Clipper Creek Plug in 30a charger

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az erik

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 6, 2013
Messages
123
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I, Like others grabbed this charger before the end of the year so as to grab the 30% IRS tax credit. I wanted to start this thread for praises, gripes, etc.
Link to the product:
http://stores.homestead.com/ClipperCreekInc/-strse-34/Charging-Station--fdsh--HCS-dsh-40,/Detail.bok
Currently $100 more than the 15a 240 charger, so it's a gimme.

Can be ordered as a plug in as well but I bought the hard wired.

The unit is nice, A bit bigger than "smallest" as there is a lot of plastic for wrapping the 25ft cable up. Comparing it to a Juicebox, but the Juicebox doesn't have a cord wrapping area.

The input wires are 10aug multi strand (about 10 strands) and the water proof input cord end is actually 1/2 inch.

Cable is super soft and flexible. 60a if I remember right. All UL. Error code sticker is on the left side of the unit (keep in mind if you're like me putting it next to something. 2 Big lagbolts for attaching unit to the wall.

Test fitting the J1772: fits snug with a little more effort than the Ford 120v cord. It does require more push/pull but that will probably wear in some. Handle is solid and the cord entrance is flexible. My daughter (20 month) can't budge this connector, she could remove my Ford one.

Good looking piece of hardware and waterproof. Quoted 7.2kW so there appears to be overhead for bleed off while still feeding the 6.6kW to the car.

Hoping to have it running this weekend (had to run wires 14 feet inside the garage or swap spots with my wife's HV.
 
az erik said:
Test fitting the J1772: fits snug with a little more effort than the Ford 120v cord. It does require more push/pull but that will probably wear in some. Handle is solid and the cord entrance is flexible. My daughter (20 month) can't budge this connector, she could remove my Ford one.
This seems to be a constant with CC equipment... my LCS-25 handle was initially very sniff to insert/remove from the FFE. It almost felt like I was going go damage something, especially on removal. An experienced person (who I recruited to "try" to remove the handle without any prior attempts or info about doing so) stopped before they could actually budge it, afraid they were doing damage, or just weren't doing it right.

After several months (of fairly low usage, I suppose), the LCS handle is a bit more loose, but still much more stubborn than the Ford OEM handle, or any public handle (such as one on any random ChargePoint station). Those always slip in/out very smoothly.
 
az erik said:
Test fitting the J1772: fits snug with a little more effort than the Ford 120v cord. It does require more push/pull but that will probably wear in some. Handle is solid and the cord entrance is flexible. My daughter (20 month) can't budge this connector, she could remove my Ford one.
This seems to be a constant with CC equipment... my LCS-25 handle was initially very sniff to insert/remove from the FFE. It almost felt like I was going go damage something, especially on removal. An experienced person (whom I recruited to "try" to remove the handle without any prior attempts or info about doing so) stopped before they could actually budge it, afraid they were doing damage, or just weren't doing it right.

After several months (of fairly low usage, I suppose), my LCS handle is a bit more loose, but still much more stubborn than the Ford OEM handle, or any public handle (such as one on any random ChargePoint station). Those always slip in/out very smoothly.

I'm still very happy with my LCS-25, just hoping the handle will eventually get easier to use.
 
I also purchased the HCS-40 from Clipper Creek and installed it myself, hardwired. I am very happy with it so far, have been charging with it daily since mid December. I figured I needed the 7.2kW rating of this unit to support the 6.6kW rating of the FFE. It has done a full charge from zero in approx. 3.5 hours so I believe what Ford said in that regard. I actually ran the car to the "battery depleted" warning and then up and down my street until it died- only got another 1/2 to 3/4 mile after the depleted warning before it died. Pushed it home and into my driveway to get it plugged back in.

The wall unit is very simple, seems quite sturdy and was pretty easy to mount. I would have liked more than 25 feet of cord but I measured before I bought and know it would work. The cord seems to be high quality and the handle fits very well into the receptacle in the car. Unit was packaged well, came with clear instructions and all the mounting hardware I needed to get it on the wall. I felt the price was great too for a unit to support the 6.6kW rating of the car.
 
