Electricians who can install for less?

Happy to join the leaf family, I just got mine a week ago. Unfortunately, just missed the window on the $5000 California rebate, now it is just $2500 for those on the waiting list. My dealership experience was OK, they talked me into getting a gold preferred extended warranty for about 1900 dollars but I am probably going to drop it in light of the $2500 more I am going to have to pay over what I thought initially.

Aerovironment is charging me a ridiculous $2800 to install the level 2 charger in my home. I was wondering if anyone knew of any good electricians in the Los Angeles area who could do the work for a more reasonable price?

Try this thread, it is full of recommendations.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1149&p=72779&hilit=electricians+LA+orange#p72779

I just re-found the thread, by the way, by using the search function, searching on "electrician LA orange".

sgvleaf said:

they talked me into getting a gold preferred extended warranty for about 1900 dollars but I am probably going to drop it in light of the $2500 more I am going to have to pay over what I thought initially.

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Just be aware that you can't cancel it if you're leasing. Thats what my dealership told me.

You don't have to get an AV unit, there are other options available to charge your LEAF even if you lease.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3625

I spent about $1,300 total for my L2 EVSE. $750 + tax for a Schneider L2 (Model: EV2430WS) and ~$500 for the connection (run ~ 20 feet of conduit for 240V circuit, install 2-pole 40 amp breaker in panel, connect to Schneider L2). You can call Paul at CED (Schneider distributor in Corona, CA) at 951-734-5360 to purchase the Schneider EV2430WS as suggested by others in the forum. AV was way overpriced and charged $100 for the site assessment (which I regret paying so they can quote me monopolistic prices).

That's the way to do it. Buy the kit from Nissan for $850 I think and have a licensed electrician install it. It's real easy. Only a couple of wires. Don't let a contractor B.S. you, Besides everyone has a brother-in-law who's an electrician, right? They just have to be licensed. That and a six pack of Sierra Nevada and you're done.

Nissan doesn't sell a kit. The only thing they sell, so far as I know, is the Level 1 charging adapter matching the one provided with the car, and they sell that for around $500. Perhaps you are referring to the AeroVironment EVSE, which Nissan recommends and AV will sell you for $995. Is there some reason you think that is a lot better than the Schneider EVSE which LastEmp was discussing in the post you responded to? The Schneider has a high list price, but you can apparently get it for $750.

Note also that for about $850 evseupgrade.com provides a unit with comparable function except that it is also portable. All your electrician has to do for that is install a 20 amp circuit with an outlet you can plug into. That should be cheaper than installing the 40 amp circuit for the Schneider. The possible downside is that if you later wanted to trade your LEAF in on an EV with faster L2 charging, the 20 amp unit would only charge at the rate the current LEAF supports.

Ray