Best Cheap 120 Volt Travel EVSE?

I often find myself at places where it would be great to have a compact EVSE that I could plug into a wall for several hours. My commute is 104 miles round-trip and during the cold, sometimes it is unclear that the 2019 SL will make the drive home. Ideally, I would have a compact EVSE with all of the electronics in the handle that I could plug into a nearby outlet while I am working. I am not looking for a normal EVSE with a box in the middle of a bulky cable that I have to let sit in the rain or mud, but just a handles with maybe a 2-inch cord that I can plug into any extension cord.

Does such a thing exist? Is there a cheap, electronics-in-the-handle 1.5kW EVSE that I can keep in the glove box?

I'm thinking that such a thing is unlikely. The purpose of the EVSE connector configuration is to protect the user from risk of shock, even in adverse ambient conditions.
By configuring such a device to require an exposed extension cord connection eliminates that protection.

I understand the sentiment, but how is this different than an electric hedge trimmer, lawn mower, or snow blower? For that matter, how is this different than plugging 120 volts into an RV (which I did last winter for two weeks)?

I doubt the electronics would fit in the handle. The EVSE cable supplied with the Leaf has a pretty big box that contains the relays and electrical parts needed for the EVSE to operate. Trying to fit all that inside the handle would be tricky and expensive at best, but more likely impossible.

You could certainly make one by shortening the cable between the box and the handle of a standard Nissan supplied EVSE.

martyscholes said:

I understand the sentiment, but how is this different than an electric hedge trimmer, lawn mower, or snow blower? For that matter, how is this different than plugging 120 volts into an RV (which I did last winter for two weeks)?

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I'm not saying that you're going to die. Your vehicle's charging interface conforms to SAE J1772.
I don't believe the EVSE can be sold as SAE J1772-compliant with the cord arrangement that you describe.

Most portable EVSE's are moderately weather-proof and can be used in your sort of situation. I can't recall that I"ve ever seen one with the contactors integral to the handle.

You understand that at 120V and 12A your charging rate is around 5 miles per hour, right?

goldbrick said:

I doubt the electronics would fit in the handle. The EVSE cable supplied with the Leaf has a pretty big box that contains the relays and electrical parts needed for the EVSE to operate. Trying to fit all that inside the handle would be tricky and expensive at best, but more likely impossible.

You could certainly make one by shortening the cable between the box and the handle of a standard Nissan supplied EVSE.

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Some Chinese made EVSEs don't have the required electronics. I wouldn't suggest an EVSE with everything in the handle as it is breaking the safety part of the specification. And who knows what other shortcuts taken.

If it were that easy, they would have made it that way.

You don't realize how much current goes through the cables on even the 120 volt charger.

If you connect it to a regular extension cord, it will get hot and melt the extension cord.

Do not try to cut corners on this...

Yeah to be j1772 compliant the brick needs to be less than 1 foot away from the plug.
I think that's stupid. I put a 6 foot long cord on both my evse units.
I understand why they did it, but it's still dumb.
Why not jut get a regular 12 amp 120v evse?

goldbrick said:

I doubt the electronics would fit in the handle. The EVSE cable supplied with the Leaf has a pretty big box that contains the relays and electrical parts needed for the EVSE to operate. Trying to fit all that inside the handle would be tricky and expensive at best, but more likely impossible.

You could certainly make one by shortening the cable between the box and the handle of a standard Nissan supplied EVSE.

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Mux made it fit. He may have a kit for sale to build your own.

css28 said:

You understand that at 120V and 12A your charging rate is around 5 miles per hour, right?

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I appreciate the feedback. If I am at the office for 10 hours, that is some 50 miles of range. This weekend I will be at a small college 80 miles away for much of the day and will need at least some charge in order to make it home. If I had a compact EVSE, I could at least add 30 or so miles while there. The number of times this comes up surprises me. I am equally surprised no one has put together a small and cheap 1.5 kW charger. I honestly expected many responses where people pointed me to a product.

Does anyone else have a need for slow 120 volt charging at some destinations? My need may be a one-off.

Oilpan4 said:

Yeah to be j1772 compliant the brick needs to be less than 1 foot away from the plug.
I think that's stupid. I put a 6 foot long cord on both my evse units.
I understand why they did it, but it's still dumb.

goldbrick said:

I doubt the electronics would fit in the handle. The EVSE cable supplied with the Leaf has a pretty big box that contains the relays and electrical parts needed for the EVSE to operate. Trying to fit all that inside the handle would be tricky and expensive at best, but more likely impossible.

You could certainly make one by shortening the cable between the box and the handle of a standard Nissan supplied EVSE.

Click to expand...

Mux made it fit. He may have a kit for sale to build your own.

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Is Mux the name of someone on the forums, or is that the name of a manufacturer?

martyscholes said:

Oilpan4 said:

Yeah to be j1772 compliant the brick needs to be less than 1 foot away from the plug.
I think that's stupid. I put a 6 foot long cord on both my evse units.
I understand why they did it, but it's still dumb.

goldbrick said:

I doubt the electronics would fit in the handle. The EVSE cable supplied with the Leaf has a pretty big box that contains the relays and electrical parts needed for the EVSE to operate. Trying to fit all that inside the handle would be tricky and expensive at best, but more likely impossible.

You could certainly make one by shortening the cable between the box and the handle of a standard Nissan supplied EVSE.

Click to expand...

Mux made it fit. He may have a kit for sale to build your own.

Click to expand...

Is Mux the name of someone on the forums, or is that the name of a manufacturer?

Click to expand...

Both.
Oh and for a 12 amp evse you will need at least 14 gauge cord.

I was going to suggest the somewhat overpriced(IMO) dual voltage TurboCord but it looks like they've discontinued their dual voltage EVSE and now only sell the 240v L2 cable. It looks like they blew out their dual voltage EVSEs last year and not only sell their way overpriced(IMO) L2 only model :?

martyscholes said:

I understand the sentiment, but how is this different than an electric hedge trimmer, lawn mower, or snow blower? ...

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It's different in that those devices are less likely to be unattended when energized and much more likely to be under the direct control of a responsible adult. Whereas an EVSE is typically unattended for hours at a time and therefore a greater risk to someone who may come along and not be aware of the amount of current flowing and the safety implications.

I need one of those things like they put down for wet floors, but it says "danger electric vehicle charging in progress".
In English and spanish.

martyscholes said:

css28 said:

You understand that at 120V and 12A your charging rate is around 5 miles per hour, right?

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Does anyone else have a need for slow 120 volt charging at some destinations? My need may be a one-off.

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Actually shift-length (multiple hour) charging is an ideal case for 120V charging, in that it can be provided more cheaply and there isn't an hour-by-hour scramble to get charged vehicles out of the way of needy ones.

I've tried for years to get 120V availability at work with no luck.