Which Charger

[jmueller065]

My car has pretty much been spot on with the estimates.

My EVSE is the SPX/Bosch Power Xpress set to 30A (its internally adjustable 12-32 amps).
http://www.pluginnow.com/power-xpress

 

[WattsUp]

What charge times is everyone else seeing with their car and charger setup?

A full charge for me at 6.6 kW takes about 3.5 hours, just as advertised.

Are you sure your car really charged 87% of the battery in 2 hours? I ask because the charge durations reported by MFM are notoriously inaccurate. I've had long full charges take 0 minutes to complete, and small partial charges take hours to complete... according to the MFM charge log. Obviously, things didn't really happen that way. In my experience, the numbers reported by MFM are occasionally correct, but mostly they are wrong.

Also, the timing of the "Your car is fully charged" text notifications has been all over the place for me. Sometimes they arrive quickly after the car has actually finished charging, and sometimes they arrive hours after the fact.

 

[davideos]

...The car always estimates that it will take over 3 hours to charge (3 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 40 minutes). However, I then get the text message about 2 hours later that it is fully charged. I go out to the car and sure enough it is fully charged.
...
I am wondering why it completes the charges so quickly? I thought it would be regulated by the cars charger limit of 30A (6.6kW)?
...
What charge times is everyone else seeing with their car and charger setup?

Looking at myfordmobile right when I plug in, it always over-estimates the time. If you look at the energy section of the car's touch screen, that is over-estimated as well...and it tells you what the estimated percentage is.
So for me, my car usually finishes earlier, but not by too much. I'd say if my car was completely discharged, it would take 3:15 or so.

I do not think that your car charges faster...if it could take the extra current provided by the leviton, I'm sure Ford would advertise it. If you have a smart meter at your circuit breaker, you could read the power consumption before and after charging starts to get a confirmation. Anyway, if in fact it is charging faster, that's a plus!

 

[RaleighNC]

Leviton EVB32-M8L 7.7KW, $899 on Amazon, installed in carport 3 weeks ago and working like a champ.

My reasons for choosing this unit:

-- Paid a slight bit more for the extra charge output. Understood that all my 2013 FFE will take is 6.6kW, but figured the extra capacity will be forward compatible in a couple years when I expect my family will have two EV's, and the newer one will be of more robust charge capability. This will hopefully allow the one charger to easily manage the input needs of both vehicles in the evening / overnight hours.

-- I like the simple, compact, weatherproof nature of this unit that I had hardwired on my carport wall.

-- I steered away from units that had unnecessary-additional-cost start/stop and delay features that were redundant to command and control within the FFE itself.

Re: Hardwire vs. Portable: The perceived potential flexibility of a portable installation (i.e. plug into a 240V receptacle and leave the unit on a mounting bracket, easily detachable) sounded nice but I decided to hardwire, for my particular situation based on:
1. My carport faces a public street and the mental visual I had was of the $900 piece of hardware plugged into an outlet with a sign reading, "COME STEAL THIS."
2. I honestly don't know what friend's house I'm going to go to that has a 240V charger there to help me out, anyway. I just really don't see this being all that frequent of a situation, for me, much less a necessity.

Charge time: from just about "empty" <10% battery life, I'm fully charged in 3 hours +/- 0:10. I was surprised, expected longer, but that's my experience.

 

[WattsUp]

I honestly don't know what friend's house I'm going to go to that has a 240V charger there to help me out, anyway. I just really don't see this being all that frequent of a situation, for me, much less a necessity.

Huh... many people's garages have a 240V outlet for washer/dryer.

 

[EVA]

Huh... many people's garages have a 240V outlet for washer/dryer.

They might in warm climate states. In the rest of the country, washers and dryers are inside the house. If Raleigh lives in North Carolina, I'll bet washers and dryers are inside the house in that state.

 

[RaleighNC]

EVA bets right . Most of my friends don't have garages and if they do, they're just "a place for their stuff" without a lot of room for me to maneuver.

Every situation is different I know, that's just how mine worked out.

 

[WattsUp]

Most of my friends don't have garages and if they do, they're just "a place for their stuff" without a lot of room for me to maneuver.

That's why I have a portable charger and 50 feet of cable. My car can park "wherever" outside.

Anyway, good point of the utilities inside the house in colder climates. Still, I've charged at people's houses where I just ran my extension cable into their house (e.g., to the laundry room).

