JuiceBox Pro (40) installation

[bwilson4web]

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

It works but the instructions could be better.

Overview

To install the NEMA 14-50 (aka., RV park socket,) the 48 year old, utility service access service had to be replaced. At the same time, we installed a 16kW, natural gas fueled, automatic switch-over, generator. Then I could mount the JuiceBox wall holder:

Before lacing the wires, I wanted to test it with the car.

The "Quickstart" instructions are pretty lame and important clues are left off like an architecture diagram:

• JuiceBox connects to your WiFi service
• It reaches into the EMotorWerks network to connect to their server
• With your account and a browser, you can see the status the server holds

I honestly thought my connection had failed until pursuing their support links, connected to the server.

The initial status shows the active current, power, temperature, and voltage:

Our NEMA 14-50 has 50A wiring and circuit breakers, one for each hot leg.

The server also shows a graph of the charging:

Summary

The EMotorWerks, JuiceBox Pro (40) works but the instructions leave a lot to be desired. It was actually working when trying to debug the problem, I stumbled on the server and then discovered it was OK. I am not happy that all communications is via their server (one oops and I no longer have data.) But for now, good enough.

I appreciate the irony that in EV mode, my BMW i3-REx is ultimate flex-fuel: nuclear, hydro, coal, PVC, wind, natural gas, e.t.c.

Bob Wilson

 

[Boatguy]

The iPhone app (EV JuiceNet), also an Android version, is pretty nice.

 

[I33t]

The juicebox just works.

Install? Plug it in to your nema socket and plug it into your i3 and it charges. That's it. Your i3 would indicate that it is charging as soon as you plug it in. There is no mystery.

The wifi comms is an add-on, it takes very little to get it going but it is not required for basic charging. It gives control, and it also logs your charging.

 

[bwilson4web]

Hi,

My interest is not just having a charge but the characteristics of BMW i3-REx charging. So the metrics are important:

• first charge - starting around 9:30 AM, the car charged and we see the tapering off as the charge completes.
• periodic wake-ups - very short, low power events, the car is tweaking, perhaps to make up for "OFF" state overhead.
• preconditioning - I had an errand to run and in the +90F (+32C), started cooling off the cabin.
• hot day charging (after 18:00) - during the tapering down, we see two short spikes which were probably battery cooling cycles.
• requested unplug-plug (about 20:00) - while looking at data, was requested to add a password and prompted to unplug-plugin the car.
• period wake-ups - again short, low power events.
• cooling event - about 3:00 AM, car appears to have initiated a battery cooling.
• 5:00 AM preconditioning - came on as expected with the expected ramp down
• 5:45 AM manual preconditioning - slow getting into car, triggered it as putting shoes on

I knew there were more than traction battery charging going on but had no metrics to understand how much and when. Now I can see the total picture.

We are fond of bragging about how cheap it is to run our electric cars but can easily forget the battery maintenance and other vehicle overhead losses. Compared to driving, these are minor but when the utility bill comes in, there will be an effect.

Bob Wilson

 

[jadnashuanh]

Some of the small spikes may be from battery leveling - not all batteries take a charge exactly the same way, and after the initial charge cycle, it can take a few 'hits' to bring those that are lower up as far as the rest of the pack. If the car were not used for awhile, those would probably become fewer and further apart as each cell became topped up as far as it is capable. You can get some charging called for if there are some significant temperature changes over time, but once all cells are leveled off, the actual standby losses are pretty low unless you have the fob near enough to the car for it to 'wake up' periodically. Best to lock it and keep the fob away for maximum efficiency. Walking by the car with the fob in your pocket can start to awaken things even if you don't unlock.

 

[I33t]

We are fond of bragging about how cheap it is to run our electric cars but can easily forget the battery maintenance and other vehicle overhead losses. Compared to driving, these are minor but when the utility bill comes in, there will be an effect.

Bob Wilson

Not when your solar production exceeds your electricity usage over the whole year.

Even without solar, the cost of electricity would be less than the fuel used in a combustion vehicle, not even including your time to fill it up regularly and routine maintenance.

There is simply no comparison. I'll never go back to fossil fuel for a city/suburban car again.

 

[jadnashuanh]

There is so much less maintenance required on a BEV verses an ICE, even if the fuel costs were the same, over time, the ICE would be way more expensive to keep the muffler, exhaust system, engine oil, plugs, wires, filters, radiator, etc. running reliably, not counting the hazardous wastes it creates in the process (used engine oil, antifreeze, etc.).

It's too bad we will have to wait a (probably) long while before we'll have a really rapid recharging capability on an EV. Then, throw in the fact that almost no home has a surge power capacity to replenish a large battery useful in an EV, and it gets even more messy. For the vast majority, forget about CCS charging, which, while fast compared to an EVSE, is still quite slow compared to filling up a gas tank.

 

[I33t]

Not sure what you're thinking.

It takes less personal time to charge the i3 than to take a fossil fuel car to the service station and fill it up with old dinosaurs. All you have to do is plug it in at home and walk away. 30 seconds max.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Not sure what you're thinking.

It takes less personal time to charge the i3 than to take a fossil fuel car to the service station and fill it up with old dinosaurs. All you have to do is plug it in at home and walk away. 30 seconds max.

That is true only if you don't run the battery down, then need to continue. Then, it's 20-30 minutes on a CCS unit, or 3-4 hours on an EVSE, not 5-10 minutes pumping in fuel and back to full capacity. That assumes you can find one when you run out, which is, and probably will continue to be, an iffy situation compared to finding a gas station.

We've gone way off the OP's topic. When I bought my EVSE, the JuiceBox didn't have a UL approval, and that was a requirement for my condo to install one...IOW, it wasn't a choice, but now has changed.

 

[I33t]

True, but also the i3 was never designed as a long distance cruiser.

The vast majority of daily commutes are well within the i3's range. That then supports my suggestion that it only takes 30 seconds of your time to charge the i3.

If you have long distances to regularly travel that require the i3 to be recharged during the trip then you might have chosen the wrong vehicle. It is a city car, after all.

 

[Schnort]

When I bought my EVSE, the JuiceBox didn't have a UL approval, and that was a requirement for my condo to install one...IOW, it wasn't a choice, but now has changed.

Same here. It had to be UL to get the rebate from the power company.

 

[gt1]

There is so much less maintenance required on a BEV verses an ICE, even if the fuel costs were the same, over time, the ICE would be way more expensive to keep the muffler, exhaust system, engine oil, plugs, wires, filters, radiator, etc. running reliably, not counting the hazardous wastes it creates in the process (used engine oil, antifreeze, etc.).

Also the brake pads and rotors on EVs last forever.
However the modern cars don't need that much maintenance. My ICE will turn 11 in 2 weeks, it has 106k miles on the odometer. Besides the oil and filters I changed the timing belt, spark plugs and water pump for 105k service. It also went through 1 set of rotors and several sets of pads.

 

[jadnashuanh]

While not required to perform service at a BMW center...nearly any service on the car is expensive compared to a lot of other cars once out of warranty! FWIW, on the BEV, about the only things required are flushing the brake lines at 2-year intervals and replacing the cabin air filter, plus some checks on various things.