Which Smart Charger to buy

[Ital74]

Hi All,
i need some help deciding which smart charger to buy.
I am in CT and our utility company Eversource is offering a rebate on any of the below charges.

Which one do you recommend? Thanks

Manufacturer Model
ChargePoint CPH50
EnelX Juicebox 32, 40, 48
SemaConnect Series 4

 

[henrydehoja]

Hi,
I think those are all good charging stations (EVSEs). They offer various smart features, so it would be up to you to decide which features you would find to be more helpful in your case.

For me, I would look at the total price for each EVSE after the rebate value. I think the highest rebates being offered in the New England area utilities are for the ChargePoint stations. However, in my area, I find that even after the rebates, those stations you listed are still too expensive. For those wall-installed units, I would consider other, less-expensive, yet high quality EVSEs like:
* ClipperCreek
* Grizzl-E
* JuiceBox (not expensive Pro models)
* OpenEV

Other Users may reply with their preferred EVSEs, so you will see that there are many good options out there.

 

[Ital74]

The Rebate amount is $500, SemaConnect Series 4 is about $699 and you can select at what amperage you want to charge at
They have two options, a hard wired one or a NEMA plug in one. I think I am leaning towards the NEMA Plug one so that I can get that installed by an electrician, but not sure what is best. It would be awesome if they had an option that would allow me to back feed into the house in case of an outage

https://semaconnect.com/products/series4/

 

[LeftieBiker]

You can't back feed through a J-1772 charging station or cable. Neither the station nor the car are capable of that. There are systems in development (and one used one for sale here) that can use the DC Fast Charge port for bidirectional charging.

 

[henrydehoja]

The Rebate amount is $500, SemaConnect Series 4 is about $699 and you can select at what amperage you want to charge at
They have two options, a hard wired one or a NEMA plug in one. I think I am leaning towards the NEMA Plug one so that I can get that installed by an electrician, but not sure what is best. It would be awesome if they had an option that would allow me to back feed into the house in case of an outage

https://semaconnect.com/products/series4/

Yeah, as mentioned, backfeed is not happening at this time with a Leaf. That's a nice feature that a lot of us want, but don't have now.

Wow, that's a good rebate. That SemaConnect unit would do nicely. It has a good adjustable Amps out range, so it allows for future-proofing too.

If you plan on installing the EVSE outdoors, then you will need the hardwired one -- by code. If it's going indoors, then I would recommend the one w/ a NEMA 14-50 plug.

 

[Ital74]

It will be in the Garage, just my braker box is full sonwill need to donsome shuffling around.. ugh
Do I get just a NEMA 14-50R outlet?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Legrand-Pass-Seymour-50-Amp-125-250-Volt-NEMA-14-50R-Flush-Mount-Range-Dryer-EV-Charger-Power-Outlet-3894CC6/100576604

What type of circuit breaker would I need?

 

[goldbrick]

I'd get an electrician to do a load analysis to make sure your current breaker box can handle the additional load. That said, that receptacle should work fine.

You'll need a 50A, 240V GFCI breaker that matches your breaker box (it won't be cheap) since all 240V receptacles in a garage need GFCI protection under current code.

 

[BillAinCT]

If it's hardwired you don't need the GFCI breaker. You can also save some cost by going with a 40A circuit even if using a 14-50 outlet. Best to label the wires in the panel as 40A only so one isn't tempted to install a 50A breaker. An electrician would know to not do this.

 

[LHN]

I am not an electrician so please keep that in mind as you read this answer.

I had a ChargePoint Home Flex installed 2 weeks ago. The electrician installed it with a plug--that is, he installed a plug (one of those NEMA plugs), put it in a little box with a cover that snaps shut, then installed the ChargePoint, which plugs into the plug. I asked why he didn't hardwire it and he said the code in Maine requires a disconnect, so the plug essentially acts as the disconnect. Simpler to install and cheaper, too. I read that the code in Vermont is the same, so you might want to check on regulations in CT.

 

[BillAinCT]

I am not an electrician so please keep that in mind as you read this answer.

Neither am I. The state and even town can specify rules in addition or altering the NEC code that they have adopted. Often called the AHJ. Sometimes towns can be a couple or more years behind current.

For the NEC for EVSE I find the following:

625.43 Disconnecting Means

For equipment rated more than 60 amperes or more than 150 volts to ground, the disconnecting means shall be provided and installed in a readily accessible location. The disconnecting means shall be lockable open in accordance with 110.25.

If your EVSE is less than 60A and Maine doesn't require this specifically, then in my opinion it wasn't necessary. Added safety? I would agree. Let's hope you don't have to use it.

 

[LHN]

Maybe I could have had the electrician do things differently? Like I said, this is not my expertise but I do ask questions and try to understand.

I am not sure what it would have taken to do the hard-wiring. What he did do was install a plug and then plug the ChargePoint into the plug. I suppose someone could steal the ChargePoint off the side of the house--unscrew it from the wall and unplug it and poof! It's gone. I guess if it was hardwired, that would be harder to do. On the other hand, it is sort of hidden behind a bush and really, I don't worry about crime in my neighborhood, so I think I am safe. At the same time, if I decided to move, I could unplug the ChargePoint and take it with me. So it is an either/or situation, depending on which way you look at it.

The point is, you need to do some research, ask questions, and get the right answer for you. You also need to ask yourself if you actually *need* an EVSE. Maybe you have a NEMA plug close by and you can just use the cable that came with your car. The NEMA plug is the same type of plug that you would have with an oven or dryer. I have read several comments that say that ovens and/or dryers usually get plugged in once, and that's it. They are not being plugged in/unplugged all the time and are not designed for constant in and out, which could occur with a NEMA plug and using a cable for your car (lots of in and out). My take is that each person's situation is going to be different, depending on their house layout, where they have a garage/plugs/breaker box and so on.

For me, I am glad we had the ChargePoint installed although by the time we had everything done, the cost was close to $2000 (parts and labor). I realize this might not be in everyone's budget. Think it through and make an informed decision. Good luck!