I've wondered what the stats are for L1 on the Chargepoint units. Over the last few years I have only rarely seen anyone (other than myself) use the L1 outlets. Because most charging stations are J1772 only, and my conversion has a 2kw charger (19 amps @ 120v max) I built an adapter that changes the Level 2 plug to a 30amp 120v receptacle. Requires the use of a 2kw transformer (40+ lbs!) but works well on most J1772 level 2 charging stations. I set the transformer for 208v input because most public charging stations out there seem to provide 208v. Retrofitting makes sense - hopefully it will become a reality soon.
Tom Keenan On Aug 30, 2014, at 3:39 AM, brucedp5 via EV <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Originally Coulomb (an EVSE and EVSE network company) offered a combination > of level-2 6kW (via a j1772 coupler) and level-1 1.3kW (via a 5-20 outlet > behind a cover-door) access. The Coulomb sales team sold these like crazy, > so they are installed at many public EVSE locations. > > Well, today, Coulomb does not sell that model, and have moved on to what > drivers use: j1772 couplers. At all the sites I have seen that have these > CT-2100 EVSE, I have not seen an EV that can only charge off L1 > (conversions, nEVs, ecycles, ebikes, etc.) use the L1 outlet. > > One of the reasons may be that EVSE use-demand is coming from the production > plugins. Another reason may be that Coulomb's EVSE host software can not > differentiate between the L2 & L1 ports on the same EVSE when it comes to > the host setting the cost of use. That is if the cost of using the L2 6kW > J1772 coupler was set to $1/hr, the use of the L1 1.3kW 5-20 outlet on the > same combo CT-2100 EVSE would also be $1/hr. That's quite a gyp / rip-off > for the driver using the lower powered L1. > > So many times have I seen drivers fighting over the one j1772 coupler the > CT-2100 EVSE offers yet it is installed to service two EV spots. This not > only causes tension between drivers, but also causes drivers to park in one > of the EV spots unplugged (whether they are waiting for their turn at the > j1772 or their plugin was unplugged to charge the other plugin and was not > moved). > > It seems with drivers not using the L1 has caused issues. My thinking is > these issues would be resolved 'if' the L1 was upgraded to be a L2 3kW > source. > > Since the majority of production plugins today have a half-powered 3kW > on-board charger (lower-cost EVs and plug-in-hybrids) changing the L1 to a > L2 3kW source would service more plugins at a minimal CT-2100 retrofit cost. > > The retrofit would consist of replacing the 5-20 outlet in the CT-2100 with > a 6-20 (straight-blade) outlet, rewiring it to the 208 to 240VAC source with > a 20A breaker, and some rework of the CT-2100 circuitry (the current > sensing, etc.). > > After the retrofit, the 6-20 outlet would be a true L2 3kW source that many > plugins would be more-happy to pay the use-fee to plug-in. So, no re-work of > the Coulomb software would be needed (it should be transparent to it). > > So, who could use that L2 3kW outlet? > Many of the plugins sold in the U.S. come with a L1 EVSE that is carried on > board. Those would most likely not work on the 6-20 outlet. Many already > know of evseupgrade.com which offers a lower-cost solution to convert a L1 > to a dual voltage (L2 3kW & L1) EVSE. > > But there are some cheap / less-expensive portable EVSE that could be bought > that would provide 3kW charging (matching the plugin's on-board charger). > > At $400 the LCS-20 L2 3kW portable EVSE > http://www.clippercreek.com/blog/clippercreek-launches-a-395-level-2-ev-charging-station/ > > is a much sweeter deal than the $600 AV 3kW TurboCord > http://www.homedepot.com/p/AeroVironment-TurboCord-240-Volt-16-Amp-Plug-In-EV-Charger-Charging-Station-23075-020/205430044 > > I had sent a letter out to an EVSE company suggesting the the above, and > their response was they would forward the idea on for their development team > to see if it would work for them / be a business opportunity. But this idea > could be a business opportunity for a hungry start-up that is interested in > this retrofit work. > > Note that the retrofit work of replacing all the existing L2 6kW Avcon EVSE > in CA was funded by a CA grant. Perhaps a grant could fund this retrofit > work. > > I see this idea as a 4x win: > > -there would be additional plugin business with the retrofits, and the > selling of portable 3kW EVSE > > -Coulomb would see a longer use-life of their already sold CT-2100 product > (more networking revenues) > > -hosts get more utilization out the CT-2100 EVSE that they already have > > -drivers would now have access to an additional 3kW L2 source > > > > Comments & corrections requested. > > > > > For all EVLN posts use: > http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=evln&sort=date > > > {brucedp.150m.com} > ... > http://www.advancedenergy.org/portal/evse/details.php?id=16&squery=!chargingopts[]=Level+2!mounting=Wall!ulcertified= > [image > http://www.advancedenergy.org/portal/evse/img/evse/coulomb/coulomb_photo1.jpg > CT210x models > ] > ... > http://www.repeater-builder.com/test-equipment/wavetek/pdf/ct2100-svc-man.pdf > ... > https://www.chargepoint.com/files/CT2100-Installation-Guide75-001020-01Rev4.0.pdf > > > > -- > View this message in context: > http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVangel-about-retrofit-CT-2100-EVSE-to-have-L2-6kW-3kW-access-tp4671320.html > Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at > Nabble.com. > _______________________________________________ > UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub > http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org > For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA > (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA) > _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
