Aerovironment EVSE install information

[smkettner]

I told the Nissan person I was buying from Leviton. AV unit was over priced, too many features and twice the needed capacity.

She asked if I was a certified electrician.

Replied, NO! My house is fully prewired and inspected per existing city code requirement at least seven years ago. I just need to plug the Leviton in and is no harder than using a vacuum. I do not need to spend $1200 for someone to plug in an appliance and put four screws in the wall.

She was then very helpful even if I was on hold for a looooong time while she checked on options.

I expressed my primary concern that I want no delay or issues with the car ordering or delivery.

 

[palmermd]

EVDriver - Well, I think that it annoys me as much as it does you when I keep seeing people referring to the EVSE as a charger. No matter how many times we try and correct this people use the wrong term.

Why anybody would use AV at this point is also a wonder to me. Lets see, I can spend $1200 and have the taxpayers spend another $1200 on an EVSE that can barely keep up with the LEAF charger. Or I can wait until a bit later and spend $1000 and the taxpayer will not have to pony up any additional funds and I can get an EVSE that can not only supply my Leaf, but if I come across some rich friends with a Tesla, I can also supply their car (or better yet, if I win the lottery and I purchase a Tesla, I wont have to replace my tiny EVSE in the future). Better yet, I might even get half the better EVSE covered by the rebate if they extend it into next year. Either way it seems better to spend less on a better EVSE.

 

[JasonT]

Lets see, I can spend $1200 and have the taxpayers spend another $1200 on an EVSE that can barely keep up with the LEAF charger.

I agree with most of what you've said except for this. Barely? I think twice the Leaf capability is above "barely".

Also I suspect if you win the lottery you won't care about the cost of replacing your EVSE :lol:

Again, I really am with you - I will only buy the AV EVSE if my car comes in December and there are no other options at that time. And even then I won't have AV do the installation.

 

[palmermd]

Lets see, I can spend $1200 and have the taxpayers spend another $1200 on an EVSE that can barely keep up with the LEAF charger.

I agree with most of what you've said except for this. Barely? I think twice the Leaf capability is above "barely".

Also I suspect if you win the lottery you won't care about the cost of replacing your EVSE :lol:

Again, I really am with you - I will only buy the AV EVSE if my car comes in December and there are no other options at that time. And even then I won't have AV do the installation.

your right, but I think the 6.6kw is going to be a problem for the Leaf, and the 3.3kw that is on the first batch of cars is just sad. I'm going to upgrade my charger to at least 6.6kw as soon as possible. I hope Nissan figures this out prior to shipment and offers the upgrades. If not, I'm going to find a way to upgrade it myself.

 

[Clippy]

EVDriver - Well, I think that it annoys me as much as it does you when I keep seeing people referring to the EVSE as a charger. No matter how many times we try and correct this people use the wrong term.

I once had a multi-day argument with bunch of watch snobs about whether the little claps at the end of a leather watch band were called a "Deployant" (ooh la la) or "Deployment" buckle. I produced two letters from large watch manufacturers (or are they manufactories?) presenting me with a couple of "Deployment buckles" gratis and that still didn't satisfy anyone.

Considering it's my car, my garage and I have a similar sheath of emails from a bunch of nice folks referring to this thing about to protrude from my wall as a "Charging Dock" or a "EVSE (Charger)" or "Blink Charger" "CT500 Charging Unit" I'll call it whatever the hell I want, thanks.

 

[evnow]

Considering it's my car, my garage and I have a similar sheath of emails from a bunch of nice folks referring to this thing about to protrude from my wall as a "Charging Dock" or a "EVSE (Charger)" or "Blink Charger" "CT500 Charging Unit" I'll call it whatever the hell I want, thanks.

EVSE is - EV Supply Equipment.

Ofcourse you can call it whatever you want - as long as the other side understands. But technically that would be wrong.

 

[Clippy]

Ofcourse you can call it whatever you want - as long as the other side understands. But technically that would be wrong.

Fair enough. If your car is ever in need of a charge and you're near my house, you may feel free to make use of my charger. But you may not use my EVSE.

I have also been known to refer to San Francisco as "Frisco."

