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^^ interesting, but at $2 a day who cares if it can be lower?
fyi i have 60A circuit 48A 'charger' (the external boxes really aren't chargers they're more like current limiters and other safety checks) and my car can charge at 48A, which is 11.5kW.
i typically charge every third day.
there's no varying rates here, so it doesn't matter when i do it.
I originally thought my EQS was at 11.5 kW, but when I double-checked the Window Sticker, I was corrected. Regarding the semantics, you have made a valid point and it serves as a valuable education for anyone who may not be clear on the matter. Using standardized terminology maintains consistency and reduces confusion for the masses but I appreciate your point.👍 I could have called it a charge point or electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), which is a Power Supply Device. Level 2 charging cables come with an In-Cable Control and Protection Device (IC-CPD) - this is what most end-users would classify as the "charger," which is responsible for controlling the charging process and communication between the electrical power source and the EV. At its most basic, an EV charger pulls an electrical current from either a 240v outlet or the grid it’s hardwired to and delivers that electricity to the vehicle, just like any other appliance or device you charge by plugging into the wall. Is it technically accurate to refer to the charger station box as a regulator?
The onboard/built-in EV charger functions by transforming the AC power supplied by the grid into DC power that can be stored in the electric vehicle's battery. The charging process involves three fundamental components - the "charger"/power supply device/EVSE itself, the battery management system, and the onboard charger located in the vehicle.
When an electric vehicle is plugged into the charger, it establishes communication with the vehicle's onboard computer to assess the present state of battery charge and determine the charging requirements. The charger then utilizes this data to regulate the power supply, ensuring a safe and efficient charging process.
The charger installed on the vehicle is responsible for converting the AC power supplied by the charging station to DC power, which is then utilized to charge the battery. In addition to this, the onboard charger communicates with the charging station to ensure the charging process is safe and efficient, providing the appropriate voltage and current required to charge the battery.
The battery management system is a crucial component of the charging process, responsible for monitoring the battery's temperature, voltage, and current to prevent overcharging and damage to the battery. It also balances the charge between the cells to ensure they are charged evenly.
Further education - "The More You Know! "Shooting Star"
There are two primary types of electric vehicle (EV) chargers: alternating current (AC) charging stations and direct current (DC) charging stations. Most mains electricity is delivered from the power grid as alternating current, which can't charge EV batteries directly. For this reason, most electric vehicles have an onboard charger that converts AC power from the grid into DC power to recharge the battery. AC charging stations supply power from the grid to this onboard charger.
DC chargers are built into the charging station instead of the vehicle, allowing for higher power charging that requires larger AC-to-DC converters. By bypassing the onboard converter, the charging station directly supplies DC power to the vehicle. This design avoids size and weight restrictions of onboard AC-to-DC converters. Most modern electric car models can accept both AC and DC power.
Although I may not possess the know-how of an electrician or expert, I always reserve the right to err or misidentify something. Hence, I welcome any experts who can lend a helping hand and provide clarification if needed. 😁
So, remember a while back people were telling me that there was no reason to have a licensed electrician install a wallbox for an EV? Nothing could possibly happen, etc? Its just like an outlet?
Well, this happened to a person in the EQS forum on MBWorld. This is a longtime member, this is not trolling
So, my EQS was charging normally today after golf, had another hour or so to go. We heard a pop in the kitchen, and I smelled an electrical fire. Went to the garage, which was filled with smoke, and the NEMA 6/50 plug for my ChargePoint Homeflex was on fire. I had my wife call the fire department and move her car, while I shut off the power at the circuit breaker on the back of our house. I then unplugged and moved my EQS, and used a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. The fire department arrived a few minutes later with their temperature gadgets, took out some drywall and insulation, and checked both attics to make sure the fire was actuallly out....luckily, it was. So, minimal damage. I can say that the ChargePoint Homeflex circuit brakers had apparently tripped, because it had shut off. But the brakers on the 240V circuit were not tripped until I shut them off. Pretty scary event....very lucky to have had just superficial damage. Ovbiously, I will now have the entire circuit install redone by someone very reputable....maybe the Mercedes installer with a new Mercedes Wallbox. Don't understand why this happened. Circuit was rated at 50amp, had a 50amp circuit braker. ChargePoint Homeflex was set at 40amp for a 9.6 kW charge. Had been working fine for 2 1/2 years. It was the NEMA 6/50 box, which Mercedes recommended when I bought my car in January 2022, not the NEMA 14/50. Maybe that was the problem? Don't know. Definitely just dodged a bullet!