 

[az erik]

Bosch dropped the 18foot 7.4kw to $556 I'm nearly pulling the trigger, just due to the UL listing and required thicker cable to put the Juicebox into the 7KW range safely.
http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-EL-5125...r=1-3&keywords=level+2+charger#productDetails

 

[Leo]

So I finally getting a L2 charger. 11 months later I now have 12,000 miles using only the charger that came with it. Yesterday I ordered the new clipper creek.

http://stores.homestead.com/ClipperCreekInc/-strse-34/Charging-Station--fdsh--HCS-dsh-40%2C/Detail.bok

It was least expensive one I could find that had an output of 7.4kw. Has a 3 year warranty and both times I called they answered right away and new there product well. I should get it tomorrow and install this weekend. I will need to do the install by the end of the year to get the tax credit.

 

[sefs]

Most of my friends don't have garages and if they do, they're just "a place for their stuff" without a lot of room for me to maneuver.

That's why I have a portable charger and 50 feet of cable. My car can park "wherever" outside.

Anyway, good point of the utilities inside the house in colder climates. Still, I've charged at people's houses where I just ran my extension cable into their house (e.g., to the laundry room).

This^^.

I'm doing the same thing, and it makes this car. If I didn't have a portable level II charger, this car would not be practical for me. I've charged from friend's welder outlets (NEMA 6-50), old electric kiln outlets (NEMA 10-50), RV outlets/new electric range outlets (NEMA 14-50), and have adapters for NEMA 14-30, NEMA 10-30, NEMA L6-30, and of course NEMA 5-15 for the old fallback.

 

[sefs]

So I finally getting a L2 charger. 11 months later I now have 12,000 miles using only the charger that came with it. Yesterday I ordered the new clipper creek.

http://stores.homestead.com/ClipperCreekInc/-strse-34/Charging-Station--fdsh--HCS-dsh-40%2C/Detail.bok

It was least expensive one I could find that had an output of 7.4kw. Has a 3 year warranty and both times I called they answered right away and new there product well. I should get it tomorrow and install this weekend. I will need to do the install by the end of the year to get the tax credit.

Post back with how this turns out, that new ClipperCreek looked interesting.

 

[az erik]

So I finally getting a L2 charger. 11 months later I now have 12,000 miles using only the charger that came with it. Yesterday I ordered the new clipper creek.

http://stores.homestead.com/ClipperCreekInc/-strse-34/Charging-Station--fdsh--HCS-dsh-40%2C/Detail.bok

It was least expensive one I could find that had an output of 7.4kw. Has a 3 year warranty and both times I called they answered right away and new there product well. I should get it tomorrow and install this weekend. I will need to do the install by the end of the year to get the tax credit.

I think you can get the tax credit on the purchase. I'll install mine myself so I don't expect more than a couple bucks from the install parts but dropping the unit price to $422 shipped is quite nice.

I'll place my order for the CC 40 as well. This fits my bill nicely.

 

[rabar10]

So I finally getting a L2 charger. 11 months later I now have 12,000 miles using only the charger that came with it. Yesterday I ordered the new clipper creek.

http://stores.homestead.com/ClipperCreekInc/-strse-34/Charging-Station--fdsh--HCS-dsh-40%2C/Detail.bok

It was least expensive one I could find that had an output of 7.4kw. Has a 3 year warranty and both times I called they answered right away and new there product well. I should get it tomorrow and install this weekend. I will need to do the install by the end of the year to get the tax credit.

Thanks for the note -- just ordered the HCS-40 as well. Customer service over the phone is great, too -- I wanted the J1772 plug holster (have to mount the unit a ways from where I'll plug in) but forgot to add it before placing the order online. It was a snap to add it over the phone after the fact though.

 

[az erik]

Now to do the math on how much wire to get to put the unit on my facing wall. I really wanted a 6.6kW charger and now I'll have one. Also need to fix my value charge junk

 

[davideos]

Be sure to get a little extra, you don't want to run short.

 

[Leo]

Got it. Did a quick install. Works like a champ. Best glorified extension cord I have bough, most expensive one too. I put a plug on it for now. May hard wire it later if i find myself not needing to bring it along as much as I think I am.

 

[az erik]

Currently trying to get this CC 40 installed by the weekend. Not a requirement but having the flu damn sure makes it harder to think and work. I'm impressed with the unit, sitting in the corner... can't wait to finally not have to worry about charging for 16 hours.

 

[zoran009]

I am in sfo bay area , just acquired EV looking for 240 charger. dealer said govt or dmv gives free! I dont believe though

 

[WattsUp]

I am in sfo bay area , just acquired EV looking for 240 charger. dealer said govt or dmv gives free! I dont believe though

When you find the free charger through the DMV, let me know. :lol: