purchaser of the car.

In general, everyone handles this detail separately. A few dealers give away EVSEs*, but generally not.

* EVSE = Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment. (This and other fun abbreviations in the Nissan LEAF Wiki Glossary)