Considering getting a 16 amp charger, anyone have any experience?

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brentac

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I have an available 220 outlet in my garage I'm considering buying a portable charger for. It can only go up to 20 amps so obviously I can't get a 32 amp for full level 2 speeds.

Does any one have any experience using a 16amp one? I realize it would be slower (but still faster than my level 1).
 
brentac said:
I have an available 220 outlet in my garage I'm considering buying a portable charger for. It can only go up to 20 amps so obviously I can't get a 32 amp for full level 2 speeds.

Does any one have any experience using a 16amp one? I realize it would be slower (but still faster than my level 1).
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Yes, I use an Aerovironment Turbocord plugged into a NEMA 6-20 outlet that charges 16A at 240V. Works great. The Turbocord can also be used with a 120V outlet, which do with no problem in a standard wall outlet on a 20A circuit. If you have an available 220-240 outlet in the garage on a 20A circuit, by all means use it!
 
brentac said:
I have an available 220 outlet in my garage I'm considering buying a portable charger for. It can only go up to 20 amps so obviously I can't get a 32 amp for full level 2 speeds.)
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Is it the 220v outlet that is limited to 20 amps, or the charger?
 
MNSteve said:
Is it the 220v outlet that is limited to 20 amps, or the charger?
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We had a 32 amp chargpoint hardwired in and at the same time a separate 20 amp outlet installed. According to the electrician it can take a 16amp charger but not the 32. (We did it this way in case we chose to get a second faster charger, as at the time we weren't sure what we would want to do)
 
@brentac, you say circuit is 20A, I assume this is the breaker size? What size wire on the 20A breaker, probably #10 copper? Did the electrician limit the circuit to 20A due to panel or service entrance size or just to cut costs? I'm just wondering if you can change out the breaker and increase amp rating safely. Probably can't go to 40A, but you may be able to go to 30A, giving you a little more charging power available (I have a homebuilt OpenEVSE Level 2 charger can be set to 16A, 20A, 24A, 30A, etc).
 
There were various reasons I think but he talked mostly with my wife (she’s an engineer so she gets that’s tiff better than me)

But I’m just wondering if people are happy with the 16s as that’s what I’ll be getting.
 
brentac said:
There were various reasons I think but he talked mostly with my wife (she’s an engineer so she gets that’s tiff better than me)

But I’m just wondering if people are happy with the 16s as that’s what I’ll be getting.
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To put some numbers to it, you'll get over 2 times faster charging with 16A 240V level 2 compared to 12A 120V level 1. Go for it.
 
Even more than twice as fast. 12 x 120 is 1440 watts. 16 x 240 is 3840 watts. Will actually charge 2.67 times faster.

20 amp 240 circuits are very common in garages. Some heaters, air compressors, power saws, etc. they’re normally wired with 12 gauge 2 conductor just like the typical 20 amp 120v circuits in many houses. I have installed 3 such circuits in my workshop...compresssor, radial arm saw, and air conditioner.

If you have it, absolutely use it. No reason to believe the chargers are inferior in any way...most people just don’t buy them because they get the 32 amp versions.

Do It!
 
brentac said:
I have an available 220 outlet in my garage I'm considering buying a portable charger for. It can only go up to 20 amps so obviously I can't get a 32 amp for full level 2 speeds.

Does any one have any experience using a 16amp one? I realize it would be slower (but still faster than my level 1).
Click to expand...
What Amp breaker is connected to the 220V outlet? And what is the 20 Amp outlet? 6-20? Ask your wife those questions.

Look on nomenclature:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector
 
After using the EVSE included with the car (120v/12amp), I switched to a Duosida L1/L2 16amp EVSE. Now, instead of 1.4 KW, it draws 1.9KW, so a full charge at 120v takes 8 hours instead of 12. On 240v, that same charger only takes about 4 hours.
To put it another way, included charger added 4 miles of range per hour, this new charger does 6 on 120v and 12 on 240v.
Make sure the breaker and circuit are 20amp (continuous 80%: 16amp allowed) and doesn't have any other appliances connected.
 
