Portable EVSE w/ J1772 that supports 240V/40A (10kW)

[andrewket]

I'm going to be taking a road trip that will require me to use some RV parks for charging. I'm considering purchasing a second portable EVSE to hedge against being stranded due to an EVSE failure (in some cases the nearest public EVSE might be 50+ miles away.) The obvious choice is Tesla's UMC. It's ~$700 w/shipping and tax. If I'm going to buy a second EVSE, I thought I might as well buy one with a J1772 connector since I own a Volt, and I already own a UMC. The only down side is it won't have the button to open the charge port. I can live with that given that I likely won't be using this device unless the UMC fails.

I'm surprised to find that there does not appear to be another manufacturer that makes a portable EVSE that supports 40A (10kW) charging! Clipper creek has a new device that comes with a 14-50 plug, and calls for a 50A breaker. For whatever reason it is still limited to 30A charging.

Anyone aware of a portable EVSE w/J1772 that supports 240V/40A? I'm aware that it is possible to cut off the end of the UMC and put on a J1772 but at the moment I'm not interested in doing that.

Thanks.

 

[TexasEV]

Why would you be surprised that manufacturers don't make portable EVSE to support 40A charging? No car other than the Tesla can charge at 40A, and Tesla comes with the UMC and J1772 adapter which is portable so there is little market for one. If you want another one it's $650, doubt another company would make something at low volume and beat that or even come close.

 

[FlasherZ]

I'm not aware of any, other than an OpenEVSE or a converted UMC. Most manufacturers seem to target the 30A spec.

 

[andrewket]

Is the Model S still the only car that supports 10kW charging? I guess so. I didn't think about that. The J1772 adapter is nice to allow the MS to use a J1772 EVSE; it does not allow you to use the UMC to charge a car that expects J1772 (everything other than Tesla.) Perhaps a converted UMC is the way to go.

Thanks for the input.

 

[markb1]

Anyone aware of a portable EVSE w/J1772 that supports 240V/40A? I'm aware that it is possible to cut off the end of the UMC and put on a J1772 but at the moment I'm not interested in doing that.

You can buy a Tesla UMC that has been converted to J1772 (if the problem is you don't want to do it yourself):

JESLAâ„¢ is THE 40 amp J1772 portable charging solution!


- - - Updated - - -

Is the Model S still the only car that supports 10kW charging? I guess so. I didn't think about that. The J1772 adapter is nice to allow the MS to use a J1772 EVSE; it does not allow you to use the UMC to charge a car that expects J1772 (everything other than Tesla.) Perhaps a converted UMC is the way to go.

Thanks for the input.

I think the RAV4 can charge at 10 kW, which is why the JESLA came about.

 

[miimura]

Yes, the 2012-2014 RAV4 EV has a Tesla on-board charger and J1772 inlet that allow "10kW" charging. The Mercedes B-Class EV is expected to use the same on-board charger.

 

[andrewket]

What's really odd is the new clipper creak has a 14-50 plug and requires a 50A circuit but still only supports 30A charging. Why do that?

 

[N4HHE]

What's really odd is the new clipper creak has a 14-50 plug and requires a 50A circuit but still only supports 30A charging. Why do that?

Because you have a 14-50R plug which will be plugging in to 50A rated circuits and any 14-50R outlet is expected to be 50A because someone will one day assume it must be because it has a 14-50R outlet.

There isn't really a 40A outlet. A 30A outlet isn't stout enough to sustain 30A. If they used anything other than a 14-50R plug then you would have problems finding places to plug it in. And has been pointed out everyone else only draws 30A.

 

[FlasherZ]

What's really odd is the new clipper creak has a 14-50 plug and requires a 50A circuit but still only supports 30A charging. Why do that?

30A charging (continuous load) requires electrical conductors, receptacles, and breakers all rated at 37.5A (so, 40A) for the continuous load 80% rule. 50A is the smallest standard receptacle that would permit charging at anything > 24A.

