Dodging the AeroVironment assessment

[bytre]

I've read a lot of messages on a lot of threads, but haven't gotten this answer, so apologies in advance if it has already been discussed.

Can the AeroVironment assessment be dodged? I scheduled an appointment, got my leaf quote, and accepted the quote to place the order. Having decided that I am going to hire an electrician to do a second meter and utilize a different EVSE than the AV unit, I went in and cancelled my assessment appointment on the nissan website.

At this point, the website changed to indicate that I was back at the "set up an assessment" stage and no longer indicated that I had an order for the car (the "order your leaf" section just had a link to the assessment again). I re-scheduled an assessment for a few months away, and my order re-appeared.

Has the trail been blazed to purchase a leaf without AeroVironment getting involved and losing $100 to them?

 

[Boomer23]

You need to contact Nissan Customer Service and request a waiver for the EVSE assessment. I'm sure that if you have a confirmed order that your order is still in effect, it's just Nissan's crummy software that can't handle the fact that you canceled your assessment after the order was placed. Customer Service should be able to put an EVSE waiver in place for you and make your Nissan dashboard show your order again.

 

[drmanny3]

I did the same thing. I found out by trying to ask everyone whether it was possible to skip the assessment. In the end it was. Once you talk with the Nissan folks via the website they will turn off the part of the process allowing you to order your car. I ended up having an electrician come in as I thought I would need a new panel (all my slots were full). But he was able to pull out two breakers and put in a quad. So you end up with the original breakers plus a new pair. So I had him give me a 240 volt hookup in the garage rated at 20 amps. I had been using 110 to charge our car. I then sent in my unit and am awaiting its return so that I can use the 240 volt hookup. I am very excited about this. Had I been in LA or San Diego I could have had the home unit put in for free, but unfortuniately Orange County was not designated as a desireable place. I wonder why? Perhaps too conservative?
Manny

 

[garygid]

Call LEAF CS (877-664-2738) and say "Please add the "AV Waiver" to my account."

 

[smkettner]

As said call and ask for the waiver. No need to pay the $100 sucker fee if you have any inclination to do the install yourself or with an independent contractor.

And don't panic to get all set up before the car arrives. The included L1 actually is quite sufficient in most cases to keep you rolling.

 

[bytre]

Thanks, I called the customer service number provided above and was able to cancel it. The CS rep said we couldn't cancel on the website but rather had to call AV, which she did.

 

[UkrainianKozak]

I did the same thing. I found out by trying to ask everyone whether it was possible to skip the assessment. In the end it was. Once you talk with the Nissan folks via the website they will turn off the part of the process allowing you to order your car. I ended up having an electrician come in as I thought I would need a new panel (all my slots were full). But he was able to pull out two breakers and put in a quad. So you end up with the original breakers plus a new pair. So I had him give me a 240 volt hookup in the garage rated at 20 amps. I had been using 110 to charge our car. I then sent in my unit and am awaiting its return so that I can use the 240 volt hookup. I am very excited about this. Had I been in LA or San Diego I could have had the home unit put in for free, but unfortunately Orange County was not designated as a desirable place. I wonder why? Perhaps too conservative?
Manny

Why did you put 20Amp 240V line? For Level2 you would need 40Amp breaker/line to be able to draw 30 Amps continuously...
If you put Level 2 charger on 20Amp circuit, it'll trip the breaker during charge.

 

[Boomer23]

Why did you put 20Amp 240V line? For Level2 you would need 40Amp breaker/line to be able to draw 30 Amps continuously...
If you put Level 2 charger on 20Amp circuit, it'll trip the breaker during charge.

I think that the current LEAF charger only draws 16 amps, so a 20 amp breaker would be okay. Correct me, techy people, if I'm wrong.

 

[Spies]

I think that the current LEAF charger only draws 16 amps, so a 20 amp breaker would be okay. Correct me, techy people, if I'm wrong.

You are correct and within code as long as you use EVSE equipment that is set to draw no more that 16 amps such as the EVSE Upgrade version one, 12 amps, or two, 16 amps. That way if one was to try charging with a vehicle that could draw more than 16 amps the charger would be limited by the pilot of the the EVSE to 16 amps or less.

 

[gbarry42]

Had I been in LA or San Diego I could have had the home unit put in for free, but unfortuniately Orange County was not designated as a desireable place. I wonder why? Perhaps too conservative?
Manny

When the program started, it was San Diego only. Subsequently, San Francisco got in--but you'd expect them to be in on any new crazy idea Not sure how L.A. managed to get in; maybe they realized they were about to be left behind, and started begging.

 

[smkettner]

Why did you put 20Amp 240V line? For Level2 you would need 40Amp breaker/line to be able to draw 30 Amps continuously...
If you put Level 2 charger on 20Amp circuit, it'll trip the breaker during charge.

I think that the current LEAF charger only draws 16 amps, so a 20 amp breaker would be okay. Correct me, techy people, if I'm wrong.

20a circuit is perfect for the not yet available Leviton 160 and will allow Leaf to charge at maximum power.
I believe Voltec would also work but not available to Leaf buyers.

