Step Up Transformer with L1 EVSE?

Hi,
I'm a newbie and I wonder if I can just use a Step Up voltage transformer to transform the house outlet 120v to 220v and then use my standard leaf L1 EVSE with it to charge my car faster?
I already have a 2k watt transformer at home, but not sure whether it would be safe to try it
Also I think if 2kw is not enough, purchasing a 3kw is less than $100 on amazon
What would be the risks here?

Thanks

No. NO, NO, NO! And it's 240 volts in the US, not 220. If you attempt that, the best result would be that you just ruin the Nissan EVSE. Death and/or fire are also real possibilities.

waelelgayar said:

I'm a newbie and I wonder if I can just use a Step Up voltage transformer to transform the house outlet 120v to 220v and then use my standard leaf L1 EVSE with it to charge my car faster?

Click to expand...

Nope. It would likely charge slower. As you double the voltage, you (more than, due to losses) halve the current. Hire an electrician to put a 240V drop in your house and buy an EVSE designed for 240V.

The other (highly not recommended) option is to find two 120V outlets on different phases. If you don't understand that sentence, you shouldn't be even trying anything like you're asking. :lol:

waelelgayar said:

Hi,
I'm a newbie and I wonder if I can just use a Step Up voltage transformer to transform the house outlet 120v to 220v and then use my standard leaf L1 EVSE with it to charge my car faster?
I already have a 2k watt transformer at home, but not sure whether it would be safe to try it
Also I think if 2kw is not enough, purchasing a 3kw is less than $100 on amazon
What would be the risks here?

Thanks

Click to expand...

You would need a 20a dedicated circuit to get that kw level and it would be pointless and inefficient. You you are better off upgrading your evse at evseupgrade and then changing that dedicated 20A 120V to a 240V 20A L6-20 and using the upgraded unit on that outlet. You need to upgrade the EVSE to operate on 240V but it would then provide you 3.8k on the same outlet. Changing a dedicated 120V 20A outlet to 240V is usually easy by adding a breaker.

Thanks for all the replies!
One important point that I didn't see before posting, is that the L1 EVSE only accepts 120v input, so putting it without upgrade into a 240v would just fry it right away

By the time you rig this up you will be far better to just pull 240v circuit to a new L2 EVSE.

Converting 120V to 240V before it gets to the car, doesn't add any energy. Think of it like converting coins to dollar bills at one of those kiosks. You can convert the form but you don't gain any value in fact you lose some in the conversion.