lifeincolor said:
One more quick question. On the share plug app there are seven different varities of chargers you can check to show, starting with the wall 120, and includes stations like "NEMA 14-50" and "Tesla Supercharge". Which ones out of the seven can I check to charge the Leaf SL?
NEMA 14-50 is a type of outlet, not a charger. When you see this in PlugShare, it means there is a 240 volt outlet available of a certain type that is capable of supplying a continuous 40 amp current. But without an EVSE to plug into it, it cannot charge your car.
The EVSE that comes with the car is designed to work with 120 volt outlets only, but for around $300 there is a company that will modify it to accept both 120 and 240 volt current. The plug that is installed with this modification is called an NEMA L6-30, but you can purchase from the vendor (and MyNissanLeaf member) an adapter that lets you plug into a standard grounded 120 volt outlet. Another adapter will let the upgraded EVSE use NEMA 14-50. Link: http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I should mention this now, as there is misinformation on the Internet: DO NOT CONNECT AN UNMODIFIED EVSE FROM A US OR CANADIAN MODEL LEAF TO AN OUTLET OF OVER 120 VOLTS!!! Despite what is being misreported, Nissan is NOT providing dual-voltage EVSEs with Leafs sold over here. To do so will destroy a part that costs as much as $1,000 to replace and WILL NOT be covered under warranty. On the contrary, Nissan is wise to this practice and have specifically advised dealers to look for telltale damage. Even though the plugs are different for 120 and 240 volt, that has not stopped a few Leafers from attempting this using adapters and even improper wiring, and blowing up their EVSEs.
In PlugShare, if you want to see public charging stations (and not those at someone's home), deselect "Residential Chargers." If the Leaf you get does not have a Quick Charge port, you can also deselect "High Power Stations." If it does have QC, go into the settings (for the web version, it's the "cog" icon next to the search field) and deselect anything with Tesla in the name. Nissan subscribes to the CHAdeMO quick charging standard.
For 208/240 volt charging, you'll want to see "J1772" in the description. That is the standard being used for EVs being sold today in North America. There are a few legacy chargers still installed, like the "paddle" chargers that the GM EV-1 used to use, and those will not work with the Leaf.
On 120 volt charging: at this voltage, the Leaf draws 12 amps. That means you will need a properly grounded outlet on a circuit with at least a 15 amp capacity that is not shared with anything else, especially high-current appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners.