Charging with Level 1 will damage battery...

[imchrisd]

I was at the dealer the other day, picking up a new 12 V battery and one of the service advisors came over to talk to me. The guy wasn't very knowledgeable for being one of their top service advisors.

One thing he told me didn't make sense. He said that I could damage my battery by always using level one charger. Has anyone heard this? And is it true?

 

[EvanstonI3]

He may be confusing "Level 1" with "Level 3" (aka DC Fast charging).
Perhaps he thinks that "Level 1" is the fastest available charging?

 

[eNate]

There are some interesting interpretations out in the wild spurred by BMW's choice to call the 120 volt EVSE an "occasional use charger."

This implies a lot of things, one of which is that it's somehow harmful to the battery and should therefore be used sparingly (hence "occasional use").

Another is that the device itself is not up to the task of day-in / day-out use.

Neither is true. It's simply slower than most owners will tolerate, and therefore is branded "occasional use" to set owner expectations that a Level 2 EVSE should be the norm for home charging.

 

[patrickgoodwin]

In general, Level-1 charging is unlikely to damage your EV’s battery. On the contrary, it can provide a gentle, balanced charge that could even contribute to longer battery life, provided it suits your driving habits and lifestyle.
Slower charging generates less heat, which is beneficial as high temperatures can time shooter 2degrade the battery.