Charging a used 2015 Leaf for a dummy (me)

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leez34

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2018
Messages
6
I’ve read a lot of these threads about getting a regular charge at home. However, every single one uses language like I’m an electrician - amperage, dedicated circuit, grounding - I can’t handle it.

I just want to charge my car to 100% in seven hours.

I don’t want to spend a lot of money.

In fact, I want to spend the minimum possible amount of money, since I just drained my bank account to buy a used Leaf.

My only caveat on the “cheap” criterion is that I am not going to be pulling cable. I will plug in things. That is all.

What specific steps should I take to make this happen?
 
leez34 said:
My car is parked in a garage near a dryer outlet, if that matters.
There are many NEMA plug types: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector#/media/File:NEMA_simplified_pins.svg Which do you have?

Cheapest is probably to send in your stock L1 120 volt EVSE to be professionally upgraded by http://evseupgrade.com/. You'll want to get the appropriate adapters (http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=index&cPath=7&). Do not attempt to feed 240 volts into an unmodified L1 EVSE via adapters. It may work for a bit but then will be killed by it.

There can be issues of too much cycling (unplugging and plugging in) on that dryer outlet. If it gets worn out (e.g. loose, gets too warm), you'll eventually need to change the outlet.

The below background info may help:
https://www.clippercreek.com/three-things-determine-ev-charge-time/
https://web.archive.org/web/20150619074649/http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=262630 - see post by planet4ever, specifically his diagram
 
I second Cwerdna's suggestion.
Keep the EVSE plugged in, and make sure it has some sort of strain gauge to prevent you from accidentally pulling the plug part-way out.

Understand that the car has to be on a *dedicated* circuit, meaning nothing else is pulling electricity on that circuit except the car. EVER.

Lastly, you do not have to be an electrician to understand the basics anymore than you have to be a plumber to know how to use a wrench. You can pick up a used copy of a 'dummy' book for a couple dollars. Time wisely spent.
 
I promise I’m going to read what you have posted and I will get the necessary upgrades to my cable. I wanted to add a few things:

I forgot to mention it’s an SV. I don’t know if that will matter for this at all.

I also really don’t even know what you mean by “circuit.” My dryer is plugged into the dryer outlet. I have not unplugged it - right now I assume it’s trickle charging with what came with the car. It’s plugged into the regular outlet below the washing machine. So when you say it should use it’s own circuit, are you warning me of danger, or just pointing out that it will be slow?

Why is this so hard? This seems like a significant barrier for the vast majority of consumers. I’ve got a postgraduate degree and I’m constantly reading just to be sure I can get to work and back on Monday!
 
leez34 said:
I forgot to mention it’s an SV. I don’t know if that will matter for this at all.
Somewhat. At least that means you have the 6.6 kW on-board charger, which is the max vehicle acceptance rate (the max amount it can draw from the "wall" at 240 volts).

leez34 said:
I also really don’t even know what you mean by “circuit.” My dryer is plugged into the dryer outlet. I have not unplugged it - right now I assume it’s trickle charging with what came with the car. It’s plugged into the regular outlet below the washing machine. So when you say it should use it’s own circuit, are you warning me of danger, or just pointing out that it will be slow?
If you charge at 120 volts, if it's not on its own circuit or shared with high wattage stuff, the breaker could trip when charging, terminating charging and the other load(s). With the stock L1 EVSE, it draws 12 amps * 120 volts = 1,440 watts or = 1.44 kW, kinda like leaving a space heater running unattended for MANY hours at at time. A lot of circuits for 120 volt outlet groups at home are only 15 or 20 amps. You should be able to tell by the number on the switch corresponding to the outlet you'll be using.

There is an 80% rule (someone correct me if I'm wrong as I'm no electrician) from NEC. You shouldn't continually draw more then 80% of the circuit's rating. 15 amps * 0.8 = 12 amps.

Maybe read http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=faq_info&fcPath=4&faqs_id=26.

If you have a dangerous panel (e.g. Zinsco or Federal Pacific), there's a possibility that on (or both (?) of those), the breaker won't trip in the event of an overload --> fire.
leez34 said:
Why is this so hard? This seems like a significant barrier for the vast majority of consumers.
It's not that's hard to me, but I'm not an EE nor an electrician nor can I pretend to play one. My major (I only have a BS degree) was in my university's school of engineering and applied science. I've dabbled with computer hardware since the 80s but except for the power supply, everything inside a desktop/tower PC is low voltage. I've been working on software for a living for over 15 years.

As for the latter, yes. :( One would hope that a dealer/sales critter can help but often they can't, esp. at dealers that also sell ICEVs. I'd hope that the Tesla experience is better since they sell no ICEVs. It helps to know other EV/PHEV enthusiasts/local EV groups.

Generally speaking, most non-Tesla folks who want to charge on level 2 (208 to 240 volts) get a licensed electrician to install a level 2 EVSE from makes like Chargepoint, Clipper Creek, Leviton, Siemens, etc.
 
From what you say then, it seems like my setup is unacceptable even for trickle charging, at least long term. It’s the only outlet down there and I need to wash my clothes. So I need to hire someone? Who?

