WTB Level II EVSE

Are you wanting a turnkey solution? To build a L2 EVSE yourself would save money but wouldn't be an instant solution. The PiP doesn't take full advantage of L2 charge rate anyways so IMHO the more cost effective solution is better (DIY) if you're not in a hurry.

 

All of the EVSEs in the UK are 240V, of course. A good number are kicking around, on EBay for example.

What do you mean that the PiP does not take full advantage of L2?

 

Onboard charger of the PiP seems to have a low max output (and thus relatively low input). At work, I've seen PiPs charging @ 208 volts (common voltage for commercial power here) and they seem to pull only ~2.1 kW (so a tad over 10 amps). Even Chevy Volts on those same EVSEs pull ~3.1 kW and '11 - 12 Leafs pull ~3.7 kW.

My '13 Leaf pulls ~5.8 to 6.0 kW. Most Tesla Model S seem to pull ~6.2 kW (max amperage of EVSEs at my work is 30 amps) but I saw one pull 6.5 kW, somehow.

The Model S and Rav4 EV have 10 kW on-board chargers standard. Take take full advantage, you'd want a 40 amp EVSE @ 240 volts...

 

I agree with cwerdna. The PiP only uses 12amp max out of the 16amp provided by the smallest retail L2 charger. So an OpenEVSE or a JuiceBox would be about $400 or so. Unless you find someone selling a used L2 station cheaply.

 

the important thing to know is that the L2 halves the time that it takes to charge. nothing else really matters to most owners. and yes, the lower the cost the better, unless you're planning for the future. do the euro units operate correctly in the us?

 

Depends on where they are designed to be used. US has 240v/60hertz. Some countries have 208, 230, 277 volts and some have 50 hertz. If it's a commercial model it may be rated for all of those.

If you are building one, your only concern is the power supply (12v DC) to power it all. That's the only thing that runs off the line current, other than the car itself.

 

It has a small Line to 12VDC power supply to power the electronics and relay. The line current is switched to the car via the relay. There is also a signal wire to tell the car to start charging. It's also controlled by the board in the charge equipment. That is how the EVSE works.

I would feel the opposite since poles belong to the power company. You can do whatever you'd like inside/outside your own house.

 

That's understandable. It's like any other kind of home improvement, like building a lamp instead of buying one. Or a computer. The components are mostly all UL listed separately.