Charging speed of 3.3 vs. 6/6.6

[MikeS]

Hey guys,

This might be minutia but I was watching the nisssannews "B-Roll" video of the leaf a few months ago and noticed that the charging time (dashboard estimate) remaining of a mostly charged leaf (see screen shot) was the same for 3.3 and 6/6.6. I know that the Level 3 will slow as it hits 80%/stop at 80% or very slowly charge above 80%, so I get the theme that we don't want to ram energy into a battery right up to 100%.

That said, the Level 2 charge times for 3.3 vs 6/6.6 seem to be cut in half so I don't know if that would support my therory or question about slower charges times near 100% for the new higher powered Level 2. BTW: I keep saying 6/6.6 b/c I still don't have a handle on what the onboard charger is (but that really isn't the point of this post).

So in this clip the car shows a charge of 88%. and 4hours to charge to 100 at 120v, 2 hours at 3.3kw and 2 hours at 6kw.

So.....Does it really take 2 hours at 3.3kw to charge 12%? Seems likes its way overestimating the time. And again...why the same time for 6kw? I might be nit picking here.

* I now see the screen shot shows 6kw for the charger not 6.6kw.

Can't seem to figure out how to add photos from my computer to here.


Mike S.

 

[RePo]

Also, I have a related question:

On the '13 with the 6.6kW charger, how would you actually charge at 3.3kw? Level 1 will trickle charge, and any Level 2 will charge at 6.6kW. How would the 3.3 ever come into play? Even though the car always gives the 3.3 charge time if using that rate.

 

[P71VIC]

Also, I have a related question:

On the '13 with the 6.6kW charger, how would you actually charge at 3.3kw? Level 1 will trickle charge, and any Level 2 will charge at 6.6kW. How would the 3.3 ever come into play? Even though the car always gives the 3.3 charge time if using that rate.

Differnt L2 chargers are rated for different charge rates. I know of different models that support 3.3, 5, 6.6 & 9.9 kW charging. The cable actually performs a negotiation with the car before charging starts, and finds a mutually agreeable charge rate before electrons start to flow.

 

[planet4ever]

I now see the screen shot shows 6kw for the charger not 6.6kw.

It's not a big deal, but Nissan has confused things with their nomenclature. The old 3.3kW charger provided 3.3kW to the battery, and pulled 3.85kW from the EVSE. The new 6kW charger provides 6.0kW to the battery and pulls 6.6kW from the EVSE. So they should have called them 3.3 and 6, or 3.85 and 6.6, but in their advertising wisdom they decided to say 3.3 and 6.6.

As for the charging time estimates, Nissan seems to have a lot of problems getting any of their estimates right. It sounds like they may once again have a bug in their software.

Can't seem to figure out how to add photos from my computer to here.

There is a way to post photos directly here if you are a paid member, or gold member, or some such. (I don't remember the exact rule.) But most people put their photos on another website and point to them from here.

Ray

 

[cwerdna]

^^^
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2456&hilit=photos" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I used Imageshack the other day to host some screenshots from the Thinkorswim desktop app (related to stock options).

 

[smkettner]

Also, I have a related question:

..... and any Level 2 will charge at 6.6kW. How would the 3.3 ever come into play? .

L2 will not always charge at 6kW. It must be a 30+ amp L2 to charge at that rate. Plenty of L2 are rated at lower amps.

 

[planet4ever]

L2 will not always charge at 6kW. It must be a 30+ amp L2 to charge at that rate. Plenty of L2 are rated at lower amps.

This is one reason why some of us are so adamant about not misusing the term "charger". For L2, the charger (in the car) imposes a limit, and the EVSE (outside the car) imposes a limit. The actual charging rate is never higher than the lower of those two limits. Actually, the Lithium Battery Controller in the car applies its own variable limits, based on the temperature, resistance, charge state, and amount of degradation of the battery. So the real charging rate at any moment is the lowest of the three limits.

Ray

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Mike; IOW, ignore the charge time estimate...along with the GOM...and the... ah just kidding!! except for the first two points.