 

[planet4ever]

OK, I now see something I don't remember having seen before. If I go look at the AV quote there is a button on the right side with the notation below it saying "purchase online". Has that always been there? Is that what changes you from "quote ready" to "quote accepted"? I haven't clicked that button, and I have no intention of doing so, because I don't want their EVSE or anyone else's.

I never asked for a waiver, and I paid for the assessment, so they didn't hold up my ability to order. I cannot believe that asking for an assessment is an implicit commitment to purchase the product. Thinking back, I may have done one thing during the ordering process that could be interpreted as a commitment. I was given a choice between (if I recall) including the AV EVSE in the cost of the car or handling it separately. I said I would handle it separately. But again, how can this be legally a commitment when I was given no choice as whether I wanted the product?

Maybe it's time for me to ask for a waiver.

 

[EVDRIVER]

Ofcourse you can call it whatever you want - as long as the other side understands. But technically that would be wrong.

Fair enough. If your car is ever in need of a charge and you're near my house, you may feel free to make use of my charger. But you may not use my EVSE.

I have also been known to refer to San Francisco as "Frisco."

Clippy, just because people use the wrong name does not mean they are correct, for years chargers have been called chargers, period. There was never confusion until people began using the wrong term out of ignorance. If you ask what kind of charger the Leaf has you will likely have people saying AV, well that's completely wrong, it's a Nissan OEM charger. Is it a 6.6kw charger? No, it is 3.3kw but using the wrong terminology confuses the issue further. People use the wrong terms all the time and that is why consumers are confused and understand little about EVs. You can also call a distributor cap a spark plug if you like, I'm sure many people think it's the same. We are free to use any terms we like and we are free to be ignorant as well. As long as the other side understands, one hopes.

 

[RSH]

AV never said they would provide a charger by the end of the year.[/quote]


Actually, I have a distinct recollection of asking my AV electrical evaluation specialist when he thought it might be installed. I was told "we have you down for an October installation". So, I submit that AV has represented they would be installing well before yearend.

 

[Boomer23]

AV never said they would provide a charger by the end of the year.

Actually, I have a distinct recollection of asking my AV electrical evaluation specialist when he thought it might be installed. I was told "we have you down for an October installation". So, I submit that AV has represented they would be installing well before yearend.

RSH, please disregard all of this banter about chargers in the last few days on this thread. You've been mislead by the banter between a few of the very well versed people on this forum who like to have fun with semantics. He made that comment because the EVSE dock is not really a "charger". You should get your official information from Nissan and AV about the timing on your EVSE installation.

Unfortunately, amidst a wealth of useful information on this forum, there is sometimes subtle humor that may take careful reading to recognize and that humor might cause a casual reader to become mislead. I guess it's routine with forums like this that are made up of highly informed enthusiasts as well as casual readers who come here for basic information. Caveat emptor.

 

[EVDRIVER]

AV never said they would provide a charger by the end of the year.

Actually, I have a distinct recollection of asking my AV electrical evaluation specialist when he thought it might be installed. I was told "we have you down for an October installation". So, I submit that AV has represented they would be installing well before yearend.

RSH, please disregard all of this banter about chargers in the last few days on this thread. You've been mislead by the banter between a few of the very well versed people on this forum who like to have fun with semantics. He made that comment because the EVSE dock is not really a "charger". You should get your official information from Nissan and AV about the timing on your EVSE installation.

Unfortunately, amidst a wealth of useful information on this forum, there is sometimes subtle humor that may take careful reading to recognize and that humor might cause a casual reader to become mislead. I guess it's routine with forums like this that are made up of highly informed enthusiasts as well as casual readers who come here for basic information. Caveat emptor.

It's not semantics, it's the wrong definition completely. There is a reason we made an EVSE area and if one posted in that area they would have at least seen the description the EVSE forum area. People can be lazy but there are huge differences here, if you have been on this forum for some time you should know the difference, newbies may not and it's no big deal. We can surely say kwh and kw are the same? People come here to learn, once they learn some proper terminology it's plain lazy to keep saying it wrong and say "you know what I mean".

 

[Ready2plugin]

It's not semantics, it's the wrong definition completely. There is a reason we made an EVSE area and if one posted in that area they would have at least seen the description the EVSE forum area. People can be lazy but there are huge differences here, if you have been on this forum for some time you should know the difference, newbies may not and it's no big deal. We can surely say kwh and kw are the same? People come here to learn, once they learn some proper terminology it's plain lazy to keep saying it wrong and say "you know what I mean".

