wall outlet and amperage

Hello,

I'm new to EVSE and planning to buy pretty Leaf 2015 and associated chargers (like TurboCord)...

Is wall outlet for 208-240V a universal one that could be used to charge Leaf/Volt/Tesla?

I need to get an outlet prepared soon and have gathered following based on various internet articles:

208-240V with at least 40amp (or better 60amp)

I'm not sure if the wall outlet changes with chargers from various companies..

Please suggest what are the requirements for wall outlet...also, do I really need 60amp?

Thanks a lot!

PS: My daily commute is 50 miles round-trip so need to charge every night.

No. There's no universal 208/240 volt wall outlet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector#mediaviewer/File:NEMA_simplified_pins.svg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; has some.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=14728&p=332668#p332668" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; may help you get the terminology straight. You're looking for an EVSE, NOT a charger.

You don't necessarily need to install any outlet. Some folks have their EVSEs hardwired.

http://www.clippercreek.com/store/featured-products/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; can give you an idea of the plugs used by their EVSEs. You could also send the factory L1 120 volt EVSE to http://evseupgrade.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; to be upgraded to enable faster charging, provided you plug into a newly installed proper 240 volt outlet. See http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=index&cPath=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

60 amp circuit/outlet is overkill. '13+ Leafs w/6.x kW on-board charger will not quite pull 30 amps at 240 volts, so a 40 amp circuit is sufficient.

Congrats!

leafstudy said:

Hello,
I'm new to EVSE and planning to buy pretty Leaf 2015

Click to expand...

Portable EVSE:
(this is the least expensive route, but it will charge you at 20Amps Maximum which will take a good 5 to 6 hours with a 6.6kWh charger, with this evseupgraded EVSE I can charge up around 17 to 19 miles on the GOM per hour)

Like cwerdna said; You can use http://www.evseupgrade.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for $287 and upgrade the EVSE that comes with the LEAF.

Then you'll need a 2 Pole 30 Amp breaker and an L6-30R twist-lock receptacle.

Here's one I installed at my Parents house:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.660747094002338&type=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Garage Mounted EVSE:

(This method below is a little overkill but will charge you up at 3.5 hours with an on-board 6.6kWh charger)

In my Garage I installed a 40A unit; http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-EVB40-P5T-Evr-Green-Charging-Requires/dp/B00DG147DQ/ref=dp_ob_title_hi" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (surface mounted unit)
Plus mounting bracket kit: http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-Evr-Green-Pre-Wire-Installation-Charging/dp/B007Q12X6U/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_y" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
You'll need 8/2 Wire which has 2 main conductors and a ground if you are running 50 feet or less. If you go over 50 feet you should really use 6/2 wire. My run was 65 feet so I used 6/2 wire.
Plus you'll need a 50A 2 Pole breaker that fits your panel.

The mounting kit comes with the correct receptacle and lockable protective cover for the receptacle and plug (to keep prying little hands out)

This EVSE will output 9.6kWh which is more than the LEAF can handle but I'm sure future EVs will use.

Here's some screen shots that I posted in another forum I follow: http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/comment/1916248/#Comment_1916248" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Sal


Please Note: I also drive 50 miles a day and when I return home I have 30 to 40% battery left, therefor to charge back up to 100% usually only takes 1.5 to 1.75 hours with my Garage EVSE. With my Portable EVSE it will take around 3 to 4 hours.

Perhaps a primer on the basics would be helpful.

The units we are talking about are called EVSE. The actual charger in on the leaf.

Basic Leafs have the capability to charge at 3kW. If you have the QC, or Quick Charge option it will charge at up to 6.6kW
There are 3 levels of supply

The actual charge rate is a combination of what the Leaf could take, what the battery needs, and how much current the EVSE will supply (there is intelligent communications between the Leaf and the EVSE)

The standard connector used by electric vehicles is the J1772. If fits most (all?) makes of EV.

