Aerovironment EVSE install information

[thew]

For those interested, I've posted a webpage about... My AV EVSE Installation Saga.

Nice job. WE to own a Solar powered home with Battery backup. We generate about 70% of our needs.. Our garage is already set up with a 50 amp sub panel that feeds the inverters for the Solar array. And is feed back by the 50 amp Battery pack.. So Our installation simply needs the EVSE.. and about one foot of wire and conduit.. As I am an electrician I will install the EVSE myself.

I have just read that Millbank now has a contract to build the AV EVSE units and MillBank sells them to Electrical suppliers and will soon have them in Home depot etc..

Has anyone purchased the Millbank units yet ?

 

[thankyouOB]

there are allot of displays and dials/buttons.
besides the big screen on the dash with the blue lights,
is there another way with the trip ticket,
and another way on the nav screen,

to assess your instantaneous performance.
I would like that kind of input for what I am doing at the moment, rather than a report on what happened over the last 5, 10 or whole trip minutes.
Anyone?

And charging in the rain, or under the storm my neighbors lawn sprinkler puts out, is there any issue with that?

 

[Boomer23]

is there another way with the trip ticket,
and another way on the nav screen,

to assess your instantaneous performance.
I would like that kind of input for what I am doing at the moment, rather than a report on what happened over the last 5, 10 or whole trip minutes.
Anyone?

And charging in the rain, or under the storm my neighbors lawn sprinkler puts out, is there any issue with that?

Not quite sure what you mean, but here are some answers to what I think you mean.

On your main dash display in front of the steering wheel you have the odometer and a display above it that can be cycled through several displays by using the upper buttons on the four button cluster to the left of the steering wheel. One of the displays is an instantaneous and trip average economy meter. The instant economy is a bar graph that you can watch routinely as you drive. I keep this display up most of the time while I drive.

As far as charging in the wet, you'd want to avoid it if possible, but it should be safe. The connection at the car is designed to be water resistant, but when the wind is blowing rain sideways, I'd wait until another time. I don't know for sure if the LEAF manual addresses this, but you might want to look.

 

[thankyouOB]

is there another way with the trip ticket,
and another way on the nav screen,

to assess your instantaneous performance.
I would like that kind of input for what I am doing at the moment, rather than a report on what happened over the last 5, 10 or whole trip minutes.
Anyone?

And charging in the rain, or under the storm my neighbors lawn sprinkler puts out, is there any issue with that?

Not quite sure what you mean, but here are some answers to what I think you mean.

On your main dash display in front of the steering wheel you have the odometer and a display above it that can be cycled through several displays by using the upper buttons on the four button cluster to the left of the steering wheel. One of the displays is an instantaneous and trip average economy meter. The instant economy is a bar graph that you can watch routinely as you drive. I keep this display up most of the time while I drive.

As far as charging in the wet, you'd want to avoid it if possible, but it should be safe. The connection at the car is designed to be water resistant, but when the wind is blowing rain sideways, I'd wait until another time. I don't know for sure if the LEAF manual addresses this, but you might want to look.

Thanks much!
yes, that is what I mean about instant info.
the nav display is historic not instantaneous, it seems to me.
i dont find anything about wet in the book. certainly not the index.

 

[DarkStar]

to assess your instantaneous performance.
I would like that kind of input for what I am doing at the moment, rather than a report on what happened over the last 5, 10 or whole trip minutes.
Anyone?

And charging in the rain, or under the storm my neighbors lawn sprinkler puts out, is there any issue with that?

For the performance, you can try the Energy Screen on the Navigation system or the Status screen (press Status to flip through the options).

For charging in the rain. Nissan tested the connector while pouring water over the handle and into the plug to verify that it would be safe in any weather condition. No issues with that at all.

 

[EVDRIVER]

to assess your instantaneous performance.
I would like that kind of input for what I am doing at the moment, rather than a report on what happened over the last 5, 10 or whole trip minutes.
Anyone?

And charging in the rain, or under the storm my neighbors lawn sprinkler puts out, is there any issue with that?

For the performance, you can try the Energy Screen on the Navigation system or the Status screen (press Status to flip through the options).

For charging in the rain. Nissan tested the connector while pouring water over the handle and into the plug to verify that it would be safe in any weather condition. No issues with that at all.

Nissan should so the same with their marketing and CS people, it could have made a difference.

 

[palmermd]

Nissan tested the connector while pouring water over the handle and into the plug to verify that it would be safe in any weather condition. No issues with that at all.

Nissan should so the same with their marketing and CS people, it could have made a difference.

Pour water on them while they work? I guess it couldn't hurt.

 

[EVDRIVER]

Nissan tested the connector while pouring water over the handle and into the plug to verify that it would be safe in any weather condition. No issues with that at all.

Nissan should so the same with their marketing and CS people, it could have made a difference.

Pour water on them while they work? I guess it couldn't hurt.

To wake them up, particularly the marketing folks.