 

[andrewket]

I get all of the above. My point was if I was clipper creek I would pay the marginal cost and build a unit that is capable of 40A. It still serves all the vehicles maxed out at 30A and supports vehicles that can do 40A now and in the future.

 

[FlasherZ]

I get all of the above. My point was if I was clipper creek I would pay the marginal cost and build a unit that is capable of 40A. It still serves all the vehicles maxed out at 30A and supports vehicles that can do 40A now and in the future.

Perhaps, but it's a more complex equation than just the marginal cost. They do have the units that are capable of more, perhaps they want to avoid cannibalizing the higher-priced units.

 

[andrewket]

Perhaps, but it's a more complex equation than just the marginal cost. They do have the units that are capable of more, perhaps they want to avoid cannibalizing the higher-priced units.

They don't have any portable units that will do 40A, so I don't think the cannibalization argument holds.

 

[scaesare]

I agree that the demand just isn't there. CC has to use the 14-50 for the load-capacity reasons mentioned. But why would they use higher capacity contactors, connectors, conductors, etc necessary to build a 40A unit that would just be more expensive and overkill for the 30A unit everybody "wants"?

Of course we all certainly hope that demand situation changes, but it's probably reality today...

 

[mnx]

EMW Juicebox:

EMW - EMotorWerks JuiceBox

 

[andrewket]

Wow juicebox has come a long way. Thanks, mnx.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Yes, the Juicebox is the cheapest J1772 charger by far. DO NOT buy the kit - it is tricky to assemble, they are continually changing PCB layouts, and the documentation is always a rev or two behind. So a fully assembled base unit with NEMA 14-50 plug and 70A J1772 cord is $509. I have one, and based on the components and build quality, I would hesitate to treat it roughly. If you are going to mount it on the wall, great. But in the trunk as a portable EVSE, well, hmmm. The Tesla UMC by comparison has every nook and cranny inside the UMC box filled with plastic resin. You could throw it against a wall and probably not damage it.

 

[andrewket]

I decide to just buy a second UMC. But I am considering a juicebox as a second high powered evse for home. Will likely wait for the X to arrive to decide. Thanks for all the input!

 

[fredag]

Is the Model S still the only car that supports 10kW charging? I guess so.

Here in Europe, Renault Zoe supports AC charging at up to 43kW.

Here are links to some 22kW capable mobile EVSEs for the European Model S:

http://www.crohm.ch/
http://wallb-e.jimdo.com/shop/
http://www.e-driver.net/mobile-ladebox-juice-booster-1/

Many Norwegians with this particular need seem to build the mobile EVSE themselves (eh, I mean, get an licensed electrician to build it for them) using Mainpine EVSE controllers.

Unfortunately Tesla still limits the charging to 3x26A instead of 3x32A, so that max charging rate has slowed down to approx 18kW.

 

[ljwobker]

I very distinctly remember reading - but I'll be damned if I can find where! - that the J1772 connector itself is rated/limited to only 32A. Which means that what you're asking for doesn't (or at least to be legal/compliant, *shouldn't*) exist.

I'm not one to tell people they can or can't do something, but I'm pretty confident about the 1772 standard being limited to 32A, and if that is indeed correct there is virtually no way that anyone would commercially sell something outside that limit.

 

[Benjamin Brooks]

I very distinctly remember reading - but I'll be damned if I can find where! - that the J1772 connector itself is rated/limited to only 32A. Which means that what you're asking for doesn't (or at least to be legal/compliant, *shouldn't*) exist.

I'm not one to tell people they can or can't do something, but I'm pretty confident about the 1772 standard being limited to 32A, and if that is indeed correct there is virtually no way that anyone would commercially sell something outside that limit.

Wrong. J1772 can support 80A connectors. And in fact your Tesla J1772 adapter can charge at 80A if you are so lucky to find an EVSE capable of that power (e.g. ClipperCreek CS-100) and have twin onboard chargers.