Charging query "120v/240v/400v"

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kzone

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Mar 24, 2016
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Hi I bought a late 2014 Mercedes B EV in Los Angeles, CA. This was available in mid 2015. I am the first owner and I have a quick question. On the door of the charging tank it says 120v/240v/400v. Does that mean it is equipped for quick charging process? I am confused. Also, I read a post in this forum regarding installation of CHAdeMO port called JDEMO for B CLASS. Is this possible ? can i go to a dealer and have it installed? Appreciate your time.
 
The sticker is a carryover from the European model. Your car can charge at 120V at up to 20A, The supplied Lear EVSE defaults to 8A but it can be switched to 12A. It can also charge at 240V at 40A. That's it, no fast charger.

40A is 25% faster than a 30A charging car like the Fiat. Tony of Quick Charge Power has stated that he will come out with a Jedmo fast charger since both the RAV4 EV and the Mercedes B EV use Tesla chargers with the same protocol. It will be simple to adapt the existing RAV4 stuff. Tony does have a test "B". It is a future product since he is still trying to fill the RAV4 orders.
 
To further explain the 400v it is a European thing -- it is 3-phase 208v which ends up being 11 kW charging, a little higher than 10 kW charging we get tin the USA with 2-phase 240v. 3 phase voltage in "IEC" countries ( essentially everywhere but North America) used to range from anywhere between 380 - 415V, with the phase-neutral voltage being 220-240V. For example, England was primarily 240/415, while the rest of Europe was 220/380. There was "harmonization" in the EU a few years ago (2006) to 230/400V, but that is still essentially theoretical and for new installations. there really hasn't been a change in what the utilities produce, just in the labels put onto equipment. The 230/400V is a compromise that allows the different distribution voltages to fall within design tolerances.

The UK is still primarily 240/415, as is Australia (but New Zealand is 230/400).
Most Continental European countries are still 220/380, but Germany has officially changed to 230/400.

in Germany. 415/240V is actually a standard ratio for 50Hz systems.

As North America is almost 100% 60Hz, 600V/480V systems are the most common for your "low voltage" systems (call that high voltage to a lineman in NA and he'll laugh at you...)

I very much doubt we are going to see 415/240 systems in NA, as it would require a lot of replacing of the power grids themselves; it's still a non-starter for a new buildout, as the availability of gear (HVAC, PDUs, etc) for 415/240 is non-existent in NA. You'd have to get a one-off transformer and then import your gear.

The efficiency disadvantages of a 120/208 3phase system are offset by the ease of use. Everyone in NA knows 120V and all the gear accepts it.
 

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