 

[elbowelbein]

I've been going round & round with AV and with the Texas partner - EVGo. In spite of them assessing my home as 'standard install', their initial pricing was $2800 because they consider it 'custom'. After several weeks and many conversations, today they lowered their price to $2400. Funny thing, a local licensed electrician gave me an install price of $400, which when added to AV's $995 cash/carry price - gets me to under $1500. Don't know where the value in the extra $1300 is. AV assures me it's the wonderful training and warranty. I don't think so. My Houston Nissan people suggest I should look elsewhere and they think Nissan may not renew its AV relationship. I can see why. I'm thinking almost any product - Clipper Creek or Ecotality's Blink - would be preferable. May cost a bit more on the equipment side, but still less on the whole.

 

[Boomer23]

I've been going round & round with AV and with the Texas partner - EVGo. In spite of them assessing my home as 'standard install', their initial pricing was $2800 because they consider it 'custom'. After several weeks and many conversations, today they lowered their price to $2400. Funny thing, a local licensed electrician gave me an install price of $400, which when added to AV's $995 cash/carry price - gets me to under $1500. Don't know where the value in the extra $1300 is. AV assures me it's the wonderful training and warranty. I don't think so. My Houston Nissan people suggest I should look elsewhere and they think Nissan may not renew its AV relationship. I can see why. I'm thinking almost any product - Clipper Creek or Ecotality's Blink - would be preferable. May cost a bit more on the equipment side, but still less on the whole.

For me, the difference between having AV's electrician do the install and having a local electrician do it was only $300, so I went with AV to get the warranty, including on site repair/replacement for problems. That was in December, and with hindsight, if you're not sure what to do and you don't have time issues with the EVSE tax credit driving you, I'd recommend just getting your Nissan supplied EVSE upgraded by Ingineer. Live with that for a while and wait for things to settle out in the EVSE market. You'll need a 240 Volt outlet to plug into and you'll have to get the EVSE waiver from Nissan.

The only reason that the Ingineer mod EVSE might cause you issues is if you need the full power of Level 2 charging in 6 or 7 hours instead of 9 or 10 hours, in order to stay within your utility's time of use rate schedule.

 

[rmjones]

i just [5/6/11] spoke with AV [sarah] customer service and inquired about purchasing the charger and having my electrician install. i was told yes, I could do that with the following notes:
1-charger price would go to $995 from the AV install quote of 721
2-only 3yrs parts, which seems the same as the AV quote, which also includes 3yrs on the installation
3-if there was a problem, I would need to mail the unit back to them - if they install, then they come to me

 

[thew]

i just [5/6/11] spoke with AV [sarah] customer service and inquired about purchasing the charger and having my electrician install. i was told yes, I could do that with the following notes:
1-charger price would go to $995 from the AV install quote of 721
2-only 3yrs parts, which seems the same as the AV quote, which also includes 3yrs on the installation
3-if there was a problem, I would need to mail the unit back to them - if they install, then they come to me

Yup, that is all true. I just received my Charge Dock from them Via UPS. I ordered on the Dash Board on 5/5/11 and have it today on 5/9/11. And the price was $995 and Cal Sales tax. with $28 for UPS. Now we can install it in our Solar Powered Electrical Panel.

Very Happy to See Nissan worked the Cash and Carry option out for those of us that do not need them to install the charge dock.,!

 

[TMcGee]

How is everyone liking their AV chargers? Anything you would change?

 

[gasmiser1]

How is everyone liking their AV chargers? Anything you would change?

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AV EVSE has been working fine for me since 3/29/11.

Cheaper install would have been better, but I was anxious to get it installed before the end of 2010 to get the 50% Fed tax credit.

In the end, the 3 year AV full replacement warranty is what closed the deal for me to get the AV brand unit.

 

[thew]

Just Installed mine Yesterday. Now I just need my car..

 

[thimel]

I have a concern about my AV EVSE and would like to compare notes with others. In general it works well. However, when I use carwings to turn on the climate control and then go to disconnect the car from the EVSE, I'm not sure it turns off properly. The manual says that when one presses the silver latch button, it turns off. In fact, when I press that latch, all that happens is the vehicle charging light changes from on to slowly flashing. I do not hear the relay click until I start pulling out the connector. So I think it isn't turning off like it should. Can others check if theirs behave the same way? Is it a problem?

 

[garygid]

While charging with the Nissan EVSE, I press the release button on the nozzle (and hold it down for a while), and I expected to hear the EVSE relay click off and the car charging lights to change. I expected some relay "clunk" sound from the car as well. But, I did not see or hear anything.

Maybe I just could not hear the relay in this model of EVSE, so I will have to do the test again, just a minute or so after charging gets fully started.

But, pressing the Release button SHOULD tell the car (not the EVSE) to quit pulling/using current so that the contacts will not "burn/pit" as the nozzle starts to move out. Presumably the car would also signal the EVSE to open its power connection, but ... it might not.

The EVSE can sense the nozzle being part way out, and open its relay "quickly". However, the car should have stopped drawing current before the nozzle moves.

 

[kmp647]

I have not been able to order yet, but when I do. how does one buy the charge dock right on the dashboard without paying the 100 fee for the assesmnet?

I wanted to avoid asking for a waiver, I was thinking when my assment window opens up , can I just call or chat and ask to purchase the AV dock right on the dash board cash and carry?

 

[smkettner]

Get the waiver and contact AV directly for a cash and carry wall unit.

 

[zigadabooga]

Electrician AV sent out was from 50 miles away in SF, I think I'll go with a local electrician and buy the Leviton.