2018 Nissan LEAF EVSE is not working with 208v AC

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solarman

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 14, 2010
Messages
52
Location
Santa Clara, CA USA
In the city of Santa Clara, CA certain residential neighborhoods receive 208v AC instead of the more conventional 240v. This has not been a problem with the BLINK charging station installed for my 2011 Nissan LEAF or my upgraded portable EVSE. However, another Santa Clara resident who recently bought a fully loaded 2018 Nissan LEAF SL with the Tech Pack says he is unable to use his Nissan supplied 120v/240v portable EVSE to charge his 2018 Nissan LEAF at home on 208v power. The same portable EVSE works fine on 120v at home, and elsewhere on 240v power. Has anyone else in this group had a problem charging their 2018 Nissan LEAF using their Nissan supplied 120v/240v portable EVSE when connected to 208v ?

Uhmm, I wonder if it could be the onboard charger on the 2018 LEAF that isn't happy with 208v power. I'll find out if the same portable EVSE charges any other EV models from 208v power.
 
I would be shocked if it was the car. Should be easy enough to check by plugging some other 208v EVSE into his car, like the one at your house. Either some idiot engineer never considered that someone might want to plug the provided EVSE into 208v, or his is defective.
 
More information: The owner of the 2018 Nissan LEAF is able to use an old ICS-200B EVSE to charge his new LEAF from 208v, so presumably, the 2018 LEAF on board charger is OK with 208v power and the issue is with the portable EVSE accepting 208v.

Someone also checked that the 208v outlet used with the Panasonic Portable EVSE is wired with a ground and continuity of the ground wire was checked between the outlet and the service panel.
 
I started a thread last week about having issues with level 2 charging on the supplied EVSE. Nissan was pretty useless. After leaving my car with them for a day they told me that their only 220V outlet was not wired correctly and that I should get my home wiring checked. Basically, they just gave me my car back and said good luck.

I live in Sunnyvale and it looks like I might be on 208V as well. The hots to ground are about 120V each and between hots is about 210V, so does that mean I'm on 208V? All this supply power stuff is new to me.
 
Yes, 208v power will still be 120v from ground or neutral to each of the hots. 208v power is VERY common in commercial and some larger residential power, making an evse not capable of 208v would be idiotic!
 
dingdong said:
I started a thread last week about having issues with level 2 charging on the supplied EVSE. Nissan was pretty useless. After leaving my car with them for a day they told me that their only 220V outlet was not wired correctly ...
I'm sure that's what's wrong with the dealer's outlet as well. It's not wired wrong, it's 208v, like most commercial buildings. Truly idiotic since making it 208v compatible is simple and wouldn't cost any more.
 
dingdong said:
I started a thread last week about having issues with level 2 charging on the supplied EVSE. Nissan was pretty useless. After leaving my car with them for a day they told me that their only 220V outlet was not wired correctly and that I should get my home wiring checked. Basically, they just gave me my car back and said good luck.

I live in Sunnyvale and it looks like I might be on 208V as well. The hots to ground are about 120V each and between hots is about 210V, so does that mean I'm on 208V? All this supply power stuff is new to me.

If your meter is working and fairly accurate, then 210v is really way too low to be 240v service. Sunnyvale is served by PG&E and from my experience (installing solar) homes there are usually 240v, so I am surprised you're finding 210v (208v?) between hots. But that is interesting and would confirm that the 2018 Nissan LEAF portable EVSE doesn't work with 208v service. Please confirm that this is a 2018 Nissan supplied 120v-240v portable EVSE. Thanks.
 
Yup. 2018 Nissan supplied EVSE. My home is a newer one and is part of a large townhome development (200+ homes). Not sure if that might explain why we're on 208V?
 
Looks like evseupgrade.com is now offering modifications to 2018 stock EVSEs so that you can use any supply voltage between 100v and 250v:

http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=28

Specifications:

Outlet Type: NEMA L6-30R (30A 240V Twist-Lock) (*optional adapter needed for standard 120v outlet)
Input Voltage: 100-250 volts AC 50/60 HZ
Power output: programmable from 6 to 12 amps on 100-167 volts* (programmable from 6 to 16 amps on 168-250 volts)

Not sure why it would be limited to 16 amps though, as the 2018 stock EVSE can handle more current than that - weird. Also, surely they could leave the stock plug on it, rather than cutting it off and replacing it with a L6-30R
 
alozzy said:
Looks like evseupgrade.com is now offering modifications to 2018 stock EVSEs so that you can use any supply voltage between 100v and 250v:

http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=28

Specifications:

Outlet Type: NEMA L6-30R (30A 240V Twist-Lock) (*optional adapter needed for standard 120v outlet)
Input Voltage: 100-250 volts AC 50/60 HZ
Power output: programmable from 6 to 12 amps on 100-167 volts* (programmable from 6 to 16 amps on 168-250 volts)

Not sure why it would be limited to 16 amps though, as the 2018 stock EVSE can handle more current than that - weird. Also, surely they could leave the stock plug on it, rather than cutting it off and replacing it with a L6-30R
Note they are upgrading the standard '18 EVSE, not the 30a(27.5a) 120v/240v model :)
The reason they stop at 16a is Nissan has only been using 14 gauge wiring since '15, it was 12g before that allowing the upgrades to go up to 20a.
I'm guessing it's only the 30a dual voltage model that seems to lack 208v support. Note 208v can easily go below 200v under load(just like 240v power can get near 230v). I used to regularly charge on a 208v outlet at work, 208v NL and 198v with a 19a load. Was never a problem with my upgraded OEM Nissan EVSEs nor my Zencar or cheap 16a L2 EVSEs, crazy no one at Nissan would have thought to try their new and improved EVSE on standard 208v L2 :roll:
 
dingdong said:
Yup. 2018 Nissan supplied EVSE. My home is a newer one and is part of a large townhome development (200+ homes). Not sure if that might explain why we're on 208V?
Lower cost for a central development to have 3-phase transformers and distribution.

It is 208 because with 3-phase power the sine wave is shifted 120 degrees (3x 120 =360) instead of 180 degrees (2x 180=360).

If you have an electric range, dryer or water heater they will operate at lower output as they are generally made for 240 volts.
 
@jjeff Sorry, I forgot that the "standard" EVSE on the 2018 US model is not the dual voltage one that's standard in Canada across all trim levels.
 
dingdong said:
Yup. 2018 Nissan supplied EVSE. My home is a newer one and is part of a large townhome development (200+ homes). Not sure if that might explain why we're on 208V?
I think that explains it - new townhome developments go up where industrial sites used to be, so they are supplied with 3 phase power.
That is the reason for the 208V from 2 legs of 120V: the 3-phase supply has its phases at 120 deg from each other, so the voltage between the two phases is not the sum of the two leg's voltages.
Anyway, I have several EVSE and I will be happy to swap one of mine with your non-working EVSE, please contact me off-line
and I will take your EVSE apart to figure out what is wrong with it and solve this mystery and hopefully get it to work on 208.
 
Yikes... just purchased a new 2018 SL and have 208 3-phase at my shop where I intend to charge. Will know soon if my induced charger doesn't work, I certainly hope it does.

Other option is a "Buck-Boost transformer" that turns the 208 into 230 - we have one installed for our table saw.

Will report back.
 
V8BoatBuilder said:
Yikes... just purchased a new 2018 SL and have 208 3-phase at my shop where I intend to charge. Will know soon if my induced charger doesn't work, I certainly hope it does.

Other option is a "Buck-Boost transformer" that turns the 208 into 230 - we have one installed for our table saw.

Will report back.
230v may not cut it
https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=25374#p520123
rating is 240V
 
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