Revision 2 upgrade for Nissan EVSE - Allows full level 2!

[Ingineer]

You're welcome!

I've been able to run cords out to my car in this situation. Not always possible, but with a Quick220 (or equivalent), you can usually make it work. Try to get there early so you can secure a good parking place near her unit.

-Phil

 

[smkettner]

.....renting a garage from the apartment complex at $100 a month just so I can have a 110 outlet (which would be unethical to use,......

I see nothing unethical about using an outlet that is provided as part of the rental.
Unless the rental power use specifically excludes charging an EV.

 

[ebill3]

I've been able to run cords out to my car in this situation. Not always possible, but with a Quick220 (or equivalent), you can usually make it work. Try to get there early so you can secure a good parking place near her unit.

But, watch out for the "gotcha!"

The other day I was madly plugging in at our model airplane flying field trying to get 240 volts. Finally found two outlets that gave me the light. Great. Plugged in the upgraded EVSE and nada. What the H? Scratched head, checked circuit breakers, etc.

A guy came up and reported no power at the set-up benches. Another says: "Check the GFCI". Bingo - never did I dream that we would have wired those benches to code. Of course, plugging the EVSE into the 120/240 box immediately triggered the GFCI breaker - the "gotcha".

Bill

 

[turbo2ltr]

Unfortunately, her apartment is a 100ft walk around the back of the building, so her door faces the main road, not the parking lot. It's a really stupid building layout.

It would be interesting since at this complex, the power cost for each apt building is divvied up based on occupancy and charged to the tenents. So the increased in cost due to charging would be spread across all the tenants.

The only outlet in the garage is for the garage door opener. So while they really can't stop you from using it, I wouldn't be surprised if someone caught on when their bill skyrockets...

 

[dfwcre8tive]

We recently upgraded our EVSE. Previously we were using a standard 110/120 outlet, which would give us a full charge (100 mile range) but take forever. Now we're using a 220/240 outlet and it takes a lot less time but only results in about 80 miles of range after a full charge. Any explanation for this?

 

[91040]

Please don't rely on the guessometer (DTE).

The distance displayed will change based on driving prior to the charge. This can be caused by a change in driving style, climate control usage, temperature, tire pressure, terrain, wind, water/snow, etc...

As long as your gauge is reading the full 12 bars, you should have just as much charge as you would have gotten with L1. It is just faster and more efficient.

 

[davewill]

... Now we're using a 220/240 outlet and it takes a lot less time but only results in about 80 miles of range after a full charge. Any explanation for this?

Are you talking about the displayed "distance to empty" or have you actually not been able to drive as far as you used to? Either way, look for a reason besides changing from 120v to 240v as it makes no difference...the most likely cause these days is colder weather.

 

[Ingineer]

... Now we're using a 220/240 outlet and it takes a lot less time but only results in about 80 miles of range after a full charge. Any explanation for this?

There are 5 reasons this could be true, none of which are a result of which charging method you use: (In order of most most likely first)

1. GOM Errors. (Guess-O-Meter cannot be trusted for accurate range estimates!)
2. Unintentional heater use. (This is very difficult to avoid unless the entire Climate Control is off.)
3. Extra wind resistance from cooler, and thus denser, air.
4. Lower Lithium-Ion battery performance because of colder ambient temperatures.
5. Driving faster to get home quicker, because you are freezing your A** off because you AREN'T using your heater! (Heated seats help solve this one!)

According to our studies most of the actual lost range is due to the heater sucking down power without the owner's knowledge or "consent". Pull up your energy screen on the nav display to see if this might be happening. Any energy shown on the HVAC gauge (upper right) will indicate this is possibly happening. There are only 2 ways to avoid it; one is to completely switch off the controls, usually resulting in foggy windows, or to have your Climate Control ECU upgraded by us to allow full manual control. (Coming very soon!)

I, and any experienced owner here, can assure you that charging on 240v will not cause a reduction in range!

-Phil

 

[waidy]

...[important stuffs deleted].... to have your Climate Control ECU upgraded by us to allow full manual control. (Coming very soon!)
-Phil

Dear Phil, I have been clicking evseupgrade.com *everyday* for your ECU mod as I don't check on new MNL posts frequently. I also saved lots of different size of boxes (for shipping) in preparation when your mod is ready. Is there a time frame when it will be available?

 

[Ingineer]

...[important stuffs deleted].... to have your Climate Control ECU upgraded by us to allow full manual control. (Coming very soon!)
-Phil

Dear Phil, I have been clicking evseupgrade.com *everyday* for your ECU mod as I don't check on new MNL posts frequently. I also saved lots of different size of boxes (for shipping) in preparation when your mod is ready. Is there a time frame when it will be available?

Very soon! We MIGHT just be able to offer limited units at next Saturday's combined December BayLEAFs meeting.

-Phil

 

[rclams]

Now we're using a 220/240 outlet and it takes a lot less time but only results in about 80 miles of range after a full charge. Any explanation for this?

Well, you're not using the 80% charge timer are you?

A "full charge" with that timer gives us 80 miles of indicated range.

