EV CHarging at home

[kgundbolt]

Hello All -

I have a couple of L6-15 outlets in my garage and I have a default cable that was supplied with the car.

Can I use an adapter to connect the 110v plug to these outlets and charge? Does using an adapter reduces the power?

Thanks,
K

 

[SeanNelson]

L6-15 is a 240V outlet (the 120V version is L5-15). Nonetheless, you CAN use an adapter because the charger cord (the "EVSE") that comes with the car can work with 120V or 240V. That's not true of all EVEs, so if you buy a different one the same advice may not apply.

The adapter itself won't affect how much power the car gets - that's controlled by the EVSE which will only allow the car to draw 12A from the wall socket. The car will charge twice as fast at 240V as it does at 120V.

 

[SparkE]

L6-15 is a 240V outlet (the 120V version is L5-15). Nonetheless, you CAN use an adapter because the charger cord (the "EVSE") that comes with the car can work with 120V or 240V. That's not true of all EVEs, so if you buy a different one the same advice may not apply.

The adapter itself won't affect how much power the car gets - that's controlled by the EVSE which will only allow the car to draw 12A from the wall socket. The car will charge twice as fast at 240V as it does at 120V.

Sean, while effectively true, it isn't really correct (the underlined above). The vehicle itself is the thing that limits current draw. The EVSE ("charger cord") says "I can supply this much current max" (and some other stuff) and the car isn't supposed to (well, won't) pull more electricity than the max.

Many people have used the standard EVSE shipped with the Bolt on a 240V circuit. In order to do so, they have an 'adaptor cable' that plugs into a 240V socket, and on the other end has a "regular" 120V/15A socket for the EVSE to connect. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS since it allows one to plug ANY 120V appliance into 240V. If you have an adaptor like that, it should be clearly labeled "DANGER - FOR CAR CHARGER ONLY - 240V" *and* it should probably be zip-tied firmly to the EVSE so that the two are always together.

The EVSE that ships with the Bolt will tell the car "120V - max 12 amps" when plugged into a 120V circuit. The Bolt will default to pulling 8 amps at 120V (unless you change the default behavior) - but it can pull 12 amps. When the default EVSE is plugged into 240V. it tells the Bolt "240V - max 12 amps" and the car will pull 12A @ 240V.

The EVSE will supply the following power at these different combos :
120V / 8 A : 0.96 kW (960W)
120V / 12 A : 1.44 kW
240V / 12 A : 2.88 kW

(if the voltage varies, then the kW supplied will vary as well). Note this is the power coming out of the wall, there is a slight loss (somewhere around 10%, more-or-less) and not all of it goes into the battery. With (240V / 12 A : 2.88 kW) you can add about 50% of the battery charge in 12 hours.

Read several threads here on the subject. Search for "converter".

 

[SeanNelson]

The adapter itself won't affect how much power the car gets - that's controlled by the EVSE which will only allow the car to draw 12A from the wall socket. The car will charge twice as fast at 240V as it does at 120V.

Sean, while effectively true, it isn't really correct (the underlined above). The vehicle itself is the thing that limits current draw. The EVSE ("charger cord") says "I can supply this much current max" (and some other stuff) and the car isn't supposed to (well, won't) pull more electricity than the max.

Of course - current is limited to the lesser of what the EVSE will supply or the car will accept. In the case of the OEM EVSE when connected to the Bolt, that's 12A at 120V or 240V. So in this case, it's the EVSE that's the limiting factor.

 

[SparkE]

Oh, do EVSEs have a fuse? Or are they required to actually limit current? I thought that they didn't limit the current they provide at all, that they are a cable that can be improperly used just as an extension cable can be misused. I thought that they simply TELL the car what the car should pull, but that was it (the car can, technically, pull more current than is advertised).

It is quite possible that I am wrong.

 

[SeanNelson]

Oh, do EVSEs have a fuse? Or are they required to actually limit current? I thought that they didn't limit the current they provide at all, that they are a cable that can be improperly used just as an extension cable can be misused. I thought that they simply TELL the car what the car should pull, but that was it (the car can, technically, pull more current than is advertised).

They may have a fuse, but you're correct in that they rely on the car following their "instruction" to limit the current. When I said that the EVSE is the "limiting factor" I meant that the reason the current is limited to 12A is because that's what the EVSE advertises to the car.

 

[kgundbolt]

L6-15 is a 240V outlet (the 120V version is L5-15). Nonetheless, you CAN use an adapter because the charger cord (the "EVSE") that comes with the car can work with 120V or 240V. That's not true of all EVEs, so if you buy a different one the same advice may not apply.

The adapter itself won't affect how much power the car gets - that's controlled by the EVSE which will only allow the car to draw 12A from the wall socket. The car will charge twice as fast at 240V as it does at 120V.

Sean, while effectively true, it isn't really correct (the underlined above). The vehicle itself is the thing that limits current draw. The EVSE ("charger cord") says "I can supply this much current max" (and some other stuff) and the car isn't supposed to (well, won't) pull more electricity than the max.

Many people have used the standard EVSE shipped with the Bolt on a 240V circuit. In order to do so, they have an 'adaptor cable' that plugs into a 240V socket, and on the other end has a "regular" 120V/15A socket for the EVSE to connect. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS since it allows one to plug ANY 120V appliance into 240V. If you have an adaptor like that, it should be clearly labeled "DANGER - FOR CAR CHARGER ONLY - 240V" *and* it should probably be zip-tied firmly to the EVSE so that the two are always together.

