Can I use a splitter to charge 2 Bolts?

[mecdatlanta]

Greetings,

We're thinking of buying a second Bolt. We have an RV receptacle on a 50 amp service. We are using the standard charger with a plug adapter, so that we can get Level 2 charging.

My question is, would I need to have another 50 amp service for the second Bolt, or could I just buy a splitter and plug both cars into the one outlet?

Thanks!

 

[SmokingRubber]

Since you're only using the level 1 cord (upgraded to level 1.5 with the adapter) it draws a maximum of 12 amps. You could easily split the power by adding another receptacle, and you'd only draw 24 amps between two cars. I'm not an electrician though, so that's just common cents at work.

 

[desiv]

Also not an electrician, but google seems to be telling me what you want is a 240v branch circuit and there is nothing against US code to do that.
Should work...

Results like this one:
https://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?67684-Multiple-outlets-on-240V-circuits

desiv

 

[Pigwich]

The answer is, as always, yes AND no!

First off, a single Bolt will pull 32 amps. Two Bolts on the same circuit will pull 64 amps. If you have a 50 amp breaker, you'll blow the breaker. It doesn't "divide" the current. You can ASK any outlet in your house for a hundred amps, and it will GIVE you 100 amps until the breaker blows, which hopefully is really fast in that case.

YOU need to divide the current, or more accurately, tell your Bolts that they're only allowed to draw 25 amps each (less than that would be better) and that's the job of your EVSE (charger) - There's a chance you can set the max allowable current somewhere. I use OpenEVSE, so it's stupidly easy.

If you can set your charger current, then you can run two chargers off your 220V 50 amp outlet, provided that they actual wiring job isn't mickey mouse. Just because they put in a 50 amp breaker and a 50 amp receptacle doesn't mean that they ran cabling that's good for 50 amps, especially over the course of 8 hours. Or that the dopes even bothered to tighten down the screws on the breakers or the outlet. I've seen everything.

Also, solutions exist, Wattzilla comes to mind. It's based on the OpenEVSE, and it should be able to dial back and load balance two cars on the dual head unit.
https://www.wattzilla.com/options/current-share.htm
I'd even bet that once one car is done charging, it will tell the second car that it can charge at the full 32 amps. Email them and let them know that you want to split a 50 amp circuit and not a 100 or a 200. It' likely an easy change.

Even better than this would be to charge the high mileage car on the "big" charger and the low mileage car on the 110V. Least investment.

We're an EV only household here, and we just share the charger. My wife drives the e-Golf and she always charges, and I drive the Bolt and I charge whenever I can, but I could just as easily run on the 110V.

Good luck, don't let anybody tell you it's impossible.

 

[desiv]

First off, a single Bolt will pull 32 amps. Two Bolts on the same circuit will pull 64 amps. .

Agree.
In this case, he mentioned he is using the included EVSE modified for 240v, and that is a 12 amp unit.
So 2 of those would be 24 amps..
He's probably be OK with a 30 amp circuit in that situation, but definitely OK with a 50 amp circuit..

desiv

 

[LeftieBiker]

First off, a single Bolt will pull 32 amps. Two Bolts on the same circuit will pull 64 amps. If you have a 50 amp breaker, you'll blow the breaker. It doesn't "divide" the current. You can ASK any outlet in your house for a hundred amps, and it will GIVE you 100 amps until the breaker blows, which hopefully is really fast in that case.

YOU need to divide the current, or more accurately, tell your Bolts that they're only allowed to draw 25 amps each (less than that would be better) and that's the job of your EVSE (charger) - There's a chance you can set the max allowable current somewhere. I use OpenEVSE, so it's stupidly easy.

The OP already stated that they use the OEM EVSE, charging at 240 volts and 12 amps. Two of those would, as already noted, charge at 24 amps total. There is your current limiter.

 

[Pigwich]

Actually, now that you mention it, nothing that's posted makes sense. Using the "OEM" charger on a 50 amp RV plug with an adapter? So they can get level 2 charging? What's going on here exactly? Is the original poster taking a NEMA 14-50 plug and splitting it in to two legs of 110V? That's not going to give anybody level 2 charging. ... Or are we thinking we'll put 220V in to the 110V "OEM" charger and get level 2 charging? (This is actually somewhat plausible, but let's not go there in this post...)

Anyway, mecdatlanta, if you're splitting to TWO 110V outlets from your big NEMA 14-50 outlet, then by all means go for it.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41ZEuR62H2L.jpg

 

[winterescape]

Or are we thinking we'll put 220V in to the 110V "OEM" charger and get level 2 charging? (This is actually somewhat plausible, but let's not go there in this post...)

Yes exactly
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?218442-2016-Volt-120v-EVSE-is-L1-L2-Conversion-Capable


"The Bolt also comes with a mobile EVSE that can charge at 12A/120V. The Bolt mobile EVSE can be used to charge from 240V sources with the use of external pigtail adapters. "

http://carcharging.us/ev/bolt.php

 

[mecdatlanta]

"The Bolt also comes with a mobile EVSE that can charge at 12A/120V. The Bolt mobile EVSE can be used to charge from 240V sources with the use of external pigtail adapters. "

The above is exactly what I am doing currently. It charges more than fast enough for us. So I could just get another adapter, the "Y" splitter and... it sounds like I'd be good to go.

Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[Pigwich]

So wait a minute....... Stop the presses

You mean to tell me that the crappy "portable" plug that lives in the trunk of every bolt on the lot of every dealership is actually a TurboCord in disguise? That we can just pork 220V to it and it's just gonna....work? Electrically, yeah I totally see how this is possible, there's no reason that it couldn't be made to do both with zero configuration, but aside from GM only needing to make one version of the PCB inside, is the only difference the plug style and the sticker?

 

[winterescape]

So wait a minute....... Stop the presses

You mean to tell me that the crappy "portable" plug that lives in the trunk of every bolt on the lot of every dealership is actually a TurboCord in disguise? That we can just pork 220V to it and it's just gonna....work? Electrically, yeah I totally see how this is possible, there's no reason that it couldn't be made to do both with zero configuration, but aside from GM only needing to make one version of the PCB inside, is the only difference the plug style and the sticker?

Yes
here is the inside view of the board
http://imgur.com/a/vFkP5

And here are the adapters, you can buy or go buy the parts at home depot and build your own...
https://www.etsy.com/listing/384390572/chevy-volt-chevy-bolt-ev-level-2-charge

this site has great detail about all this in the Bolt and Volt sections
http://carcharging.us/

 

[mecdatlanta]

Yes Pigwich, it's true! I bought the same adapter that is referenced in the previous post. And it works like a charm. Decreased my charging times quite a bit actually (maybe 75% less than on 110V).

So now I am looking at having a splitter to be able to charge two Bolts from one 50a. I'll have a bit of a hodgepodge of adapters and a splitter, but that's fine. It all works and it's a lot cheaper than having a second outlet installed and buying EVSE charging stations that I don't need.

 

[Pigwich]

Well, I'll be the first to admit that I didn't believe any of you. I figured for sure that this would have been something that GM would have insisted on crippling from the the start in the name of "safety" or some other bullshit.

Well I'm here to say that I've been born again. I hooked up a NEMA 6-20 socket and built the converter cord out of some 12-3 and a few plug ends, and lo and behold it's working at 220V 3KW or so..

I was half expecting smoke when I plugged it in, but there it is, cranking away. I might need a bearing job on the electric meter on the house, but all is well. The whole house is pulling down close to 11KW, so I know it's working at it's full rated power.

This really does "change everything" since I no longer have the need to unplug and schlep my big EVSE with me when I go on road trips. Yeah, it's not full power, but man, it's WAY better than 110V.

Thanks! Super glad this works, and especially big kudos for opening up the box and taking a look at the PCB. I wasn't even going to bother, since I assumed that they'd all be like the ones that ship with the Nissans.

Thanks!!

Yes
here is the inside view of the board
http://imgur.com/a/vFkP5

And here are the adapters, you can buy or go buy the parts at home depot and build your own...
https://www.etsy.com/listing/384390572/chevy-volt-chevy-bolt-ev-level-2-charge

this site has great detail about all this in the Bolt and Volt sections
http://carcharging.us/

 

[desiv]

Well, I'll be the first to admit that I didn't believe any of you. I figured for sure that this would have been something that GM would have insisted on crippling from the the start in the name of "safety" or some other bullshit.

Well I'm here to say that I've been born again. I hooked up a NEMA 6-20 socket and built the converter cord out of some 12-3 and a few plug ends, and lo and behold it's working at 220V 3KW or so..

I was half expecting smoke when I plugged it in, but there it is, cranking away. I might need a bearing job on the electric meter on the house, but all is well. The whole house is pulling down close to 11KW, so I know it's working at it's full rated power.

What?
It worked?
We were all just saying that to see if you would actually try it!!!!

;-)

Kidding!!!! ;-)

Yeah, I was surprised myself when I read it. But then when I read that it was a ClipperCreek unit in there, I figured it was pretty safe..
I made the cord for mine just as a backup, in case my L2 EVSE breaks.

I was going to make some more adapters to use in an RV park if needed, etc.. But then I thought about how long it would take to get a meaningful charge if I am somewhere where only RV parks are available. 8 or so miles gained per hour of charge is better than 4, but nowhere near 25. ;-)
And I'm really not likely to put myself in that situation anyway...

Congrats!

desiv

 

[LeftieBiker]

lo and behold it's working at 220V

That would be 240 volts.

 

[BarfOMatic]

lo and behold it's working at 220V

That would be 240 volts.

Actually, it could be any voltage between 205 and 255, depending on the situation near his home (although between 230-245V is most likely).

 

[SeanNelson]

I was going to make some more adapters to use in an RV park if needed, etc.. But then I thought about how long it would take to get a meaningful charge if I am somewhere where only RV parks are available.

The way to deal with RV parks is to have a Tesla UMC you can bring with you, along with a J-Adapter and also a few of the Tesla 240V plug adapters. That way you can take full advantage of whatever power the park can deliver, with the Tesla UMC automatically adjusting itself to provide the appropriate power level based on the AC plug type.

 

[BoltEV]

You mean to tell me that the crappy "portable" plug that lives in the trunk of every bolt on the lot of every dealership is actually a TurboCord in disguise?

Except that the modified OEM adapter that GM/Chevy supplies only charges at 12 amps and the TurboCord will charge at 16 amps at 240 volts for a 33% improvement in charge times.