EVSE options for 2013+ Leafs

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After an article in Charged EV's, I'm concerned that some of the EVSE's I've bought may not meet UL requirements. I've found approvals on my BLINK home unit and the L1 that came with my Leaf. I've paid quite a bit of money for my JESLA and a Go-Cable from Quick Charge Power as well as a Juicebox 40. Neither of the three seem to have UL or other electrical equipment safety endorsements. The article is "Buyers Beware" on Charged EVs. I'm not sure how concerned I should be. Any thoughts?
 
powersurge said:
If you buy a NON _UL listed charger, for a $500 box, are you willing to risk a $30K automobile, and possible a fire in your home? If for some fluke it went on fire, there are chances that your fire insurance would not pay because it was not UL Listed.

Great bunch of BS. Now, I'm not suggesting that UL listed stuff will put your $30k car at risk, but it sure put my $50k car and home at risk. Thank goodness that Blink station was UL listed when it tried to burn up my car.

And here's some other UL listed products that have melted: Link to UL listed Schneider EVSE melting and difficult to remove

UL Listed REMA brand plug:
Blinkj1772burntPinB.jpg



UL Listed REMA brand plug:
Blinkj1772burntPinA.jpg



UL Listed Yazaki brand inlet:
Rav4j1772burntPinB.jpg



UL Listed Yazaki brand inlet:
Rav4j1772burntPinA.jpg
 
Turnover said:
After an article in Charged EV's, I'm concerned that some of the EVSE's I've bought may not meet UL requirements. I've found approvals on my BLINK home unit and the L1 that came with my Leaf. I've paid quite a bit of money for my JESLA and a Go-Cable from Quick Charge Power as well as a Juicebox 40. Neither of the three seem to have UL or other electrical equipment safety endorsements. The article is "Buyers Beware" on Charged EVs. I'm not sure how concerned I should be. Any thoughts?

First, let me thank you for your business. I guess if, due to that article, you were not comfortable with our quality charge equipment that isn't put on a list by a for-profit testing company like UL, you could always sell your stuff and buy only products that are UL listed.

You'll note that Charged EV magazine has no problem taking our money to advertise in their magazine. I just sent them a healthy sized check just today. The fear mongering in the article is as old as the human existence, but I am a bit dismayed at the factual errors.

The article seems to suggest that if a product isn't UL listed, it wasn't tested. That is either seriously naive, or a blatant lie. Sure, there some poor quality stuff out there, and some UL listed stuff is on that poor quality list.

I guess it comes down to this; do you think the well over 100,000 Tesla charge cables (that our JESLA is based on) are dangerous because Tesla never bothered to have them UL listed?

I'll get the popcorn and wait for the usual "your fire insurance is void" hogwash to come next.
 
TonyWilliams said:
. Sure, there some poor quality stuff out there, and some UL listed stuff is on that poor quality list....
+1, just because something has a UL sticker on it doesn't mean it's built to high quality standards, conversely just because something doesn't have a UL sticker on it doesn't mean it wasn't build to high quality standards. I've seen a fair number of things fail with the magic UL sticker, I've also purchased things without the sticker that work great to this day :)
 
Looks like the both the buyers and sellers have their concerns from their particular point of view. No, I haven't and my son hasn't had any trouble with the equipment I bought. Still, I paid good money for this equipment and I stand to loose big time if something goes wrong and don't care to be blown off even by folks I like.
 
Let me clear one thing up, that seems to have become an issue: Neither your homeowner's insurance nor your auto insurance will deny a claim if a fire results from a non-UL product. There has to be a specific exclusion in the policy that states if a loss occurs due to failure of a non-UL approved product, that the damages are not covered. I have spent the bulk of my adult life as an insurance adjuster, have handled many H/O and auto claims(including fire losses)and I do not recall ever seeing any such exclusion. What might happen is that your H/O insurance company could(I guess)cancel your policy after the policy term expires (but even that is highly regulated and I cannot imagine why they would do that). People do all kinds of really stupid things and their insurance still covers the damages. Your mortgage company would still have a major financial interest in the property as would a lien holder for a car loan. Someone would have to show me the specific section and language that denies coverage here. Sounds like a load of bulls**t to me.

