What is the BEST outdoor all-weather Level II Charger?

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wildfire

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
7
Location
Victoria, BC
I'm noticing a real difference in price for seemingly very similar products. What do you think is the most reliable Level II Charger that can be installed outside in all weather? Also, are there any chargers available with built in meters to tell us how much power they are actually drawing?
 
The charger is in the car - You're asking about the EVSE

I have no idea, but I'm guessing the BEST all weather unit would likely be north of $1000, while a perfectly suitable substitute could be had for half that. Whatever you pay, they should all be 100% reliable . . . . all they are is a computer controlled relay, plain and simple

Unless you have a current adjustable unit, a readout of the amps being drawn is of little use. If the EVSE is not adjustable and is capable of 15 amps or more, a power readout would always say 3300 watts, or whatever the exact number the car charger can draw. If the breaker can't handle that, it will trip. If the EVSE (and the breaker) can handle 20 or 30 amps, it will still only read 13.5 to 14 amps because that's all the car can draw

I wouldn't pay a bunch extra to get a meter for that reason . . . . it's going to say the same thing day after day, so whatever it reads is of little consequence

Don
 
@wildfire: Where are you located? That will help us determine availability of products for your country. You can also add your location in the User Control Panel, so it shows up on the left side of your posts.


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Right. The charger is in the car. I knew that, its all fresh but I'll figure it out soon enough. I'm in coastal BC, very rainy, and have been just getting used to the car while I shop around for a level II charger that I will install on the outside of my house. So far I do notice that the charging fluctuates depending on the weather. It charges more slowly when it is cold. So I figure I should be mindful of my environment in order to find the right plug for the car.
 
@Wildfire.

I own a GE Wattstation, its fantastic for outdoor use. It's actually rated for just that. The plug is gaurded from the weather, and the LED ring makes it really easy to manage in the dark. Mounting it on wall or a pole is also easy, thanks to the included bracket, the Wattstation actually includes keys that lock it to the bracket so stealing it will require the thief to burn some calories. The plug end also has a locking hole, so you can pad lock it to your car or to the holster if your worried about random kid or wondering hobo unplugging your car our messing with it while you're away.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_107343-76863-EVWSWBC-CP01_0__
 
I second the GE Wattstation. I've used it for almost a year, with no problem. It is partially outside, under the eve of our house.
GE will be around for a while for service / parts. Some other types - who knows?
Super easy to use. Attractive. Well illuminated for nite use.
 
here's a picture taken in total darkness with no flash. It should give you an idea of just how bright the LED ring is. The picture was taken using a smart phone, so that also made it tough to get a good image. It's way brighter in real life than even the image can show.


Me and the Wattstation
 
wildfire said:
...So far I do notice that the charging fluctuates depending on the weather. It charges more slowly when it is cold.
wildfire, I had not heard of nor seen any charging rate variation as a function of temperature. At 240vac my iMiEV absorbs about 3.08kW; however, you raise a good point and I'll try paying attention to this.

I like the fact that the GE Wattstation consumes ZERO watts when turned off. Our Mitsubishi (Panasonic) L1 EVSE consumes 5W, which over the course of a year means 5W x 1kW/1000W x 24hr/day x 365days/yr x $0.10/kWhr = $4.38 :roll:

For myself, I preferred a transportable L2 EVSE (SPX Xpress), so I could take it with me to friends' houses and typically plug into their dryer outlets for a recharge. At 33lbs, the GE Wattstation is perhaps a bit too heavy/bulky to do that. Besides, you'll be mounting it outdoors so you should have a totally watertight setup and not utilize some type of external 240vac connector, and the SPX Xpress needs to be carefully sealed against rain (there's a post somewhere by jray3 where he ran into trouble with it because of that).

iDriver - that's an 'interesting' photo :)
 
JoeS said:
iDriver - that's an 'interesting' photo :)

ha! thanks. I actually didn't want to be in the picture, but i felt like the light on my glasses actually provided some reference.
 
JoeS said:
I like the fact that the GE Wattstation consumes ZERO watts when turned off. Our Mitsubishi (Panasonic) L1 EVSE consumes 5W, which over the course of a year means 5W x 1kW/1000W x 24hr/day x 365days/yr x $0.10/kWhr = $4.38 :roll:
After the EVSE Upgrade, the stock unit draws only 1.6 watts which will lower that to just $1.40. Lets see, that $3 savings will pay for the upgrade in about . . . . 100 years ;) :lol: :mrgreen:

Don
 
I did the EVSE Upgrade as well, and I do love it. The stock unit is now amazing.

Still, having a dedicated charging station is extremely convenient. After driving the i-MiEV, I quickly realized that our family would always own an EV, so it made sense to get something installed.

My wife is wonderful (are you reading this dear? :p ), but she really didn't want to bother with dragging the stock unit in and out of it's bag all the time, nor did we feel comfortable with leaving it in the garage. We do lots of driving with our i and the one time we left the stock unit in the garage, was the one time we needed it. Never again, it lives in or hooked up to the car at all times now.

One more quick plug for the Wattstation. Due to the fact it can charge at 30 amps, it's more than my i-MiEV can use, but now i'm covered for whatever my next EV is.
 
Here's what I purchased from Home Depot. Quiet, rated NEMA-4.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/203352378?productId=203352378&storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&MERCH=REC%2d%5f%2dnosearch2%2d1%2d%5f%2dNA%2d%5f%2d203352378%2d%5f%2dN#.UVCM_6XO36Y

[Siemens Versicharge 30 Amp Nema-4 Indoor / Outdoor Electric Vehicle Charger - Bottom Fed]

Maximum power adjustment switchInstalling electrical vehicle chargers into older homes can be a challenge; With theSiemens VersiCharge, the EVSE power output can be adjusted to match facility capability;Increments range from a maximum power setting of 7.2 kW down to 1.8 kW.
 
psyflyjohn said:
Our GE Wattstation makes a soft humming sound. Doesn't bother us at all...
I wonder why?? It should be silent. Did they put something in there on purpose to make the sound? A fan or something? Strange, to say the least

If it needs forced air cooling, I'd be a bit worried about the duty cycle of the components they used. I'd much rather have an airtight unit (and most EVSE's are, I think). . . . less chance for something inside to corrode

Don
 
Maybe they're using SSRs (solid-state relays) in their design instead of good ol' fashioned electro-mechanical relays. That would cause the humming sound and would likely also require a small fan and heat sink.
 
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