Adding CHAdeMO to car without one (confused user thought "Upgrading to level 1 charger to level 2")

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InTooDeep

Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2021
Messages
13
Is it expensive to add the level 2 charge capability plus what would be needed?
Bought wife a low mileage great condition 2013 thought she wouldn't really like it and could sell it. She has really taken a liking to it so now looking to upgrade so she could recharge it when shopping without being there for 8 hours :roll: . Anyway any help and or ideas would be appreciated. Thank you
 
L1 usually refers to 120V AC charging. L2 usually means 240V AC charging. Any undamaged Leaf can charge at 240V.

Are you trying to upgrade a 3.3kW charger to 6.6kW? Or are you trying to charge with more current?

Telling us the trim level and installed option packages on your Leaf would help a lot.
 
... now looking to upgrade so she could recharge it when shopping without being there for 8 hours ...

This doesn't make any sense. If she wants to charge at L2 speeds while out shopping, she just needs to plugin at a level 2 public "charger" (proper term is EVSE). You can L2 charge any LEAF without buying any extra equipment.

Your wife just needs to install the PlugShare app on her phone, to find those public charging options...
 
Flyct said:
I think he’s asking if his car can have L3, DC fast charge added rather than waiting 9 hours on L2 while shopping to fully charge.

I think he’s confused what the L1, L2 and L3 differences are.

I don't know how L2 charging of a 2013 MY pack (24 kWh) would take 9 hours. I think he did very little research before purchasing a LEAF and he thinks that his LEAF only does L1 charging.
 
Flyct said:
I think he’s asking if his car can have L3, DC fast charge added rather than waiting 9 hours on L2 while shopping to fully charge.

I think he’s confused what the L1, L2 and L3 differences are.

Sorry was gone for a bit. Yes confused and total rookie on this. Background we were looking for a used car for her and found this great deal on a leaf. Have no knowledge on EVs. But as I have tried to catch up I have seen 2 different plugs were you charge the car. Hers has the one 120v with the other one I believe is for the 240v blocked off. Are you saying the 110v can be charged with 220v? appreciate the help. I'm adding a picture to show what I am trying to say. If you need any help with being a truck driver I can help you with that lol
https://imgur.com/a/woAIDpA
 
Your car only has the L-1/L-2 charging port - the one you think is for DC Fast Charging is just the blank plastic plate that covers the place where the optional DCFC port is located. But yes, the one port you have (on the right) is for both 120 and 240 volt charging. They both use the same charging plug.
 
To add to what LeftieBiker said, and your comment:

Hers has the one 120v with the other one I believe is for the 240v blocked off

The device that you plug into the port is with the orange cover is called an EVSE, not a charger. It is a standard J1772 port and as such, can be used with an EVSE that supplies either 120V or 240V.

The stock EVSE that comes with a 2013 LEAF is only capable of providing 120V. However, all public L2 EVSEs will provide 240V charging - much faster than charging with the stock 120V EVSE.

The one that's blocked off is a CHADEMO port (on LEAF's that are so equipped, yours isn't). That one works with DC fast chargers (not EVSEs) and provides 400V charging at up to 50 kW rates (the limit of a 2013).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXbbeuviMoE
 
The blocked off one in the picture is for a CHAdeMO plug.

I've had a 2017 Leaf for 4 years and I've used a CHAdeMO plug 5 or 6 times. I've used the J1772 plug on the right hundreds of times. In other words, you don't need a CHAdeMO plug. It isn't very useful unless you have easy access to a CHAdeMO station and need to charge very quickly.
 
goldbrick said:
The blocked off one in the picture is for a CHAdeMO plug.

I've had a 2017 Leaf for 4 years and I've used a CHAdeMO plug 5 or 6 times. I've used the J1772 plug on the right hundreds of times. In other words, you don't need a CHAdeMO plug. It isn't very useful unless you have easy access to a CHAdeMO station and need to charge very quickly.

