Trailer batteries or gensets for Leafs?

[VitaminJ]

It charges! I'm only getting about 1.8kw charge according to Leaf Spy but it charges. I'm just using my 240v modified Nissan EVSE that only does 2.5kw so maybe it's a sine wave issue slowing it down or maybe the generator is weak. I only did a short test as I don't want to annoy the neighbors too much tonight. I'll do some more testing later on this week.

 

[IssacZachary]

Are you sure the generator is putting out 240V instead of 120V? Sometimes they can do both out of the same outlet, but you have to flip a switch to select between the two.

 

[jjeff]

If your modified EVSE draws 13a then it sounds like your generator is only putting out ~192v, kind of low....

 

[VitaminJ]

The switch is set to 240v and the gauge is hard to read but reads about 230-240v. Like I said I didn't spend much time with it also had a jerry-rigged 12v battery hook up and the ground kept coming loose, might be part of it.

 

[VitaminJ]

It does not work No matter what I do I cannot get a charge more than 1 - 1.5kw. My home 7kw EVSE does not charge at all on the generator, only the modified Nissan EVSE works and only at a low rate. Generator is putting out 240v I tested independently. I will look around maybe there is a magic box that can make the generator signal cleaner for the EVSE. I know that my plug adapter is correct because I use it at work and I get 2.5 to 2.8kw charge with my Nissan EVSE. It was posted in this thread that a true sine wave generator was needed but I just had to prove it to myself, luckily it was my friend's and free to test.

 

[jjeff]

It does not work No matter what I do I cannot get a charge more than 1 - 1.5kw. My home 7kw EVSE does not charge at all on the generator, only the modified Nissan EVSE works and only at a low rate. Generator is putting out 240v I tested independently. I will look around maybe there is a magic box that can make the generator signal cleaner for the EVSE. I know that my plug adapter is correct because I use it at work and I get 2.5 to 2.8kw charge with my Nissan EVSE. It was posted in this thread that a true sine wave generator was needed but I just had to prove it to myself, luckily it was my friend's and free to test.

Interesting, so your not getting any EVSE error codes, just less charging rate? I believe others who used generators were saying they got error codes and the EVSE wouldn't charge at all, don't believe I've ever seen where someone just got slower charging.
Nothing that I'm aware of can really be done(practically) to clean the sinewave. I guess one of these days I'm going to need to put oil and gas in my new generator(LP and gas) and see if it actually works to power my Leafs. It's not the cheapest generator but not an inverter style either, I believe it's ~8kwh max output. My plan was to use it during extended power outages to power not only my house but also provide some power to charge a Leaf.

 

[IssacZachary]

It does not work No matter what I do I cannot get a charge more than 1 - 1.5kw. My home 7kw EVSE does not charge at all on the generator, only the modified Nissan EVSE works and only at a low rate. Generator is putting out 240v I tested independently. I will look around maybe there is a magic box that can make the generator signal cleaner for the EVSE. I know that my plug adapter is correct because I use it at work and I get 2.5 to 2.8kw charge with my Nissan EVSE. It was posted in this thread that a true sine wave generator was needed but I just had to prove it to myself, luckily it was my friend's and free to test.

Thanks for being the guinea pig for us. So it seems that the sine wave has to be clean enough for it to work properly.

The sad thing about AC is that it is difficult and usually inefficient to do a good job cleaning the sine wave. Usually you need fancy and expensive electronics to pull it off (hence the price and weight difference between pure sine wave generators and regular generators.) On the other hand we still don‘t know how clean the sine wave has to be. Maybe simply placing an inductor in the circuit would be enough.

 

[sub3marathonman]

I saw this over on Newegg, I have no connection with Newegg other than being a happy customer for years, it is a portable generator from DuroMax. It is supposed to be $900, but for a limited time it is 60% off, at $360, and free shipping. I have no idea if it is high quality or not, or if it really is a good deal or not, you'll have to research.

https://flash.newegg.com/Product/9S...nner_B3C_9SIA05F3GM1852-_-NA-_-9SIA05F3GM1852

One important detail may be that it CAN'T BE SOLD in California. So if you're in California forget about this one. However, some of the other people may be interested.

It is supposed to be "Inverter technology provides clean, stable power for sensitive electronics." So is that a pure sine wave, close enough to use with the LEAF L1 charger, I'm not sure.

Also, you're supposed to be able to use two together somehow, but I didn't check what they mean by that.

If anybody knows more about this one hopefully they'll say.

 

[powersurge]

This is a 120 volt generator that would only charge the Leaf at the rate of 5% PER HOUR. So, you would have to be running it all day. 12 hours of running even a small generator is a lot of noise and a lot of gas to use..

AND you cannot charge while you are driving. The a/c generator option is really only useful as an emergency item. I have been tempted to plug in my 8KW generator into my 240volt level 2 charger and see if it charges the Leaf in 2-3 hours. that would be a good use of gasoline because it would be fast.