Nissan's Leaf website even has it listed as "Charger Installation" - they even did a video about it. If someone wants to call it a charger, then let them, as long as they know there is a difference. People still call copy machines, xerox machines....and I don't go around correcting them .

 

[EVDRIVER]

It's not semantics, it's the wrong definition completely. There is a reason we made an EVSE area and if one posted in that area they would have at least seen the description the EVSE forum area. People can be lazy but there are huge differences here, if you have been on this forum for some time you should know the difference, newbies may not and it's no big deal. We can surely say kwh and kw are the same? People come here to learn, once they learn some proper terminology it's plain lazy to keep saying it wrong and say "you know what I mean".

Nissan's Leaf website even has it listed as "Charger Installation" - they even did a video about it. If someone wants to call it a charger, then let them, as long as they know there is a difference. People still call copy machines, xerox machines....and I don't go around correcting them .

Nissan is wrong. Copy machine and Xerox are synonyms, the is a charger on the leaf and there is a: power cord or charge cord, the box outside the car is not a chargers, if it were there would be two chargers. GM also calls the Volt an EV.

 

[smkettner]

AV calls it a charging dock. You can call it a banana for all I care.

And if the correct terms are used the correct answers or advice is easier.

Such as asking about adding a charger. We do not know if you are replacing the Leaf on board charger or trying to use a cell phone charger in the car.

 

[EVDRIVER]

AV calls it a charging dock. You can call it a banana for all I care.

And if the correct terms are used the correct answers or advice is easier.

Such as asking about adding a charger. We do not know if you are replacing the Leaf on board charger or trying to use a cell phone charger in the car.

Correct. In the EV world these is much discussion on chargers, on board, DC Quick, etc. We never call a cord a charger and some makes do that because consumes call it that. If one wants to speak like a uneducated consumer that's fine, if one want's to learn about EVs and discuss options, choices, mods, etc, it is very important to use the correct terms. This is a Leaf forum, and not a dealer lot, where they don't have a clue about EVs, let's not let the blind lead the blind

 

[Clippy]

If one wants to speak like a uneducated consumer that's fine, if one want's to learn about EVs and discuss options, choices, mods, etc, it is very important to use the correct terms.

A discourse on the use of proper terminology.

The good news for me is that a new Level 3 charger is being installed near my home at the corner of Silly and Pedantic.

 

[planet4ever]

Nissan's Leaf website even has it listed as "Charger Installation" - they even did a video about it.

Yes, the website has an incorrect label on the link to the video. But if you watch the video it refers six times to "charging dock" or "dock" and zero times to "charger". I think Nissan is trying to be careful about the difference, but they let an error slip through in that horrendous website that Critical Mass created for them.

I'm sorry, but there is a charging dock and there is a charger, and calling one the other simply leads to confusion.
- Confusion about how fast you can charge, what limits that, and what you can do about it.
- Confusion about what unit you can, or should, communicate with to charge at a specific time of day.
- Confusion about future upgrade possibilities and their likely costs.
- Confusion about L3 charging, why it so radically different from L1 and L2, and why you will probably never do L3 charging at home.

 

[harrier]

Both sides of the Charger/Extension cord debate are right, but it is not a meaningless semantic debate (like whether you say "data is" or "data are").

The prices for all of the EVSEs are exorbitant. I am sure that the subsidy, scale issues, and opportunity play a factor, but $2,300 or more is craziness.

When you call it a charger, the price seems more fair, because you imagine all sorts of complicated components like inverters and controllers.

When you recognize it as a gussied-up extension cord with a relay, then it makes it harder for the companies to sell the price.

We are all on the same side here, and we should keep the pressure on AV, Leviton, and the others to produce EVSEs that are cheap enough to be ubiquitous. At the current prices, they just feed the media/social dialogue that the electric car charging infrastructure is too expensive.

 

[Boomer23]

Mine too. The assessment tab also changed to "Quote Accepted." Uh, no.

Yes, so did my assessment tab. "Uh, no" is right!

I called AV through Nissan today to get them to change my dashboard back from "quote accepted" to whatever it said previously.

Also told them that new info from my utility, SCE, indicates that a second TOU meter is available and I need that option put into my AV quote.

We'll see how this progresses.