Charging equipment for Leaf? Totally confused :(

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SashaAtlanta

New member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Messages
4
Hi, I'm picking up a 2013 Leaf S today. It has the charging package with a 6.6kw battery and a CHAdeMo socket as well as the standard socket. I'm wondering what I need to do level 2 charging at home. I have a dryer outlet close to the driveway that looks like a 10-30R and some 250v L6-30 sockets at the back of the garage with 30A fuses.

I'd like to charge the Leaf on a timer overnight. Any suggestions? I can do a bit of soldering, but I'm no electrical expert so would get an electrician in if necessary.

There's a CHAdeMO station 5 minutes away, so no tearing hurry but charging at home would be nice.
 
The dryer outlet should work. Just get an EVSE (charging station) with the appropriate plug attached. Clipper Creek makes good, inexpensive units and will add the plug before shipping. You can't use more than 24 amps on a 30 amp circuit, so something like their HCS 25 should work fine for overnight charging. It will charge at 20 amps. An HCS-30 should also work, assuming it charges at 24 amps.
 
Thank you so much LeftieBiker! I edited my post to say that the dryer socket looks like a 10-30R.

I'm not from the US and these strange looking sockets have me a bit bewildered!
 
You should be able to get a plug installed that will work with both your dryer socket and 50 amp RV park outlets. The Neutral plug is not used for EVSE installations, so it would have 3 prongs - Ground and 2 Hots.
 
SashaAtlanta said:
Thank you so much LeftieBiker! I edited my post to say that the dryer socket looks like a 10-30R.

I'm not from the US and these strange looking sockets have me a bit bewildered!

When you order from Clipper Creek, send them a photo of the socket you plan on plugging into, just to be sure.
 
Have a look at this thread:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=24944

Before using an EVSE on a 10-30 receptacle, you should consult with an electrician and your insurance company as there is no ground.

If it were me, I would have an electrician upgrade the 10-30 to 14-30 instead, but don't tell him/her that you want it for an EV as I bet the price is higher than if you say you're buying a new dryer to use with the 14-30 ;)
 
I spoke to Clipper Creek and they suggested I just use the 240v L6-30 socket instead with an LCS-30P.

Any thoughts?

Heh! Thanks Alozzy, useful tip! Specially if I park down the road :)
 
Right, if you have a choice between 10-30R and (L)6-30R, the (L)6-30R is a better choice. If those receptacles are not currently in use for anything, I suggest you check them to make sure that they are powered, plus check which breaker controls them and that it is a double pole 30 amp breaker.

Cheers, Wayne
 
@SashaAtlanta - Just in case you are unsure about the difference between 10-30R and 14-30R...

nema10-30r.jpg


nema14-30r.jpg


If you already have a 14-30R then it's safer and easier to match to an EVSE (they don't use the neutral blade, so you can just remove that blade from the plug on the EVSE cord and plug it directly into the 14-30R, assuming you order it with a 14-50P)
 
SashaAtlanta said:
I spoke to Clipper Creek and they suggested I just use the 240v L6-30 socket instead with an LCS-30P.

Any thoughts?

Heh! Thanks Alozzy, useful tip! Specially if I park down the road :)
Perfect. You will be very pleased with this option. Overnight charging will be a slam dunk.
 
A level 2, 16 or 20 Amp is plenty. The difference going to 30 amps is small. I put in a 6-20 outlet. I can charge from 20% to 100% in 4 or 4.5 hours. 30 Amp might shave off 30 minutes. The big jump goes from going from Level 1 to level 2, by a factor of 3 or more.
 
One work of caution regarding the use of a "dryer" outlet: Be very sure that the outlet is ONLY used by the EV, or you risk too much draw on the line if another appliance is plugged in concurrently.
 
SageBrush said:
One work of caution regarding the use of a "dryer" outlet: Be very sure that the outlet is ONLY used by the EV, or you risk too much draw on the line if another appliance is plugged in concurrently.

Yes, although if it was properly installed there won't be anything else on that circuit. If it was for a portable AC welder, though, they might have cheated and added it to a dryer circuit...
 
alozzy said:
@SashaAtlanta - Just in case you are unsure about the difference between 10-30R and 14-30R...

nema10-30r.jpg


nema14-30r.jpg


If you already have a 14-30R then it's safer and easier to match to an EVSE (they don't use the neutral blade, so you can just remove that blade from the plug on the EVSE cord and plug it directly into the 14-30R, assuming you order it with a 14-50P)

In the US since 1996 a grounded socket is required. That said, There are thousands of 2 L wires and a neutral out there. Really the neutral and ground wires go to the same spot on the main buss. Only the color differs. For EVSE use I do not see a difference since the ground is only for protection.
 
If the cable running from the panel to the outlet box is armored, then the box is probably grounded, and a grounded outlet can easily be added as a result.
 
LeftieBiker said:
If the cable running from the panel to the outlet box is armored, then the box is probably grounded, and a grounded outlet can easily be added as a result.
Only if the armor has a bonding strip run along the inside of it and welded to each corrugation. That would be modern type AC cable.

Old type AC cable didn't have a bonding strip, and type MC cable doesn't have a bonding strip. The resistance of the armors on those cables is not dependably low enough to function as an EGC.

Cheers, Wayne
 
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