Lou
 
The way I look at it, UL listing is more important for high volume consumer goods where I KNOW that the manufacturer is highly motivated to cut corners. For high ticket items like EVSEs, I rely more on reviews in places like this and my overall impression of the company and unit.
 
Speaking of non UL EVSEs :mrgreen: Just wanted to give a 2 month update on my 30a portable EVSE, ordered by me directly from China. I'm really liking it, use it every day with my '13S w/6.6kw charger and no issues. I mainly use it set to 30a which gives me 27.5a or about 30% gain per hour on my 24kwh battery. I also use it set to 20a which outputs ~18a and gives me about 20%/hr gain, I've also used the 13a setting which gains me about 15%/hr and is good for unknown or 15a outlets. Changing the current a bit odd(shake EVSE within 30? seconds of plugging in wall but not plugged into car and it will increment to the next setting) but isn't too hard and I've never had it change inadvertently.
Ordering directly from China probably isn't for everyone and I'd just have not done it but doing it that way got me the exact EVSE I wanted and saved me ~$100 or more from US resellers.
The j1772 cable being rated for >30a is kind of thick but I'm happy to report remained quite flexible even in sub zero MN temps, something I can't say about all EVSEs. Unfortunately like most EVSEs the short input cable did get quite stiff, still OK though because it's short. The EVSE's display is kind of cool, displaying not only set amps but actual output amps, actual input voltage, outside temp, current Kwh output and accumulated KWhs which unfortunately resets when you unplug it.
I really like the longer than normal 25' cable, along with the slightly longer input cable(I wanted and got a 2'+ input cable) I'm able to reach outlets ~28' away and has come in handy a couple of times.
I don't believe I posted my original post in this EVSE thread so I'll do it now:

Well I took the plunge, ordered one of those adjustable 30a EVSEs direct from the Chinese seller, Zencar. My salesperson was "Dream" who was pretty decent to work with and here are the specs I specifically wanted and got, in quotes are from seller:


"The EVSE box has display ,it measures voltage, current and accumulated charging power kWh.

J1772 ev plug + 13A/20A/32A EVSE + 8m cables + 6 - 30 plug FOB price is 300usd/pc. It has CE, TUV certification, 12 months warranty."

Express shipping from China was $64 and they said I should have it no later than 8 days. I was nicked a $16.40 "PayPal fee" but I just wasn't sure if giving my CC # directly to a Chinese merchant(even though they seemed legitimate in every respect) was a good idea....
So a total of $380.40 shipped to my door for a 30a EVSE with a 8m(~25') cable and ability to limit current to 13a(for a 15 circuit) 20a(slightly overloading a 20a circuit but OK for shorter duration(an hour or so) 20a use) and finally 30a(they said max output with the L6-30 that I wanted could only be 30a) which should give me 27.5a on my '13 Leaf, plugged into a proper circuit.
I'll fill you in on how it works once I've gotten it and played with it for a while, no other portable 30a EVSE in this price range, the closest would probably be the $399 wall mount GE(only 18' cord) which IMO is way too bulky to carry around or maybe the $500 JuiceBox basic that you cannot limit the charging current or $600 JuiceBox you can limit charging current but your need to use your cell phone or lastly for ~$600 you could get a ClipperCreek that you couldn't limit charge current and only works on L2(240v). No for <$400 this seems a real versatile nicely priced EVSE, hope it works well :)

Base unit I ordered, note you don't get all the charging currents listed, I picked the (3) I most wanted and I believe I got a longer cord than is normal, I think 5m(~15') is standard unless you specify.
http://www.e-zencar.net/product/evse-32a/
 
I was able to get a 30A EVSE from Ebay that appears to be an unlabeled version of Evocharge 30A EVSE.

It has a NEMA 3R enclosure rated for outdoors, although I'm just using it in a garage. The Evocharge unit has quite a few positive ratings on Amazon, so I'm thinking it may be one of the better deals out there right now if you can handle no warranty.