 

[waidy]

...[important stuffs deleted].... to have your Climate Control ECU upgraded by us to allow full manual control. (Coming very soon!)
-Phil

Dear Phil, I have been clicking evseupgrade.com *everyday* for your ECU mod as I don't check on new MNL posts frequently. I also saved lots of different size of boxes (for shipping) in preparation when your mod is ready. Is there a time frame when it will be available?

Very soon! We MIGHT just be able to offer limited units at next Saturday's combined December BayLEAFs meeting.
-Phil

If you take reservation, please put me on your 1st line of the list; else, I will be there Dec 10 at 9:15am so be the first on the line.

 

[kubel]

I wish I could do an advanced exchange but my EVSE case isn't "like new".

 

[Ingineer]

I wish I could do an advanced exchange but my EVSE case isn't "like new".

Feel free to contact us directly, we can probably work something out. One option is a "double exchange" where we essentially sent you a loaner unit, then upgrade yours and return it.

-Phil

 

[arndtwc]

I had an 18amp charger. I wanted to use it both 120v or 240v. I sent it in to evseupgrade.com and they changed transformer to a 120/240v power supply but they also downgraded the amps to 12amps. I did not want the amps downgraded. That is the last one I will send them.

 

[arndtwc]

Does anyone know what is needed to program these Nissan chargers? I think it is an RS232 Serial port.

Also what is the protocal? If I had the protocal I could write my own software to porgram these chargers.

 

[palmermd]

I had an 18amp charger. I wanted to use it both 120v or 240v. I sent it in to evseupgrade.com and they changed transformer to a 120/240v power supply but they also downgraded the amps to 12amps. I did not want the amps downgraded. That is the last one I will send them.

The Panasonic that comes with the car is only 12amp rated as you received it from Nissan with your car.

http://www.pluginamerica.org/accessories/nissan-level-1-cordset" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EVSEUpgrade offers the following services

2.88kW (240VAC) operation - $239
3.84 kW (240VAC@16A) operation - $287

If you ordered the revision one upgrade, the unit remains 12amp, but it can be increased to 16 amp by purchasing the revision two upgrade.

 

[srl99]

Thought I'd give you a heads up about the "Rev. 2" upgrade to L2 @16A. This delivers a pilot signal for 16A. The _only_ thing limiting the draw at L1 (120V) to 12A is the Leaf's on-board charger. If you plug your "upgraded" EVSE into a vehicle with a more capable charger than Gen 1 LEAF - on L1 it might, in fact, take advantage of the 16A advertised. You may want to turn your attention to the NEMA 5-15 plug provided by the "upgrader". That -15 is for 15A, there's also a NEMA 5-20 plug (and matching recepticle) rated up to 20A. You may want the higher capacity plug.

OpenEVSE is in the same price ballpark as the upgrade if you're a little handy ... that's my "current" preference. You get a whole EVSE engineered from the start for the voltage and current you select. [A few hundred includng the $125 Leviton 30A J1772 cable.]

 

[hill]

Thought I'd give you a heads up about the "Rev. 2" upgrade to L2 @16A. This delivers a pilot signal for 16A. The _only_ thing limiting the draw at L1 (120V) to 12A is the Leaf's on-board charger. If you plug your "upgraded" EVSE into a vehicle with a more capable charger than Gen 1 LEAF - on L1 it might, in fact, take advantage of the 16A advertised. You may want to turn your attention to the NEMA 5-15 plug provided by the "upgrader". That -15 is for 15A, there's also a NEMA 5-20 plug (and matching recepticle) rated up to 20A. You may want the higher capacity plug.

OpenEVSE is in the same price ballpark as the upgrade if you're a little handy ... snip ...

:lol: operative words . . . . . it might . . . . ok . . . . might means might not, and that pretty much says nothing.
Then there's another classic in the relm of talking points . . . it's "the same" ... and "ballpark". It's not the same, if its only ballpark. At best, I think you mean it's almost as good, right?

 

[srl99]

Thanks for asking! Here's the Hack-a-sonic EVSE drawing 15+ A.

Here's the rating label (L1: 15A max with a 16A pilot signal ?!? L2: 20A max w a 16A pilot signal ?!?)

My sum of the parts (using Leviton $126 30A J1772 cable, Scooby Doo lunchbox enclosure not included, your power feed cable not included): $290. Value of having an additional EVSE priceless (meaning - of high value).

http://code.google.com/p/open-evse/wiki/ExampleEVSE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thought I'd give you a heads up about the "Rev. 2" upgrade to L2 @16A. This delivers a pilot signal for 16A. The _only_ thing limiting the draw at L1 (120V) to 12A is the Leaf's on-board charger. If you plug your "upgraded" EVSE into a vehicle with a more capable charger than Gen 1 LEAF - on L1 it might, in fact, take advantage of the 16A advertised. You may want to turn your attention to the NEMA 5-15 plug provided by the "upgrader". That -15 is for 15A, there's also a NEMA 5-20 plug (and matching recepticle) rated up to 20A. You may want the higher capacity plug.

OpenEVSE is in the same price ballpark as the upgrade if you're a little handy ... snip ...

:lol: operative words . . . . . it might . . . . ok . . . . might means might not, and that pretty much says nothing.
Then there's another classic in the relm of talking points . . . it's "the same" ... and "ballpark". It's not the same, if its only ballpark. At best, I think you mean it's almost as good, right?