In contrast, I've DC fast charged hundreds of times as until recently it was free to DC fast charge where I live. Even now, it makes longer trips viable that I wouldn't do if I had to wait for 2 - 3 hours each time I needed to add significant charge. Without DC fast charging, the LEAF is strictly a commuter car for shorter trips.
 
Thank you I appreciate the answers. Just another question if you don't mind. So using a public station that uses a 240v charger will charge it faster? How do you tell which is a 110 and 240v ? Yes I am a complete noob on this. Thanks for helping this old dog learn new things
 
alozzy said:
goldbrick said:
The blocked off one in the picture is for a CHAdeMO plug.

I've had a 2017 Leaf for 4 years and I've used a CHAdeMO plug 5 or 6 times. I've used the J1772 plug on the right hundreds of times. In other words, you don't need a CHAdeMO plug. It isn't very useful unless you have easy access to a CHAdeMO station and need to charge very quickly.

In contrast, I've DC fast charged hundreds of times as until recently it was free to DC fast charge where I live. Even now, it makes longer trips viable that I wouldn't do if I had to wait for 2 - 3 hours each time I needed to add significant charge. Without DC fast charging, the LEAF is strictly a commuter car for shorter trips.

Thank you that's what I'm looking for. To go across town plug in shop and be able to get back home without waiting forever to recharge
 
InTooDeep said:
Thank you I appreciate the answers. Just another question if you don't mind. So using a public station that uses a 240v charger will charge it faster? How do you tell which is a 110 and 240v ? Yes I am a complete noob on this. Thanks for helping this old dog learn new things

A typical public charging station will charge the car about 5 times as fast as the 120 volt charging cable. Some are even a bit faster. A 30 minute charge at a Level 2 station while you shop should add about 20 miles of city range to the car, give or take, or about 10 miles of highway range at 60MPH. L-2 will typically fully recharge a pre-2016 Leaf that's near 'empty' in about 5 hours. That makes L-2 charging very convenient for overnight charging at home, although it isn't necessary for everyone. For example, I have used just L-1 120 volt charging at home since I got my first Leaf in 2013. If you drive less than 30 miles a day, then L-1 should be fine. If you drive 30 miles or more, then consider having an electrician add a L-2 charging station to your house or garage.
 
LeftieBiker said:
InTooDeep said:
Thank you I appreciate the answers. Just another question if you don't mind. So using a public station that uses a 240v charger will charge it faster? How do you tell which is a 110 and 240v ? Yes I am a complete noob on this. Thanks for helping this old dog learn new things

A typical public charging station will charge the car about 5 times as fast as the 120 volt charging cable. Some are even a bit faster. A 30 minute charge at a Level 2 station while you shop should add about 20 miles of city range to the car, give or take, or about 10 miles of highway range at 60MPH. L-2 will typically fully recharge a pre-2016 Leaf that's near 'empty' in about 5 hours. That makes L-2 charging very convenient for overnight charging at home, although it isn't necessary for everyone. For example, I have used just L-1 120 volt charging at home since I got my first Leaf in 2013. If you drive less than 30 miles a day, then L-1 should be fine. If you drive 30 miles or more, then consider having an electrician add a L-2 charging station to your house or garage.

Again good info thanks. I'm slowly trying to get up to speed on this. Although it's hard when I'm driving 60 hrs a week in my semi
 
Maybe I should ask what is the best resource for learning more? So far I L1 L2 and so much that makes me go :?
Maybe Leaf for dummies
 
alozzy said:
InTooDeep said:
Maybe I should ask what is the best resource for learning more? So far I L1 L2 and so much that makes me go :?
Maybe Leaf for dummies

Did you watch the YouTube video I posted?

I have that saved for later when the wife gets home we will watch it then thanks
 
Thanks to all for the help. I am not really this ignorant on most things. This being new to me I have a lot to learn and I will learn.
 
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