Mokojojo said:
Just just read through some more discussion including OP's follow up statement about the need for LVL2. If that's really the case, I think I'm dropping the idea of getting a leaf. From reading this thread, my take away is, most leaf owner are not aware of the potential (or increase possibility) of fire hazard? Seems that most of your recommend against using LVL1 as daily charing method. Maybe this is just too much work.
Dropping the idea of getting a LEAF would be disappointing in my opinion. As a novice, and everybody was once a novice, it is understandable to be concerned, but statistically the odds of a fire from L1 charging are extremely low, although not 0. The odds of a fire in an ICE vehicle are low too, but not 0, and I can say I've seen several ICE vehicles either burning or the results of a fire. In the L1 situation too, there is no telling what state of repair or disrepair the wiring was in, if it was 1 year or 120 years old. In this situation the OP stated the wiring was relatively new, at 13 years. In general though, the newer versions of the NEC, which have done further research on EVs and PV solar too, if followed, along with good workmanship by the electrician, will make L1 charging as safe as humanly possible.
As far as requiring L2 charging, I would say it is not essential, there are many people on this forum who have only L1 and get along fine. It all depends on a person's individual circumstance. I had only L1 charging for a long time when I first got the LEAF, nothing disastrous happened, the L1 charger worked fine. When I had the house built I preplanned for an EV, so the garage was already wired for 240V and 50 amps, so installing the L2 was really only the expense for the GE Wattstation, which I like despite others speaking negatively about it, and back then they were about $1k, now they're probably $500 or so. In my opinion, the GE Wattstation got a bad reputation because of Nissan, but others feel differently, and they purchased something else, which is fine too. Even more than convenience, I ended up wanting the L2 because it is much more efficient than the L1, and over thousands of kwh, it adds up to a significant amount, which I would rather spend towards the L2. Greater efficiency of course also results in less pollution from any extra electricity I get from the electric company.
I just wouldn't make an individual decision strictly from any impression, good or bad, from a forum. Not to diminish the value of the forum or those who contribute positively to it, even when their story is a warning or something that has gone wrong with the LEAF. If it wasn't for those on the forum, and the pressure they put on Nissan, I don't think there ever would have been a 5 yr / 60K mile battery warranty put in effect by the Klee settlement.
I think the LEAF is a spectacular car, and over the long-term will prove to be a prudent economical choice, and I hope others who will choose the LEAF also have a great experience.