Workplace EVSEs?

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pictsidhe

pictsidhe

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Hi all.
First, I have Cooper SE and I'm a technogeek, so I'm not new to electrickery.

I am investigating workplace EVSEs. Initially, probably 1 double at my site, 2 doubles at the other.
I'd like intelligent EVSEs that can maximize a 3 phase supply. IE share current as needed to stay in a current limit, while maximizing charge rate when not many cars are hooked up. Eventually, we'll want more.
Ideally, I'd like free charging for employees and some guests, a fee for public use. Otherwise, free for all.
I'd like ones that are less of a pita to use than chargepoint.

Suggestions?
 
pictsidhe said:
Hi all.
First, I have Cooper SE and I'm a technogeek, so I'm not new to electrickery.

I am investigating workplace EVSEs. Initially, probably 1 double at my site, 2 doubles at the other.
I'd like intelligent EVSEs that can maximize a 3 phase supply. IE share current as needed to stay in a current limit, while maximizing charge rate when not many cars are hooked up. Eventually, we'll want more.
Ideally, I'd like free charging for employees and some guests, a fee for public use. Otherwise, free for all.
I'd like ones that are less of a pita to use than chargepoint.

Suggestions?
Click to expand...
AFAIK, US EVs can't handle 3-phase AC.

I replaced the 40-Amp EVSE I used with my Clarity PHEV with a 48-Amp EVSE long before my MINI Cooper SE arrived because I didn't discover the fine-print about the requirement for 3-phase AC for the MINI to charge at 11.5 kW.
 
What's your budget for the EVSEs? Some of the three phase ones are very pricey like Flo.

Alternatively you can look into hosting a Tesla destination charger site but I believe those are single phase.
 
To clarify.
I'm looking for level 2 EVSEs.
Three phases will run 3x EVSEs, at 1.73x the current per phase of a single EVSE. A single phase EVSE can be hooked up to 2 of 3 208V phases.
40A 3 phase supply could do 40A into a single EVSE, or 23A into 3 EVSEs. So adaptive EVSEs would give faster charging when only one car is charging.
My home EVSE can do this, but it's not really tough enough for public use.
 
pictsidhe said:
To clarify.
I'm looking for level 2 EVSEs.
Three phases will run 3x EVSEs, at 1.73x the current per phase of a single EVSE. A single phase EVSE can be hooked up to 2 of 3 208V phases.
40A 3 phase supply could do 40A into a single EVSE, or 23A into 3 EVSEs. So adaptive EVSEs would give faster charging when only one car is charging.
My home EVSE can do this, but it's not really tough enough for public use.
Click to expand...
I am pretty sure that each phase of a 3 phase system has an independent circuit breaker. Trying to run 2 or more EVSEs off of a three phase means derating their current to avoid exceeding the amp limit of each phase.

Yes, more than one EVSE can run off of 3 phase BUT the amp limit of each leg must be obeyed.

Bob Wilson
 
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice on 3 phase electricity.

But I don't need any help whatsoever with that.

I am asking for opinions on which EVSEs might be good. There are many out there, I've only used a few of them, and not many times.
 
"Single phase" 240V EVSEs often get hooked to two legs in a 3-phase panel in commercial environments,
but because it's 208V the cars that normally charge at 7.5 kW are down to 6 kW or so at the same AC
line current. So you could do it in from 3-phase sources without adding transformers, with that caveat.

_H*
 
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