InTooDeep said:
Thanks to all for the help. I am not really this ignorant on most things. This being new to me I have a lot to learn and I will learn.
You will catch on soon enough -- don't worry.
The important thing is you ask good questions.
And the truth is, there is not that much to learn.
You already know that the port in your car is for L1 or L2
L1 is 120 volts, and usually 12 Amps
L2 is 208 - 240 volts, and up to 13 Amps in some LEAFs or up to 27 Amps in other LEAFs. A location might be able to supply more Amps but the LEAF will only take up to its max spec. Your car is **probably** of the 13 Amp variety, but that remains to be determined for sure.
Nissan supplied an L1 EVSE with older LEAFs. You plug them into a regular household socket on one side, and into the car on the other side.
The side that plugs into the car is called a J1772 plug.
Public L2 charging locations also end in a J1772 plug, but they are typically 208 - 240 volts.
Now, some arithmetic:
amp*volt = watt
1000 watts is a kilowatt (kW)
The older LEAFs could pull up to 3.3 kW of power while the newer ones can pull up to 6.6 kW (all presuming the source can supply it and the EVSE allows it.)
If a kW of
power is supplied for one hour, a kWh (kilowatt hour) of
energy has been delivered. A LEAF travels 4 - 5 miles per kWh for most drivers in most conditions.
Example: If a public station is rated for up to 6 kW, it is going to be either 240 or 208 volts.
If 240 volts, it can supply up to (6000/240) Amps. If it is a 208v supply, it can supply up to (6000/208) Amps
So, if you plug into a 208v public station and your LEAF is limited to 13 Amps, you will pull (208*13) = 2700 watts = 2.7 kW. That is close to 2.5x faster charging than using the Nissan supplied EVSE plugged into a household wall socket.
Homework for you:
1. Show us what your wife is doing now. What outlet, what EVSE
2. Grab the plugshare app for your phones. It will show you what charging is available near where you drive, and how much power each location can supply
Later ... Grab the LeafSpy app and buy an OBD2 dongle for it (about $20). Then you will have insight into the health of your battery and how much energy it holds at the moment or when full, and how fast your car is charging.
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That is pretty much it.