Recommendation for 24 Amp (30A circuit) EVSE

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Jerryr

Well-known member
Joined
May 14, 2018
Messages
77
Location
Bradenton, Florida
I have a cabin in the woods with an unused outdoor 30A L14-30R twist lock generator receptacle wired to a 30 amp breaker. I assume that the previous owner wired this generator receptacle to provide ability to connect a generator to the cabin. BUT the only way to connect a generator input it is with a suicide cable with the live plug end on the generator output.

I'm looking for a recommendation for an inexpensive, proven reliable outdoor 30amp input EVSE. I found one option on Amazon, a $229 Zencar 16 AMP EVSE with decent reviews but I never heard of it before. . https://www.amazon.com/Zencar-Portable-Electric-Charging-Compatible/dp/B07K6M2YXF/

What I would really like is a proven reliable weatherproof outdoor certified EVSE that is adjustable so I could set it initially to 24 Amp output now and later if I upgrade the service to 50 amp change it to 32 amp output.

Anyone have a suggestion?

Right now I'm not at the cabin so I can't see what needs to be done to upgrade it to 50 amp.
 
Clipper Creek makes a 24 amp charging station in a plastic housing that should work fine, and they will probably put the right plug on it at the factory, if you ask. American made, 3 year warranty, good quality but with no bells & whistles. About $500, which means that if you upgrade you can just sell it and buy a higher amp unit.

https://store.clippercreek.com/level2/level2-20-to-32/lcs-30p-nema-14-30
 
Get this Zencar 32a EVSE:

https://www.zencar.net/product/volt-evse-10a-16a-saej1772-nema-14-50/

Comes preconfigured with multiple amperage presets, including 25A. When I purchased mine direct from Zencar, I was able to pick my amperage presets. Not sure if they still do that, but ordering it with a L14-30 plug shouldn't be a problem.

Should be around $300, delivered to your door.

Have had zero issues with it, since purchasing over 2 years ago.
 
alozzy said:
Get this Zencar 32a EVSE:

https://www.zencar.net/product/volt-evse-10a-16a-saej1772-nema-14-50/

Comes preconfigured with multiple amperage presets, including 25A. When I purchased mine direct from Zencar, I was able to pick my amperage presets. Not sure if they still do that, but ordering it with a L14-30 plug shouldn't be a problem.

Should be around $300, delivered to your door.

Have had zero issues with it, since purchasing over 2 years ago.

That's made in China, with no GFCI, right? The price will likely go up soon, with the looming trade war.
 
alozzy said:
Get this Zencar 32a EVSE:

https://www.zencar.net/product/volt-evse-10a-16a-saej1772-nema-14-50/

Comes preconfigured with multiple amperage presets, including 25A. When I purchased mine direct from Zencar, I was able to pick my amperage presets. Not sure if they still do that, but ordering it with a L14-30 plug shouldn't be a problem.

Should be around $300, delivered to your door.

Have had zero issues with it, since purchasing over 2 years ago.
+1 although I personally had mine wired with a L6-30 plug but I've got a L6-30 to L14-30 adapter I made for L14-30 outlets.
Clipper Creek makes great EVSEs but are strictly one amperage, IOW you purchase it for the amperage you want, you have no way to adjust the output.
Another option(more expensive but equally as good) is Juice Box. Apparently, Costco has just started selling a model or order direct from their website(make sure to order one thats easily adjustable, they all aren't). I guess they cost more on Amazon. I'm guessing with Juicebox you'd probably have to either purchase or make an adapter cable to go from it's normal large Tesla style 14-50 plug to your L14-30 plug. Oh to adjust the amperage on a Juicebox you need to use your cellphone and an app, something I'd not really care for but to each his own.
Lastly, if you wanted a wall mounted unit you could opt for something like a GE Durastation, they have jumpers inside the unit allowing you to derate it's normal 30a max setting to 16 and 24a, perfect for your 30a circuit. You'd have to install your own L14-30 pigtail to the GE as it doesn't come with a cord.
Unfortunately you can't really purchase a 30 or even 24a EVSE off the shelf with a L14-30 plug, all I could find was the 16a Duosida you found.
 
smkettner said:
+1 for Clipper Creek LCS-30. I doubt you will need an upgrade even if you get a 300+ mile EV.

I doubt you will find an evse with L14-30. I would hard wire it for outdoors or change the connector to L6-30.

https://store.clippercreek.com/index.php?route=product/search&search=LCS-30

I have an OpenEVSE that I built that has a 14-30 plug for sale. In my care I purchased the wrong power cable. I was going for a 14-50 but I screwed up. Since I had the cable I built a 24A EVSE.
 
Clipper Creek sells a generic brand EVSE called 'AmazingE.'
I'm not sure what is given up for the lower pricing but if I was inclined to buy a 16 Amp generic that would be it.
 
Thanks for all the recommendations. You all have been very helpful.

I decided to go with a 30amp/24amp EVSE. I know I have a live 30 amp unused source on the side of the house with the L14-30R connector on a foot long SOOW cable coming out of an outdoor breaker box.

I also have a shed/barn that houses my 2 well pumps, lawn gear etc. There’s a 60 amp sub panel in that shed. I don’t know if I have any open breaker slots on the barn subpanel.

So I may have 3 options.
1- Mount an ESEV on the side of the house
2- Mount it on the Barn/shed outside wall
3- Mount it inside the Barn/Shed and just pull the charge cable outside under the barn door when I need to charge. That would keep the ESEV indoors out of weather.

If I do I’ll mount a Clipper Creek LCS-30 on the outside wall of the barn/shed ill hard wire the ESEV.

