40 amp charging, will it work?

[dculber]

my electrician just pinged me about a new 40amp charger coming out, which would chagre little faster. Any issues with this?

 

[DAZ]

The i3 will charge at the max rate of 7.4kW. Leviton makes a 32a EVSE that supports 7.4kw charging. I have a Leviton 40a EVSE, that will charge at 9.6kW, but again, the 13 is limited to 7.4kW. I went with the higher 40 amp and higher charge rate so hopefully, my next EV will benefit from it without having to upgrade.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Unless you eventually buy a vehicle with a larger charging circuit (BTW, the charging circuit is IN the car - the box is just a fancy switch to provide it with the power it needs), you're then paying for heavier wire, bigger circuit breaker, and a more expensive unit. Next gen vehicles will likely have bigger batteries, and MIGHT have a larger ability to charge them, but they may just limit the expense of the on-board charging circuit and just require you to wait a little longer. IT won't hurt anything except your pocketbook to install a larger one than you need today, and could save you some money down the road if you buy one that COULD use more, but it would still work, regardless. The EVSE sends out a signal that tells the car how much it can provide, and if the car is working properly, will never ask for more than can safely be supplied. This is why the unit that comes with the car can work...in the USA, that one only provides a maximum of 12A, and it works, but slowly, and doesn't overload the receptacle it gets plugged into because the car never asks for more than what the unit says it can provide.

 

[dculber]

thanks for the reply, sounds like its a good idea to pay a little more now for future use

 

[DAZ]

Just for information. I purchased a 2012 Prius Plug In, Janaury 2013. I purchased a Leviton 16a EVSE, providing 3.3kW charging. I considered going with higher rated EVSE, but decided I didn't need it for the Prius. Flash forward, twenty months and I wanted a i3 that charges at 7.4kW. Charging at hime can be done at anytime, even over night. There will be times, you need a charge quicker. With the arrival of my i3, I decided to upgrade my EVSE, to take advantage of the i3s 7.4kW charging, I went with with a Leviton 40a, 9.6kW EVSE. Another big expense, that also required running a 50 amp dedicated circuit, and new plug. I wired the first EVSE myself and again with the second. Additional cost and hassle, I went with the hightest rated Leviton EVSE on the market. EVSE prices are still high, and professional installation is expensive. As I stated, the difference between the Leviton 32a EVSE and the 40a, that charges at the highest rate is only about $150 more. Considering this is my second EV, I assume there will be a more advanced third EV in two and a half years when my current lease is up. Hopefully, I'm set for my present and future EV needs.

 

[Blue20]

A 3.3kw EVSE should be enough to bring i3 from 0% to 100% while you are sleeping. With the current software, the charging rate max out at about 5kw.

EV need fast charging on the road, not necessary at home.

 

[jelloslug]

The price difference between a 25 amp and a 40 amp charger is small. I would just spring for the larger one.

 

[jadnashuanh]

A 3.3kw EVSE should be enough to bring i3 from 0% to 100% while you are sleeping. With the current software, the charging rate max out at about 5kw.

EV need fast charging on the road, not necessary at home.

Mine has the s/w tweak to limit damage to the KLE, but in my environment, I'm seeing essentially full charging rates (just under 7Kw - about maxing my EVSE). Either I'm particularly cold (unlikely), they didn't actually apply the software (also unlikely), or it really is temperature dependent, and most people, at least where it is now approaching freezing, will not see a reduction in charge times. They WILL see longer charging times based on their normal route in the cold verses in the summer because they used more power, and it will take longer to recharge after going the same mileage as in the summer.

By the time it warms up again for most of us, the hardware and software fixes should be in, and everyone will be back to normal warm or cold.