Is it better to leave the charger pluged into wall?

That is decision from owner....there will be no harm to keep it plug in all the time beside low draw ...

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Very very few electrical appliance are better off left plugged in.

For most, it is nearly a wash, but there is a very slight advantage (energy efficiency and fire safety) to having them unplugged. The higher the electrical quality and sleep energy efficiency, the narrower this slight advantage becomes.

 

there is some wear and tear to the plug and socket with each insertion and removal, but i don't know how much. my L2 is always plugged in, too much trouble to bother.

 

If I remember the owner's manual properly Toyota says to unplug it when not in use.

 

Unplug it.....

 

You're expected to leave it plugged in unless you don't use it for a long time.

When not using the charging cable for a long time
Remove the plug from the outlet. Dust could accumulate on the plug or in the outlet, possibly causing overheating which could lead to a fire. Also, keep the cable in a place free from moisture.

 

To me this is saying: on a daily basis, we leave it up to you (and your particular installation).
Mine is switched off when not in use as the feed line has an on/off switch in front of the socket. No hassle.

 

My understanding about the North American type of plug (NEMA 5-15) is that plugging and unplugging it a lot leads to less solid connections, which is an issue in high current situation like this, potentially leading to the plug overheating.

FWIW

 

I apologize for my earlier post where I thought I read to unplug after charging in the owner's manual. I led others off the right track by stating owner's manual.

The correct info is in "CHARGING CABLE - Cable Assy, Electric Vehicle Charger - Instructions" Toyota Parts No. G9060-47130. This is a single sheet of paper inside a clear plastic bag that comes packaged in the car near the wrapped charging cable as delivered from the Toyota factory. I read it before charging my Prime for the first time on Feb 2 at my hotel on my long drive home from Maryland. The time lapse is why I got mixed up on where Toyota said to unplug after charging.

Section labeled: USER MAINTENANCE, MOVING AND STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS
Disconnect the charging cable from the outlet as soon as possible and store in a clean dry place.

After charging the last step is to disconnedt the plug from the outlet.

There are built in diagnostics, which tell the story with the lights built into the CCID to address the concern of CharlesH

Here is a photo of the entire instructions:

 

"Not being used" would be going on at least a week vacation. And even then, if you forget, what would the outcome be? It's like unplugging your television a room not used that often. You can, but there wouldn't be any benefit.

Mine has been plugged in, with only the occasional unplug to move it, for 5 years now. That's all I've ever used for overnight charging. I didn't bother to upgrade to 240-volt charging, since I knew I would be moving and I wanted one offering Wi-Fi control & monitoring.

In other words, don't bother unless you won't be plugging in for a few weeks.

 

I leave mine plugged in all the time. I use it every single day.

 

1. You have a Prime advanced. Your car has all the Internet connectivity you could possibly want. 240 volt EVSE is da BOMB!
2. Would you leave a standard battery charger (You know, the kind that has 2 alligator clips) plugged into the wall when not in use? The fact of the matter is that it is uneccessary wear and tear to leave anything with a large transformer energized and no load on it. Why wear it out prematurely?

Do what you want, but I will unplug mine when not in use and will advise others to do the same..

 

I use a 240-Volt recharger at work. The app for ChargePoint is great. I want that level of detail, which JuiceBox for home supposedly offers.

What I said stands. If you will not be using the charger for an extended amount of time, unplug it.

Having two would mean the secondary would be unplugged.

How does that apply to 240-volt chargers? Note that most owners will have their unit hard-wired.

 

That is not the same thing. That is a battery charger. An EVSE is not a battery charger, it's an extension cord with circuit protection and a tiny bit of communications. The battery charger for the Prime is located under the right-rear seat (see number 8 below).

The EVSE doesn't have one.

 

To expand a bit: The EVSE also has a relay, so that there is power on the cable only while charging is active. Part of the safety stuff. When plugged in to the wall and and not charging, all that is active is the signalling logic in the EVSE, kind of like a TV on standby waiting for a request from a remote.

 

There is logic in the EVSE to count how many times the J1772 adapter (to the car) is plugged/unplugged, and kill it after some limit. This has absolutely nothing to do with the wall plug.

 

Something that pulls 12amps? Maybe I should unplug my stove and microwave?
Why just the charger? I live in the lighting capital of the world. Wonder what's the harm?

 

Point taken. I am an MBA, not an engineer. I will now crawl back to my hole right after I unplug my charger.....

 

Sandollars, I appreciate your input on the discussion. I am sure there are many not technically adept, myself included, who learned the matter with better understanding because you were willing to post your point. Thank you!

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