Using charging timer on 2015 S Leaf (and maybe others)

I'm wondering if there is room for improvement in the way I use the charging timer on our 2015 Nissan Leaf S:

• Objective: charging reaches about 80% by early morning
• Charging timer set to 14:00 (2:00 pm in the afternoon)
• Vehicle plugged into 120v EVSE about 18:00 (6:00 pm) in the evening
• Check vehicle state of charge about 7:00 and unplug or continue charging as warranted
• My observation is that getting from 95% to 100% takes about 2+ hours, and then cell balancing takes several more hours.

I've found use of the Leaf charging timer to be less than intuitive. Suggestions appreciated.

I wouldn't worry about cell balancing.

What is your commuting distance?

Why are you not using 240?

What is SOC when you return home?

Thanks for the feedback.

I've cut back on cell balancing ... less than monthly now. I might do it again if I had a lot of miles to cover the next day.

We're retired, with varying number of daily miles from 15 to 40+ miles for errands and misc. That was prior to the pandemic.

Prior to that, it worked out to regularly use a free ChargePoint Level-2 while working out at a YMCA several blocks away. There are also a number of free Level-2 chargers within a reasonable walking distance that integrated well into our routine running around. We used to go weeks and sometimes months without charging at home.

That argued against spending the $$$ for a Level-2 charger and paying an electrician.

The SOC when returning home varies from about 20% to 60% or so.

If you are in Colorado, I am guessing your utility rates are reasonable so much less incentive to do 240 volts although the cost has gone down if your panel doesn't need any major work. There is an efficiency loss on 120 volts based on time to charge.

There was a blogger who did a pretty decent write up on a cost analysis. He lived in Bay Area and his rates were like 35 cents/kwh or something in that range. Based on his driving iirc was "around" 14,000 miles or so, it would take him just over 18 months to justify a $500 DIY upgrade to 240. I maybe wrong on the kwh cost (could be higher not lower) but his calculation was based on around a 15% difference in efficiency.

So "if" you drive that much (guessing not) and your utility rates are the country average, it would take you nearly 5 years to recover $500 (which was normal then, likely a bargain today) but drive less and the time increases.

That was on a Gen One LEAF and its my feeling, the efficiency has improved somewhat but I don't use 120 (barely use 240 ATM) and unlikely to go there as I do not have a good circuit in my current setup to try it on.

Our electricity is about 10.5¢ per kW used, plus connect fee. There isn't a lower fee for night charging. We drive about 13,000 miles per year (although not nearly that much lately with the restrictions). We get about half our juice for free from Level-2 ChargePoint or at the pair of Nissan dealerships.

ldallan said:

Our electricity is about 10.5¢ per kW used, plus connect fee.

Click to expand...

You mean 10.5 cents per kWh?