 

[jjeff]

It's not a bad deal for an inverter generator but note it's quite small in amps, 1600w max continuous or 13.3a, roughly enough to power a OEM Leaf EVSE. Note it sounds like you could tie 2 together for parallel use or 26.6a @ 120v which with a 6.6kw Leaf charger and the appropriate EVSE you could get double the charging speed(3.2kw) but you'd still be 1/2 the maximum charging speed for a 6.6kw Leaf.
Still this type of generator should be quite light, probably not much more than 40lbs so easily liftable by most anyone and even using 2 your still able to just lift 1 at a time, just wish it were easy to tie 2 together for 240v.

 

[Dooglas]

Wouldn't it be a lot simpler, and more effective, to just plug the car into an appropriate electrical outlet?

 

[IssacZachary]

Wouldn't it be a lot simpler, and more effective, to just plug the car into an appropriate electrical outlet?

I agree! And in many areas like California or Sweden, that would be a no-brainer.

But I am looking for a small 240V generator like a Yamaha EF6300isde because outlets are few and far between. In many places there still isn't a very good charging infrastructure.

For an example, if I could make it to Salida I should have enough places to plug in, be they charging stations or RV parks, in order to make it to Denver. The problem is from here to Salida; it's only 60 miles, but with a 5,000ft climb. There are 0 charging stations between here and there and 0 suitable RV parks. Oh, there is a Tesla destination charger at Monarch ski area that's inconveniently at the very top of Monarch pass and it's closed 9 months out of the year. So that's not an option. So that leaves me with no other option but to either forget taking my Leaf to Denver or grit my teeth and hope I make it or take along a small generator.

 

[VitaminJ]

The generator issue has taken on a new meaning for me. Previously it was just goofing around for fun trying different things out, but I never had any real use. I put my Leaf up on Turo a peer-to-peer car rental service and now I think a generator would be a good call in case I have to go rescue a customer. My first renter took the car for 3 days this week and drove 491 miles! They hit turtle once and almost got stranded, they ended up charging for 30-45 minutes on 120v in order to make it to an L2. Luckily I didn't need to but a 7kw generator in the back of an ICE car would make short work of a rescue for cheap versus calling a tow truck.

I'm gonna try the resistor mod this weekend. I was unaware of that before, not sure how I missed it because it was posted in this thread a bunch of times.


P.S. you can make it 60 miles to Salida no problem IMO. The peak of the pass is only 40 miles from you, as long as you drive above 2 mi/kwh you will make it, you should make the climb at 2.7 - 3.2 mi/kwh from my experience. Then on the way downhill you will regen some and probably be doing 5-6 mi/kwh. Coming back from Salida should be easier because the mountain peak is now only 20 miles uphill and the rest downhill.

 

[IssacZachary]

P.S. you can make it 60 miles to Salida no problem IMO. The peak of the pass is only 40 miles from you, as long as you drive above 2 mi/kwh you will make it, you should make the climb at 2.7 - 3.2 mi/kwh from my experience. Then on the way downhill you will regen some and probably be doing 5-6 mi/kwh. Coming back from Salida should be easier because the mountain peak is now only 20 miles uphill and the rest downhill.

You might be right. But counting all the ups and downs, according to this >>CHART<< I need to take off about 6 bars worth of energy (4,753ft up and 1,023ft down total for an average of 3,736ft up before reaching the top of Monarch pass according to >>HERE<<). That gives me a range of 41miles if I go 50mph, or 45miles if I go 45mph. So If I go no faster than 50mph I should make it to the top, according to the chart. Luckily, from Sergeants to the top the speed limit is only 45mph. And actually, if you add in the lighter air, I should see a range increase in over 12%, making it more like 45 or 46 miles at 50mph. But then again you have to add in any possible wind or braking loss if a deer, elk or moose jumps out in front of me.

Now I'm not saying it isn't possible, but it sure would lessen the ol' range anxiety if I had some sort of backup, like a generator, for the trip.

 

[VitaminJ]

Maybe we should create a mountain driving thread. There are lots of special things we need to worry about that the average flatlander doesn't even need to consider.

According to evplanner you only need 15kwh to make that journey, your car should have at least 20kwh if you have 12 bars. Also that range chart is for a 11 bar Leaf and only shows range at 17kwh. I was under the impression you had a healthy, 12-bar Leaf, apologies if otherwise.

 

[IssacZachary]

Maybe we should create a mountain driving thread. There are lots of special things we need to worry about that the average flatlander doesn't even need to consider.

According to evplanner you only need 15kwh to make that journey, your car should have at least 20kwh if you have 12 bars. Also that range chart is for a 11 bar Leaf and only shows range at 17kwh. I was under the impression you had a healthy, 12-bar Leaf, apologies if otherwise.

No, you're right. I do have 12 bars. Man, you make me feel like charging her up to 100% tonight and trying it just for fun tomorow. But maybe I should wait until the weather is above freezing before I try. The last 60 mile trip I did (to CB and back, 2000ft rise then drop) used all 12 bars! But I had to use the heater a little because the weather here just won't warm up and then the windows fog. But soon that won't be a problem.

I think I got discouraged also when I used NissanConnectEV's route map. But I don't think it's accurate at all.

 

[monsterleaf]

I just posted a way to do a genset mod over in the technical forum http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=23064&start=70 what do you think?