Further investigation shows the person who installed it used the wrong cable, a cheap consumer grade outlet in a plastic box.
I went back through the thread and didn't really see anyone suggesting that a net new install should be done by some random jamoke. There was absolutely some discussion about replacing outlets and existing hardwired chargers. I agree with you 100%, but still stand by my original comments:
Originally Posted by geko29
To install it the first time? Yes, licensed electrician. To replace one that's already there? Absolutely trivial, completely DIY zone--replacing an outlet or light switch is more difficult, and those are pretty easy to begin with.
Every single new circuit I have ever had pulled (or upgraded, or replaced) has been by a licensed electrician, to current code or better, and I would never recommend anyone do otherwise. But I have absolutely swapped a 250V outlet to a different one, and would have no concerns about replacing a hardwired charger with a new one (provided it is appropriate for the existing circuit).
The problem you're describing here is an issue with the initial circuit pull being 100% wrong (wrong wire, wrong box, probably wrong conduit/breaker/outlet/everything else), because it was done by a jamoke. Hire good (licensed) people, as you say.
IMO, too much current runs through an outlet like that for it to be something I would do personally. A 110v wall outlet or a light switch, sure, but 220V...I will let a professional swap that out in addition to running and installing it in the first place
IMO, too much current runs through an outlet like that for it to be something I would do personally. A 110v wall outlet or a light switch, sure, but 220V...I will let a professional swap that out in addition to running and installing it in the first place
Totally fair position to take. We all have our comfort zones, and should stay within them. That's why they're there.
IMO, too much current runs through an outlet like that for it to be something I would do personally. A 110v wall outlet or a light switch, sure, but 220V...I will let a professional swap that out in addition to running and installing it in the first place
so glad i had a pro put in my 60A circuit hard wired to popular (chargepoint) charger.
I know I could have done it myself, it was a pretty easy run. Same as others have said I similarly thought what's the point of risking something that's not terribly expensive.
You're only charging one car, in my book, you're an amatuer wasting all that precious solar 🤣
Lol, I have no cars to charge and could still glean more value from a solar installation (which I don't have....yet) than you. 2070 kWh last month. ComEd says I use 70.4 kWh per day, so my taxes are higher than your entire electric bill.
Lol, I have no cars to charge and could still glean more value from a solar installation (which I don't have....yet) than you. 2070 kWh last month. ComEd says I use 70.4 kWh per day, so my taxes are higher than your entire electric bill.
Damn, what are you growing, a pot farm?? 🤣🤣 and God, I thought we paid a lot of taxes here
Damn, what are you growing, a pot farm?? 🤣🤣 and God, I thought we paid a lot of taxes here
Good size house (2600 sqft plus 1600 sqft finished basement), 3 "offices" (2 WFH full time plus a teenage gamer), 6 refrigerators/freezers, pool, AC, heated floors in two bathrooms, and a lot of devices (65 active on the network as I write this, which itself is comprised of 7 switches and 4 access points) and small appliances.
No pot farm, though I do have a small brewery in the garage (with 2 more refrigerators not counted above) that I haven't used in a few years now so it doesn't really count.
11-16-23, 06:49 PM
2070 kWh last month. ComEd says I use 70.4 kWh per day, so my taxes are higher than your entire electric bill. 
