Why would you by a charger?

[Mirak]

Worse day if your mobile charger is in your garage.

I mean, not really, right? If I get stranded I’m better off calling Ford for a tow to a real charger rather than sipping 3mi of range per hour off the nearest 120v outlet. Not a lot of 240v outlets on 40amp breakers sitting out there in the wild.

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[Ford49]

I just recently purchased a Mach e and I'm wondering why would anyone buy a charger like the grizz-le or FLO or any of them for that matter. Why not just get a 220V plug installed. It makes no sense to me to spend that money. Please enlighten me on why.

My garage had available 2 240v 30A circuits. I purchased a grizzl-e which has the capabilty to run at various amperage levels. I am replacing the 14-50 plug on it with a 6-30 to fit the existing garage plug and setting it for 24A.
This will give overnight top up and pre heat the car on cold winter days.
This saved me the wiring cost for a 14 50 plug and circuit.

Being from Ontario, if you go to autochargers.ca by Mar 31, you can get a 25% discount on a charger. They have various brands and models to chose from.

 

[shutterbug]

So I bought a $700 ChargePoint Home Flex while it was on sale at Amazon for $650 ... got a $500 rebate check from my electric company, so I effectively paid $150 for a level 2 charger that can handle charge rates up to 50 amps (mine is set for 48 amps).

Or even less, if you factor in the federal tax credit.

 

[BadgerGreg]

I installed a ChargePoint EVSE on a dedicated 60 amp circuit, so I'll be able to max out at the MMEs 48 amp capacity. I understand those who can live with the charger unit that comes with the car, but I feel more comfortable being able to charge 50% faster with a 48 amp EVSE. In normal times, it's not uncommon for me to drive 150+ miles around Detroit in a day, and I want the fast charging to get me as high as 100% for a road trip the following morning. I work for a company that has offices throughout the Midwest US, and it's not uncommon for me to drive to Cleveland or Columbus (OH) on a whim; I think the EVSE is ideal for my situation, as I will often need full charges overnight (not just a top-up).

 

[breeves002]

I installed a 48A EVSE because my closest 150kW DC fast charger is a 30 minute drive in a direction I never really go.

I also like to keep the mobile charger in the car because we have one L2 charger at work and there are 2 full EVs and a Fusion Energi that wants to charge. So I let the guy with the fusion use the L1 to charge himself since it is only like 5.5kW he needs to charge. I barely have to charge at home, but when I do I'd like to be able to do it as quickly as possible because I usually only charge at home if I absolutely have to.

So it is a waste of money for some people but for others it could be useful.

 

[dml105]

I think the question in the OP is what the benefit is of getting a NEMA 14-50 EVSE over using the one the car comes with. (Not the higher powered hard wired ones.)

So far, I’m not sure there is one. But these threads contain a healthy dose of bias towards the decision each poster has already made.

 

[Maquis]

I think the question in the OP is what the benefit is of getting a NEMA 14-50 EVSE over using the one the car comes with. (Not the higher powered hard wired ones.)

So far, I’m not sure there is one. But these threads contain a healthy dose of bias towards the decision each poster has already made.

There are two:
1) 25% faster charging (40 vs 32A) and 2) convenience of leaving the mobile charger in the trunk.

Each must decide if either or both of those are worth the cost.

 

[dbsb3233]

There are two:
1) 25% faster charging (40 vs 32A) and 2) convenience of leaving the mobile charger in the trunk.

Each must decide if either or both of those are worth the cost.

And/or lower power. The ability to raise and lower power levels has some potential advantages in both directions. I pointed out a possible advantage to lowering the power below 32A too (like if you have a demand charge on your monthly bill that a lower peak saves money for).

Other people want the maximum 48A to charge as fast as possible. The thread is full of examples why someone might want a different charger mounted in their garage.

 

[Maquis]

And/or lower power. The ability to raise and lower power levels has some potential advantages in both directions. I pointed out a possible advantage to lowering the power below 32A too (like if you have a demand charge on your monthly bill that a lower peak saves money for).