I I put it on the side of the house, for now I’ll get a get a piece of 10/3 SOOW and a L14-30P and make a short pigtail cable for the ESEV and convert it from hard wire to cable wired.

I got lucky and I found a brand new Clipper Creek LCS—30 on eBay for $400 and ordered it.

Wish me luck and again thanks for all the help.

Barn/Shed picture.

MnXeCtBl.jpg



Picture of the existing unused L14-30R connector hanging out of box on side of the house.

Z7Esiail.jpg
 
LeftieBiker said:
The connector looks well-used, but if you leave it connected it will probably be fine.

Yep, It looks old. I’m not sure it’s been used much. Regardless, I will treat the connector with a good coorision inhibitor like Corrosion-X or ACF-50. They both offer excellent corrosion inhibitor properties and dielectric properties. Been using them on aircraft frames and electrical connectors for years. I’ve been amazed how this stuff will correct intermittent connections due to corrosion.

If I decide to leave that location as the final location I’ll hard wire it with some #10 THWN in a piece of liquidtight flex. For now I have a piece of 10/3 SOOW from generator extension cord I made after a Hurricane Andrew. I just need a L14-30P.

Not at all related to this subject but look at LeafSpy results today. I’m excited.

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Jerryr said:
So I may have 3 options.
1- Mount an ESEV on the side of the house
2- Mount it on the Barn/shed outside wall
3- Mount it inside the Barn/Shed and just pull the charge cable outside under the barn door when I need to charge. That would keep the ESEV indoors out of weather.

I got lucky and I found a brand new Clipper Creek LCS—30 on eBay for $400 and ordered it.

Barn/Shed picture.

MnXeCtBl.jpg

I decided to go with option #3 above. My hard wired LCS-30 Clipper Creek EVSE is arriving tomorrow.

Today I got the barn ready for the EVSE. The 60 amp sub panel in the barn had all breaker slots taken so I had to take out 4 single pole breakers and replace them with 2- twin tandem breakers to free up 2 slots for the EVSE 30 amp 2-pole breaker. I then ran some some 1/2’ PVC Conduit with #10 THWN Wire to a new 4” metal junction Box waiting for the Clipper Creek to arrive.

We’re pretty remote. It’s 45 miles and 1 hour drive to the nearest Lowe’s. So I bought twice as much supplies that I needed and will return unused parts next time we go to town.

I spent more time fixing poor wire practice in the sub panel than wiring the new 30 amp 2-pole for the EVSE. There was romex coming into the panel without any service connector clamp, so the romex was resting on the sharp 1/2” hole. One breaker was double tapped and wiring was a rats nest. Now everything in the sub panel looks neat, clean and good to go.

Can’t wait until tomorrow S.I. I don’t have to rely on trickle charging. Last night and tonight I’ve been using the nissan EVSE as a trickle charger and only getting 4-5 miles of range per hour of charge. The EVSE is plugged into a 110 outlet in the barn and cord comes out under the barn door. I’m monitoring progress from my bed tonight with the Nissan EV app.

Notice estimated charge time is 24 hours at trickle charge rate.

et3tHcpl.png
 
I spent more time fixing poor wire practice in the sub panel than wiring the new 30 amp 2-pole for the EVSE. There was romex coming into the panel without any service connector clamp, so the romex was resting on the sharp 1/2” hole. One breaker was double tapped and wiring was a rats nest.

I never intended to rewire most of this house, but when I went to install a grounded outlet upstairs, for our first computer, I began an odyssey of both replacing old rotted cloth wires and undoing amazing feats of stupidity much like the above, and also including things like 5 cables going into a 4 cable junction box (the 5th under the cover), a 240 volt A/C circuit made by tapping into two other existing circuits, a doorbell transformer hanging from a full junction box (yup, under the cover wires again)...
 
The LCS-30 is up and running. I mounted it in the barn and run the cord under the barn door to the car to charge it. I left the input flex without shortening it in case I decide to not keep it and sell it.

I’m surprised that the wiring is 12 gauge on the LCS-30. Both the primary power input wire and the cable to the car are 12 ga. Not only is it 12 ga it gets pretty warm when charging. That heat has to be wasted energy. 12 ga and 24 amps?

HAS ANYONE ELSE WITH A LCS-30 EXPERIENCED THE SAME WARM CABLES?

My Eaton EVSE at the primary house that I’ve had for the last 4 years has a significantly heavier cord to the car and it never gets warm.


mHNhkNql.jpg


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Yes my LCS-30 cord gets noticeably warm but not really hot. I assume it has 90C or 105C insulation vs 60C rated home wiring and should not be a problem.
I really prefer the lightweight cable vs my old Schneider. At 30 amps and #10 it gets warm also.
 
Well my new eBay purchased Clipper Creek LCS-30 was throwing a fault code this morning. Two lower fault lights are blinking and manual states internal fault, call for service.

So I wired a 14-50R with a 40 amp breaker and some #6 THWN wire I had, and plugged in the Nissan EVSE. Checked current draw with well pumps, AC in office, lights in barn and Nissan EVSE all running and was drawing 44 amps, 116 &117 volts 233 volts across the 2 hots. The Nissan EVSE was drawing 29.5 amps per leg. Since this is a 60 amp sub panel I’m good to go.

I’ll return the LCS-30 to the eBay seller. Too bad. I really liked the 24 foot cord.

Last year I got lucky and found a 2018 120V/240V Nissan EVSE on eBay for only $219 so I’ll leave that one at the barn.

HnmGn95l.jpg
 
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