Shopping for a Home Charger

[back_at_it_19]

Cuirous, did they run the 60 amp line from your house or from the power source at the street?

From the house panel. Plenty of capacity to the house, just not in the old panel, esp after a home renovation couple yrs ago. Home built 1976. Newer homes should have plenty capacity in the panel as is.

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[bshaw]

I've been considering lots of charging options. I just can't make the case in my circumstances to buy a charging unit. The 240 v (like a drier plug outlet). charges at something like 20mph, ten hours is 200 miles, or am I misquoting figures? You don't get the tax credit, but I suspect install in my garage will be relatively inexpensive

You're talking about just using the included mobile charger cable in a new outlet that you have installed at home?
Definitely a reasonable place to start. I thought about that route, but then ended up spending $400 on the Grizzl-e because I wanted the mobile charger to always stay in the car and me not end up stranded somewhere without any capable charging options.

Make sure you get a 14-50 outlet. The #6/3 cable was more expensive than I thought it was going to be (I paid about $3/ft).

 

[Maquis]

The #6/3 cable was more expensive than I thought it was going to be (I paid about $3/ft).

Copper prices are volatile and vary widely by region. It's about $2.50 here - I don't think you got hurt too bad...

 

[RyZt]

I've been considering lots of charging options. I just can't make the case in my circumstances to buy a charging unit. The 240 v (like a drier plug outlet). charges at something like 20mph, ten hours is 200 miles, or am I misquoting figures? You don't get the tax credit, but I suspect install in my garage will be relatively inexpensive

You're talking about just using the included mobile charger cable in a new outlet that you have installed at home?
Definitely a reasonable place to start.

Make sure you get a 14-50 outlet. The #6/3 cable was more expensive than I thought it was going to be (I paid about $3/ft).

@zvez, I'm not an accountant, so take what I'm going to say with a grain of salt. I remember reading that installing a 14-50 socket for the purpose of charging EV qualifies for form 8911 credit. The language of 8911 instruction is very generic. See below.

Qualified alternative fuel vehicle refueling property is any property (other than a building or its structural components) used for either of the following.

• ......
• To recharge an electric vehicle, but only if the recharging property is located at the point where the vehicle is recharged.

 

[quitepossibly]

I have a 6-50, but I also had the charger already so it wasn't an issue. 14-50 is far more common and if you're starting from scratch, I'd go that way.

The main advantage of 14-50 vs 6-50 is that you can run an RV off of 14-50. 14-50 has a neutral which means you can get both 120 volts and 240 volts from the outlet.

Most EVSEs don't use the neutral in the 14-50. I believe many automakers supply 14-50 plugs with their EVSEs because 14-50 outlets are found in RV parks and that gives owners an additional place to charge.

 

[prius2pony]

I was all decided on "ponying up" for the Ford Connected Charger, then read a few posts last couple days about availability issues. Here's my conundrum: I would like to get a 3rd party charger (EVSE) that can also deliver the 48A that the Ford can. Based on many online reviews, I would choose the ChargePoint HomeFlex–which needs to be hardwired if setting to 48A; or the JuiceBox 48 which also must be hardwired.

By going with one of these (or the Ford), I would not have the "emergency option" to use my Mobile Charging kit should the mounted charger fail, because there would be no accessible 14-50 plug outlet.

I could choose another make/model of mounted charger that itself plugs into a 14-50 outlet (so that I could choose to use the mobile charger as a backup), BUT then I would have to choose among options that will only deliver 40A output.

Do you think I should put the higher premium on the 48A capability or on the plug flexibility of a 40A-max unit?

 

[generaltso]

I could choose another make/model of mounted charger that itself plugs into a 14-50 outlet (so that I could choose to use the mobile charger as a backup), BUT then I would have to choose among options that will only deliver 40A output.

The ChargePoint can also be used with a plug at 40 amps. It’s flexible, which is where the Flex name comes from. If you‘re planning to charge overnight, 48A or 40A won’t matter.

 

[bshaw]

Do you think I should put the higher premium on the 48A capability or on the plug flexibility of a 40A-max unit?

Flexibility of the 14-50 outlet, definitely. The EVSE technology will continue to change with more options becoming available in a couple years. With an outlet, you could just upgrade to a new unit without calling an electrician to swap it over for you. Not sure many people would notice the difference 48A will provide -- in the morning, you will likely still be charged to your desired level with a 40A max connected all night.