Other people want the maximum 48A to charge as fast as possible. The thread is full of examples why someone might want a different charger mounted in their garage.

I didn't think about demand charges. Not too common for residential, but becoming more so.

 

[dbsb3233]

I didn't think about demand charges. Not too common for residential, but becoming more so.

It's why I just lowered my Grizzl-E to 24A. Fortunately my demand charge is a modest one ($1.50 per peak kW), so the charger only added maybe $10 to the demand charge by establishing a new peak (in addition to the total kWh used). But many people's demand charge rates are much higher, and thus more impactful.

Many are also limited to only a daytime window too, and thus wouldn't be triggered by nighttime charging. Mine applies at any time though.

 

[Maquis]

It's why I just lowered my Grizzl-E to 24A. Fortunately my demand charge is a modest one ($1.50 per peak kW), so the charger only added maybe $10 to the demand charge by establishing a new peak (in addition to the total kWh used). But many people's demand charge rates are much higher, and thus more impactful.

Many are also limited to only a daytime window too, and thus wouldn't be triggered by nighttime charging. Mine applies at any time though.

My experience with demand charges is from when I was a plant engineer for a manufacturing facility. Our demand charge for the entire year was based on the highest 15 minutes of usage incurred between 11 AM and 11 PM, June through August. Careful demand management could save hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Basically, non-summer or nighttime was a free for all!

 

[dbsb3233]

My experience with demand charges is from when I was a plant engineer for a manufacturing facility. Our demand charge for the entire year was based on the highest 15 minutes of usage incurred between 11 AM and 11 PM, June through August. Careful demand management could save hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Basically, non-summer or nighttime was a free for all!

Mine is the high 15-minute slice as well, except nighttime too (24x7). For each month.

All it takes is one slip-up to overlap a charging session with the oven, or maybe the dryer, to create a new peak that the demand rate applies to. I did that for Feb, shortly after I got the Mach-E. Tested out a charge during the day at 40A (9.6 kW). When I checked the bill I saw it took my normal 6-8 kW peak demand (non-summer) up to 14 kW. Even just leaving it at 9.6 kW would produce higher overnight peaks and put me up around 11 kW. Since I have no need to charge that fast, I just dropped the charger to 5.7 kW.

Again, my demand rate is small so we're only talking a few extra bucks each month, but it adds up. Probably saving $100/yr by dropping to 24A. Gets even more interesting in the summer with A/C on. I might delay starting most charging until 2am or something in the hot months to avoid late evening A/C as much as possible.

 

[trutolife27]

Mine is the high 15-minute slice as well, except nighttime too (24x7). For each month.

All it takes is one slip-up to overlap a charging session with the oven, or maybe the dryer, to create a new peak that the demand rate applies to. I did that for Feb, shortly after I got the Mach-E. Tested out a charge during the day at 40A (9.6 kW). When I checked the bill I saw it took my normal 6-8 kW peak demand (non-summer) up to 14 kW. Even just leaving it at 9.6 kW would produce higher overnight peaks and put me up around 11 kW. Since I have no need to charge that fast, I just dropped the charger to 5.7 kW.

Again, my demand rate is small so we're only talking a few extra bucks each month, but it adds up. Probably saving $100/yr by dropping to 24A. Gets even more interesting in the summer with A/C on. I might delay starting most charging until 2am or something in the hot months to avoid late evening A/C as much as possible.

Yep, summer premium hours charging is about 2.7kwh Difference. Also only charging at night or at work lol.

 

[exact33]

I went with a juicebox 40. It's on sale until 4/2 for $50 off and you also get free shipping. Total: $634 with tax. This is the plug version. I liked the flexibility of plug vs hardwired

Getting a quote from my electrician but if comes at $1366 to run a 50A line I'll likely pay nothing once all rebates are applied

I'll get $300 back from my utility for the charger, $700 from my state for charger/installation and $1000 from feds.

 

[generaltso]

I'll get $300 back from my utility for the charger, $700 from my state for charger/installation and $1000 from feds.

The federal tax credit will only be $1000 if the total cost is more than $3,333. It’s 30% of the cost with a max credit of $1000.

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