Does the winter package work with L1 charging?

I apologize in advance if this question has been asked and answered in other threads. I searched the database and read the threads I could find, but I am still not sure about the answer.

I live in Chicagoland and would like to be able to preheat before starting my 50 mile RT commute. I am not sure at this point whether I will be installing L2 charging at my garage. This will depend on the cost to upgrade my garage to 240V. I am concerned that my 30-year-old 25 feet underground conduit may not be in good enough shape to pull the additional wires and a digging job through vegetation and concrete might cost a small fortune. I assume my commute is right at the edge of what is feasible with L1 charging.

Not sure, the heater at full power is 4000 watts, more than L1 can deliver. Spend the couple hundred bucks and install a 240V socket in your garage... I'm sure there are a lot of electricians in Chicago that will do it for cash without too much fuss.

Pre-heat will work with L1 but since L1 can not supply anywhere the power pre-heat requires, it will somewhat deplete the pack in the process.

lukati said:

I live in Chicagoland and would like to be able to preheat before starting my 50 mile RT commute. I am not sure at this point whether I will be installing L2 charging at my garage. This will depend on the cost to upgrade my garage to 240V. I am concerned that my 30-year-old 25 feet underground conduit may not be in good enough shape to pull the additional wires and a digging job through vegetation and concrete might cost a small fortune. I assume my commute is right at the edge of what is feasible with L1 charging.

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lukati said:

I apologize in advance if this question has been asked and answered in other threads. I searched the database and read the threads I could find, but I am still not sure about the answer.

I live in Chicagoland and would like to be able to preheat before starting my 50 mile RT commute. I am not sure at this point whether I will be installing L2 charging at my garage. This will depend on the cost to upgrade my garage to 240V. I am concerned that my 30-year-old 25 feet underground conduit may not be in good enough shape to pull the additional wires and a digging job through vegetation and concrete might cost a small fortune. I assume my commute is right at the edge of what is feasible with L1 charging.

Click to expand...

How many hours does your car sit unused, but able to be plugged in? With Level 1 charging, you'll get roughly 5 miles per hour that it's plugged in. For a 50 mile round-trip commute, you'll need at least 10 hours of Level 1 plug time. With Level 2 charging, you get roughly 14 miles per hour.

If you can (or do) have access to Level 2 charging (or a 240 outlet) while away from home, you could theoretically do your primary charging during the day, then rely on available battery capacity to go from work to home and then back to work.

BTW, if you have conduit already running to the garage, an electrician might be able to run just a single additional wire to provide 120/240 to your garage (adding just an additional "hot" wire).

DarkStar said:

How many hours does your car sit unused, but able to be plugged in? With Level 1 charging, you'll get roughly 5 miles per hour that it's plugged in. For a 50 mile round-trip commute, you'll need at least 10 hours of Level 1 plug time. With Level 2 charging, you get roughly 14 miles per hour.

If you can (or do) have access to Level 2 charging (or a 240 outlet) while away from home, you could theoretically do your primary charging during the day, then rely on available battery capacity to go from work to home and then back to work.

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Currently my employer does not provide workplace charging. The chances are good, however, that I may be able to lobby for some outside 120 V outlets to be installed later this year. L2 charging is further away, but will happen eventually. So I might be able to get away with never upgrading my garage to 240V, hence my question about preheating using only L1.

DarkStar said:

BTW, if you have conduit already running to the garage, an electrician might be able to run just a single additional wire to provide 120/240 to your garage (adding just an additional "hot" wire).

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If a wire can be pulled through the existing 1/2" conduit then I will of course do it. Digging up the yard (the conduit runs right below my apple tree) and my concrete terrace is another matter. I am having two electricians giving me bids next week.