I have a Clipper Creek LCS-20 as a backup that I'll end up using elsewhere, so the lack of warranty didn't bother me.

Was priced on Ebay and several other sites at $325 and best offer taken was less than that. The Evocharge price for an identical unit was more than double that.

May be an good alternative low cost option if anyone is interested.
 
silverone said:
I was able to get a 30A EVSE from Ebay that appears to be an unlabeled version of Evocharge 30A EVSE.
....
Do you have a link? I searched ebay for EVOcharge but found nothing :? I did see some EVSEs but nothing called Evocharge.....
I did find a similar 30a EVSE to the one I ordered directly from China, the ZenCar but it was $399 and only had 2 amp settings(16 or 32) and had the rather large/bulky 14-50 plug and no mention of the cord length so I'd assume it might be the standard 5m??.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Duosida-32Amp-240-Volt-ZenCar-Electric-Car-Charger-EV-EVSE-Level-2-7-Plus-kWh-/322417483409?hash=item4b11945e91:g:OsAAAOSw9GhYkz4I&vxp=mtr
Another seller has one with 4 amp settings, 10, 16, 24 and 32 also with the 14-50 plug. Looks to have the nice 24" input cable and 24' output for $495. So if ordering direct from China isn't your thing and your OK with the amp settings and 14-50 input plug, it might be a good deal.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Duosida-ZenCar-Electric-Car-Charger-EV-EVSE-Level-2-32-Amp-Adjustable-/122049817194?hash=item1c6abc6a6a:g:JK4AAOSwA3dYaPsM&vxp=mtr
 
jjeff said:
silverone said:
I was able to get a 30A EVSE from Ebay that appears to be an unlabeled version of Evocharge 30A EVSE.
....
Do you have a link? I searched ebay for EVOcharge but found nothing :?

Here's an eBay listing for the LO-BC2 EVSE
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-Level-2-AC-EVSE-Charging-Station-with-US-Support-/262812707909?hash=item3d30dbac45:g:6NQAAOSwdsFUQEfb&vxp=mtr

And the EvoCharge for comparison is on Amazon for $625 plus shipping. Model number EV072-300-001A.

When I searched for LO-BC2 there were other websites that had it available for a similar price from the same vendor.

Edited - couldn't post link to Amazon for some reason
 
silverone said:
jjeff said:
silverone said:
I was able to get a 30A EVSE from Ebay that appears to be an unlabeled version of Evocharge 30A EVSE.
....
Do you have a link? I searched ebay for EVOcharge but found nothing :?

Here's an eBay listing for the LO-BC2 EVSE
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-Level-2-AC-EVSE-Charging-Station-with-US-Support-/262812707909?hash=item3d30dbac45:g:6NQAAOSwdsFUQEfb&vxp=mtr

And the EvoCharge for comparison is on Amazon for $625 plus shipping. Model number EV072-300-001A.

When I searched for LO-BC2 there were other websites that had it available for a similar price from the same vendor.

Edited - couldn't post link to Amazon for some reason
Wow that is a great price! I've already got too many EVSEs but if I didn't :lol:
Link to Amazon listing, not such a great price, but again a nice looking EVSE.
https://www.amazon.com/EVoCharge-Certified-Connector-Hardwire-Warranty/dp/B00FVE9Z6U/ref=sr_1_23?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1486862482&sr=1-23&keywords=level+2+ev+charger
 
TonyWilliams said:
Turnover said:
No, I haven't and my son hasn't had any trouble with the equipment I bought. Still, I paid good money for this equipment and I stand to loose big time if something goes wrong and don't care to be blown off even by folks I like.

That's one advantage of buying your EV products from a reputable vendor like us at Quick Charge Power is that you are taken care of. Good luck to those folks who buy their stuff directly from China, and subsequently need warranty repairs.

UL neither hinders, nor helps. It should provide a baseline of safety, but as we clearly know, UL listed devices are being sold and failing, some in spectacular ways. It doesn't weed out the "bottom-feeders" like Blink is.

