Home 220v connection

Since some countries have 220-240V, how is that handled? Is the EVSE different than the one we get in the US? Does the Plug-in charge in 1.5 hours with the included EVSE in those countries?

 

I think you mean amps, not volts. The EVSE can only handle 12A as opposed to other EVSEs which have thicker wire and can handle 16A. At any rate, that should be the max rate of the battery charger as well, so it should take 1.5 hours.

 

I stand corrected.


iPhone ?

 

I was going to go with evseupgrade.com but decided against it. Its a great option but I have a few houses and I wanted charging stations at each house. I didn't want to lug the EVSE with me everytime. I decided to build two double openevse units.

Chris with openevse has been very helpful. I look forward to getting the units completed.

 

I have seen a Toyota OEM EVSE on eBay (I think), it had a different plug on it for Europe. I also recall seeing on the Toyota Japan website that they sell what APPEARED to be a OEM looking EVSE that had said something about 100V/200V or whatever the Japanese standard is. It seemed to me that it was able to do both. It was listed in the Prius PHV accessories section.

Here it is:

http://toyota.jp/service/option/dc/webitem?car_code=priusphv-b_00001&kind_cd=01

For 13,650Y, I would think that's a whole new EVSE that does both 100V and 200V

Here's the translation courtesy of Google:

Even in an environment that is not available charging cable 200V, 100V charging in is possible by replacing the power cord plug for 100V. Also, if you can not use the charging cable 100V, 200V charging in is possible by replacing the power cord plug for 200V.

 

I checked the UK website and they mention that charging takes 1.5 hours and no mention of a longer time like 3 hours, so it appears they charge at 220-240V only.

Hm, if the Japanese version can do both voltages and the US can only do one, that seems odd to me. I would think it would be easier just to create one version.

 

I just re-read my post and I'm off on my Yen conversion. It looks like for 13000Y (or roughly 150USD), you can get the 200V adapter. So it appears the JDM EVSE can do both, you just need the 13000Y adapter. The EVSE's listed above seem to be have different cord lengths.. but those are a hefty 85000Y.. or 950USD or so? So 950USD for a new EVSE.. then 150USD for the appropriate adapter.

So you are probably correct.. the JDM EVSE does both with a single part number. You just need to buy the 200V adapter.

I saw this page long before I got my car. I kind of HOPED the USDM EVSE would be the same.. it would make sense, as you pointed out.. especially since that plug is connected to the black box by that big connector.. but the EVSE Upgrade guys opened up the PiP EVSE and didnt say anything about it being able to handle 240V.. so I guess it is a different (cheaper) unit we get here.

 

If I remember, the switching power supply mod, and the new hardware will pass through 208v as well as 120v & 240v.

 

The ability to handle ~120V or ~240V is probably a function of the PIP's built in charger, not a function of the power cord electronics. The power cord electronics just needs to operate on either ~120V or ~240V. And I expect it does. BUT, DO NOT try this until more is known. Damage to the cord or charger could occur.

The reason we do not have dual voltage capability could simply be a NEC (National Electrical Code) problem.

 

The EVSE has to be able to advertise that 240V is available for the onboard battery charger as well, so it is a function of the EVSE. If the EVSE is capable of 240V, then IMO it begs the question, why does it costs $239 to upgrade it at EVSE Upgrade?

I thought this might be the case as well.

 

very simple because the firmware's programming has to be changed ... and - because the EVSE' needs to have a switching power supply installed - so that the EVSE's modified firmware that allows varyable voltage can switch between 208 or 120 or 240. What do you think ... should pEEf half to do it for a slimmer profit margin? You don't think that if it wasn't the cheapest game in town that somebody else wouldn't already be doing it? I'm just glad that he IS doing it ... and consider it a bargain.

Just get your EVSE mod'ed. You can then buy a stubby adapter cord to go between your 240V receptacle and the twist lock on your EVSE.

