No Garage, no PHV?

I would certainly think that you could get an outdoor, weatherproof charging station for mounting outside of a garage. This is what you are going to see at businesses with charging stations.

I can understand not using an extension cord.

 

That doesn't make sense.

The whole idea behind the PHV is that you can charge it from "any standard electrical outlet." People (including me) put outdoor electrical outlets on their property all the time. I currently have 2 such outlets on separate GFI protected 20-ampre circuits.

I'm not sure what the current draw is for a Toyota PHV while it's charging, but one of the aftermarket PHV kits that I was looking at said that their charger drew 7 amps. I can't imagine that the for-real Prius PHV would draw substantially more than that.

I wouldn't use the same extension cord that you plug your Christmas tree into, but I see rednecks with 10 zillion Christmas lights in their front yards all the time, and those lights draw a lot more electricity than a PHV suckling off of a home electrical system...so I would tend to believe that you probably could use an exterior extension cord with the proper current rating to charge a PHV.

It's gotta be a lawyer thing.

 

Hey Gang,
New to this site. Just sold my 2008 as the lease was up. I am waiting for the plug in to become available. I have solar panels on my home roof and live in the desert so what could be a better situation. Does anyone know when they will be available to the masses?
As far as an extension cord goes I would make sure you use at least a 12 gauge extension with the shortest length you can. Also may be a good idea to change out the plug to a GFI to prevent any damage to the car.

 

What these guys said. Toyota said "no extension leads!" to the PHV testers to mitigae any risk of fire from using a 3A lamp extension lead. I've charged my phev a couple of times, using an extension, and i have no garage. it was fine.

 

That's because most people don't have commercial-grade extension cords. It's probably just a matter of using a higher gauge/shielding, something easy enough to find online or at a some hardware stores.
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Welcome Aboard!
Good luck in selecting your next Prius!

 

Battery charging capacity: 3.56kWh
Charging time 180 min @ 100 V AC, 100 min @ 200V AC
This calculates to:
11.9 amps @ 100 V AC
10.7 amps @ 200 V AC

Giora.

 

I think if one looks at it from the P.O.V. of Toyota you can see why they simply cannot recommend using an extension cord.

I think if you look at it from the "reality" of hardware, your basicly getting electricity from point A to point B, and sockets, receptors and outlets don't "know" what is being plugged into them.

I would think if you use commercial grade extension cords and sockets, rated for high draw...you wouldn't have a problem.

My biggest concern would be "If" you did use an extension cord and did happen to have a problem with your hybrid charging/battery system, and Toyota found out about useage of an extension cord, would it void your warranty?

In my personal case, even though my parking is off-street, I'd still have to run it across a portion of shared sidewalk...that is also highly problematic. So no Plug In Prius for me...unless I move....

 

1) there is a thread on the MPG of a PHV if it never plugs in

http://priuschat.com/forums/toyota-...conomy-phv-prius-without-plugging-in-all.html

2) Plug in at work.

3) Buy an outdoor charger

 

if its 110 volt, the max current is 12 amps. any standard outdoor plug which is or should be GCFI (grounded circuit fault interrupter) rated will handle the load without issues and in wet or very wet conditions.

i plugged my Zenn in daily at work for 3 years without any weather protection and never had an issue...

umm btw; less than a month after i sold my Zenn, the building had a short circuit and burned down, but that outdoor plug had nothing to do with it.

 

We have this kind of boxes allover parking lots: http://www.vastavalo.fi/albums/userpics/11180/B000662.jpg
http://www.vastavalo.fi/albums/userpics/13936/IMG_0268.JPG

It's IP44 rated box with fault current detector, 16Amp fuse and timer.

 

The VOLT is a PHV. To date it's the only PHV available from the factory. You don't have to have a garage to buy a Volt ... you don't even have to have a 120v plug available, to buy a Volt. All you have to have is $40K laying around. The garage is mearly a convenience. The 120v source to plug in is mearly so you will not waste fuel ... ESPECIALLY in the case of the Volt. The Plug in Prius is not yet available. When it FINALLY DOES become available, one of it's big selling points will be that if you DON'T plug it it ... can't plug it in ... too lazy to plug in ... your MPG'S won't take as big a hit, mpg wise.

.

 

Best Buy will be marketing a 240 volt plug in charger. a bit spendy but when it gets to $700 i am in!!

 

The PHEV Prius's batteries are so small, they are only supposed to take 3 hours max to charge from a normal, non-dedicated 110A outlet. If the outlet is outside the house, likely it's already GFI - at least if somewhat newer construction. If not - pretty simple to replace the breaker with a GFI breaker, of the outlet with a GFI outlet. Don't see using a good extension cord as an issue.

Not sure it would be worth investing in a real EVSE just to charge a Prius - but if you happen to have a Volt or Leaf sitting around - you can use the 220v charger on the Prius too - should charge by the time your coffee is cool enough to drink in the morning.

 

This one is $700 now.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Products

Labor should be cheap as it plugs into a 40 Amp Dryer Plug, (NEMA type 14-50P) so the electrician will be working with familiar parts.