How to check for a 6.6

[DANandNAN]

Well I think it might be time for the Volt to get a friend so we're looking at the Leaf. Can someone tell me how you can tell if the Leaf has the 6.6 Quick Charger? I can't find the info on Nissan's website and calling the dealers individually will be a PITA. The Volt has a Volt Adviser and they have the ability to check dealer inventory (and they're very handy after the sale) - does the Leaf have an adviser like that? Is their some way I can look this up online? I've called several dealers and it's tiring explaining that the DC port is not the same thing then waiting for a salesperson to check the standard equipment on the Marony sticker.

Thanks

 

[davewill]

The 6.6 kW charger is expected to be an option on the 2013 model, so calling dealers at this point would be a BIG waste of time.

 

[DANandNAN]

The 6.6 kW charger is expected to be an option on the 2013 model, so calling dealers at this point would be a BIG waste of time.

Yeah, I'm seeing that as I search here. It's odd that Nissan's website says the 2012 has the Quick Charge port that gives you 80% in 30 minutes.

 

[hd172]

The quick charge port is for the chademo dc fast charger. The 6.6 charger will be for the j1772.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Leaf has the 6.6 Quick Charger?

You're using terms that don't normally go together. 3.3 and 6.6 refer to the 208-240 volt single phase Alternating Current charger on board the LEAF. The "Quick Charge" part of the nomenclature is the Direct Current ChaDeMo charger that is mounted on the ground and provides energy through a separate outlet, usually based on 480 volt three phase commercial power.

A 3.3kW charger can power a dead LEAF battery in about 7-8 hours.

A 6.6kW charger in about 3.5 to 4 hours.

A 48kW DC ChaDeMo can do it in about an hour.

 

[DANandNAN]

The quick charge port is for the chademo dc fast charger. The 6.6 charger will be for the j1772.

FWIW, the Nissan website makes it seem that there is a difference between the two ports, DC & AC. It says 80% in 30 minutes which sounds like the J1772, then it has info about also being able to use high voltage commercial chargers that charge it minutes instead of hours.

It's a bit misleading if the only way to get the 80% is with the CHAdeMO.

 

[DANandNAN]

Leaf has the 6.6 Quick Charger?

You're using terms that don't normally go together. 3.3 and 6.6 refer to the 208-240 volt single phase Alternating Current charger on board the LEAF. The "Quick Charge" part of the nomenclature is the Direct Current ChaDeMo charger that is mounted on the ground and provides energy through a separate outlet, usually based on 480 volt three phase commercial power.

A 3.3kW charger can power a dead LEAF battery in about 7-8 hours.

A 6.6kW charger in about 3.5 to 4 hours.

A 48kW DC ChaDeMo can do it in about an hour.

Me making a mistake is par for the course :lol:

I'm calling it that because the way Nissan has it on their website, it seems like they're calling the 6.6 a Quick Charge and I've only heard the CHAdeMO described as a fast charge that Nissan's website says "takes minutes not hours". But, whatever. So the 6.6 is not available now, guess that means I'll wait for the 2013 Leaf or the Focus Electric.

 

[TonyWilliams]

The Ford Focus will never have a ChaDeMo quick charger.

Here's the ChaDeMo port in action. The orange cover to the right is the 3.3 / 6.6 J1772 charger port.

 

[DANandNAN]

The Ford Focus will never have a ChaDeMo quick charger.

Thanks Tony. I've seen pics of the CHAdeMO but it's my understanding that they aren't for home use unless you have the money (10K?).

I've heard Ford is going their own way, so we may end up with a big problem figuring out who "wins".

 

[TonyWilliams]

The Ford Focus will never have a ChaDeMo quick charger.

Thanks Tony. I've seen pics of the CHAdeMO but it's my understanding that they aren't for home use unless you have the money (10K?).

I've heard Ford is going their own way, so we may end up with a big problem figuring out who "wins".

For many, many years, regardless of who ultimately wins (if any), ChaDeMo will be servicing tens of thousands of LEAFs and iMiev's, and whatever other Japanese and possibly Korean cars that will be coming before a single SAE charger is ever deployed.

SAE is selling hard, and they want you to believe that they will be "it". Tesla is doing their own thing, as is the Renault 43kW AC charger. China will, too.

Lots more standards will come.

 

[planet4ever]

FWIW, the Nissan website makes it seem that there is a difference between the two ports, DC & AC.

That is correct.

It says 80% in 30 minutes which sounds like the J1772

There is where you went wrong. 80% in 30 minutes is CHAdeMO (i.e. Quick Charge or Fast Charge), not J1772.

It's a bit misleading if the only way to get the 80% is with the CHAdeMO.

Ah! another bit of confusion. There are two kinds of 80%:

• A Quick Charge will automatically cut off at 80% if you start below 50%.
• A J1772 charge (120v to 240v) can be controlled by a timer as to when it starts and/or ends, and that same timer can be told to stop at 80%. (Those timers are ignored when using Quick Charge.)

