Level 1 EVSE options

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archie_b

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Dec 25, 2011
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The 120V EVSE charging cord that comes standard with the i is rated at 8 amps. Charging at 8 amps takes 22.5 hours to recharge the i.

There are several aftermarket level 1 EVSE charging cords available that increase the charge rate to 12 or even 15 amps. While 12 or 15 amps is not as good as a level 2 240V EVSE charger, the cost for a level 1 upgrade is less expensive. A 12 amp level 1 EVSE is $495 and a 15 amp level 1 EVSE is $695. Both can be used with a standard 20amp 120V outlet. Assuming you already have a dedicated 120V outlet, no additional electric work is required.

Increasing your charging rate by 50% to 87% would significantly reduce charging times. I would estimate ( I could not find anything to calculate exact times) charging time would drop from 22.5 hours to about 14 hours for 12 amp model and about 11 hours for the 15 amp model.

Has anyone tried a aftermarket level 1 EVSE? Any reason these higher charge rate level one EVSE units would not work with the i?
 
You could try http://evseupgrade.com and get your level 1 EVSE upgraded. Of course it will void the Mitsubishi warranty on that EVSE unit.

The upgrade would be 12 amps & 240 volts for the 'i' for the rev2 model (required) per Mark @ evseupgrade.
 
@archie_b "Charging at 8 amps takes 22.5 hours to recharge the i."

A level 2 EVSE has three times the charge rate as the iMiEV level 1 EVSE. The Mitsubishi Level 1 is really a SLOW charge. Using Mitsubishi's figure of 22 hours to charge with their Level 1 and EPA's 62 mile range means only about 2.8 miles/hour charging using 120vac.

62/22=2.8 miles/hr Level1

I can walk to my destination faster than charging my i with the Mitsubishi's level 1 charger and driving. There had better be a option to charge at this destination or my i will be strained with a dead battery.

@archie_b "Increasing your charging rate by 50% to 87% would significantly reduce charging times." -- Amen

@jjlink -Phil at evseupgrade.com only does Nissan EVSE upgrades. His modified Nissan Unit cost $979. The SPX Power Xpress at $949 might be the most useful 110V/240v charger.
https://www.homecharging.spx.com/portal/Display.aspx?id=11&menu=8
 
The level 1 EVSE I have been evaluating is the Legrand model L1EVSE. I finally found a spec sheet on this unit. Price is $495.

http://www.legrand.us/passandseymour/ev-chargers/level%201/l1evse.aspx

What I like about the 12 or 15 amp level 1 EVSE is price, portability, and no need for additional installation or electrical work. I already have a dedicated 120V circuit to my garage so the total cost for upgrading to the 12 amp Legrand unit is $495. The least expensive level 2 charger is $749 plus the cost to run a new 240V circuit to the garage. I am on time of day service and as long as the i can completely recharge within the 12 hours off-peak that is all I require. Some owners may feel the faster recharge time a level 2 EVSE provides is worth the additional cost.
 
Don't waste your money on another Level 1 EVSE. Unless I'm very mistaken, the car will not pull any more than 8 amps at 120V, regardless of what Level 1 charger it is plugged into. Same story on Level 2- the car will not pull any more than 3300 Watts at 240V, even when provided by much more powerful EVSE. My SPX is rated for up to 32 amps, but the i won't come close to tapping that. That's my biggest design gripe with the car and the reason I want to setp up to a ChaDeMo-capable car. A small pack with a small charger makes for less practical daily range.
 
I checked my power usage for last night while doing a L2 240v charge and it was averaging about 3,176 Watts. It took about 5 hours to charge and the car had been down to 2 bars on "fuel" and 9 miles on the guess-o-meter.
 
jjlink: Thanks for the Level 2 datapoint.

If you could borrow a Nissan Leaf Level 1 EVSE (rated for 12A) and plug it into the iMiEV and measure its 120vac input power (using, e.g., a Kill-A-Watt), that will quickly settle the question whether the iMiEV charger does any current limiting at 120vac. A reading of around 960W means 8A and around 1440W means 12A. Thanks in advance.
 
JoeS: I think I may be able arrange that test there are several Leafs plugged in where I work. I am assuming that the Leaf L1 EVSE should be the stock EVSE not a upgraded unit (from evseuppgrade)? Or does that matter?
 
jjlink - the Nissan Leaf EVSE Upgrade adds 240vac capability and has the option of increasing the current to 16A, but only on 240vac. Thus, the Level 1 feature of 12A is left intact and either the stock or upgraded unit works the same way.
 
JoeS: Thanks for the clarification.

So the L1 EVSE supplied with the 'i' will only do the original 120V/8A. The test will tell us it a Leaf L1 EVSE can allow the 'i' to charge at 120v/12A.
 
I tried using my KILL-A-WATT P4400 and the 120 volt EVSE wont charge with it in the circuit. If i remove the KILL-A-WATT P4400 it starts charging right away. We would need a different power meter to do this test.
 
jjlink: thank you for posting both the graph and this EVSEUpgrade writeup.

Nice to know that the "i" can draw at least 12A at 120vac, thus allowing someone with a marginal-range commute to work to be able to reasonably replenish at work using any old ac outlet.
Using stock iMiEV Level 1 EVSE (8A): 9hrs*62mi/22hrs = 25.4 miles replenished
Using Level 1 12A: 25.4mi*12/8 = 38 miles replenished
Might just make the difference between buying and not buying this vehicle for commuting.
Are you listening, Mitsubishi?
 
Spoke with Eaton Care today concerning their EVSE options. During the conversation they confirmed that they have tried several different models of their EVSEs on the i and all have worked without any problems. This includes their Level 1 EVSE which is rated at 16amps at 120V. The Level 1 EVSE did charge at 16 amps.

Note: Eaton's Level 1 chargers are only about $100 less than their Level 2 chargers so no great savings by going to level 1, and the charge rate will be less.
 
archie_b thank you, as that is even better news.

Drawing 16A out of a typical commercial 120v 20A outlet (like you might see at work), means, for a typical 9-hour workday,

(9hrs)*(62mi/22hr)*(16A/8A) = 50.7miles replenished

Thus, for those without access to 240vac or a full-up Level 2 EVSE at work, being able to charge at work using 120vac 16A certainly makes a 40+mile one-way daily commute easily doable. Convincing management to let you plug in is another matter... :roll:

jjlink, I have no idea why a Kill-A-Watt would inhibit the Level 1 EVSE operation. I hope to try mine on a friend's Leaf Level 1 EVSE. Hmm, even simpler would be a short adapter cable with an external wire loop for use with a handheld clamp-on ac ammeter...
 
JoeS said:
I have no idea why a Kill-A-Watt would inhibit the Level 1 EVSE operation.

When I tested my P3 International Kill A Watt P4400 it stopped at 15.9 Amps and blinked the display. The load current continued but the P4400 would not measure more than 15.9 Amps. Then I read the instructions. The P4400 is rated for 15 Amps.

The P4400 specs and manual:
http://www.p3international.com/products/special/P4400/P4400-CE.html
 
On my L1 EVSE the Green Light would not stop flashing when plugged into the Kill-A-Watt P4400. The green light flashing means a bad ground according to the instructions. This only happens with the Kill-A-Watt P4400 in the line.
 
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