Installed it myself as well. Quite pleased.

The 'click' of it connecting is fairly loud, in the garage. But I don't hear it in the house.
There is a very minor hum from it. but you have to pretty much listen for it.

I no longer 'fear' the 30 mile mark on my guessometer. (Anything less than 30 miles on the range and I couldn't 120v charge to full overnight)

I now also find myself using the autostart often in the week it's been on the CC.
1488302_10151923732021185_1729748563_n.jpg


I do think I'm seeing less than 240v as my 'normal' voltage on the weekend is around 113v. I have older wiring in the house but ran an all new run for the EVSE. I used 10aug THHN stranded, 16 foot run to the box. After 2.5 hours of charging the wire was just as cold as the conduit.
 
my 'normal' voltage on the weekend is around 113v
113 is likely fine. Usually the range in the US is 110v to 120v RMS. 113 is derrived from your measuring device as the peak to peak voltage is actually around 170V AC. It can fluctuate over time based on your load, your neighbors load, and what the power company is delivering.

Anyway, nice looking charger. The click is just the solinoids engaging and the hum is from the coils that keep the solinoid contacts closed. I think every charger does this. The amount of noise will vary, sure, but they all have this mechanism for isolating the high voltage from the end connector.

Nice looking unit and nice job. I installed a leviton charger about a year ago. Installed myself and saved a bunch of money...even had the city inspector check it. :)
 
davideos said:
my 'normal' voltage on the weekend is around 113v
113 is likely fine. Usually the range in the US is 110v to 120v RMS. 113 is derrived from your measuring device as the peak to peak voltage is actually around 170V AC. It can fluctuate over time based on your load, your neighbors load, and what the power company is delivering.

Anyway, nice looking charger. The click is just the solinoids engaging and the hum is from the coils that keep the solinoid contacts closed. I think every charger does this. The amount of noise will vary, sure, but they all have this mechanism for isolating the high voltage from the end connector.

Nice looking unit and nice job. I installed a leviton charger about a year ago. Installed myself and saved a bunch of money...even had the city inspector check it. :)

What are you talking about? These are 240V units.
 
Focused_Driver said:
davideos said:
my 'normal' voltage on the weekend is around 113v
113 is likely fine. Usually the range in the US is 110v to 120v RMS. 113 is derrived from your measuring device as the peak to peak voltage is actually around 170V AC. It can fluctuate over time based on your load, your neighbors load, and what the power company is delivering.

Anyway, nice looking charger. The click is just the solinoids engaging and the hum is from the coils that keep the solinoid contacts closed. I think every charger does this. The amount of noise will vary, sure, but they all have this mechanism for isolating the high voltage from the end connector.

Nice looking unit and nice job. I installed a leviton charger about a year ago. Installed myself and saved a bunch of money...even had the city inspector check it. :)

What are you talking about? These are 240V units.

Not really. They take the 2 'feeds' of 120 and combine them. My older neighborhood and wiring causes low voltage. I roast electrically so i watch the voltage a lot. 113 + 113 = 226v not 240. You'll not gain voltage that doesn't exit. This does infact effect my charge, only by a couple minutes but it does as my output voltage would be lower than optimum thus my charge would take a touch longer.

I've seen dips down into 106v here around 8pm when all heaters or A/c are running in the area. So I've started charging at 10pm when I'm usually sitting around 113 or so. I use a VariAC when roasting to push the voltage to 122 at my roaster, a VariAC is like a AC amplifier of sorts.
 
106 is perfectly acceptable as well (212 phase to phase). Industrial "220" is actually 208 V nominal due to the three-phase design. I charge every single day on a 208 circuit and it works just fine.
 
Yes it works fine, but does add a couple minutes, not enough to make a difference but I usually overclock everything I get :)

after a full month of using it I managed to drive nearly double the miles I had since I bought the car. So nice to be able to run up to Scottsdale and back home, slap it on the charger and go back up an hour later fully charged.
 
I just received my HCS-40 from Metroplug-in in Georgia. Very nice folks, prompt same day shipping, UPS ground on Monday, delivered Wednesday in NY. Now to get the Electrician to install.
H
 
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