It really does come down to knowing who you are buying from. It does pay to do business with reputable suppliers, whether the equipment has been UL listed, or not. No reputable supplier will risk their brand name on junk, and we certainly have never done that.

By the way, we had a weekend sale on our Go-Cable, with NEMA L6-20 plug, plus two adaptors for NEMA 10-30 (old dryers) and NEMA 14-50 (RV parks and ovens). We sold almost 100 in 3 days. These are PERFECT for a lightweight, low cost, portable charge cable with all the plugs for a LEAF.
Totally agree and personally I wouldn't have ordered direct from China but doing so allowed me to order it just the way I wanted it built. None of the US based resellers of this EVSE had the amp settings I wanted nor the correct combination of cable length and plug style I wanted.
But ordering direct from China I'm the US dealer, any warranty issues and I personally would have to contact the Chinese seller and arrange shipping back to them(and I'd guess on my dime). I kind of took the chance because it looked to be a quality device and basically gambled it would be decent, luckily it seems to be but again I understand the consequences if it hadn't turned out to be.
I have no problem with someone purchasing such an item in bulk and reselling for a profit and in doing so providing local support or warranty. It looks like the cheaper ebay seller of the EVSE very similar to mine has kind of split the difference, basically not charging much more than I paid after shipping but stating that warranty support would need to be direct with the Chinese seller, the other ebay seller that was $95 more did provide warranty support, I think both sellers are providing a decent product, just different levels of service which is reflected in their pricing and certainly fair :)
 
If you want a quality unit, and cost is a concern, I still recommend the GE Durastation. I purchased and have been using one since March 2015 with no issues. It is in a weather-tight housing with adjustable output and a three year warranty. It is designed to be hard-wired, but a cord can be attached instead. It is available from Home Depot for $399, and also available on Amazon (but the price fluctuates there). It is a plain looking unit, but functions well. I also purchased a cord hanger that the handle clips in for about $25 (available from multiple vendors).

http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-EV-Charger-Indoor-Outdoor-Level-2-DuraStation-Wall-Mount-with-18-ft-Cord-EVDSWGH-CP01/205808537
 
Twenty-two pages of posts and only one mention of the Chargepoint EVSE, so I'm chiming in:

This EVSE is on the pricey side, but it does go on sale every now and then... I bought the plug-in with 25' cord for $636 delivered, during the retail bonanza between Thanksgiving and Xmas.

Federal tax credit 30% = $191, City of Austin rebate 50% = $318, for an out-of-pocket cost of $127. <fist pump>

The connectivity is a nice-to-have, not a must, but I was happy to turn off my Leaf's charge scheduler and replace it with the unit's scheduling (configurable for weekend/weekday, with however a start and stop time, not an "end by" time). I do like the ease of overriding the scheduler--you can either do it with the hardware (plug in, unplug, replug) or with the app (tap "Start charging now").

The unit is very sleek-looking and comes with everything necessary to mount it, including long screws and a paper template. The cord wraps around the mounted box. The "holster" is a ball swivel, so if you mount the unit low to the ground, the "nozzle" can still be engaged and disengaged easily. The colored lights are, well, mainly for the ooh-ahh factor when I show it off to friends. Green for online, blue when plugged in to the car, flashing blue when actually charging. I guess it goes red or amber for faults--haven't seen it though.

I know a lot of members here are avid do-it-yourselfers, but I really liked the ease of opening the box, screwing the plate to the wall, snapping in the wires, and plugging it in. It's worth noting that this unit is UL-listed, as one of the requirements for the 50% rebate from the city was UL approval.

No dog in the hunt... Just a happy customer. (I guess it didn't hurt that about 97% of the public chargers in Austin are on the Chargepoint network, so I already had a Chargepoint account.)

61wirq9EKYL._SL1500_.jpg
 
annabel398 said:
Twenty-two pages of posts and only one mention of the Chargepoint EVSE, so I'm chiming in:

This EVSE is on the pricey side, but it does go on sale every now and then... I bought the plug-in with 25' cord for $636 delivered, during the retail bonanza between Thanksgiving and Xmas.

