OpenEVSE still a viable concern?

It's a working project, but it is not a company. Nobody there will help you anymore than a forum message.

Outlet type only matters based on how much current you want to pull. Some are hard-wired, some are plugged.

I would suggest just buying a pre-assembled one from GlennD on the Leaf forums. Here is one he just sold: My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - High Power 40A OpenEVSE w/ RTC for Sale

He is doing it as a bit of a business and his quality seems pretty good. I don't have one.

 

Yes, as far as I know, Open EVSE is still an active project. Maybe they didnt update their email addresses, but there's also a store that sells the Open EVSE parts:

OpenEV Store

Here's the GitHub link where the latest firmware is maintained.. you can see here its fairly updated:

lincomatic/open_evse · GitHub

They have discussion threads on a few of the EV/PHEV forums (there's one here, but its not so active). The one I was reading a few days ago was on MyNissanLeaf:

My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - OpenEVSE - Open Source Charging Station

chris1howell is the "main dude". Skip to the last page and you can see what they've been working on

But to answer your question, you can use any outlet type you want, because when you build your EVSE, you'll be adding a plug for whatever outlet you have.

With that said, I have a NEMA 14-50 outlet on a 50A circuit in my garage. The Open EVSE I have was built by Mitch (you'll see his name in the Open EVSE thread and on the project page). Its a 30A EVSE, but Mitch built it with twist lock cable, so I can use a 50A plug, a 30A plug, or a standard 120V outlet (its 120/240 capable).

Here's the one Mitch built and I later bought off him before he moved on to greener pastures (Tesla)

EVSE_by_mwolrich - open-evse - A portable EVSE built with an Open EVSE board. - Open Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) - Google Project Hosting

 

I also installed a NEMA 14-50 outlet on a 6 gauge NM-B wired to a 50 A breaker. Other outlet types are lower rated, and the NEMA 14-50 is common at RV parks.

I bought a used Leaf EVSE for $200 and modified it for 240v with $20 in parts. My total cost for a level 2 EVSE is $220. Total cost for installing the 50 amp 240v circuit was about $70

 

prices may have dropped so much, it isn't worthwhile anymore? the parts alone are $3-400. iirc.

 

Its about $400 in parts (based on the Open EVSE store prices) for a 40A unit.. which isnt bad, provided you can do the assembly and a little but of soldering. For a complete 30A unit from someone like Clipper Creek or other brand. its about $500+ ($565 on Amazon)?

Juice Box (by eMotorWerks), which is based on Open EVSE's design but forked/split off is also an alternative. Their 40A version is $499 on Amazon. I have a few friends who have a Juice Box and are happy with them (one guy had an issue where he had to send it back to get repaired though).

What I always liked about Open EVSE was that its well documented and the parts are sold or easily sourced. If anything ever went wrong or broke, it would be easy to fix by just replacing the parts (or even the board).

 

good point. i think the most expensive part is the J1772 and cable?

 

Interesting stuff, but I'll pass. This is what they say:

BY PLACING AN ORDER WITH US, YOU ASSUME ALL RISK ASSOCIATED WITH USING THIS EVSE AND AGREE THAT WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE THAT MAY RESULT FROM THEIR USE.

 

That's what every product ever says, including stuff you buy directly from the factory.

An EVSE is impossible to damage the on-board charger because all it does is switch the power on if certain conditions are met. Worst case scenario, the unit energizes the circuit without performing the proper check first, and the charger receives household voltage (120v or 240v), which it's designed to do.

I hear your concern and understand why some people would be hesitant to modify an EVSE, or install their own charging circuit. However, I want others to know that the EVSE mod is cheap and relatively easy with no risk to the vehicle and very little risk to the unit.

Scaring the public is what makes businesses a lot of money and makes the consumer poorer. Those willing to take very small risks will likely profit, while those more risk adverse are more likely to pay.

 

Yeah everything you buy says that. It may just not be as in your face.

 

AFAIK none of those products are certified either in the US or in Canada, and thus legally cannot pass code.

 

It sounds like you are referring to the fact that some EVSE's are not certified by underwriters laboratory. U.L. certification is not a legal requirement to selling electrical appliances - but rather it's a non-governmental organization that charges big money, and can take way too long for many appliance manufacturers. Some appliances may be built more stringently than U.L. standards, but they don't like the notion of long delays & high fees to become part of their association.
Take the "quick220" device (which I & others on PC own) for instance, available via many online stores or directly via the manufacturer;

Quick 220 Voltage Converter 15A 3450W:Amazon:Electronics

It's a great way to charge via 240v when there are only 120v outlets available. The manufacturer (& others like him) simply refuses to be hamstrung (financially & time wise) by a certifying body that they feel are often run inappropriately. But that's another story. Even so, if you don't feel comfortable without a UL type approval, then just find something similar that does have the certification you want.
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For me, it would be ULC. Perhaps the laws are different in the US, but my understanding in Canada is that items need to be ULC/CSA certified in order to be available for sale in Canada.

Insurance might be a grey area but if it's UL certified in the US and you imported it to Canada for use in your own home, an insurance company most likely wouldn't deny a claim. However, if it's some open DIY project with no certification at all, then I believe you would be at risk of an insurance claim denial if the source of the fire were that EVSE charger.

Also, in my case, I would only be using this outside. How many of these things are actually weather-proofed?

There are way too many red flags here IMO to justify such a purchase, esp. when you're only going to save a couple of hundred bucks anyway. Furthermore, for those who can take advantage of charger installation rebates (not me), in my province that charger would not be eligible.