Installing my 240v, help me decide which at home charger!

[ohmslaw]

Do NOT get the Ford Connected Charger if you want reliable charging data.
Works reliably otherwise.

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[clhardy5]

We're having the Chargepoint Flex installed next week (hardwired on a 50amp). Our utility company - xcel - is give us $500 to offset installation - and $50 a year if we agree to one of their charger schedules. We had to choose between the Julicebox and Chargepoint....It was a toss up.

 

[phidauex]

As others have said, all the major ones mentioned here are good. I'll add a vote for a simple dumb Grizzl-E. There is plenty of smart stuff and automation in my house and honestly it can just be a real headache sometimes. My phone currently has 19 apps on it whos sole function is to serve as an interface to some external device. Do I need another one? Not really.

The car's built-in scheduling isn't the most sophisticated in the world, but it works. The GrizzlE is inexpensive, reliable, easy to use, and "just works". Don't overcomplicate things.

 

[HFn!eSwMFilFX4mxbn&!P9T&G]

I bought an Emporia 48 amp charger. The Mach e cannot do that but it has great price performance.

I believe the Mach-E tops out at 48 amps

 

[jbirdzee]

I believe the Mach-E tops out at 48 amps

It does. I too use the Emporia 48A charger (hardwired/60A breaker) and it charges at the full rating. My personal opinion here: I do NOT recommend the Emporia charger. It is cheaper than most other options but my Emporia EVSE is not UL listed.

They say on their website it was designed to UL safety standards, but as an EE who has pushed product through safety testing I can say that the scrutinizing that comes from an actual UL cert can be very detailed. Most products are designed with the intention of passing regulatory tests, but the whole point of the cerification is for an independent 3rd party to agree the product meets the safety requirements.

Emporia pushed an unannounced software “update” to my evse that caused my MME to start having charge faults. Along with that update I had odd operation where the main contactor in the EVSE stayed enabled until -after- i pulled the wand out of the charger port of the car, something it did not originally do.

Their tech support was very helpful and started their playbook about engineering investigating the problem.

A few days later, emporia pushed an update that got rid of the charge faults, and they restored the proper contactor drop out function when squeezing the trigger on the wand again.

Emporia’s unadvertised firmware push that precluded standard safe functionality changed me from enjoying a discounted evse to being leary and planning to replace it before they decide to make unvetted changes again. Blocking the evse from wifi/internet disables the energy monitoring features, but would have prevented the firmware issues I had.

Emporia says their first batch is not UL. Maybe confirm the ones that ship today are UL listed before making the purchase. Maybe the new ones have better manufacturing or support controls to prevent the issues I had.

 

[ohmslaw]

From what I’ve seen in threads it seems like the people that buy the following are the happiest.
Smart charger: ChargePoint Flex
Dumb Charger: Grizzl-e

 

[RickMachE]

From what I’ve seen in threads it seems like the people that buy the following are the happiest.
Smart charger: ChargePoint Flex
Dumb Charger: Grizzl-e

I don't think that's a valid conclusion.

Yes, there are threads where people extol the virtues of those chargers. Many of the Grizzl-e reviews are focus on a lower price as the main attraction.

The ChargePoint Flex comes up often because people gravitate to the name they've heard of because of ChargePoint's public charging network (note that unlike ElectrifyAmerica, ChargePoint doesn't maintain a network. They sell software and they sell hardware, and they allow people with their branded chargers to join a network of public chargers, but it's up to the charger owner to maintain and price the charger).

Some of us have a JuiceBox charger (I have the JuiceBox 48). I can't say I've read a bad review. JuiceBox chargers, and the ChargePoint Flex are often the chargers of choice when electric utilities offer discounts on chargers or a rebate - because these companies are at the forefront in intelligent chargers and data sharing with utilities.

I am very happy with my JB 48.

 

[jglor]

I bought a Grizzl-e, and I'm happy with it, but if I had to make the choice again, I would probably buy a smart EVSE.
I thought charge tracking in the Fordpass app would be better. Once a charge is complete, it shows Percent, but not kWh. So if you want to know kWh, you have to calculate it based on battery size.
Also, it's unreliable. I lost a charge. It just never showed up in the app. I didn't check the actual percentage of the car when I plugged it in (somewhere around 45%, but not exact), so I have no idea how much the car charged that time.
Do I absolutely need that data? Not really, but I've been trying to track charges and approximate cost per charge since this is my first EV. If I had a smart charger, tracking would be a whole lot better.
Also, the cable of the Grizzl-e is freaking thick and heavy. I live in So-Cal. I don't need the weather protection. It's nice that it's durable, but it's kind of overkill for me. I probably could have stuck the the included charger, but since I had to have the outlet installed, I figured I would buy one and get the tax credit.

 

[Magic]

I have the ChargePoint Flex hardwire installed on a 60 amp circuit. I placed the unit near the garage door so that I could change either inside or outside if needed. I 3d printed a plug holder and placed on the wall next to where I normally park the car. Very handy to just reach over, grab the plug and insert in the charge port.

 

[OH2AZ2OH]

I’d recommend starting with the included mobile charger. If you find it isn’t meeting your needs, then spend money on something that does. I’ve been using my mobile charger for 7 months, and I see no need to buy a different one.

 

[TGIF]

I got a ChargePoint Home Flex. I had decided I liked it and when my utility offered a $500 rebate it was a no-brainer. I’ve only used it on my PHEV (as I’m waiting on my MME) and is such an improvement over the Level 1 changing that I’d been doing. Only a couple months of use so far but no issues and my electrician had no problems even though it was his first EVSE install.
Note that if you have the proper 240v outlet you can use the included charging cord and don’t need an EVSE. I wanted to keep the cord in the MME for back up use. TBH, I doubt if I ever use it, though. With the rebate and 2021 tax credit for EVSE and installation it made sense to get the ChargePoint.

 

[Sneezy]

There's a TON of these threads. TON.
Chargepoint Flex. Pick your amperage.

 

[Moomin]

I have the ChargePoint Home Flex and needs to be hardwire install since town requires the breaker to be GFCI for the outlet. Was informed since the unit has a built in GFCI, it trips the breaker sometimes leaving you no charge. So since they require hardwiring, I am having a 60amp breaker for max charging of 48A. I wanted to leave the Ford charger it comes with in the car rather than pack it up each time. Does anyone know what the standard 120V plug -in uses? I'm wondering things like when I plug-in what else can be on the circuit? My garage was wired to my garage doors, outlets and exterior security lights. So if my car was charging on the standard outlet and I opened both overhead doors (I think 350W each), would it trip my breaker?

 

[Triggerhappy007]

Does anyone know what the standard 120V plug -in uses? I'm wondering things like when I plug-in what else can be on the circuit? My garage was wired to my garage doors, outlets and exterior security lights. So if my car was charging on the standard outlet and I opened both overhead doors (I think 350W each), would it trip my breaker?

It depends. Usually, 120V will charge at 12A. They recommend you don't have anything else on the same circuit as the charging cord. With that said, you might be fine on a 20A circuit, but on a 15A, it might trip.

I would recommend installing a 14-50 outlet in your garage if possible. You can charge your car faster and it'll cost less to charge because it's more efficient.

 

[mjs020294]

I am going with the Emporia EV Charger. Its 48AMp hardwired and fully integrates with my Emporia home monitor. So I can program it to charge when there is excess solar production and monitor in the Emporia app.


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