I just bought a Prime, and I would like to have a second level 1 charger so I can keep one plugged in at home and one in the truck for spontaneous charging opportunities. Installing a Level 2 charger is not an option in my current living situation. What recommendations do you guys have for a quality Level 1 charger that works with the Prime? I see used Nissan (Leaf) and GM (Volt) chargers on sale on eBay, as well as cheap Chinese chargers under $200. Are any of these worth considering? Is there another OEM charger I should consider?
Do the cheap Chinese chargers have warranties. If so check if its limited, If it has a warranty at all it might be worth looking at.
Any 120v EVSE will work that has the US plug will work. I wouldn't buy a second level 1 EVSE. It would take a long time to pay that off. I would save that money and use it towards a future level 2 EVSE if your living arrangement changes.
I am aware of the benefits of a Level 2 charger. As I said, my current living situation 100% precludes a level 2 charger installation, and I do not anticipate that changing in the near future. I am looking for advice on what alternative Level 1 chargers people have had good experiences with. Because I am aware that a second Level 1 charger is redundant, I am looking to minimize the investment cost. Having a second Level 1 charger adds value for me because it means I do not have to break down and stow my factory charger every day I want to charge on the road.
Really most of the current breed of cheap chargers are crap. Internally they probably won't last that long, and the J1772 connector usually has a lower than average number of mating cycles. On the upside, they are usually universal, meaning they could take 85VAC or 240VAC, being a L2 EVSE if you were to stop at say an RV park with the correct adapter. If you just want a spare L1 EVSE I'd buy one of the originals off of eBay. Like an original Leaf EVSE. There are so many scrapped EVs now that people take the EVSE with them after being totaled and sell on eBay or Craigslist. I would only buy from a reputable source (high eBay ratings) as there have been a few reports of stolen EVSE's mostly in areas that actually know what they are like San Fransisco.