Getting mired down in the mud here I think. Sandroads answers are rock solid, and specific to the question asked up top. Some others are kinda irrelevant and drifting off topic. To be fair I’ll include my own reply in that 2nd grouping.

Brentac, Sandroad addresses the exact thing you’re asking about, including voltage, outlet type, how it works, and all...focus on his replies so you don’t get too confused.
 
stacey burke said:
This is made by ClipperCreek in the US.
AmazingE Level 2, 240 Volt EV Charging Station, Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) you can see reviews on Amazon. 3X faster charging, so full charge in 4 hrs. lowest price I have found.... https://store.amazing-e.com/ev-charging-stations/level-2-charging-station-16-amp-amazinge
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I was just going to note this one too, since I saw the ad with a discounted price at the moment. It is apparently the same one sold with GM and Ford vehicles.
 
zman said:
Can we combine the Duosida with something like this if we don’t have a 220? http://www.quick220.com/220_catalog/20-ampere-systems.html


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
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Not in my garage. I have only single phase power there (fed by a single CB from the house ). It might an unusual situation to have both phases (legs) of 120V available in close enough proximity to use this device and not already have 240V. Further, IMHO, this device is not a permanent substitute for a hardwired 240V outlet.
 
zman said:
Can we combine the Duosida with something like this if we don’t have a 220? http://www.quick220.com/220_catalog/20-ampere-systems.html


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
Click to expand...

Does your garage had two dedicated 20 amp circuits each with NEMA 5-20 outlets? Then yes. I find this highly unlikely. Nearly every home on the continent utilizes shared NEMA 5-15 amp outlets, with multiple outlets on one circuit. While many are indeed on 20 amp circuit breakers with 12 ga wire, that is fully irrelevant here. This product won’t even plug into the typical household outlet. And if you were to swap a pair of your garage outlets so it does plug in? You’d be violating code everywhere, and potentially overloading the circuit.
 
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Maybe a good place to ask this...sorry if it’s a derail.

I have 30A 220v running to a bifold hangar door in my attached garage/hangar. I’m thinking about using it for a Level 2 charger as well, putting safeguards in place so that both could never be used at once.

Possible problem: the power feed consists of 2 “hots”* and a ground - no neutral.

45067966222_c5929fec5b.jpg


Do portable Level 2 chargers typically need a neutral?

*Though the diagram shows a black and white feed providing the 220v, in my installation they’re both black, which I think is more to code.
 
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Fast Eddie B said:
Maybe a good place to ask this...sorry if it’s a derail.

I have 30A 220v running to a bifold hangar door in my attached garage/hangar. I’m thinking about using for a Level 2 charger as well, putting safeguards in place so that both could never be used at once.

Possible problem: the power feed consists of 2 “hots”* and a ground - no neutral.

45067966222_c5929fec5b.jpg


Do portable Level 2 chargers typically need a neutral?

*Though the diagram shows a black and white feed providing the 220v, in my installation they’re both black, which I think is more to code.
Click to expand...

My Aerovironment portable Level 2 charger uses a NEMA 6-20 receptacle that only needs 2 hots and a ground. No need for a neutral on a 3-wire 240V.
 
No neutral is needed, 2 hots are fine. This is because there is no such thing as a "neutral" on any 240 volt circuit. The 4th wire found on NEMA 14 series plugs only serves as a return to allow a 120v leg to be run on campers, etc...but it has absolutely nothing to do with the 240V aspect of the circuit, and to put it simply and to answer your question, NO level 2 chargers need or use a neutral. Even if the plug and the conductors exist (as they do on some), that 4th leg is just a dead connection that serves no purpose.

HOWEVER...before you do anything else...first check what size wire is on the circuit in the building. This is critical to ensure you're not overloading with whatever charger you buy. Clarity can pull 32 amps when charging...so a 30 amp circuit running your doors likely is wired with only 10 gauge copper. If this is the case, make sure whatever charger you purchase can't possibly exceed 24 amps of continuous draw...24 continuous amps is the limit on a 30 amp circuit with 10GA wire, according to the "80% rule" (which is also a misnomer...actually it's the 125% rule if you read NEC 210.19...but it's the same math, just a different way to get there...)
 
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