Best EVSE/charging solution for my situation?

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jake14mw

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 12, 2017
Messages
180
Location
Connecticut, USA
Hi all,

I am due to get my used 2014 SL on Friday. I don't think I am going to be able to live with Level 1 charging, so I'm trying to figure out a Level 2 solution that won't break the bank. I have a 22x22 foot garage that shares a wall with the dryer outlet of my laundry room. I may have the Leaf in the garage sometimes, but most of the time it will be in the driveway just outside of the garage.

I am thinking that maybe the most cost effective way to do this would be to install the correct outlet on the garage wall at the same spot that the dryer outlet is on the laundry room side of the garage. I am thinking this would require some kind of switch that would prevent both the dryer and EVSE outlet from being used at the same time. This location is a very convenient one in the garage, but the problem is, a 25 foot cord would not be long enough to reach the car. Are there EVSE's with 30 foot cords? The ones I have seen max out at 25 feet. The second question is, does this meet electrical code?

I will consult an electrician, but I'm trying to do my homework a little beforehand. Thanks for any advice.
 
DuncanCunningham said:
check out this thread.. http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=24849
go the end $260

That's a great price, thanks. The cord is only 20 feet though. At that price though, it might be less expensive to get that and extend the circuit in the garage.
 
You've got an SL, so the AmazingE won't charge at the fastest rate possible. I have an SV, so I purchased a Zencar 32A EVSE to get close to full charging rate:

http://www.e-zencar.net/product/evse-32a/

That product let's you choose several amperage presets, giving you the flexibility to charge on either 120V or 240V supplies too. I use mine at home on a NEMA 10-30R at 240V@24A rate, which is almost full charging rate. Works great and the electrical hookup was cheap too.

Have a look at the Dryer Buddy product line (there are several models) so you can share the dryer outlet with your EVSE and dryer:

https://www.bsaelectronics.com/collections/dryer-buddys

There's also this product, but it's kind of pricey and not sure what shipping charges would be in the US:

http://ober-ev.com/products.html

Since you haven't purchased an EVSE yet, the ÖBERCHARGER would make the most sense.
 
LeftieBiker said:
Most dryer circuits are 30 amp, so there is no point in using a 32A EVSE. 24A is the maximum.
True but 24a is still 50% faster than the 16a most cheap EVSEs are :)
The cheapest mainstream L2 EVSE at this time is this 16a Ebusbar, I have one and it works great on 120 or 240v, one downside is it's rather short(16') cable, it comes with a 30a dryer plug but you could also do as I did and cut it off and install any plug you wanted. I went with a L6-30 which is what EVSEupgrade has standardized on.
$199 at this time:
https://www.amazon.com/Ebusbar-EBB_220_16_NM10_30-Level-potable-charger/dp/B076C6B76K/ref=sr_1_6?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1511386300&sr=1-6&keywords=level+2+ev+charger
 
Thanks to everyone for the excellent information so far. I have learned a lot. Does anyone know about whether extending a dryer outlet for EV charging meets code?

If I have to run a new circuit, the run will be about 90 feet. That length of 10-3 wire would be $120. Go to 8-3 wire (futureproofing) and that doubles, just for the wire!
 
jake14mw said:
Thanks to everyone for the excellent information so far. I have learned a lot. Does anyone know about whether extending a dryer outlet for EV charging meets code?
...
There's a couple of maybe's on that. If it's a 10-30, then code prevents you from installing a new 10-30 receptacle. If it's a 14-30, you could do it, but you'd need a transfer switch so that the dryer and the car couldn't load the circuit at the same time.
 
@LeftieBiker What's wrong with suggesting an adjustable EVSE that maxes out at 32A? I would much rather have a 240V@24A EVSE than a 240V@16A EVSE. Since he already has a dryer outlet (likely 14-30R), then the Zencar set to 24A would be perfect for that application.

Also, the Zencar has other amperage set points, which comes in handy if you ever use it as a portable EVSE (totally doable).
 
davewill said:
jake14mw said:
Thanks to everyone for the excellent information so far. I have learned a lot. Does anyone know about whether extending a dryer outlet for EV charging meets code?
...
There's a couple of maybe's on that. If it's a 10-30, then code prevents you from installing a new 10-30 receptacle. If it's a 14-30, you could do it, but you'd need a transfer switch so that the dryer and the car couldn't load the circuit at the same time.