 

[GatorCat]

I’d go hardwire. I’m doing that with ChargePoint Flex. The electrician part is installing the breaker and running the conduit etc. Should be easy to wire up a replacement charger if needed. I like the most speed possible in case I want to top up or charge up with less than ideal time. Also in my case I also have PHEV Pacifica and that charges in 2 hours so I’m sharing the EVSE Unit with both.

 

[SteelMach]

I was all decided on "ponying up" for the Ford Connected Charger, then read a few posts last couple days about availability issues. Here's my conundrum: I would like to get a 3rd party charger (EVSE) that can also deliver the 48A that the Ford can. Based on many online reviews, I would choose the ChargePoint HomeFlex–which needs to be hardwired if setting to 48A; or the JuiceBox 48 which also must be hardwired.

By going with one of these (or the Ford), I would not have the "emergency option" to use my Mobile Charging kit should the mounted charger fail, because there would be no accessible 14-50 plug outlet.

I could choose another make/model of mounted charger that itself plugs into a 14-50 outlet (so that I could choose to use the mobile charger as a backup), BUT then I would have to choose among options that will only deliver 40A output.

Do you think I should put the higher premium on the 48A capability or on the plug flexibility of a 40A-max unit?

How often do you actually need the full 48A speed? The flexibility of plugging in is worth more to me, personally, than outright charging speed is.

 

[back_at_it_19]

I went 48a hardwired. If I commute it’s 120 miles minimum per day plus sometimes I’ll prefer max speed. Way more important to me than a possible evse issue.

 

[OH2AZ2OH]

I just had my 14-50 installed. I will rarely drive over 50 miles a day, so I prefer the flexibility. I'm not planning on staying in this house forever, so I can unplug and move easily.

 

[ClaudeMach-E]

I was all decided on "ponying up" for the Ford Connected Charger, then read a few posts last couple days about availability issues. Here's my conundrum: I would like to get a 3rd party charger (EVSE) that can also deliver the 48A that the Ford can. Based on many online reviews, I would choose the ChargePoint HomeFlex–which needs to be hardwired if setting to 48A; or the JuiceBox 48 which also must be hardwired.

By going with one of these (or the Ford), I would not have the "emergency option" to use my Mobile Charging kit should the mounted charger fail, because there would be no accessible 14-50 plug outlet.

I could choose another make/model of mounted charger that itself plugs into a 14-50 outlet (so that I could choose to use the mobile charger as a backup), BUT then I would have to choose among options that will only deliver 40A output.

Do you think I should put the higher premium on the 48A capability or on the plug flexibility of a 40A-max unit?

Just do the math and make sure it works for you.

240V X 40A/h = 9.6 kW/h 88 kW/h battery/ 9.6 kW/h= 9.1 h charging time for an EMPTY battery.

240V X 48A/h = 11.5 kW/h 88kW/h Battery/ 11.5 kW/h= 7.6 h charging time for an EMPTY battery. So the question is how much of the battery will you use on daily basis? It's up to you to figure it out.

 

[@kWhpony]

I was all decided on "ponying up" for the Ford Connected Charger, then read a few posts last couple days about availability issues. Here's my conundrum: I would like to get a 3rd party charger (EVSE) that can also deliver the 48A that the Ford can. Based on many online reviews, I would choose the ChargePoint HomeFlex–which needs to be hardwired if setting to 48A; or the JuiceBox 48 which also must be hardwired.

By going with one of these (or the Ford), I would not have the "emergency option" to use my Mobile Charging kit should the mounted charger fail, because there would be no accessible 14-50 plug outlet.

I could choose another make/model of mounted charger that itself plugs into a 14-50 outlet (so that I could choose to use the mobile charger as a backup), BUT then I would have to choose among options that will only deliver 40A output.

Do you think I should put the higher premium on the 48A capability or on the plug flexibility of a 40A-max unit?

I’ve bought the Grizzl-e to charge at 40A so I can take it with me when we move to Arizona next year. I’ll keep the Ford mobile charger in the MME should we run into a situation on a road trip where EA isn’t available and we’d have to stop at an RV park to charge when desperate.

 

[krafty81]

Home Depot has two chargers, both highly rated by Consumer Reports. Having my guy install a 14-50 plug for my new Flexpoint.

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