Hello everyone, I charge my Prius Prime at home and at work. I am considering leaving the OEM cable at home and purchasing an aftermarket one (Level 1) to use at work. Does anyone know how safe the units sold on Amazon are? For example there is a Zencar brand for about $200. Will using these types of units void any kind of factory warranty? Thanks for your help!
I ordered an EV Gear Level 2 charger cable that came with a Level 1 adapter. The connector part that goes into the car was extremely tight so was hard to disconnect but it worked okay for a few weeks then the cable itself started shorting out. Ended up returning it for a full refund and haven't bothered testing any other cables. Wish I could locate an official cable from Toyota. Anyway, pretty sure it won't void any warranties but someone else more knowledgeable on the matter may want to chime in.
Somebody prove me wrong. I remember seeing the Toyota list price on the charging cable as $600-$800. Yikes. Would it be covered by the Toyota warranty?
Had to check it myself. Yeah, very expensive. MSRP:$925.00 G9060-47190 - Genuine Toyota CABLE ASSEMBLY, ELECTRIC Though, you can find OEM charger on ebay for around $300.
Do a search for charging cables here. I bought a 'Dousida' (SP) level 2 charger charger from Ali Baba for $165 delivered. I still love it, works perfectly. Charges fully in about 2 hours. I ran the 240V circuit myself, wasn't hard. Can't say enough good things about this charger. I'm retired so I don't really commute, but it's nice to make many small trips fully charged. I keep the original Toyota cable in the trunk, but I haven't used it.
I bought the Duosida level 2 charger from Amazon for $199 USD. It came with a 110V adapter which I'm using now, but I intend to upgrade the garage to 220/240 in the future, so this cable will be a bit future proof. I'm using the Duosida in my garage and keep the OEM charger in the trunk because my wife is able to plug in at work. The Duosida is a bit more "snug" to plug in, but not any more that the public charging cables we've used.
Another vote for Duosida. If you get one with a level 2 plug on it, you can convert it to 120V and it will charge at Level 1 speeds as well. My Duosida is also a bit snug, but has gotten a little better over time.
I have no idea how safe the Chinese made ones sold on amazon. They will only void your warranty only if Toyota finds out that the EVSE (not a charger, the charger is built into the car) you used caused damage to the car. If you want a quality one, get a Clipper Creek like this from Ebay for $240: USED, CLIPPERCREEK PCS-120 ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGE STATION- | eBay Since you are buying another EVSE. I would recommend adding a Level 2 outlet so you can charge twice as fast for about the same price. You can get a Level 2 EVSE like this for $219 and it's made by Clipper Creek: 16 Amp Electric Vehicle Charging Station| AmazingE
This looks like a good solution for $20 more than other Amazon options. At this point in time I will not be installing a level 2 outlet at my home. Do you know if a 110v adapter can be used on this evse?
According to the reviews, the AmazingE is not dual-voltage. If you want a dual-voltage one, get the Duosida or Zencar with adapter for $200. If not, get the $240 Ebay one.
I think this guy is reputable...$221.. Dostar Duosida 16A 3.84kW Portable Charging Station - EVSE D25-16A – BSA Electronics Any plug you want in any 120v or 240v configuration is available.
Not what the OP was looking for, but this is one of the best deals on L2 chargers I have seen: Costco Online: -VersiCharge LVL 2 Universal Electric Vehicle Charger -$389.99 -30 Amp Indoor/Outdoor Electric Vehicle Charger -20 Foot Cord - SAE J1772 Plug -Integrated delay functionality -Requires NEMA 6-50 Receptacle and a 2-pole 40-amp circuit breaker -Shipping & Handling Included