So you do have an 80% option in your own garage, and it is J1772, not CHAdeMO, and for now it is always at 3.3kW or less.

Most people don't need 6.6kW in their own garage, since 3.3kW is quite adequate to charge overnight. A few people may need to go more than 75 miles or so in a day with a midday break at home to boost their charge, and they would love to have 6.6kW. The faster charging time can come in handy when charging away from home, but a Quick Charge would be about 5 times handier for that! So you may want to think carefully about your needs before waiting for 6.6kW charger on a 2013 car. Besides, it is going to be an extra cost option.

Ray

P.S. Forgot to say: Those "timers" can be told allow charging 24 hours a day and still be told to stop at 80%.

 

[DANandNAN]

I want the 6.6 because there are times, mostly on the weekends, when it could come in handy especially since there's no on-board generator and I'm not going to be turtled In North Florida we have ONE L2 charger and ZERO DC or CHAdeMO chargers so those Fast chargers are a non-starter. The 6.6 is the draw for us so we'll wait till the 2013's come out or maybe take a look at the Focus EV. Without the 6.6 I'm afraid the Leaf would sit on our busier days and we'd take the Volt and go EV for 40 miles.

 

[harp4all]

Perhaps installing solar panels would make getting a 480v quickcharge from home easier. Personally I would be happy just having a 120v outlet installed at my apartment to charge while I'm at home.

 

[Cheezmo]

[*]A Quick Charge will automatically cut off at 80% if you start below 50%.

Are you sure? When I did my DFW QC tour last week, it cut off at 91% at one of the stations. It was the only one that started below 50% and I didn't stop around 80% or so myself.

 

[grommet]

[*]A Quick Charge will automatically cut off at 80% if you start below 50%.

Are you sure? When I did my DFW QC tour last week, it cut off at 91% at one of the stations. It was the only one that started below 50% and I didn't stop around 80% or so myself.

Yes, definitely. The LEAF does this to protect the battery. It's 80% as the LEAF dash sees it, by the way... not the SoC you may see on the quick charger display. (I've found 80% in the car (~10 bars) shows about 90% SoC on the Blink DC Fast Chargers around here.) Your results may vary.

Also, the 50% logic cut-off is based on what the LEAF says is 50%. If you got to 91% as seen by the LEAF, maybe you started above 50%?

 

[Cheezmo]

[*]A Quick Charge will automatically cut off at 80% if you start below 50%.

Are you sure? When I did my DFW QC tour last week, it cut off at 91% at one of the stations. It was the only one that started below 50% and I didn't stop around 80% or so myself.

Yes, definitely. The LEAF does this to protect the battery. It's 80% as the LEAF dash sees it, by the way... not the SoC you may see on the quick charger display. I've found 80% in the car (~10 bars) shows about 90% SoC on the Blink DC Fast Chargers around here. Your results may vary.

Also, the 50% logic cut-off is based on what the LEAF says is 50%. If you got to 91% as seen by the LEAF, maybe you started above 50%?

Well it was at 11 bars with a 2:00 estimate for trickle charge to 100% when it stopped. Sounds closer to 90% than 80% to me. I will keep an eye on future QCs.

 

[Boomer23]

Perhaps installing solar panels would make getting a 480v quickcharge from home easier. Personally I would be happy just having a 120v outlet installed at my apartment to charge while I'm at home.

Only if you install 3 phase power at your home as well as the solar panels. 3 phase power and 480 volts are not normally available in residences, and adding that, as well as about $15,000 for the DC charger would probably not be cost effective, to say the least.

 

[Ingineer]

You do not need 3-Phase nor 480v service for a QC. In fact, most are 208/240v.

You will, however, probably need at least 250 amp service to do a full-speed QC.

Any QC can be modified to charge at a lower rate, say 12kW, which would work on most any residential service (50 amps).

-Phil

 

[mitch672]

Here is a "portable" DC Fast Charger, was written up earlier today...

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1076112_cheesiest-dc-fast-charging-video-ever-tight-dress-high-heels-included" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[TimLee]

You do not need 3-Phase nor 480v service for a QC. In fact, most are 208/240v.
-Phil

The pending BP installations of DCFC will be 208V. The Blink DCFC installations to date have all been dedicated 480V three phase power supplies in Tennessee.
The % charge on DCFC depends on the brand of DCFC.
Blink has you select a %.
But the LEAF % provided to the DCFC is different than what the LEAF uses for controlling its L2 charge to a nominal 80%.
A Blink set to 90% charge will stop with the car still displaying only 9 of 12 bars, slightly less than the nominal 80% L2 charge.
The Eaton DCFC does not have a preset stopping point.
It will proceed to charge to 100% until you tell it to stop.