Electric charging at work

[wishboneash]

http://www.todaysengineer.org/2012/Feb/EV-Charging.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I currently don't have L1/L2 charging at work, but may get L3 in a few months.

 

[EVer]

I'm lucky to have had L2 charging at work since Nov 2011. Best of all, it's still free, although I expect they will charge $ some time in the not too distant future.

I'm in Bellevue WA, just east of Seattle.

 

[adric22]

http://www.todaysengineer.org/2012/Feb/EV-Charging.asp

I currently don't have L1/L2 charging at work, but may get L3 in a few months.

In many ways, I would think L1 or L2 would be preferable for work. Most likely I would just park in one spot the entire day, slowly charging. With an L3, I'd feel pressured to charge my car, then go move it somewhere later. Not only that, but I bet it would be better on the battery pack. Oh.. and here's a question for you. Can you preheat or precool the car while plugged into L3? Does it work the same as L1 and L2?

 

[ghabel]

To help with the range anxiety and adoption I would think L2 is the way to go at work. If I have to run to an off site meeting I need to be sure I can make it home.
At an airport a mix of L1 and L2 would do the trick for short time and long term parking.

 

[Reddy]

http://www.todaysengineer.org/2012/Feb/EV-Charging.asp

I currently don't have L1/L2 charging at work, but may get L3 in a few months.

I like the hanging sign shown in Figure 8. That would be a great way to let people know you have authorization to charge and are paying for the service.

Reddy

 

[davewill]

I like the hanging sign shown in Figure 8. That would be a great way to let people know you have authorization to charge and are paying for the service.

I have long suggested that this is the way to handle paid charging in a work environment. Makes it easy to collect fees, prevents ICEing, and it's easy to handle EV driving visitors...they just pick up a complimentary pass at reception.

 

[leaf4me]

I think one problem with the 120v outlet L1 charging at work is that if it is used regularly, then I think the outlet will "wear out" due to the insertion / removal of the plug resulting in progressively worse contact, perhaps eventually causing a melted plug. The J1772 connector was designed to prevent this, and so a permanently installed EVSE seems like it would be a better idea, even if it was only an L1 (120v) level.

 

[fooljoe]

Can you preheat or precool the car while plugged into L3? Does it work the same as L1 and L2?

Haven't tried it, but I think it's safe to assume no. I do know for a fact that QC (I read we're not supposed to call it L3) completely ignores any timers you have set.

 

[EVDRIVER]

L1 120V charging is more effective for most work places where employees park most of the day. More L1 120V EVSE units can be installed because there is a lower load requirement, the cost of the units can be lower as well as the wiring and more EVs can charge. Most people in large companies only need a small charge to complete their commute. Yes, there are exceptions which is why having some L2 stations in the mix is needed.

 

[coolfilmaker]

I think one problem with the 120v outlet L1 charging at work is that if it is used regularly, then I think the outlet will "wear out" due to the insertion / removal of the plug resulting in progressively worse contact, perhaps eventually causing a melted plug. The J1772 connector was designed to prevent this, and so a permanently installed EVSE seems like it would be a better idea, even if it was only an L1 (120v) level.

Of course permanent EVSEs are better but you can replace an outlet for a few bucks in about 5 minutes.

 

[garygid]

And, no good reason why one could not have made
and use very durable outlets.

Using something like OpenEVSE, one should be able to make good,
inexpensive EVSEs, in modest quantity.

However, one also needs to examine the cost of connecting to the car.

 

[Herm]

Most electric cars come with a 120V EVSE (except BMW) so it makes sense to use those at work spots.. wear is an issue so just get commercial grade sockets, the EVSE itself will take care of arc suppression and GFI protection IF you unplug the 1772 plug first. You probably can install 10 120V sockets for the cost of installing a single 1772 EVSE.

Keep the EVSE under the hood and route out a good quality extension cord.

 

[nikketB]

Reading your post makes me feel I was lucky to have an electric charger at work.

 

[DarkStar]

Can you preheat or precool the car while plugged into L3? Does it work the same as L1 and L2?

I have tested this and yes, you can do preheating and precooling over Carwings while plugged into a DC Quick Charger. You can even still hop in the car and turn it on to listen to the radio, etc.

 

[garygid]

If connected to QC but no longer charging, the Pre-Heat/Cool would
just use the Battery, just as if you were not plugged in, right?

 

[DarkStar]

If connected to QC but no longer charging, the Pre-Heat/Cool would
just use the Battery, just as if you were not plugged in, right?

Correct, once the DC QC has "completed" charging it acts as it is completely unplugged from the vehicle. No way to restart charging from the vehicle side.

 

[ghabel]

Does the DC Quick charge stop at 80% automatically or is that something you have to monitor or set the timer?

 

[DarkStar]

Does the DC Quick charge stop at 80% automatically or is that something you have to monitor or set the timer?

On most DC Quick Chargers, they stop at 80% if your SOC is below 50%. If it is above 50% it will stop charging at 100%.

The Blink DC Quick Chargers allow you to preset the level that they stop charging, regardless of SOC.

 

[thankyouOB]

i love reading about QC charging protocols and usage from those who have experienced it.

it sounds so futurific!

 

[garygid]

I think it is the LEAF that decides to stop the Quick-Charging (or not)
at 80%, not anything within the QC itself, right?

The QC just tries to follow the LEAF's 10-times-per-second
CAN-message that contains the "Requested Amps" value (1 byte).

Normally, the car asks for zero amps when it wants the QC to stop.