PeoplesElbow
Well-Known Member
The supercharger, I haven't seen a home charger but I am guessing they are or could be longer? I'd say those cables are pretty pricy, so even saving 6 inches of wire for thousands is a significant savings.
Electric Car News
- Thread starter Kyle
- Start date
glhs837
Power with Control
Home chargers, being level 2, have lighter and longer cables. 24 feet for the 220v, 20 feet for the 120v.
glhs837
Power with Control
Buddy of mine just installed his DIY. Said the hardest part was wrestling the 6 gauge cable. His main panel wasnt too far from where he wanted to install it near the garage door. As for savings, he did the math here locally. Charge/Gas cost assuming 30mpg its about parity with the local Supercharger. Which he's been doing for a year at .48 a kWh.
Now, he's going to be paying .15 a kWh.
glhs837
Power with Control
That charger can support 48 amps. So a 60 amp breaker. I think copper. He's not the sort to skimp on things like that.
glhs837
Power with Control
I didn't say that. He just said that was the hardest part of the job. But I know what you mean. The years do take a toll....You think #6 is hard to bend?
Try 500 Aluminum in a 400amp panel.
Damn I wish I still had that strength.
PeoplesElbow
Well-Known Member
I would want one with a detachable cord to keep someone from stealing it if outside, I wonder if they make those. A simple heavy duty "outlet" just on the outside of the house would be nice.
Sneakers
Just sneakin' around....
It could be mounted inside with a cord long enough to reach outside. Notch/flap the garage door so it can still be closed.
glhs837
Power with Control
Is that really a risk where you live? Would someone come along with cutters and snip it off? If so, I've seen where folks have mounted small boxes the charger fits inside.
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PeoplesElbow
Well-Known Member
My electrical design experience with aircraft makes me want replaceable cables on everything for instances such as theft, replacement etc. If it's outside all the time weather and UV rays will break it down too, eventually.
I like modular everything.
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Sneakers
Just sneakin' around....
I do too, up to a point, then you start getting resistance losses and multiple points of potential failure. KISS.
Was thinking the same thing for a new automatic transfer switch for the new Jackery whole house backup. Most have an ATS and a separate transfer switch breaker panel, they came out with an integrated panel with breakers and electronics in one box. My first thought was nice... less hardware to install, easier wiring. Then I thought about what happens when the electronics crap out. You have to pull the entire panel and ALL wires and breakers to repair/replace. Nope. I'd rather be more modular with separate panels.
PeoplesElbow
Well-Known Member
Well they shouldn't have put it right up front.
When I have my mom I need a handicapped space and if they were all full I have no issues parking there.
Think finding an electric car charger is hard, try finding a clean bathroom that is easy to get a handicapped person into in time before they have an accident.
www.thecooldown.com
When I have my mom I need a handicapped space and if they were all full I have no issues parking there.
Think finding an electric car charger is hard, try finding a clean bathroom that is easy to get a handicapped person into in time before they have an accident.
Driver shares frustrating scene after pulling up to brand new car charging station: 'Needs to be a ticket and tow zone'
Arriving at a Cincinnati Kroger, an electric vehicle owner was dismayed to see an enormous pickup truck parked in what was clearly labeled as an EV parking spot.
www.thecooldown.com
glhs837
Power with Control
Well, that's where you run into what's replaceable by the average user versus what's replaceable by somebody who knows what the hell they're doing. Lets face it, very few consumer products, especially those that have dangers like high voltage, are designed for user access. In this case, the thing is that making and stocking extra cable for those incredibly few people that both need it and are capable of replacing it themselves just isn't worth the logistic hassle. My last ten years in acquisition have given me a pretty good education in the sorts of choices you make in product support. Making a thing a part number in your supply system, buying spares, those things require resources maybe better spent elsewhere.
In service, the amount of people who will need to replace one of these cables is pretty small. No moving parts, simple wires. Car cant move when plugged in so ripping them out is not likely. Almost always mounted to single family homes where the odds of theft or vandalism is low. And in both of those cases, your insurance would just buy you a new charger, its only a few hundred bucks. So spending money designing it to plug into the charger end as we as the car introduces another failure point and makes it easier to steal and stocking them, just doesnt make much sense on the logistics side.
Could you fab up and install that capability into one? Sure.
Biggest problem I see with EV chargers is folks not keeping the cords tangle free.
glhs837
Power with Control
I don't think I've ever heard anyone complain about that. At home its up to you. Superchargers? Cord isn't long enough to tangle. Looking for it, I do see some folks having an issue with the home charger. I can understand that, but not empathize too much. Been coiling 100 and 50 aircraft headset cords my whole life, along with extension cords. Takes just a little thought to always keep a wrap the right way.
Just a little thought is something that over half of the population has a problem with.
I've seen quite a few home chargers whose cords look like a string of Christmas lights pulled out of the attic.
glhs837
Power with Control
How many have you seen? I mean I only know five people with Teslas but none of them have mentioned this as a problem. I suppose something like this might help. Amazon product
None were teslas, VWs and BMWs. It's just a lack of awareness on the owners part . After all it's just an extension cord, is what I said so hard to believe lol.
jrt_ms1995
Well-Known Member
My wife can walk into a room where there's a cord, not touch it, and it will be a Gordian Knot when she exits!