Kickstarter Level 2 charger: $109-$329

[FlasherZ]

Just catching up on this thread...

Of course, lack of GFCI is not good. BUT per latest NEC code, all outlets in the garages should already have GFCI:
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NEC 210.8 Ground-Fault Protection garages
At dwellings, ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection shall be provided for all receptacle outlets
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Therefore, having another GFCI on a pluggable basic version is redundant and not helpful.

This is only applicable to "receptacle outlets" which are of the 125V, 15/20A variety. Larger outlets do not require GFCI protection (as of now) except in pool/spa/hot tub environments.

EDIT: I already see someone else made the observation. Good.

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how common is the NEMA 14-60?

Not very.

You will likely need to get these from an electrical supply house. I don't recall any of the big box stores carrying them.

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I would suggest including GFCI in all your products to protect your customers and yourself from liability. Take a look at OpenEVSE the link is in my signature block, it has a simple but effective GFCI circuit. The components cost about $1 plus the CT. Even if you don't include the CT to keep the cost down at least it can be easily added.

GFCI is required in all EVSE equipment per article 625. It's not just a good thing, it's a firm requirement for EVSE devices in the US. You can always claim the "gray area" of your equipment being an appliance (not always governed by NEC) as opposed to infrastructure wiring (governed by NEC), but then you play a gambling game with regard to listing, safety, and liability.

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1. kickstarter. if its only 60amp parts, then can drive it at 80%*60=48 = 11 kwh, basically same as umc. Fully power single charger around $600. A little cheaper if you put it together yourself or don't get fancy display.

This is a very confusing area and there are gray lines all around. Basically, the NEC doesn't govern what's used inside an appliance.

If you crack open the HPWC, you'll notice that they use #6 wire @ 105 degC inside the device as well as in the cable that connects to the Tesla. Even though they use that wire, you wouldn't be permitted to connect the HPWC using that wire. The NEC doesn't even list 105 deg C wire and terminations, much less give maximum ampacity for it. This is because the HPWC is an appliance. Likewise, you'll sometimes find that electric ranges that list a 40 amp rating may use as small as #12 wire to carry individual burner currents, even though the NEC would call for a larger minimum wire size.

In addition, the NEC rules for sizing branch circuits for continuous loads call for conductors and overcurrent protection devices (a/k/a circuit breakers or fuses) to be sized at 125% of the continuous load. This means that things like industrial timers rated only for 40A can be used without violating NEC.

The only thing to be careful is that components are rated for continuous load, and if it doesn't specify, it's good to check with the manufacturer.

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As for this Kickstarter project, it looks like something I can take advantage of later. Next year I may be going on a few road trips to stay with friends. In order to charge at their place, I'll need to plug into their dryer outlet. Depending on their house, the UMC may not reach. So what I'm thinking of doing is buying one of these for $109, get a dryer plug for $20 and then pick up a 50 foot long J1772 cable/plug for about $300. This will make a great travel charger that with the extra long cable will be very handy for staying at people's houses where the laundry room may not be inside the garage. However, for home use I don't see much point to this as I would need to purchase an additional dedicated J1772 adapter and it would be more bulky then the UMC.

Just as a word of caution here, NEC 625 specifies that the downstream end ("coupling means") of EVSE equipment shall have a maximum length of 25'. Your 50' cord would violate that. As mentioned above, though, it's operating in a gray area - the question is "is a portable EVSE an appliance and therefore not governed by NEC?" The downside is that you may only know once you suffer a loss - the insurance company would deny your claim and you'd be going to court to get your insurance claim settled. That's a risk you need to be willing to take.

 

[Gear]

Just catching up on this thread...



This is only applicable to "receptacle outlets" which are of the 125V, 15/20A variety. Larger outlets do not require GFCI protection (as of now) except in pool/spa/hot tub environments.

EDIT: I already see someone else made the observation. Good.

Looking at their Kickstarter page, it looks like GFCI is now an option as of 7/19. Knowing that, is this something you'd consider? My rationale is I'd like to leave a charger in the garage rather than packing and unpacking the UMC every day. A second UMC is $650, so this would be significantly cheaper.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Be aware that this kickstarter charger isn't only going to cost $150 or whatever. You also have to include a $230 J1772 cable and plug. And in the end, you aren't going to get a very useful feature of the Tesla UMC plug that plugs into the car - the ability to press the button on top of the plug to open the car charger door. When using a J1772 charging plug you have to go into the car and use the touchscreen to open the car charging door - very inconvenient if you have to do this everyday. I guess you can train yourself to always open the charge port before you leave the car, but I know I would forget half the time.

I use my UMC to charge everyday, but I don't pack and unpack it. I only pack it up when I'm going on a long trip. Of course, then I run the risk of forgetting to pack the UMC! Which I did recently, but I was OK since I was able to use a Supercharger.

 

[darthvdr]

I applaud the attempt, but if you do things by the book and get the install inspected by the city, the lack of a UL certification might be a potential roadblock.

Agree. I'm not sure if I want to be a guinea pig with my $120k car.

 

[FlasherZ]

Agree. I'm not sure if I want to be a guinea pig with my $120k car.

EVSE's are relatively simple devices, and from my vantage point you're not really being a guinea pig. The only safety issue you need to concern yourself with is the physical safety of the 240V poles. As it's mounted in a sufficient enclosure, I wouldn't be too worried. The only damaging thing you could really do with such a device is to apply 240VAC to the pilot signal, and that can only be accomplished if you mis-wire it badly, or the EVSE's board is designed badly such that the high voltage section isn't isolated properly. I'd feel comfortable with it.

Now, your insurance company would probably take a good, hard look at it and specifically whether you knew it was unsafe or not... but in the end, not everything must be UL or CSA listed.

I have no need for another EVSE, but if - as some posts here suggest - the UMC is $480 and an adapter is $45 as individual parts from the service center, I'd spend the $525 to get one specifically for a particular location, like my garage.

 

[Klaus]

... if - as some posts here suggest - the UMC is $480 and an adapter is $45 as individual parts from the service center, I'd spend the $525 to get one specifically for a particular location, like my garage.

That's exactly what I paid for my second UMC + 14-50 adapter 3 weeks ago, plus sales tax, of course.

 

[Chris TX]

Has anyone took the plunge with this EVSE? It looks like the cost of a J1772 cord could reach the same price as the actual charger if you want 40A charging. I'll be looking at this later this year.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Yes, I bought the base kit, assembled it, and have it running at my barn. It works, nice to have a 60A public charger for customers to use.