kzapanta said:
1. The charging unit that will be included is a Lvl 1 charger. That means I can only plug to a normal socket (slow) or go to a charging station that will have a built in Lvl 2 charger or even Lvl 3 on a few stations, but I will need to have an active network account and card to use those chargers. Correct?
If I want to use Lvl 2 charger in the garage, either use the EVN upgrader or purchase a Lvl 2 charger online that is 30 Amps with a 40 amp fuse breaker installed due to the SL charger of 6.6w ??
No. The "trickle charge cable" that comes with the car is a level 1 EVSE. Yes, it's very slow. With the stock EVSE, the best it'll do is ~1.44 kW from the wall (12 amps * 120 volts = 1.44 kW). Probably 1.0 to 1.2 kW will make it into the battery at full speed. So, (unless nearly full) after 1 hour, 1.0 to 1.2 kWh would've been added to the battery. TonyWilliams believes there are ~26.5 kWh usable on a 30 kWh Leaf.
For L1 and L2 AC charging, the charger is on-board the car. See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=14728&p=332668#p332668. L1 and L2 EVSEs are just smart safety switches.
See also http://www.sae.org/smartgrid/chargingprimer.pdf and https://openev.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/6000052074-basics-of-sae-j1772.
Some level 2 EVSEs and some DC fast chargers (many call it level 3, even though it's not correct) are not networked at all and thus don't require any account. I've used the former PLENTY of times and some of the latter. For DC fast charging, the external unit IS a charger and the car's on-board charger is bypassed.
There is Nissan No Charge to Charge (NCTC) but I don't know the details and whether it can be activated at/before leaving the dealer. Some more info at https://www.ez-charge.com/, http://www.nissanusa.com/electric-cars/leaf/charging-range/charging/no-charge-to-charge/ and https://www.nrgevgo.com/special-offers/nissan-no-charge-charge/. I've never been eligible for it.
You can get the L1 EVSE professionally upgraded via https://evseupgrade.com/. See http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=28 for the circuit you'd need. As for "Lvl 2 charger" at home or whatever, you're looking for a level 2 EVSE. If you got a 30 to 32 amp EVSE, it'd need to be on a 40 amp circuit.
If you got a lower amperage one, you wouldn't need as high an amperage a circuit. The ones at https://store.clippercreek.com/level2/level2-12-to-15 require only a 15 or 20 amp circuit but charging speed would be lower. For say the LCS-20, it'd only be 16 amps at max for 16 amps * 240 volts = 3,840 watts = 3.84 kW. The Leaf would only charge at 3.84 kW on L2 at max with that.
If your house can accommodate a 40 amp circuit, I'd go for a 30 to 32 amp EVSE. Only go with a lower one if it cannot.
kzapanta said:
2. Would it just be totally rude if I inspect the brand new battery to make sure its 100% new? If so, I have learned LeafSpy is the app to do that. Is that built in app of the car or a phone app. I buy?
That's very odd. Rude? I dunno. Weird? Yes.
It is not built into any phone or car. You need to buy a compatible OBD2 dongle and at least get Leaf Spy Lite for Android to make sure your setup works (phone w/software with dongle as some are incompatible). I don't recall what Leaf Spy Lite can provide since I have Pro. I can't speak to the iOS version other than it also requires a compatible dongle.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Turbo3&hl=en has links to his Android apps.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/leafspy-pro/id967376861?mt=8 for iOS.
Some threads on the app:
iOS LeafSpy Pro Support: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=19147
Leaf Spy Lite: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=14284
Leaf Spy and Pro: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=14285
I don't know why you'd care if you're leasing. The build month is on the sticker on the driver's side near the door jamb. And, you can verify the odometer has minimal miles.
kzapanta said:
4. Since its a 115 mile drive home with the Leaf, we will have to lvl 2 charge on this trip. There is a Nissan dealership with a charger halfway. Is it customary to any Leaf owner that we can charge at any Nissan dealership and if so is it free?
It's YMMV w/that. When DC FCing was free at many dealers, there was a HIGHLY variable policy as to who was welcome to charge for free. I can't speak to level 2 and how welcoming they are. I've been to some Nissan dealers to attempt to L2 charge and have sometimes found the spaces blocked or dealer's cars charging or in one case: one car charging and another customer car plugged in and blocking the space but done. Nobody knew who it belonged to.
I wouldn't depend on a dealer. Nissan, the company, in most parts of the US cannot own dealerships due to state franchise laws.
Download the Plugshare app and be prepared to use public L2 or DC FC, just in case. I don't know all the networks in So Cal, but up here Chargepoint, NRG evgo and Blink (they suck) are common. You may want to set up an account w/them first so you don't waste time trying to setup an account/calling them instead of charging. (I have accounts on all 3 of those.)