The receptacle is a 10-30. This means I will have to run a new circuit?
 
I'm not an electrician, but I'm pretty sure that on most residential electrical panels the neutral and ground are on a common bus. As long as nothing else is on that breaker circuit, it should be OK. Having said that, check with an electrician and check with your insurance company.

FYI, the Zencar EVSE uses two hots and a ground, which is typical of L2 EVSEs.

The Dryer Buddy product line I mentioned before has a model with two receptacles - a 10-30R for your dryer and a 14-50R for the EVSE:

https://goo.gl/FhPrwa

It also has a transfer switch, which ensures that the dryer and EVSE can't be run at the same time.

For the Zencar EVSE, you can order it with a 14-50 plug and have them set the highest amperage output preset to 24A. That way, the EVSE will never pull more than 24A.
 
I am thinking that maybe the most cost effective way to do this would be to install the correct outlet on the garage wall at the same spot that the dryer outlet is on the laundry room side of the garage.

It never fails. Someone asks for an inexpensive solution and people start suggesting a whole new 50 amp circuit. You know, just to "future proof" the setup. I don't know the answer to the last question, but what about leaving the dryer outlet as-is and running another length of 10-30 from it, to a box with the EVSE hardwired into it in the garage? Then the main concern is not running the dryer and EVSE at once.
 
I think the main concern with a 10-30 receptacle is that there is no true ground - it's really just meant for electric dryers with a bonding jumper. Even with the Dryer Buddy device, they are still going from 4 wire to 3 wire so I don't know how they deal with grounding - I'm guessing they don't. If there was ever a fire caused by using an EVSE on this dryer receptacle, it's likely insurance wouldn't cover it.

For that reason alone, I personally wouldn't use a 10-30 receptacle but the OP is looking for an inexpensive solution. It would be safer to pull new cable and put in a 14-30 or 14-50 receptacle.
 
jake14mw said:
Hi all,

I am due to get my used 2014 SL on Friday. I don't think I am going to be able to live with Level 1 charging, so I'm trying to figure out a Level 2 solution that won't break the bank. I have a 22x22 foot garage that shares a wall with the dryer outlet of my laundry room. I may have the Leaf in the garage sometimes, but most of the time it will be in the driveway just outside of the garage.

I am thinking that maybe the most cost effective way to do this would be to install the correct outlet on the garage wall at the same spot that the dryer outlet is on the laundry room side of the garage. I am thinking this would require some kind of switch that would prevent both the dryer and EVSE outlet from being used at the same time. This location is a very convenient one in the garage, but the problem is, a 25 foot cord would not be long enough to reach the car. Are there EVSE's with 30 foot cords? The ones I have seen max out at 25 feet. The second question is, does this meet electrical code?

I will consult an electrician, but I'm trying to do my homework a little beforehand. Thanks for any advice.

It does not meet code, and will cause problems when you try to sell the house. Do it right the first time, and it will save time, expense, and aggravation in the long run. If you want inexpensive, do the work yourself, or find someone that can do the work and make some arrangement with them. Get an outdoor EVSE and mount it on the side of the garage where the car will be parked. The GE Durastation is available for around $400, and is an excellent outdoor unit.
 
jake14mw said:
davewill said:
jake14mw said:
Thanks to everyone for the excellent information so far. I have learned a lot. Does anyone know about whether extending a dryer outlet for EV charging meets code?
...
There's a couple of maybe's on that. If it's a 10-30, then code prevents you from installing a new 10-30 receptacle. If it's a 14-30, you could do it, but you'd need a transfer switch so that the dryer and the car couldn't load the circuit at the same time.

The receptacle is a 10-30. This means I will have to run a new circuit?
I think that it does. As alozzy suggested above, a Dryer Buddy could help, but your plug is on the wrong side of the wall. Dryer Buddy side steps code issues by being an appliance rather than permanent electrical work. However, as soon as you go through the wall, you're back into code issues with passing a cord through a wall. Worse, only the really expensive Dryer Buddy has a transfer switch. As far as I'm concerned the others are useless, and at $300+, you might as well put that money towards running a proper circuit.

Have you even gotten a quote, yet? :)
 
If you want to save a few bucks on wire consider installing a NEMA 6-50 outlet. This won't require a neutral wire that the EVSE ignores anyway, and it will still work to charge the Leaf at full speed.
 
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