Parking outside

[harryjpowell]

Now that the cold and frost and likely frozen windshields are here, the W decided the Leaf needed to stay outside and it just wasn't fair.....Oh then she sealed the deal with the timer on the climate control - Thanks Nissan

So the issue became how to hold that cord out in the elements.. I'm no carpenter or enginner but this seems to work well so far. 1.5" tube filled with concrete in a concrete base. Plywood cut to look like a little bird house. Some Rubber 1.5" coupling and some silicon. It was hard to align the plug so I cut in a U shaped hole and covered with a bit of plexiglass...

I'm open to suggestions..

Now the Leaf lives in the wild!

 

[derkraut]

Looks neat and efficient.

 

[Boomer23]

Hey, a pretty good idea. I'd recommend painting the raw wood on the inside and the raw edges so that it looks more professional. In fact, I'd probably add some flat molding on the edges so that you don't see the edges of the plywood. And then some tiny roofing shingles over some roofing paper to make it look more like a bird house and blend with the house more.

What does the W think of your work?

 

[harryjpowell]

Most important, she is very happy to park in the Garage. Now that I cut the opening I do need to paint the inside. I wonder if someone sells mini shingles online. That will spruce it up. And paint on the pipe... Oh so much to do..

 

[coqui]

Hmmmmm...nice job, but I think cutting a little "mousehole" in my garage door would be a lot easier.

 

[sparky]

Does your garage door rest on the cord?
If so, you might opt for a thicker than normal rubber pad along the bottom edge of the door to spread the load out a bit.

 

[Yodrak]

Bury the drain pipe from the downspout.

Also, the suggestion of others to paint bare wood surfaces, and perhaps shingle the top surfaces, will extend the life of your project significantly in addition to making it look a bit nicer. It is a great project though, nice job.

I'm open to suggestions..

 

[Stanton]

My suggestion would be: over-rule her and park that thing back in the garage. I think you'll regret having any part of the charging apparatus (including the car port) exposed to the elements over time.

 

[N1ghtrider]

I know what you mean about the cold weather. It was down to about 62 degress when I woke up this morning. It barely got up to 72. I almost had to shut the window! :lol:

 

[tps]

Hmmmmm...nice job, but I think cutting a little "mousehole" in my garage door would be a lot easier.

I'm using a JR Products 541-2-A to get my charging cable out with the door closed. It is an RV electrical pass-through. I cut off the "teeth" on the back, and now the J1772 connector fits though with the big flap open, and the slot in the flap is just the right size for the cable. It works great, all I needed to install was a appropriate hole saw. See the end of the Leveiton EVSE thread for pictures.

 

[highcountryrider]

My Leaf has to live outside, no choice.
Biggest problem is tree detritus accumulating in the wiper/air intake
area. Here's my charging solution.

 

[garygid]

Nice box with a hinged lid.

But, Ugly conduit. :lol:

 

[harryjpowell]

Nice L2 outside.

Here's my update. Added some shingles and painted the inside. It blends well enough.

 

[highcountryrider]

Nice box with a hinged lid.

But, Ugly conduit. :lol:

I'm old school and just plain don't like flex. :x
So it's purdy to me.

 

[garygid]

Looks nicer to go up inside the wall.

But, "working" is the best attribute!

 

[kubel]

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I'm in a similar situation, and this is an excellent idea. I have an old bird house in the garage that I think I can rig similar to this. That way it doesn't capture the attention of the homeowners association nazis and I can keep the plug out of the elements.

 

[KillaWhat]

Like all the Ideas.
Mine is shielded from the elements under the overhang of the roof, but wanted to protect the cord from the UV.
Added 3/4" green (to match) convoluted tubing over the length of the cord. (like wire loom)
Works great, but looks like a garden hose.

 

[Atebit]

I have my EVSE installed at the garage door end of the garage, rather than in the front of the garage. My EVSE has a 25' cord, so it easily reaches the car when I pull it into the garage. If that spot is occupied, I park the Leaf on the driveway and tap the garage door opener for half a second to get the door to raise just enough so I can get the charging handle underneath. This way I have some flexibility of where to park without cutting holes in anything. It also keeps the door off of the cable. The way my opener works, the door will continue to open (instead of closing) if someone pushes the button again. This avoids the door bouncing off the cable if someone doesn't remember to bring the cable in before closing the door.

 

[toasty]

what about flat roll roof?