SGH-I717R ? 2

 

Hm, let's backtrack a little bit. I said "If the EVSE is capable of 240V, ..." Based on what your description of the work, it is not, which renders the rest of my statement and what I quoted above moot. Anyhow, my hope was that the OEM EVSE is actually capable of both with some simple modifications.

Anyhow, I'm still curious what the OEM and upgraded innards of the L1 EVSE look like. Anyone with an upgraded L1 EVSE ever open theirs up?

 

Phill the engineer who does the mod's has posted pictures ... either on his web site, or another forum .... sorry I can't recall which. But no - the switching power supply that Phil installs is not native to the. U.S. OEM product.

you are actually jumbling multiple thought. It's because the wiring is too thin in the PiP EVSE that it can't deliver the PiP's full potential capacity. Also it's not that the PiP's EVSE can't deliver full voltage to the car's charger - but rather the modd'ed EVSE it can't deliver the maximum wattage to the car's charger. However, the leaf's modd'ed EVSE will deliver full wattage to the pip. I tested it out (using myfluke amprobe) on the PiP test mule back when I had USE of one for a week or so. Sooooo, If you were actually really really really desperate to get those extra few watts that the PiP can't/ won't deliver - you could always buy the modified panasonic unit originally manufactured for the leaf. I know at 1 time Phil was buying the Panasonic units from Nissan - then modifying / selling them.

SGH-I717R ? 2

 

Are you thinking of these?
Low-cost 240V EVSE upgrade | Page 2 | PriusChat
My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - Revision 2 upgrade for Nissan EVSE - Allows full level 2!
Unfortunately, I was only able to find pictures of the Nissan Leaf EVSE and none of Toyota's.

While searching, I did come across some info about converting the Leaf charger to 6.6kW, which was interesting as well. I was thinking about the possibilities for the Prius Plug-in, until I found out that it would cost around $2-3K.

 

No he actually has pictures of the PiP EVSE's guts somewhere.

 

The stock PIP EVSE charges at about 10 Amps. If it is a ~120V version, that is 1200W. If it is a ~240V version, thats 2400W.

The EVSE sends pulses to the PIP telling it the ampacity of the connected EVSE. The PIP charger then limits it's load to the Ampacity specified by the EVSE.

Bigger cable, connectors and home power outlet all determine the maximum Ampacity.

A 30A ampacity would be nice for both ~120V and ~240V home power outlets. But the EVSE cord would be larger and heaver.

 

I don't know about the guts of the north american toyota branded evse, but I built my own using the openEVSE components for about $300. The onboard charger is already capable of handling 120V or 240V. The L2 public charging stations are all 240V.

For some reason there seems to be a prohibition about having a 240V portable appliance, like a 240V EVSE, in North America, despite the 100s of thousands of RVs that plug in to 240V every day around the country. Those Europeans with their 240V toasters must be just silly dangerous.

 

Europe went from ~120V to ~240V over a hundred years ago to double the capacity of the electrical distribution system at a low cost to the utility. I gudss everyone jsut threw out their old light bulbs!

 

Volt-Amp ratings are limited by maximum permissible current - and watt ratings are limited by the power handling capacity of an appliance. It's not clear - but from your wording it sounds like you believe that if your portable EVSE were hooked to a NEMA 5-30R or a 5-50R that you'd be able to get more VA's out of the EVSE. That of course is not the case - because Toyota chose to design a portable EVSE that couldn't possibly handle the larger load. IOW - it's not simply a matter of slapping a bigger cord onto the EVSE.
.

 

I don't think that is what is being claimed. If there were higher capacity components, then the firmware on the EVSE would have been programmed by Toyota to report a higher amperage rating to the charger. They used lower-rated components, and programmed the EVSE accordingly.

It's a shame that the Toyota lawyers apparently prevailed to not design the EVSE for 240V. But these are the same folks who disable certain features on the display unit while the car is moving, without providing a provision for the passenger to do those functions.