Charging Station

[soetomo]

I just got my B-Class ED from MB Encino. I'm a newbie on this EV, can anyone give a recommendation for a charging station? Also, I live in San Fernando Valley, can I also get a recommendation for the installer? Thanks in advance.

 

[tomt]

Any 30 amp capable EVSE will be fine. (You could go with a 40 amp unit, but it is not really going to buy you that much at home and the installation will be more expensive...) Clipper Creek is an excellent one, among others... Siemens is also good if you need a timer (though they have been a little more problematic than the Clipper Creek, which is the reliability champ). I'd avoid the G.E. which has had issues.

I just got my B-Class ED from MB Encino. I'm a newbie on this EV, can anyone give a recommendation for a charging station? Also, I live in San Fernando Valley, can I also get a recommendation for the installer? Thanks in advance.

 

[soetomo]

Thanks and do you have any recommendation for the installer? I noticed you live in GH from your profile, which actually that's where I live, so I'm hoping you might know local installer. I just want to get it right since it's new for me.

 

[tomt]

No, I got mine under the Federal EV Project program when I got my Leaf in early 2011 and it included a free EVSE and installation, so I didn't have to investigate. However, it is a very simple and basic 240 volt, 40 amp electrical job so any reasonable electrician should have no problem with it. I'm near Balboa and Westbury. Where are you?

Thanks and do you have any recommendation for the installer? I noticed you live in GH from your profile, which actually that's where I live, so I'm hoping you might know local installer. I just want to get it right since it's new for me.

 

[soetomo]

I think we live close to each other, I live near where Andasol meets Louise (north or Rinaldi). The reason I asked, I was hoping to take advantage of the LADWP EV rebate, and to apply it says in the form that I need "Approved final building and safety permit". I guess when you said any reasonable electrician will do, there must be nothing special about the EV Charger installation. I looked at the Clipper Creek and thinking about to get the plugin instead of the hard wired, do you have any opinion on this choices?

 

[padamson1]

I did the above installation myself for my LEAF using the EVSE Upgrade version (http://evseupgrade.com/) of the portable charger that came with my LEAF. I wanted a dedicated meter to measure wall to wheels (the info on the car dash does not include charger overhead). The plug is a 3-prong twist lock.

Off the top of my head cost was: $35 for Meter (online), another $25 in Home Depot parts (8g wire, 30amp breaker, metal old-work box, & outlet), and then $75 for the city permit & inspection. Yup bureaucratic overhead was the largest cost (and I heard that's gone up). This is a significant savings over what it would cost for an electrician to do it, but I would only do it b/c I know what I am doing.

When I get my B-Class I will see whether the portable charger can be upgraded (I doubt it b/c it is very small and the plug wire light gauge). If no upgrade is possible I think the Siemens VersiCharge is the best offering on the market http://w3.usa.siemens.com/powerdist...le/versicharge/pages/ev-charging-station.aspx for $699. In particular the delayed charge start timer feature allows me to delay the start of the charge until off-peak hours (which I don't think the B-Class supports like the LEAF).

 

[soetomo]

This is great stuffs, I really appreciate it. I'll read some more when I get home. The Siemens model makes sense, Clipper Creeks products that I want don't have the delay feature.

 

[tomt]

My installation has a plug but there is nothing to really recommend one over the other with one exception: If you are planning on installing a separate meter to take advantage of the lower EV rate, then the EVSE must be permanently wired. Apparently this is so people won't cheat by plugging in some other device... I didn't go with a separate meter because the cost of the added meter installation would not pay back for me for quite some time. (Because of silliness in the LADWP system, they can't do subtractive power metering like they can with water, which makes a second meter installation much more complex and expensive.) The building and safety permit that refer to is just the standard permit that you are supposed to get for any electrical work...

Here is what my installation looks like:

I think we live close to each other, I live near where Andasol meets Louise (north or Rinaldi). The reason I asked, I was hoping to take advantage of the LADWP EV rebate, and to apply it says in the form that I need "Approved final building and safety permit". I guess when you said any reasonable electrician will do, there must be nothing special about the EV Charger installation. I looked at the Clipper Creek and thinking about to get the plugin instead of the hard wired, do you have any opinion on this choices?

