Charging the battery to 100% with 110 volt charger harmful??

[DaveinOlyWA]

Thanks, everyone, for the detailed responses. I think I have learned something new: it isn't the process of charging to 100% that is the problem, it is sitting idle at 100%, right? If so, I might have the best of all worlds: I charge at home to 80% at nights. After my 22-mile commute to work, which is almost exclusively on the highway, I am down to 5-6 bars. I plug into the 110v, which charges at the rate of around 6% per hour, right? Well when I come back after 8-10 hours, I am either at 11 bars, or had just finished charging. So the car never sits at 100% for more than an hour or so. It sounds like this is an OK situation, right?

Thanks a lot,
Reza

you should be fine but a thing or two to think about. you plug into 120 at work, charge 8 hours and be at 100% then drive home 22 miles, you will getting home with SOC around 70%. almost not worth plugging in to charge to 80%.

unless you plan to do extra driving when going home, i think you are better to charge to 80% at work as well

 

[davewill]

...So the car never sits at 100% for more than an hour or so. It sounds like this is an OK situation, right?

Sure, it's OK, but I'd just charge to 80% at both locations, it's easier on the battery, and it's what you would probably do if you were paying for it. Do you feel you just have to grab that 15-20cents worth of juice on the company dime? Sounds like a false economy to me.

 

[ebill3]

...So the car never sits at 100% for more than an hour or so. It sounds like this is an OK situation, right?

Sure, it's OK, but I'd just charge to 80% at both locations, it's easier on the battery, and it's what you would probably do if you were paying for it. Do you feel you just have to grab that 15-20cents worth of juice on the company dime? Sounds like a false economy to me.

Exactly!

 

[mazdaboi]

Before I had my Blink L2 installed i was constantly on the L1 Provided EVSE. Car was rarely at 100% for the first 3 weeks I had the car as when it was not driven it was on the plug. I have a 33-35mile commute each way (~+/- 68mi RT) Mostly City. Now i have my timers set at 80% for most of the week , 2 days a week i keep the timer set at 100% end at 440am. (leave for work around 5-530). So this allows the car never to be on 100% for more than an hour. On the off days (where timer 2 @ 100% is not being utilized) I wake up at 4am, use my app and click "start" it will be at 100% by the time i leave for work.

There are 4 FREE L2 stations on my commute route, so without charging during the day is not an issue.


Harmful leaving at %100 on L1, probabbly not as most of us willl not be fully depleating the battery with only a L1 EVSE as it could take over 20hrs to charge. But all battery manufactures (laptops, phones, etc) all say for long periods of time leave batteries around 55% charge for storage purposes, this is likely the same case for leaving it at 100%, i drive my Leaf too much to have this issue.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Harmful leaving at %100 on L1, probabbly not as most of us willl not be fully depleating the battery with only a L1 EVSE as it could take over 20hrs to charge. But all battery manufactures (laptops, phones, etc) all say for long periods of time leave batteries around 55% charge for storage purposes, this is likely the same case for leaving it at 100%, i drive my Leaf too much to have this issue.

this is the type of statement we need to avoid because "harmful" is not even close to a viable description of the issue here. it is not recommended to leave battery pack at ANYTHING other than about 30-40% SOC but that reduce the utility of the vehicle by a significant amount. so we are playing the weight game.

do i risk early capacity loss by charging? well of course you do. now if you can do 60-80% SOC and still get to where you need to be when you need to be there, then do it.

but if you cant, then dont worry about it. charge to 100% because the loss is insignificant compared to stress created in your life if you dont.

now; charging up the car 24 hours in advance and so on is bad because its like buying bread this week for dinner next week.

 

[taztaz]

You guys should be more concerned about the temperature the Leaf sits in.. An average difference of 5 degrees shortens the lifetime by half.. That is true for my AGM batteries anyway.. And that is every 5 degrees over 20c .. so.. if lifetime is 15 years for my pack at 20c .. having it in 25c gives a lifetime of 7,5 years instead... and so on.. But charging to 80% would be a good deal i belive. But i believe that keeping the battery pack below 20 degrees is as important as charge level! To give battery a long life. Keep it cool and dont charge it too high....

