Selectable Voltage outlet

I was looking at buying a new EVSE. My question is, can I (legally, safely) wire an L6-30 outlet on a switch of some type to select 120 volts or 240 volts, or do I need two separate outlets, one at each voltage?

I was visioning having a hot run straight to one of the hot ports on the outlet, and have another hot (out of phase for 240V) and a neutral (for 120V) run to a 3-way switch like this one:

http://shopping.yahoo.com/771707327...ade-self-grounding-back-and-side-wired-ivory/

The lead from the switch would go to the other hot port on the outlet, and of course proper grounding.

http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=5

Yes, that's possible . . . . and you described it correctly. I would advise you to get a licensed electrician to wire it up for you

Why the 30 amp, high powered EVSE? Planning on recharging some other EV which came with a 6.6 KW charger? If it's only for your iMiEV, you don't need anything beyond 20 amps

Don

This EVSE tops out at 20 amps, so it's not full 6.6 kw. The 30 amp switch is sized to match the outlet, rated 30 amps.

Having them modify your current EVSE to 12.5 amps @ 120/240 might be a better buy for you then - $300 vs $1K for about the same performance, plus you can run it with a 20 amp circuit and 12/3 wire

The only real difference between our EVSE and the $1K Nissan upgraded one is the size of the cable between the EVSE and the car - Ours has 14 gauge conductors which limits the output to 12.5 amps. If you were to replace that cable with one containing 12 gauge wires, EVSE Upgrade could program our unit to 20 amps as well. But, since our car can only draw a little less than 14 amps, it wouldn't gain you all that much when it comes to charge time - 12.5 amps is about 90% of the max the charger can handle

Don

Here's a dual voltage duplex outlet that will charge our cars up to the full 16A on either 120V or 240V. It will accept NEMA 5-15, 5-20, and 240V 6-20 plugs. I haven't found one with built-in GFCI. We use them for school bus block heaters, which come in many flavors....

http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-5842-I-Receptacle-Commercial-Grounding/dp/B000U3BVMI/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1368642433&sr=1-2&keywords=dual+voltage+duplex

Don said:

Having them modify your current EVSE to 12.5 amps @ 120/240 might be a better buy for you then - $300 vs $1K for about the same performance, plus you can run it with a 20 amp circuit and 12/3 wire.
Don

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I just got back my stock MiEV charger with the $300 upgrade Don is talking about.
It fully charges the car from dead empty in 13 hours vs the stock 22 hours plugged into a standard 120 volt 15 amp wall plug. Almost twice as fast as the stock.
It will charge even faster -- become a Level-2 charger -- if you plug it into a 240 volt.
And has the advantage that if you're NOT in a hurry to charge you can turn it down to charge anywhere between 8amp and 12 amps being kinder to the battery
It's convinced me, at least with our pattern of use, that we probably don't even need to bother installing a 240volt outlet in our garage.

Alex

jray3 said:

Here's a dual voltage duplex outlet that will charge our cars up to the full 16A on either 120V or 240V. It will accept NEMA 5-15, 5-20, and 240V 6-20 plugs. I haven't found one with built-in GFCI. We use them for school bus block heaters, which come in many flavors....

http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-5842-I-Receptacle-Commercial-Grounding/dp/B000U3BVMI/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1368642433&sr=1-2&keywords=dual+voltage+duplex

Click to expand...

Yes, you could wire half of that outlet to 120 and the other half to 240, but it would require two cables feeding it and not just one as PV1 wanted

Also, I'm guessing what he was really trying to accomplish was to plug in a modified Panasonic EVSE to a single, dual voltage outlet and have it automatically select whichever voltage he fed it with his single cable, switchable feed

I have two identical twist-lock outlets mounted side by side (one for 120 and one for 240) but I have to manually unplug from one and plug into the other to switch from L1 to L2 - I like his idea of just using the switch to make the change

Don

Thanks. Don, your side-by-side outlets inspired my idea. I was mainly shooting to have 2 EVSEs, keeping my stock one in the car, and the new one at home. This way I'm covered when I'm out and about (right now I mostly leave the EVSE at home). The one at home would mostly be dialed back, but there are a few times when I need level 2. An advantage over a wall-mount (besides my lack of wallspace) is that I can unplug the new EVSE and take it with me when needed.

Don said:

Having them modify your current EVSE to 12.5 amps @ 120/240 might be a better buy for you then - $300 vs $1K for about the same performance, plus you can run it with a 20 amp circuit and 12/3 wire

Don

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Don, can you link to the place where we can have the $300 ESVE upgrade done please?
Thank you.

blownb310 said:

Don, can you link to the place where we can have the $300 ESVE upgrade done please?
Thank you.

Click to expand...

It's just www.evseupgrade.com .

Note you'll be without your charger while it ships out and back.
They do send it out typically the same day they get it in.

They're in Berkely California and I'm up in Oregon.....
I sent mine down regular UPS ground on a Monday and had it back on that Friday,
which they said was typical for my distance.
Depends how far from them you are on turnaround time and whether you want to pay the extra for two day or overnight. They caution customers that they've had real bad luck with Fedex, not that great with USPS priority mail, and recommend UPS.

All orders must be place on the website, not by phone, email, and IIRR they don't allow will-call.

Alex

Thank you!