Really inexpensive Level 2 chargers on aliexpress!?!

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ccgeogeek

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2017
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8
So I found this Level 2 charger made by duosida on aliexpress:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Duo...b0-4328-96d7-6a89ab614ea0&transAbTest=ae803_2

1) This seems incredibly cheap to me, but the reviews seem ok. I can be patient with the shipping if it will save me $100 ;). The issue is that it appears to have a EU plug on it - a cee 7/7 plug I believe (not up to speed on overseas electrical standards). Can anyone confirm this?
2) From what I understand from EU wiring each post would be hot (one + and one -), and a ground clip on the side. I was thinking that I could cut this plug off and add a NEMA 6-20 plug in its place: two hots and a ground/neutral.

Before I pull the trigger on this I wanted to get other's thoughts. If I do pull the trigger I will return with updates...

Thanks!
 
Lots of discussion on this already, under $150 including shipping out the door shipped straight from the manufacturer.

My opinion is inevitably the EV extension cord called an EVSE will eventually be driven down to commodity pricing which is under $100 .

Ah well wait and see
 
I was about to write that, if you have an SV/SL or an S with the rapid charge package, you should not buy an EVSE that's limited to 16A. Then, I searched your old posts and noticed you have a 2014 S w/o the 6.6 kW charger. So, an inexpensive 220V/16A EVSE makes more sense.

To save people time, add your car details to your signature (i.e. look at my signature below for ideas) and add your location to your user profile too. Will save those that try to help you having to dig for that info ;)
 
There is a new Level 2 EVSE on Amazon that is UL listed, puts out 16 amps at 240v, and has a dryer plug pigtail, and has a 20 foot cord to the car...

It is called the AmazingE...Made in the US, and comes with an 18 month warranty...

https://www.amazon.com/AmazingE-Portable-Electric-Equipment-Connector/dp/B06XSLYDLH/ref=zg_bs_tab_pd_mw_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3EJT912N529VSY5C31JR

Seems like a quality product, and prices are getting cheaper...
 
Forget about getting cheap chargers.... Those cheap ones are only 16 amp 240 volt. Your car is most likely to have the 6.6 charger, which can charge at 30 amps and charge ate TWICE the speed of the 16 amp charger.

You only buy one charger.... Don't be cheap and buy a charger that takes 6 hours to charge the car completely, when you can get one that charges the battery in only 3 hours!! That would be real dumb!!!
 
powersurge said:
Forget about getting cheap chargers.... Those cheap ones are only 16 amp 240 volt. Your car is most likely to have the 6.6 charger, which can charge at 30 amps and charge ate TWICE the speed of the 16 amp charger.

You only buy one charger.... Don't be cheap and buy a charger that takes 6 hours to charge the car completely, when you can get one that charges the battery in only 3 hours!! That would be real dumb!!!
As alozzy said earlier, OP has a LEAF without QC.
 
aarond12 said:
powersurge said:
Forget about getting cheap chargers.... Those cheap ones are only 16 amp 240 volt. Your car is most likely to have the 6.6 charger, which can charge at 30 amps and charge ate TWICE the speed of the 16 amp charger.

You only buy one charger.... Don't be cheap and buy a charger that takes 6 hours to charge the car completely, when you can get one that charges the battery in only 3 hours!! That would be real dumb!!!
As alozzy said earlier, OP has a LEAF without QC.

If the op wants to future proof the next faster EVSE is like $50 more
 
powersurge said:
Forget about getting cheap chargers.... Those cheap ones are only 16 amp 240 volt. Your car is most likely to have the 6.6 charger, which can charge at 30 amps and charge ate TWICE the speed of the 16 amp charger.

You only buy one charger.... Don't be cheap and buy a charger that takes 6 hours to charge the car completely, when you can get one that charges the battery in only 3 hours!! That would be real dumb!!!

20A was the maximum circuit I could add, given our home's existing service wiring and load calculations. And so I've been using a 240V16A charger for nearly six years now. If I could have easily gone with 32A I probably would have. But I've got to say that it hasn't been a handicap in practical application.
 
Nubo said:
powersurge said:
Forget about getting cheap chargers.... Those cheap ones are only 16 amp 240 volt. Your car is most likely to have the 6.6 charger, which can charge at 30 amps and charge ate TWICE the speed of the 16 amp charger.

You only buy one charger.... Don't be cheap and buy a charger that takes 6 hours to charge the car completely, when you can get one that charges the battery in only 3 hours!! That would be real dumb!!!

20A was the maximum circuit I could add, given our home's existing service wiring and load calculations. And so I've been using a 240V16A charger for nearly six years now. If I could have easily gone with 32A I probably would have. But I've got to say that it hasn't been a handicap in practical application.

I think 16A is perfectly fine for many folks' residential use and workplace charging. And perhaps counter-intuitively, as pack sizes increase home charging rate becomes less important imo. The car's "capability" is not an imperative. What determines your needed rate is how many miles of range you consume over a given time period, keeping in mind the battery's role as an accumulator. Lots of unnecessary compulsion to high amperage in the name of "future proofing", I think.

On-the-road charging is a different matter of course.
 
I considered the ~ $100 extra I paid for a Clipper Creek a no brainer in return for customer support, future proofing, faster charging today, and quality components for fire safety and long-term reliability.
 
To each his own, but if I had a Leaf S w/o the charging package, I would spend as little as possible on a 240V/16A EVSE (although I'd spend a bit more for one with favorable reviews). Definitely less than $200 all in...

The OP will likely have his 2014 S for a few years, at which point he'll likely want a 240V/50A EVSE for his next EV. I guarantee that EVSE will be cheaper in a few years than it would be now.
 
alozzy said:
To each his own, but if I had a Leaf S w/o the charging package, I would spend as little as possible on a 240V/16A EVSE.
That was my philosophy too. My 2012 Leaf only has a 3.3kWh charger, and it didn't seem worth spending too much money on a 5yo car. I just bought a Duosida EVSE for $160. I confirmed that it had a 220v rating, cut off the european plug, and put a 15-40 on it. Great little charging upgrade compared to the trickle charger I had been using.
 
Nubo said:
Nubo said:
I think 16A is perfectly fine for many folks' residential use and workplace charging. And perhaps counter-intuitively, as pack sizes increase home charging rate becomes less important imo. The car's "capability" is not an imperative. What determines your needed rate is how many miles of range you consume over a given time period, keeping in mind the battery's role as an accumulator. Lots of unnecessary compulsion to high amperage in the name of "future proofing", I think.

On-the-road charging is a different matter of course.

Exactly, because I can charge at work & home aka 20hrs+ a day of charging even with a Bolt driving 220+ miles on the weekend by the math I could get away with a 110vac charger it would just take a few days of my rather short commute to get a full battery

I strongly believe cheap 110vac workplace charging & at hotels is the most important infrastructure, 10 hours at work gives 50 miles range even in 110vac and that doesn't count if you can take advantage of the full 16amp capacity of most industrial outlets.

Ah well
 
Most of these cheapo units aren't UL listed - just a point to consider.
(When I rewired my garage, I pulled a permit for an EVSE, and the inspector would not sign off on a non-UL-listed EVSE)
(So I just unplugged it, and plugged in the Nissan L1 and said "there you go" and he said "ok, then!") ;)
 
sandeen said:
When I rewired my garage, I pulled a permit for an EVSE

I don't think a permit would normally be necessary for a plug-in EVSE. My understanding is that NEC code establishes standards for permanent wiring, up-to and including the receptacle. What you plug into the outlet is usually out of scope for NEC.

There are other restrictions on what you can plug-in: although my refrigerator needs a dedicated branch circuit (municipality code) and must be UL-listed (per my home insurance policy), I don't need to pull a permit to plug it in.

An inspector can also take the observed uses of wiring into account, such as if they are inspecting a new 120v branch circuit, but they notice an EVSE plugged into the 14-50R dryer outlet, and ask for a load study before approving the 120v branch circuit. But there's nothing illegal about having the EVSE unplugged or put-away during inspection.
 
Siemens 30 amp EVSE, with 20 foot car cord. $359 at Costco for 3 days with free shipping. UL Listed for safety. 3 year warranty, indoor or outdoor use.

It comes with a 20 foot J1772 cord to the car that wraps around the body of the EVSE, and this unit is one of the few EVSE around that has a delayed charge setting on the front panel (2, 4, 6, or 8 hour delay).

Can be hard-wired or will plug into a NEMA 6-50 receptacle.

https://www.costco.com/VersiCharge-LVL-2-Universal-Electric-Vehicle-Charger.product.100295506.html
 
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