 

[soetomo]

I wish all the explanations out there can be as informative as these ones. Thanks for the separate meter info, I thought it was good idea plus the rebate, but probably not such a good idea after all. Plus I wanted the plugin unit, instead of hardwired one.

 

[tomt]

The rebate is likely a good idea but whether or not a second meter is cost effective for you depends largely on the particulars of your specific electrical setup and how much it would cost to install the second meter head. I have underground utilities so it would have been prohibitively expensive for me... At the time, the savings was 2.5 cents a Kwh which would have taken many years to even break even, and would have limited what time I could charge. It wasn't worth it to me. If they ever approve subtractive metering, it will be much easier and cheaper.

I wish all the explanations out there can be as informative as these ones. Thanks for the separate meter info, I thought it was good idea plus the rebate, but probably not such a good idea after all. Plus I wanted the plugin unit, instead of hardwired one.

 

[soetomo]

Any 30 amp capable EVSE will be fine. Clipper Creek is an excellent one, among others... Siemens is also good if you need a timer (though they have been a little more problematic than the Clipper Creek, which is the reliability champ). I'd avoid the G.E. which has had issues.

Thanks for the suggestion, I bought Clipper Creek HCS-40P and had it installed yesterday with no issue. I took me last night almost 2 hours to charge 50% of the battery, which took me the whole night with 110.

 

[miimura]

Leviton makes a 40 amp unit that will charge the B with the maximum power it can take. It is sold by Amazon, Home Depot and others. Of course, you can't go wrong with Clipper Creek either, but for some reason they don't make a 40 amp unit.

 

[Anukumar14]

How about Schneider Electric Model # EV230WS for B Class? Anyone has any comments on this charger?

Please let me know.

Thanks in advance!

 

[slkjoy]

If you're handy with a soldering iron, you do what I did and build your own 30A or 50A EVSE from a kit and save some money:

openEVSE store

kit: $265
J1772 cable: $145+
Total: Less than $500

It should take you a day or a weekend to put together. It's compact, has an LED display, and can be custom programmed. I also think it takes up less space that commercial ones and looks better!

 

[TonyWilliams]

The JESLA 40 amp J1772 portable charging cable works at up to full power on every known J1772 equipped vehicle in the world, including the Mercedes B- Class ED. It is also the only J1772 charge cable that automatically adjusts to the correct voltage and amperage for whatever electrical outlet you plug into. Also, you don't need to "install" it... just plug in. You can also take it with you.

http://shop.quickchargepower.com/JESLA-is-THE-40-amp-J1772-portable-charging-solution-JESLA.htm

JELSA ships with NEMA 14-50 and NEMA 5-15 plugs. Additionally, you may want to buy the correct plug for dryers (handy for visiting friends or relatives at their house) or for motel air conditioners:

......................................................VOLTS / AMPS.......kW
*NEMA 5-15 .......Standard Outlet.. 120 V / 12 A...... 1.4 kW
NEMA 5-20 ...... Motel air conditioner 120/16A....... 1.9 kW
NEMA 10-30......Older Dryers...... 240 V / 24 A...... 5.8 kW
NEMA 14-30......Newer Dryers..... 240 V / 24 A...... 5.8 kW
*NEMA 14-50......RV Parks ........... 240 V / 40 A...... 9.6 kW

http://shop.quickchargepower.com/searchquick-submit.sc?keywords=adapter


We recommend having your electrician install a 50 amp circuit installed at your charging location with a NEMA 14-50R receptacle. We sell the receptacle here for just $5.99:

http://shop.quickchargepower.com/14-50R-Outlet-14-50R.htm


Finally, make sure you get a JLong with your purchase. It is the perfect compliment for JESLA, which can extend the length of JESLA by 20 or more feet. Plus, it helps when you're at a public charge station and it's blocked, and also for charge stations where the cord won't easily reach the back of the car to plug in.

http://shop.quickchargepower.com/JLONG-40-Amp-J1772-extension-cable-JL40A.htm


In summer 2015, we expect to have JdeMO, the CHAdeMO charge port for your electric vehicle. It's already in use on the Toyota RAV4 EV today.

Tony Williams
R&D Manager
Quick Charge Power LLC
TonyWilliams ((@)) QuickChargePower.com
http://www.QuickChargePower.com
1-844-EVPARTS
1-844-387-2787 ext 701