How Many Leaf Owners Charge Solely on 120V?

[planet4ever]

If I am going to pony up the money for the new outlet installation, I might as well get the station too.

Not really. Either way you will pay about the same for the wiring part. The difference is whether you pay for the EVSE upgrade or pay for a new EVSE. The new EVSE will cost you several times as much as the upgrade costs, and you end up with something which is not as flexible. (You can't take it with you on trips and use it at RV parks as well as your cousin's unused dryer outlet.)

Ray

 

[jpa2825]

For the first couple of months, I used 120v (L1 EVSE) exclusively,
primarily due to the very high cost of upgrading my electrical service
if I added a 40-amp breaker.

When the Upgraded EVSE became available, and I found that two
120v duplex sockets right next to each other were of different phases,
I ordered a complete upgraded (240v and 120v operation, still 12 amps
at that time), EVSE and started using the 240v (from the two 120v plugs)
and found the shorter charging times quite convenient.

At that point, I sent my origial EVSE in for an upgrade, which I now
use as a spare. One unit stays at home, the other rides in the car.

Then, when one finally gets to use the Quick Charge (QC), one gets
quite hooked on the possibility of much extended range when the
30-minute charging is available. So far, it is TOO SLOW coming.

Cheers, Gary

How do I find out if 2 120v duplex sockets are "of different phases?" I have a detached garage with 2 different boxes (each with 2 outlets) approx. 10 feet from each other. There is a light switch next to 1 of the boxes and the walls are not drywalled so I can see / access the wiring running into 1 of the boxes (and maybe the other). The 240v dryer outlet and the panel are in the house and my panel appears full (no empty spaces).

Planning to use L1 unless / until I can find an economic way of getting L2 to my unique setting. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[ebill3]

How do I find out if 2 120v duplex sockets are "of different phases?" I have a detached garage with 2 different boxes (each with 2 outlets) approx. 10 feet from each other. There is a light switch next to 1 of the boxes and the walls are not drywalled so I can see / access the wiring running into 1 of the boxes (and maybe the other). The 240v dryer outlet and the panel are in the house and my panel appears full (no empty spaces).

Planning to use L1 unless / until I can find an economic way of getting L2 to my unique setting. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

You might well be in luck.

Plug an extension cord into one outlet. Using a voltmeter or circuit tester, one probe in the narrow slot of the extension cord, other probe in the narrow slot of the second outlet. An assistant is a good idea. 240 volts, you struck it rich. If zero, try wiggling the probes in the sockets - sometimes a probe does not make good contact.

 

[planet4ever]

Slight expansion on what ebill3 said: If you see 120v then you either used a cheap unpolarized extension cord or someone has wired an outlet incorrectly (which should be corrected ASAP).

Personally I think everyone should own an inexpensive digital multimeter. They're good for checking everything from 12v battery charge to bad extension cords to flashlights to problems in strings of Christmas lights. You should be able to get one for less than $30.

Ray

 

[HuntLEAF]

what kind of data would you prefer we provide you? this has been discussed at length, a ton of supporting data has been provided and the fact of the matter; L1 at 12 amp and 120 volts charges with 75% efficiency. L2 at 16 amps and 240 volts charges at 88% efficiency.

Ok that makes sense. I was looking at the cost of the install vs the small amount I pay for electricity with my solar panels. Of course I plan on keeping an EV in the garage for years to come, so it probably makes sense to just get it installed.

Thank you all for your input.

 

[Robd30]

Had my 2012 Leaf for 3 months and have put over 4,000 miles on the car (I can already see this could be a problem down the road as my lease is 48,000 miles for 4 years!). Only have 120V in my garage, saving my pennies to get a 240 charger, I see you can buy it at Home Depot for $900+, can I use my 10% off coupon?

There have been a few times when I have used all* my 'fuel' upon getting home late night and only back to 60 miles the next day with another long trip(s) on the horizon, these are days I wish I had the 240V, but having said that, you can definitely get by with the basic trickle charger.

*When you get below four miles left to empty, the gauge stops giving miles remaining and switches to a couple of dashes -- I've never run out but have come very close many times, anyone know how far you can push it?

My car is fantastic and don't ever see buying a gas guzzler again!!! :idea:

 

[EVDRIVER]

Had my 2012 Leaf for 3 months and have put over 4,000 miles on the car (I can already see this could be a problem down the road as my lease is 48,000 miles for 4 years!). Only have 120V in my garage, saving my pennies to get a 240 charger, I see you can buy it at Home Depot for $900+, can I use my 10% off coupon?

There have been a few times when I have used all* my 'fuel' upon getting home late night and only back to 60 miles the next day with another long trip(s) on the horizon, these are days I wish I had the 240V, but having said that, you can definitely get by with the basic trickle charger.

*When you get below four miles left to empty, the gauge stops giving miles remaining and switches to a couple of dashes -- I've never run out but have come very close many times, anyone know how far you can push it?

My car is fantastic and don't ever see buying a gas guzzler again!!! :idea:

If you have a dedicated 120 outlet it can possibly be converted to 240 easily. You can upgrade your EVSE for under $300, why spend $900.

 

[planet4ever]

Only have 120V in my garage, saving my pennies to get a 240 charger, I see you can buy it at Home Depot for $900+, can I use my 10% off coupon?

As EVDRIVER says, why not make your pennies stretch a lot further by getting the EVSEupgrade for about $300? Either way, of course, you will have to allow more - possibly a lot more - to wire your garage for 240v.

By the way, it's an EVSE, not a "charger". The charger is permanently built into the car.

*When you get below four miles left to empty, the gauge stops giving miles remaining and switches to a couple of dashes -- I've never run out but have come very close many times, anyone know how far you can push it?

See Tony's chart for some good estimates on this. But personally I don't recommend going much farther after you get the three dashes, unless you have to. I suspect that pulling that last 1.5kWh out of the battery is hard on battery life.

Ray