I’m used to reading and studying; this is just so hard for me. I have a background in humanities and I’m a lawyer - even reading your summary is close to impossible for me, much less the links.
 
leez34 said:
From what you say then, it seems like my setup is unacceptable even for trickle charging, at least long term. It’s the only outlet down there and I need to wash my clothes.
I'm not clear.
leez34 said:
I also really don’t even know what you mean by “circuit.” My dryer is plugged into the dryer outlet. I have not unplugged it - right now I assume it’s trickle charging with what came with the car. It’s plugged into the regular outlet below the washing machine. So when you say it should use it’s own circuit, are you warning me of danger, or just pointing out that it will be slow?
If you use the "trickle charge" cable (120 volt L1 EVSE) on the same circuit as the washer, it should be fine for charging, until you start the washer. That might trip the breaker. Even, if it doesn't, if it's only a 15 amp circuit, then it's likely bordering on unsafe as it'd be past the 80% rule. Check to see who is the manufacturer of your electrical panels.

If you choose to charge at 120 volts, make sure you monitor the plug for heat after an hour and then in a few hours. If it gets hot, stop using it. If it's loose, replace the outlet. If you smell smoke, STOP!

Below are possible dangers when charging at 120 volts if you don't know what's going on and don't monitor:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=15784&hilit=outlet+fire
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=10887

Using extension cords is not advisable as there's nothing to monitor the temp of the plug at the end of the cord (supposedly the L1 EVSE that comes with 2013+ Leafs has something to monitor the temp of its plug, earlier ones didn't have it). It could overheat, melt or catch fire. The cord could overheat, as well --> fire hazard. If you do use one, make sure it's uncoiled, unless you want the danger of it melting.
leez34 said:
So I need to hire someone? Who?
If you need electrical work, normally, you'd hire a licensed electrician. I have no recommendations, but https://www.tesla.com/support/find-electrician might be a starting point.

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1098401_electric-car-charging-the-basics-you-need-to-know may also help a bit. Also, if you wish to locate paid and free public charging, use Plugshare (the app and web site). If your car has CHAdeMO (larger inlet on the left), you can use those DC (usually fast) chargers, as well. In many cases, you may need to sign up for an account and access card for a charging network (e.g. Blink, Chargepoint. EVgo, etc.) before using them.

I have no idea where you are. Can you update your location info via your user name in the upper right > User Control Panel > Profile tab? That way, we don't need to ask in future posts/threads or do sleuthing to deduce it.

BTW, NEC = National Electrical Code.
 
I can find my own electrician, but what will they be installing? I want to get a regular charge. I would assume every person on this board must have done this!
 
leez34 said:
I can find my own electrician, but what will they be installing? I want to get a regular charge. I would assume every person on this board must have done this!
Possibly nothing. If you wish to use your dryer outlet (assuming it's 240 volts, I have no idea since I haven't seen it), then you just need the right adapter to go w/your upgraded EVSE. Otherwise, you need to buy the right EVSE w/go w/the plug (e.g. https://store.clippercreek.com/residential).

I do not have a L2 EVSE installed at home. Long story. I occasionally (rarely) charge at 120 volts at home. Almost all my charging on free L2 EVSEs at my work. Some is done at free public L2 charging.
 
leez34 said:
I can find my own electrician, but what will they be installing? I want to get a regular charge. I would assume every person on this board must have done this!

First, an explanation of "circuit." This is a cable running from a single breaker (or one or two fuses) in your main electrical box (or local sub-panel connected to your main box), and all of the outlets and appliances that this one cable feeds. Dryer outlets are supposed to be the only thing connected to their circuit, but this isn't always the case. IF your dryer is all alone on its circuit as required, and IF the outlet, wiring and breaker* all all in good shape, then as Cwerdna wrote, you just need an adapter plug in order to replace the dryer with the charging cable, aka "EVSE."

You can't use the dryer and the EVSE at once, though, and plugging and unplugging them a lot isn't a great idea either, so you may need to ask the electrician you hire to inspect the wiring if local code allows you to have a second 240 volt outlet on the dryer circuit for the EVSE. If so, then be sure to use only one of the two at a time, or better yet have an either/or switch installed so that only one outlet is live at a time. If not, you have to decide between the dryer and the EVSE.


* If you have fuses in your main panel instead of breakers, then you need a separate shutoff switch for the EVSE. Why? Because if one of the two fuses used for a 240 volt circuit blows but not the other one, you get a dangerous situation in which the EVSE seems to be dead, but is actually energized with 120 volts.

I still charge using 120 volts because this is enough for me 95% of the time. I do intend to install a 240 volt outlet, but haven't yet. Many others here also use the 120 volt "trickle" charge.
 
Sounds like you have a 220V 30A circuit for your dryer in the garage. You could use this circuit for a level 2 EVSE. I would not recommend plugging and unplugging the dryer and the EVSE. You could use a switch to energize just one or the other of the 220V outlets as LeftieBiker suggests. However, it is likely that you have room in your main breaker box for another 30A circuit, so you could have an electrician wire in an additional 30A outlet in your garage. Since the wire run would only be a few feet, that should not be expensive. I did something similar except that I had a 30A circuit at the main box which was no longer in use after removing a hot tub. I plugged a Clipper Creek 30A EVSE into the new dryer type outlet and have used it successfully for 5 years now.
 
Sounds like you have a 220V 30A circuit for your dryer in the garage.

120 and 240 volts are the standards this century. I forgot to mention (Cwerdna did) that a 30 amp dryer circuit can't safely support a 27.5 amp EVSE. It can be no more than 24 amps due to the 80% rule. Clipper Creek sells good, inexpensive, US-made home charging stations, and they are all labelled by the circuit size rather than the less useful output amperage. So something like an HCS-30 would be in order.
 
Thank you all for your help and suggestions. After reading all this, I think I should be just fine with the trickle charge at home most of the time, and public charging when necessary.

I just won’t run the wash when charging the car.
 
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