 

[bryan38401]

I too charge to 100% and also plug in at all charging stations when parked have only used L1 four times.we get consistant 75miles on interstate and about 85 around town,I to reset trip every day,and do a range test at least 2 times a month,the rest of the time we are always top charging.

 

[willk55]

Can I leave the charger plugged into the 110 outlet 24/7?

 

[dgpcolorado]

Can I leave the charger plugged into the 110 outlet 24/7?

Yes. You can leave your EVSE (the charger is in the car) plugged-in. I believe that an unmodified Panasonic/Nissan EVSE draws about 5 W when not in use, but Ingineer reports that they have been somewhat variable in his testing. Constant plugging/replugging into a 120 V outlet will wear out the outlet, so it is probably better to leave it plugged-in or install a switch to control the receptacle. The Panasonic/Nissan EVSE has proved to be very rugged and reliable.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Can I leave the charger plugged into the 110 outlet 24/7?

well ya you could but sooner or later you are probably gonna wanna go somewhere...

 

[ebill3]

Can I leave the charger plugged into the 110 outlet 24/7?

well ya you could but sooner or later you are probably gonna wanna go somewhere...

So, what's the problem? Maybe he doesn't want to take the EVSE with him when he goes somewhere. :lol:

BTW Will, the device you plug into the 120 volt outlet is not the charger - it is the EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment). The charger is in the car. Leaving the EVSE plugged in is probably a good idea, as the vampire load is quite low, and it prevents wear and tear of the outlet.

Bill

 

[willk55]

Thanks everyone. I know it is not a charger but I have trouble remembering acronyms. :lol: Glad I don't have to unplug it after each use. I don't normally take it with me because I use it mostly as a commuter car.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Can I leave the charger plugged into the 110 outlet 24/7?

well ya you could but sooner or later you are probably gonna wanna go somewhere...

So, what's the problem? Maybe he doesn't want to take the EVSE with him when he goes somewhere. :lol: ...

I take it that you didn't "get" Dave's joke. I thought it was rather clever.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Gee, even the smiley didn't work

 

[willk55]

Okay. I don't get the joke.

:?:

 

[dgpcolorado]

Okay. I don't get the joke.

:?:

Can I leave the charger plugged into the 110 outlet 24/7?

well ya you could but sooner or later you are probably gonna wanna go somewhere...

Dave was making a wry reference to the "charger" versus EVSE issue. If you leave your "charger" plugged-in to an outlet 24/7 it would mean leaving the car plugged-in since the charger is located in the car (under the hump behind the back seats). Hard to go anywhere with your car plugged-in 24/7...

 

[Ingineer]

I posted this explanation of how degradation works in another thread:

[extreme SoC] x [time] x [temperature] = degradation amount. (SoC factors are highest at either of the ends; discharged/fully charged)

So if you keep it at very high SoC (or very low) for a very short time it has very little effect, especially if it's cold. If you charge to full, then let it sit for a few days, and it's hot out, that's the worst-case.

If you charge and the temperature rises a bit, as long as it doesn't sit there for long at elevated temps, it's not going to add much degradation.

So if you can charge to full, and drive right afterwards, there's likely very little added degradation. That said, the difference between "full" and 80% is less than 15% (full is typically only 94-95% SoC), so if you can avoid it, it's going to be better.

-Phil

 

[ebill3]

Okay. I don't get the joke.

:?:

Can I leave the charger plugged into the 110 outlet 24/7?

well ya you could but sooner or later you are probably gonna wanna go somewhere...

Dave was making a wry reference to the "charger" versus EVSE issue. If you leave your "charger" plugged-in to an outlet 24/7 it would mean leaving the car plugged-in since the charger is located in the car (under the hump behind the back seats). Hard to go anywhere with your car plugged-in 24/7...

Well, I still do not get the joke, as it is impossible without major modification to plug the charger into "the 110 outlet". I thought it was a rather stupid comment, and did not help the poster one bit.

Bill

 

[planet4ever]

Well, I still do not get the joke

Obviously Dave's sense of humor outlet is incompatible with Bill's sense of humor plug. We'll have to remember that during any future silliness excursions. :lol:

Ray

 

[TomT]

Square plug in a round socket?

Well, I still do not get the joke

Obviously Dave's sense of humor outlet is incompatible with Bill's sense of humor plug. We'll have to remember that during any future silliness excursions. :lol: Ray