There are probably others but they need to be set for 16a max which is plenty for the Leaf charger.

 

[UkrainianKozak]

Why did you put 20Amp 240V line? For Level2 you would need 40Amp breaker/line to be able to draw 30 Amps continuously...
If you put Level 2 charger on 20Amp circuit, it'll trip the breaker during charge.

I think that the current LEAF charger only draws 16 amps, so a 20 amp breaker would be okay. Correct me, techy people, if I'm wrong.

20a circuit is perfect for the not yet available Leviton 160 and will allow Leaf to charge at maximum power.
I believe Voltec would also work but not available to Leaf buyers.

There are probably others but they need to be set for 16a max which is plenty for the Leaf charger.

My point was that if you run a new line, why would you limit yourself to "not-yet-existing" EVSE?
You can easily connect 16 AMP appliance on 40Amp circuit, and if you are running a new line the cost difference will be around $10-20 on more expensive cable and outlet, but will give you more options later... I just fail to understand the reasoning... Or the plan is to run wires for new car?

BTW, I'm looking at my Blink it it says that MAX current is 30A...

 

[Spies]

My point was that if you run a new line, why would you limit yourself to "not-yet-existing" EVSE?

I can think of a few reasons why someone would want to go with a 20 amp circuit instead of a 40 amp circuit including how much load is already in the load center among other things.

Also remember that car charging is a continuous load so the circuit needs to be rated at least 125% of the load. So 16 amp EVSE needs at least a 20 amp circuit. 30 amp EVSE, they used to be 32 amp by the way, needs at least a 40 amp, technically 37.5 volt but you round up to the nearest available breaker which is 40 amp.

 

[kmp647]

its funny when I called to ask for a waiver the CS person asked me what my plans were for home charging. I told them the included L1 at first until I purchase and install a Leviton or clipper creek unit. The reply was you should use the approved av unit.....

I responded, if things go as Nissan is planning this car will be charged by hundreds of different docks all over the state, all different brands all compatible with the Leaf

not just an AV unit, and at home, could be blink , CC, AV, SPX, Leviton, whatever the point is they should all work.

They should just let it go.

 

[garygid]

It helps to ask CS to "Please enable the AV Assessment Waiver on my account."

Also, it is easier and faster if you do it BEFORE you make the Assessment Appointent and pay the $100.

 

[davetex99]

After buying a used AV EVSE and reading the instructions for the installer that come with it, I told the local Nissan rep that they need to contract with a different provider. In the booklet, the instructions to the assessor/installer is that you must have a house built after about 1990 (I can get the exact date if anyone is interested - the booklet is currently in the car) and that the house must have at least a 200 amp service. My house has only a 100 amp service, so AV would turn it down, but since my appliances are natural gas, a 100 amp service is plenty.

Dave

 

[kmp647]

It helps to ask CS to "Please enable the AV Assessment Waiver on my account."

Also, it is easier and faster if you do it BEFORE you make the Assessment Appointent and pay the $100.

do you think its best to wait until my dashboard indicate "schedule your home assment"

or do it now in anticipation of that happening in july or august

also I have this fear that asking for a waiver will move me off of the first to order in my area list.

what do you guys think?

 

[smkettner]

After buying a used AV EVSE and reading the instructions for the installer that come with it, I told the local Nissan rep that they need to contract with a different provider. In the booklet, the instructions to the assessor/installer is that you must have a house built after about 1990 (I can get the exact date if anyone is interested - the booklet is currently in the car) and that the house must have at least a 200 amp service. My house has only a 100 amp service, so AV would turn it down, but since my appliances are natural gas, a 100 amp service is plenty.

Dave

Yours is fine but this is the perfect example why I dislike Nissan for only providing a 30a evse that requires a 40a circuit.

 

[Stanton]

do you think its best to wait until my dashboard indicate "schedule your home assessment"

or do it now in anticipation of that happening in july or august

also I have this fear that asking for a waiver will move me off of the first to order in my area list.

what do you guys think?

I waited until my DB said "schedule", called Nissan CS, and requested a waiver. All they asked is WHAT are you going to do; I said Leviton (or an equivalent) and that was that. My experience says that it should NOT delay your order as long as you do it promptly.

 

[EVDRIVER]

Like years ago, there is still much FUD over EVSE use. I understand why owners of a Volt may want a better EVSE because the Volt unit is junk and uses very thin wire but if you have a LEAF the factory unit is better quality then the cheaply made AV unit, far more reliable then the Blink and costs far less than other units with the L2 modification and it is also portable. In addition it will work on a 20A circuit. If I did not get a free Blink unit I would never have bought a wall mounted EVSE and I think many people BUY wall mounted units out of uncertainty and fear. Even if you want two units the Nissan unit is a better option because it is low weight, high quality, portable, universal voltage, etc. I know of two people that bought AV units over the counter for self install and are selling them now that they have a modified Nissan unit. I just don't understand why people think they need to spend so much money and go through so much installation hassle. Once wall units are far under $400 I could see having one.