Extension Cord

I have seen the threads on securing the EVSE when charging in public. I like the idea of putting under the hood. I am staying at a hotel in the "City" this next week and they say I can use an outlet to charge, but I am concerned about the area. So has anyone used a heavy extension cord with their EVSE with any problems or heating issues? the tag has the standard warning not to use an etension cord....
Thanks

Yup, no problems. Only needed it once, but handy to have. Forget if it's 12 or 10 gauge, but that's what you want.

100' of #12 wire for extended periods has worked fine for me.
Don't leave excess tightly coiled. #14 or #16 wire is too small IMO.
Check the connections for heat at 30 minutes and 90 minutes.
Don't create a public trip hazard. Use duct tape or something if you must go across a walkway.

Thanks for the inputs.
I was gonna go with the #12 wire. Gotta check but I think that is the same as the EVSE.

If you do put the EVSE under the hood you might want to make sure that the cable isn't tightly coiled. You don't want it overheating. Shouldn't get too hot at 120 Volts, but it could be a concern in a warm area.

I to have charged with a #12 cord. I have a 50 foot cable plugged in as a convenience in my garage. When I need power I usually use that extension cable.

Never had a lot of luck putting the EVSE under the hood, But I have a 100' #12 extension cord, and put the brick on the front seat, and I run the cord and J1772 Plug through the window then put the window 90% up.

It was inside their parking garage, no weather problems.

Almost all the problems with extension cords come from loose connections at the plug, or the plug not being fully inserted into the outlet. Both will cause overheating. Use a new extension cord that's heavy enough, and make sure it's plugged in at both ends correctly, and you should be fine as long as the outlet is ok.

My leaf has a lock swich for the charging plug, if it's locked you can't remove the evse from the area unless you cut off the charging plug. Is that what happens? The only reason I could see people doing that is for the scrap copper. But they would do that with an extension cord too.

The 2013-14 portable EVSE monitors the plug connection for high temperature. Using an extension cord obviously precludes checking for high temperature at the receptacle, plus all the other usual dangers of using an extension cord (especially in wet areas).

MikeD said:

The 2013-14 portable EVSE monitors the plug connection for high temperature. Using an extension cord obviously precludes checking for high temperature at the receptacle, plus all the other usual dangers of using an extension cord (especially in wet areas).

Click to expand...

Really. That is the first I heard that. Is that in the owners manual? Maybe I should read that
Why would that feature not work with an extension cord? The end of the cord would be the "outlet"....

LUXMAN said:

MikeD said:

The 2013-14 portable EVSE monitors the plug connection for high temperature. Using an extension cord obviously precludes checking for high temperature at the receptacle, plus all the other usual dangers of using an extension cord (especially in wet areas).

Click to expand...

Really. That is the first I heard that. Is that in the owners manual? Maybe I should read that
Why would that feature not work with an extension cord? The end of the cord would be the "outlet"....

Click to expand...

I don't recall it being in the owner's manual. Read the sheet that came w/the L1 EVSE. It mentions a light pattern that indicates an overheated plug. I even posted about it awhile ago at http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=352873#p352873" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ummm, as for extension cord, well, its monitoring would be incomplete. There's no way for the EVSE to monitor the temperature of the extension cord's plug at the outlet. That could overheat. Almost all extension cords have no sensor and none have any means to tell the EVSE that any part of the extension cord is overheating.

OK. I can see that. I am headed to Lowes today. Don't they have extension cords with a GFI type breaker built in?

Don't get too caught up in over-protecting. You can first test the desired outlet with the EVSE, then plug in the extension - FULLY - and then plug the EVSE in again, and test the outlet end of the cord. Again, as long as everything is fully plugged in and not loose, and the outlet isn't overloaded with other things on its circuit (a problem even if no extension is used) you are unlikely to have a problem. I don't know if a portable GFCI outlet would help the situation or not - IIRC they warn you not to plug the EVSE into a GFCI outlet.

Yeah. Probably overkill as well as too much worry for nothing. Will prob just get a cord so I can secure ESVE

If you have a 2013 LEAF or Above then you should have LOCK button which will LOCK the J1772 Nozzle of your EVSE to the LEAF's charging port.



If you Switch the Button to AUTO it will unlock the Nozzle when the charging is Full (Good for Public Charging Stations when you NEED a 100% Charge)

johnrhansen said:

My leaf has a lock swich for the charging plug, if it's locked you can't remove the evse from the area unless you cut off the charging plug. Is that what happens? The only reason I could see people doing that is for the scrap copper. But they would do that with an extension cord too.

Click to expand...

To lock the extension cord to the end of the EVSE do it this way:

Tie the two ends together like you're going to tie a knot but plug the cords together. If you pull on the cords they won't get unplugged.



Now take a padlock whose shackle is just big enough to go over the two cords and lock it. Now the cords cannot be taken apart without scissors or a hack saw.

LUXMAN said:

MikeD said:

The 2013-14 portable EVSE monitors the plug connection for high temperature. Using an extension cord obviously precludes checking for high temperature at the receptacle, plus all the other usual dangers of using an extension cord (especially in wet areas).

Click to expand...

Really. That is the first I heard that. Is that in the owners manual? Maybe I should read that
Why would that feature not work with an extension cord? The end of the cord would be the "outlet"....

Click to expand...

I have heard that mentioned also. What LUXMAN was saying is that the temperature sensor would protect if the end of the extension cord got hot, but it has no way of knowing if the other end of the cord, which is plugged into the power outlet has a problem. Considering that it is very easy to run into an older outlet that is warn out, or the wires are just connected with the stab connections, etc. it is something to be mindful of. You will really want to periodically check the connections for heat, especially if this is the first time you have used it.

johnrhansen said:

My leaf has a lock swich for the charging plug, if it's locked you can't remove the evse from the area unless you cut off the charging plug. Is that what happens? The only reason I could see people doing that is for the scrap copper. But they would do that with an extension cord too.

Click to expand...

I think the difference here is:

Extension cord: ~$20

EVSE: $~600

Copper thieves would likely want the more robust EVSE cable, but might take what they could get. Which would you rather lose?

And, as for that lock, is it really jimmy-proof? If damage to the car wasn't a concern I would think that a thief could use a screwdriver to break the J1776 plug free, right?

Regardless, I'm glad I live in an area where theft of an EVSE isn't a concern. No big city crime out in the boondocks. I don't even lock my doors.

My exact thoughts, else I would just use the EVSE. I picked up a nice 12 gauge extension today. Tested at the house and it was cool as a cucumber. I will set it all up under the hood so only the ends are exposed. Hope that is enough deterant.

Thanks for everyone's input