The EVSE that ships with the Bolt will tell the car "120V - max 12 amps" when plugged into a 120V circuit. The Bolt will default to pulling 8 amps at 120V (unless you change the default behavior) - but it can pull 12 amps. When the default EVSE is plugged into 240V. it tells the Bolt "240V - max 12 amps" and the car will pull 12A @ 240V.

The EVSE will supply the following power at these different combos :
120V / 8 A : 0.96 kW (960W)
120V / 12 A : 1.44 kW
240V / 12 A : 2.88 kW

(if the voltage varies, then the kW supplied will vary as well). Note this is the power coming out of the wall, there is a slight loss (somewhere around 10%, more-or-less) and not all of it goes into the battery. With (240V / 12 A : 2.88 kW) you can add about 50% of the battery charge in 12 hours.

Read several threads here on the subject. Search for "converter".

SparkE -
I went to this website http://www.kawal.net/volt adapter.htm and ordered https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01LVUR46O/ref=biss_dp_t_asn and this https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SQGJ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1. As mentioned I want to cut the L5-20P male and attach the L6-15 male. The website say it works.
However the default cable that I received with the car says 120V, 60 Hz, 12A, ~ , 1440W.

Not sure if I can connect the default cable to the adapter cable I am making.

Please suggest.

Thanks,
K

 

[SparkE]

I went to this website http://www.kawal.net/volt adapter.htm and ordered https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01LVUR46O/ref=biss_dp_t_asn and this https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SQGJ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1. As mentioned I want to cut the L5-20P male and attach the L6-15 male. The website say it works.
However the default cable that I received with the car says 120V, 60 Hz, 12A, ~ , 1440W.

Not sure if I can connect the default cable to the adapter cable I am making.

You should be swapping out the old male (plug) with one that matches a socket that you have available. That is how you pick which plug to attach. (I am a bit surprised that you have a locking, 15A, 240V socket available, but maybe for an air conditioner or small welding unit?)

The EVSE that ships with the bolt is the same unit, world-wide, EXCEPT for the plug at the end of the wire : that varies by country. Many people have reported that the EVSE that came with their U.S. Bolt works fine plugged into 240V.

 

[kgundbolt]

I went to this website http://www.kawal.net/volt adapter.htm and ordered https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01LVUR46O/ref=biss_dp_t_asn and this https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SQGJ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1. As mentioned I want to cut the L5-20P male and attach the L6-15 male. The website say it works.
However the default cable that I received with the car says 120V, 60 Hz, 12A, ~ , 1440W.

Not sure if I can connect the default cable to the adapter cable I am making.

You should be swapping out the old male (plug) with one that matches a socket that you have available. That is how you pick which plug to attach. (I am a bit surprised that you have a locking, 15A, 240V socket available, but maybe for an air conditioner or small welding unit?)

The EVSE that ships with the bolt is the same unit, world-wide, EXCEPT for the plug at the end of the wire : that varies by country. Many people have reported that the EVSE that came with their U.S. Bolt works fine plugged into 240V.

Thanks, SparkE. I will be receiving the plug L6-15 tomorrow and I will post the result again.

K

 

[kgundbolt]

L6-15 is a 240V outlet (the 120V version is L5-15). Nonetheless, you CAN use an adapter because the charger cord (the "EVSE") that comes with the car can work with 120V or 240V. That's not true of all EVEs, so if you buy a different one the same advice may not apply.

The adapter itself won't affect how much power the car gets - that's controlled by the EVSE which will only allow the car to draw 12A from the wall socket. The car will charge twice as fast at 240V as it does at 120V.

All my friends here are scaring me with the idea of plugging in a 120V marked charging cable into a 240V outlet using an adapter. They say that the charger, like phone/laptop chargers does mention like 110V - 240V. I am little skeptical.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Che...UIECgD&biw=1422&bih=686#imgrc=_ub3H_WMI8TesM:
Can you please give some more info?

 

[SeanNelson]

L6-15 is a 240V outlet (the 120V version is L5-15). Nonetheless, you CAN use an adapter because the charger cord (the "EVSE") that comes with the car can work with 120V or 240V. That's not true of all EVEs, so if you buy a different one the same advice may not apply.

The adapter itself won't affect how much power the car gets - that's controlled by the EVSE which will only allow the car to draw 12A from the wall socket. The car will charge twice as fast at 240V as it does at 120V.

All my friends here are scaring me with the idea of plugging in a 120V marked charging cable into a 240V outlet using an adapter. They say that the charger, like phone/laptop chargers does mention like 110V - 240V. I am little skeptical.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Che...UIECgD&biw=1422&bih=686#imgrc=_ub3H_WMI8TesM:
Can you please give some more info?

This thread describes how the EVSE that comes with the Bolt works at 240V. The thread relates to the Volt, but both cars come with the same EVSE. Note that this does not say anything about OTHER EVSEs, just the one that comes with the Volt and Bolt.

I've been using my EVSE on 240V for over a year now, it works fine and it's saved me from having to upgrade the panel in my detached garage, which would have been fairly expensive due to the need to run new underground cabling.

 

[SparkE]

If you are scared, don't do it.

For "more info" search this site and find all the other people who have discussed it over the past year or two.