You will want to look at downloading ChargePoint, PlugShare, or other apps to your smart phone. These will tell you where you can find charging stations.

There are 3 different Level of EVSE's for the Leaf - Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3
Level 1 -

• 120v here in the US (I believe it is 100v in Japan).
  It is the EVSE that came with your car.
  Limited to 12amps = 1.44kW
  Assume about 5 miles of range for every hour of charging (very rough estimate)
  Puts a lot of demand on the outlet. You need to make sure your outlet is good, wired correctly, and on a dedicated circuit (Feel around the plug after you have been charging to see how warm it is)

Level 2

• Runs off 240v (If you are at home here in the states. Commercial uses 208v, Japan I think is 200v).
  Needs to either plug into an existing dryer type outlet or be hard wired (use an electrician unless you are good at electrical and have done this)
  Depending on the Leaf and the EVSE it can be up to 6.6kW.
  Many people do not feel the need to buy an EVSE that is at the full 6.6kW. It all depends on what your needs are and how fast you need to recharge.
  For example, I have a 4.8kW EVSE. That gives me about 20 miles of range for every hour I charge (tapers as the battery reaches full.) I come home, plug in, and the next morning I have had plenty of time to reach full.

Level 3

• Only available if you have the QC option
  Uses a bigger connector on the car. It will be to the left of the regular J1772 connector
  Real fast. Can recharge the Leaf in 30 minutes.
  Only found in commercial areas where they can supply the 40kW or so needed.
  The size of wire and breaker needed depend on the EVSE and length of run. A little beyond the scope of this reply. Your electrician will know.

I hope this helps

jlatl said:

Basic Leafs have the capability to charge at 3kW. If you have the QC, or Quick Charge option it will charge at up to 6.6kW

Click to expand...

All 2013 and later Leaf SV's and SL's have the faster on board charger, including the SV without the optional QC. The slower one is standard on the Leaf S without the QC package, as well as all 2011/2012 models. All Canadian 2013 models also have the faster charger regardless of spec; I don't know about other regions.

In regards to Quick Charging, note that the Leaf uses a CHAdeMO connector for the QC port. Unlike the J1772 port which is pretty universal for EV's sold in North America since 2010, there are 3 competing standards for Quick Charge ports: CHAdeMO (also used by the Mitsubishi iMiEV, and the upcoming Kia Soul EV), CCS (also known as SAE Combo or "FrankenPlug" and is or will be used by GM and the Germans), and the Tesla SuperCharger. When planning a trip using something like PlugShare, make sure the QC station you plan to use is compatible, though most CCS stations also have a CHAdeMO plug.

cwerdna said:

60 amp circuit/outlet is overkill. '13+ Leafs w/6.x kW on-board charger will not quite pull 30 amps at 240 volts, so a 40 amp circuit is sufficient.

Click to expand...

Also note that installation costs almost certainly go up the bigger an EVSE you install. A situation where a 16 or 20 amp EVSE install may be fairly straightforward could blossom into a very expensive install for anything larger than 30 amps as it likely will require a larger main panel and even an upgraded "drop" (feed from the utility to the house).

A 30 amp EVSE (requiring a 40 amp circuit) should be sufficiently future-proof for some time unless your plan is to eventually buy a Tesla. It will charge a 6.6 kW equipped Leaf in under 5 hours.

So that the Original Poster is not confused. You cannot install CHAdeMo at your house. The cheapest CHAdeMo costs $15K but most are near $50K.

Even if you had that money you would need 3 Phase which residential houses do not have.


So for your Home you Do NOT need a 60 Amp line.

50 Amps would be the Max.


How far away is your Elelctric Panel from the location where your LEAF will be parking ?

The OP should ask an electrician what is the largest EVSE that can be installed using the existing panel before trying to shop for an EVSE. Without that info, it would be a lot like shopping for a car without knowing how much you can afford.

