Recommend EV Level 2 Charger for home (US)

In my neighborhood where I live all power lines are overhead lines 100 years technology and my house build in 1955 have all Cooper lines but a service is only 100 Amps to a house panel and 7 years ago I install double 20 amps breaker for I 3 and I never trip a breaker the same with Mini Cooper SE works as a chairm I for L 2 charger but I charge only between 12 to 8 am when my house is in sleep On top of this in 2014 I install solar panels and since I don’t pay for electricity only $20 for maintenance of aMeter by provider Con Edison .bc. My power provider Con Edison is paying me 10 C a kilowatt as I charger my SE at those hours.This program is only in NY 5 boroughs.Do something why we are so privileged in NY as government is throwing as into EVs ?

 

Just got an email from United Chargers that the portable Grizzl-E Mini EVSE is available for preorder at US$490. Looks very interesting at that price as it comes with multiple NEMA adapters. And wtf? The “locally accessible smart features” they’re showing look far better than the dumb ChargeLab connection of my Grizzl-E Smart, which is basically useless and a waste of the $50 premium over the regular dumb EVSE. My MINI’s app has more info than the ChargeLab crap, and the My BMW Alexa skill lets me initiate cabin preconditioning and check status very easily.

 

Dude that’s a cool idea! Hadn’t considered the idea of a portable for any 220 outlet

 

In 1955, most services were 60 amp fuse. Your house must have had some added for something beyond the norm. Today 200 amp or even 300 amp are becoming the norm. A electrician can upgrade your service and modernize it for the present load.

 

I opened a support ticket with them to ask if I’ll get to use this app, waiting for a reply. Meanwhile, asked the same on the Tweeters and got a one-word “yes” response.

 

That's a great price if it comes with all of those adapters. It's a good price with only 1-2 adapters.

 

From what I infer, it’ll be sold with all four 14-50R adapters — NEMA 5-15P, TT-30P, 14-30P, and 6-50P — but the 5-15 and TT-30 will ship separately at a later date (perhaps still awaiting UL certification?). The whole thing hasn’t passed CSA yet, which is expected in a couple of months, so Canadian sales will start then.

 

Slightly off-topic: I haven't seen a post from Rexsio for quite a while. I miss his unique style. Anyone hear from him? Is he snowbirding (no snow in New York)?

 

Best of all, it is a Mini charger for an electric MINI.

Only 494 left for preorder.

 

Revog.Thank you for asking I’m still here reading all posts as I have nothing to add to conversation at this time I’m hibernating as you notice is no snow in NY but as I quit on November 11 smoking and beer this is my hibernating state. SE performing perfect no issues.Milage in 13 months only 5500 miles.

 

Keith from United contacted me after I opened a ticket asking about the apps and firmware:

 

Not that I'm cynical, but we've been hearing similar stories for a couple years now (wait a couple months it will be better)... perhaps has something to do with groundhog day?

 

Lol yeah last fall they told me something similar, if a bit less specific. But they weren’t showing (simulated) screenshots last year, either.

 

Remember, after a finite number of re-runs in Groundhog Day, Phil (Bill Murray) finally gets it right. There is hope.

 

The biggest disadvantage of enabling wifi and connecting to chargelab for me is that, when plugging in the SE to charge, the EVSE has to get authorization from the chargelab mothership to proceed. So when there are network problems, you are locked out. I notice every once in a while there is a firmware update. The one in October degraded wifi/network performance to a point that charging was hit or miss, often had to disconnect/reconnect the charging cable several times to get it going. The firmware update in December seems to have fixed that. Years ago, United Charge techs would informally suggest disabling wifi until things were sorted out. I like living dangerously, however.

 

Where do you check for firmware versions or updates? My ChargeLab instances are bereft of anything useful.

 

I infer that there was an update by observing a chunk of data downloaded to the EVSE over my home network. You may have to contact them to find out what rev you are at, a support request via the app seems most efficient.

 

Yeah ok I did that in September, they just need the serial number off the side.