Charging your iMiEV on extention cords

[Ozimiev]

I did a little test to consider the EV manufacturer advice not to charge via extention cords (cables).

I connected my iMiEV charging from its 'portable' 10A EVSE unit at the end of 100m + 20m + 10m + 10m of extention cables.
The cables were just dumped in a loosely bundle on the ground.

Total 140m of cable. (not that this is my normal charging method !)
These are all 1mmsq '10A' types.
Input voltage is 235V 9.41A 2205W pf 0.99 (arlec power meter)
Output voltage is 203V 9.41A 1864W pf 0.99 (iMiEV will charge down to about 90VAC from the specs)
(the power meter needs more significant digits so P=VxIxpf accurately!)

So some 300W is being lost in the resistance of the extention cables. (16%) Not the end of the world, but a loss none the less. And of course a longer charging time.

Heating of the cable if coiled or rolled up is the biggest issue. But then usually the need for an extention cord means that the cable will be out straight.
After charging for an hour, there was a just decernable temperature rise in the 100m loosely coiled cable. Other than that, all is well.
At only about 2W/m, the cable would need to be rolled up for there to be a temerature issue.

Coming back to a say 20m extention cable, loss would be around 42W in some 2000W (2%).

Water on the extention cable plugs is another consideration. Take care in the rain.

 

[iMiEVNZ7]

And here is a you tube of one using a 10 amp cutout breaker, in the cord adapter, which allows a 15 amp imive plug to go into a 15 amp socket lead, into a 10 amp wall socket or lead. note rolled up lead, ummm...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU6ILl7YgaQ

In testing here we found the normal 10 amp house socket to get only as warm running the imiev charging as it does as if we have a 2, 400 watt heater on overnight.

That said , I think an outside purpose built 15 amp one would be easier than running a lead from inside the garage to the driveway.

But something like the amp fibian would be ideal for say at a friends house if he has only a 10 amp socket spare.


Another way is to use the esevupgardes version set at say 7 amps.

That way we can also use a 1,600 watt small honda or similar generator on the roadside rest area, while having a break for a few extra Kms. At 240 volts at 9.5 amps we get about 3 km per 5 minutes added to the battery. At 1600 it might be about 2 km per five minutes so a 1 hour lunch break might give us another 24 km.

 

[peterdambier]

Charging in the wild I always have to use extensions, if only on the 4 meters length of my adapter cable. My Panasonic EVSE (230V/16A) has got 2.5 mm squared. That is why all my cables have got 2.5 mm squared. On camping grounds 2.5 is mandatory and the length is ruled for 20 meters or is it 25?

No problem so far. I am toying with 1.5 mm squared and the socket does get warm. I am toying with a Voltec EVSE 230V/10A or 230V/6A. 230V/6A does not work at all. After selftest our i-MiEV refuses to charge. 230V/10A mostly works but I have seen it not to work when the battery was down to 3 bars or it was cold and wet outside. After initially charging 230V/16A from the Panasonic the Voltec (230V/10A) would work finally. Going much below 10A ?

I'd love 6A because that is what some camping grounds offer but I need to charge finally so I have to look for 16A if possible. Nevertheless some 35 meters did work for me even at 16A.

 

[Ozimiev]

The charge-amp 'in J1772 plug' EVSE works reliably at all current selections on my i.
6A, 10A and 16A (the 16A actually takes the i to its 3.3kW charger limit with only 14A on 230V mains)

This came from http://charge-amps.com/um-evse

Note. This plug is only IP44 , not the IP54/67 of the yazaki

 

[Don]

So some 300W is being lost in the resistance of the extention cables. (16%) Not the end of the world, but a loss none the less. And of course a longer charging time.

I wouldn't recommend using any cable which results in more than a 5% loss at the very most. There's more to be worried about than just cable heating

Coming back to a say 20m extention cable, loss would be around 42W in some 2000W (2%).

That's more like it - If you need a longer cable, use a larger gauge wire

Don

 

[FiddlerJohn]

If you need a longer cable, use a larger gauge wire

Right. If you need a longer cable, use a thicker wire cable with a smaller wire gauge (AWG) number.

 

[Ozimiev]

I wouldn't recommend using any cable which results in more than a 5% loss at the very most. There's more to be worried about than just cable heating

That's the point of this test. The 5% is just a general recommendation. In fact, when charging the i, there is no black ban rule on using extention cables.
Consider the cable heat and power wasted and rain and foot trip factor etc but you can do it.
It is not like a voltage dependant induction motor in a fridge etc. The i's charger is just a rectifier and DC-DC to the battery. Quite voltage tollerant. Maybe 90 to 260VAC.

Yes, go for heavy gauge wire.... but if you need to, it will work with 1mmsq.