If the electrician says that his existing service can only handle a 16 amp EVSE, there's nothing wrong with that. It just extends charging time from up to 5 hours to up to 8 (assuming a fully depleted battery). For the majority of people who primarily charge at home as they sleep, that's sufficient.

Now if the electrician says any EVSE install will require changing out the panel and possibly the drop, now the OP can do some future-proofing, within reason.

Hello everyone,

The distance between electric panel to garage is about 80-90 ft...I'm planning to go with 240V w/ 40amp...hoping that would be kind of a near-future proof investment.

I need to shop for a EVSE unit now....Turbocord seems to be on top of my list...

I believe that when u buy a EVSE, it comes with a different physical outlet requirement, so I'm hoping 240B w/ 40amp would be OK.

Thanks!

PS: My daily commute is ~50 miles....

leafstudy said:

The distance between electric panel to garage is about 80-90 ft...I'm planning to go with 240V w/ 40amp...hoping that would be kind of a near-future proof investment.

I need to shop for a EVSE unit now....Turbocord seems to be on top of my list...

I believe that when u buy a EVSE, it comes with a different physical outlet requirement, so I'm hoping 240B w/ 40amp would be OK.

Click to expand...

Turbocord only is a 16 amp EVSE, requiring a 20 amp circuit. If it matters to you, it will not charge a '13+ Leaf SV or SL (or S w/"charge package") at full speed as 240 volts * 16 amps = 3840 watts = 3.84 kW.

If you want to charge at full speed, you'd want a 240 volt, 30 amp or greater EVSE. But, greater won't help a Leaf.

Examples:
http://www.clippercreek.com/store/featured-products/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (HCS-40 or 40P)
Either of the 1st two items at http://evsolutions.avinc.com/products/at_home" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, when their site goes back up.

The OP should take a picture of his panel and post it here. We can easily tell him what he needs to do next.

RonDawg said:

The OP should ask an electrician what is the largest EVSE that can be installed using the existing panel before trying to shop for an EVSE.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't buy the Turbocord. That is a waste of money.

I'd spend $287 and upgrade the existing EVSE that comes with the LEAF

If you want to spend $650 then buy a 32A EVSE like mentioned above.

Can you take a pic of your Electric Panel and post it here? If you can't post it. Email it to me and I'll post it for you. [email protected]

Sal

leafstudy said:

Hello everyone,

The distance between electric panel to garage is about 80-90 ft...I'm planning to go with 240V w/ 40amp...hoping that would be kind of a near-future proof investment.

I need to shop for a EVSE unit now....Turbocord seems to be on top of my list...

I believe that when u buy a EVSE, it comes with a different physical outlet requirement, so I'm hoping 240B w/ 40amp would be OK.

Thanks!

PS: My daily commute is ~50 miles....

Click to expand...

Hi Sal,

Could you provide more details on "upgrading existing EVSE that comes w/ Leaf" for $287...

How long would it take to charge with 240V from zero to full battery?

Thank you!

leafstudy said:

Could you provide more details on "upgrading existing EVSE that comes w/ Leaf" for $287...

Click to expand...

http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=faqs_all" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=index&cPath=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Leafstudy,

When I use my EVSEupgraded LEAF EVSE I charge back up at a rate of around 17 to 19 miles added per hour.

So that will charge you completely from Zero% to 100% in 5 to 6 hours.

I also commute 52 miles daily, in 18 months since I own my LEAF I've only got the battery down to Zero % once.

Usually I get home with 40% battery left. So I never need to charge for 5 to 6 hours.

cwerdna posted the links above that will explain everything to you about the EVSEupgrade process.

If you can post a picture of your Electrical panel we can tell you what you need to do. If you do go the EVSEupgrade route then you may be able to do exactly what I did at my Parent's house as shown in my first post.

Sal

leafstudy said:

Hi Sal,

Could you provide more details on "upgrading existing EVSE that comes w/ Leaf" for $287...

How long would it take to charge with 240V from zero to full battery?

Thank you!

Click to expand...