Federal tax credit 30% = $191, City of Austin rebate 50% = $318, for an out-of-pocket cost of $127. <fist pump>
........

No dog in the hunt... Just a happy customer. (I guess it didn't hurt that about 97% of the public chargers in Austin are on the Chargepoint network, so I already had a Chargepoint account.)

s-l1000.jpg



I just picked up the L2 16Amp version of the ChargePoint Home. LOVE IT! Coming from my old EcoTality BLINK EVSE. I only had availability to run a 20amp service to my garage, so the 16Amp Chargepoint EVSE is great.

Got the Plug-In unit for $380 (new)+ $116 for a used 16Amp J1772 Cable. Both from Amazon. small, easy to transport (if need-be) and seems high quality.

I can charge at 6.6kw with my 2013 S, but dont have the Amps available nor the heaver gauge wire to run 30-35amps safely.
 
LeftieBiker said:
Does the Chargepoint unit let you stop charging remotely? Now that would be a real help. Here's a link to a current price:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0124KMODY/?tag=myelecarfor-20&th=1

I believe it does, but I will test when I go home at lunch today and let you know for sure.

You can definitely set a schedule (one for weekdays, one for weekends); and you can initiate charging at any time from the app, assuming you're plugged in of course. There is also a hardware override of the auto-schedule: if you plug it in, remove the plug, and re-plug it within (I think) 8 seconds, the car will start charging even if it's outside scheduled hours. I usually use the software to do it, if only to save wear-and-tear on the plug.

It can also text a reminder to plug in at a certain hour, if you haven't already.

BTW, the prices in the link currently (as of 4 April 2017) are: $630 with 18' cord, $675 with 25' cord -- this is for the 32A (40A outlet) plug-in version. That's a little higher than I paid on Black Friday but considerably lower than list.
 
After a lot of research reading every single forum about EVSE and talking to owners of different EVSEs, I decided to try the OBER products.

I ended up buying the OBER-Charger.

I was going to be thousands of dollars for us to get 240V in our garage, ended up saving more than 80% of total costs and was able to do it myself.

This is the description of the OBER-Charger from their page:

OberCHARGER combines a powerful Level-2 charger
with the OberSWITCHER.
This single box is the most cost effective solution
? if you don’t have or want a separate EVSE.
Charges most EV in 3-4 hours even when dryer is in use.
Length of J-1772 cable and plug: 20ft

Use your regular dryer wall outlet to charge your car.
Plug&Play - just connect your Level-2 charger (EVSE)
and dryer and use both at same time.

Their website is http://ober-ev.com

I got good reviews from friends in Europe, I think they are just starting to sell in the US market. I will post pictures of my install if anyone is interested. Just let me know or ask me any questions.


64462cc8-a491-4208-8469-775d19d938ef.jpg
 
So basically $750 for a 30, probably 24a EVSE(24a since it will be plugged into to a 30a oulet) and Dryer Buddy(box that shares EVSE load with a dryer). Looks like for $380 you can purchase just the Dryer Buddy alone.
VegasBrad(member on MNL) sells his Dryer Buddy for ~$150 depending on plug, which would mean that 24a Ober EVSE would be costing ~$600.
For ~$400 and up one could get a GE full 30a(not 24a although can be de-rated to 24a) UL listed EVSE, which when added to Brads Dryer Buddy would come in ~$550 or two hundred less than the Ober EVSE. And note I was pricing the UL listed GE EVSE, my non UL 30a Chinese Zencar EVSE cost ~$300 shipped and I don't believe the Ober is UL listed, although I could be wrong......
Not saying anything bad about the Ober, I just think it's a bit overpriced :)
Oh a link to Brads Dryer Buddy, which while I haven't personally used, it looks rather nice.
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=21784&hilit=dryer+buddy
I always like seeing new EVSEs and some might like the "all in one" approach to this one, personally I think they might be pricing themselves out of the market :)
 
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