100% trickle charge gets me 67 miles. Day 3

[DaveinOlyWA]

If it bothers you that much just charge to 100%. Not worth losing sleep over. But keep in mind that unlike a normal car you dont need gas in the tank when you get home because all the fuel you need is already at home waiting for you.

I am guessing in a month you will be laughing about this post

 

[davewill]

For some reason I feel restricted! I drive 40 miles rountrip. 80% charge and have 4 bars left after 1200ft climb. It's like a video game?! Can I really do this, or am I just 12 hours overworked and need to sleep. But no...I'm leafing out to you. Lol

Or do I just need to order that dang level 2 already

How often do you use your leaf after a commute to work?

All the time. Go ahead and get the L2 already. That way you can plug in and grab some extra miles when you get home. The charger in the LEAF is slow enough without limiting yourself to L1.

 

[Mauileaf]

haha...ok ok

 

[Reddy]

40 mi avg daily is just about the limit on L1. You can probably get 50 mi (5 mi per hr charge x 10 hr overnight) or maybe even 60 mi in a mild and non-hilly area (not yours). If you come straight home from work every night, plug in immediately, then perhaps you have a maximum of 14 hrs L1, maybe 70 mi. That's ok once in a while, but it doesn't allow for much of a "after work" life if you do this every day. I have done about 150 mi on two contiguous days using L1, but it took some planning. If you get behind on your charging on L1, you can't catch up, and the only option is to cancel the trip or use another vehicle. This has happened to me about three times in the past year (once cancelled, once delayed start, once ICE). RT to work is 8 mi so I don't worry too much about my constant L1 use.

Reddy

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

we had 10 hour shifts and 45 minutes of driving on each end and could not do 64 miles daily in Winter on L1. Summer i think could have been done but SO was unwilling to try it. i have a hard time convincing her she still as more than ¼ charge left when she gets home most of the time.

 

[Mauileaf]

so If I get the EVSEupgrade.com deal (over a Schneider Electric Universal Wall Mounted Electric Car Charger)...can I get a 10 gauge or maybe larger extension cord when I need that extra length...I don't need it now, but just in case at a friends house.

 

[davewill]

so If I get the EVSEupgrade.com deal (over a Schneider Electric Universal Wall Mounted Electric Car Charger)...can I get a 10 gauge or maybe larger extension cord when I need that extra length...I don't need it now, but just in case at a friends house.

You sure can. I've got one of the 50ft. ones. Choose the ones from the link below that state L6-20 plug AND connector and are rated for 20a. That'll get you what you want. It goes between the EVSE and whatever adapter you're using (or the wall if you're lucky enough to have an L6-20 on the wall).

http://www.stayonline.com/nema-20-amp-locking-plug-208v.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Mauileaf]

sweet...gunna order the EVSE upgrade. Unless you know of someone that has one they want to trade for a Level 1!?

 

[davewill]

One thing I forgot to note. If you look at the table, you see that over 50ft, the cords change from 12ga to 10ga in order to still be rated for 20a. You don't want to buy two 50footers and plan on plugging them end to end.

 

[Mauileaf]

so how hard is it really to do the home install unit...couple of 8ga -120v wires with an already install 50a welding 240v receptacle..the wiring might already be there...come conduit and bam! done..??

Schneider Electric Universal Wall Mounted Electric Car Charger?

 

[davewill]

Three wires actually. Here's the install guide: Electric Vehicle Charging Station EV230WS–Installation, the guide notes, "NOTE: Use AWG 8 copper or aluminum wire rated 90 degrees C or higher." If I was going to hardwire it as they suggest, I'd use a flex conduit from the existing box. Remove the receptacle and replace with a metal plate for the conduit.

Other makers (Blink and SPX) have supplied NEMA 6-50 pigtails and used a receptacle. My Blink is installed that way, and it's been handy to be able to power off the unit by unplugging without going out to the service panel and flipping the breaker. If it were my unit, I wouldn't hesitate to use either a 6-50 pigtail or simply buy a heavy appliance cord for the 14-50 receptacle you already have. Keep the pigtail nice and short, Just long enough to reach the outlet. Depending on circumstance, you may find you have to rotate the receptacle to accommodate the plug.

Edit:Taking a better look at the install guide, it looks like you'd run the pigtail out the top of the unit, and assuming the unit is mounted next to the outlet, the plug would be the correct orientation for your "upside-down" receptacle.

 

[Mauileaf]

It seems indeed a 2-pole 40amp rated is my other purchase...my 240v is rated 50a, but again I haven't swapped out the breaker yet. It's still at 20amp. If I got the EVSE Uprade should I change it to 50amp...if I went with the Schneider then, yes of course I'll change to 40a.

Nice find on the pigtail! Haha. My upside down. I'm sure this is in relation to the previous owners and they're configuration too.

Decisions decisions.

 

[davewill]

It seems indeed a 2-pole 40amp rated is my other purchase...my 240v is rated 50a, but again I haven't swapped out the breaker yet. It's still at 20amp. If I got the EVSE Uprade should I change it to 50amp...

Actually, for the EVSE upgrade, 20a is just fine, no reason to change it.

 

[Mauileaf]

ok...done

EVSE Upgrade it is...easy..dont need to purchase an in home deal, all I need to do is plug into my NEMA 14-50r and done.

 

[Mauileaf]

i would take that plug out and put in the 20 amp plug (cheaper) and see what gauge wire you got running to it

haha..glad I snapped that photo! I'll call my landlord and see if he even remembers why. I'm not about the pull that thing. Definitely not qualified to do so.

I think 50a is typical for welding, which is what the handwritten label in the breaker box says. Who knows how you ended up with a 20a breaker there, but treat it as a gift. 20a is what you want if you are going to get an EVSEupgrade. I don't think you need to worry about wire gauge; it might or might not support 50a, but it should be good for at least 20a.

Now, as to your "definitely not qualified" comment, it's really not that big a deal. Talk to someone at a hardware store; tell them you have a 50a outlet in a wide box and want to put in an L6-20 outlet instead. They can show you the hardware (maybe $25) and how to wire it. All you need is that voltmeter you want to get, straight blade and Phillips blade screwdrivers, and possibly needle nose pliers. It's a ten minute job for you, or $150 for an electrician, your choice.

Ray

im going to do this

 

[Mauileaf]

So I checked out my 14-50 outlet and obviously has four wires..if I installed an L6-20r into the outlet and left one of the wires (looks like a copper? see picture below) not connected, will this interfere with the wiring at the 20A breaker if I only use three because of the L6-20?

or should I just get an adapter?

Thanks

 

[pchilds]

If the bare wire is not connected, it needs to be, it is the ground wire. I don't think the adapter will work without the ground connected.

 

[Mauileaf]

it's all connected to the receptacle (4 wires) but I haven't checked the breaker box. I tested with the multimeter and checks out fine.

 

[pchilds]

Sorry, I mis-read your post. I would go with the adapter.

 

[Mauileaf]

roger that...so I guess no power loss then..huh