Question about GFI / GFCI outlet for PiP

Code in most counties calls for a GFCI on any exterior outlet, including garages.

I have had no issues with mine to date.

If you go to 240 circuit you will need another cable/upgraded cable, lots of info on this site about those, more money but charges much faster.

Dan

 

My house is new, and I ran all the wiring...(im a builder) I put my garage and pool filter on one circuit, I used 10gauge wire and used a 20amp breaker. With mine since I have a pool i had to use a GFCI breaker in the panel. But for just a garage or exterior plug you can simply start the circuit with a GFCI outlet, and then run the remainder of the outlets downline from that GFCI and they are all covered by it.

Bathrooms are on their own circuit too(blowdryers are hi wattage) and kitchens their own(usually 2 each side of sink) and dining rooms their own.

If you are installing for the PiP alone, have them put a new circuit in on its own for the car, whether it be 120 or 240v. Just remember the 240 setup cost much more due to new cable you need, but it is faster.

Dan

 

Just reiterating: the supplied EVSE can only be used on 120V. There are components in it that will blow if fed 240V. It can be upgraded to accept either 120V or 240V by one of the contributors to this forum

 

Unless you are planning to buy a all Electric Vehicle, you don't need a Elevtrician. IF you have a 110v outlet in your garage, or on the outside of the building, that's handy, that will work fine. The heavy brick portion of your cable IS a circuit breaker, and more. It takes about three hours to charge at 110V. If you are looking at. 220, you save about 1/2 the time. Additional expense is $1000-$2000. As was pointed out, the outlet that you use when charging should be dedicated to only that purpose.

 

In my house, I have GFI breakers in 3 areas, the garage, the kitchen, and the bathrooms. I assume that your charger will be in the garage so I think for safety you should put one in. Since you already hired an electrician, I think it's cheaper to put the 240v in now than calling him/her back later. If EV technology becomes mainstream, the battery capacity will increased drastically and you will need 240v to get a full charge in a reasonable amount of time. I don't own a plug-in car and I had a 240v put in a few months ago because I had an electrician in my house for another job, so it wasn't that expensive to put it in.

PS: You don't need a dedicated circuit for your PiP if 110v is all you need. Most people charge their cars at night so it will be unlikely that you'll be running other heavy equipment on the same circuit at the same time.

 

One more note, you don't have to run a new line to be dedicated, what ever outlet you use should be devoted to the Pip, with no other active loads on that CB.

 

iirc, if/when you decide to go 240v, i don't think they make a gfci outlet.

 

I probably will not put you in charge of my portfolio.

 

It's your lost, not mine.

 

. Max safety is the supposed logic behind charge stations, it is all built into the charge station. Max overkill, in my book. 10-20 GFCI s in series is best.

 

. I am not lost.

 

. As for GFCI tripping all the time, that's true they are a PITA, I removed mine 35 years ago, no more problems.

 

i generally have good luck with them, but if they do start tripping, i just replace them.

 

I have a 240 outlet outside. The GFCI is on the circuit breaker. The 240 line is dedicated for my EVSE. I upgraded my EVSE with evseupgrade.com.




iPad ? HD

 

One my have trouble w/the L1 EVSE tripping certain GFCIs. See My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - HELP: OEM EVSE tripping outlet's GFCI. Ingineer is aka pEEf here and behind evseupgrade.com.

The PiP's L1 EVSE is also made by Panasonic but AFAIK, is a different model than the Panasonics that come w/Leafs (and the '13 Leaf comes with a physically smaller one than the '11 and '12 Leafs.)

 

Exactly! Do NOT feed in 200+ volts into an unmodified L1 EVSE. You will blow it. See My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - 2013 stock Leaf EVSE charges at both 120V and 240V? re: what happens when people do that w/the Nissan one.

If the OP wants to install a 220/240 volt outlet, get the stock EVSE upgraded. It will also help for future PHEVs and BEVs.

 

The electrician should know if you need one or not, but you can always check the electric code in your state. GFI's are safety devices, and usually trip for a reason. Removing them does not solve the problem.