[ausev] 110 or 220??

[Brian Lasseter]

On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 12:11 PM, The Mullins <ckmullins at earthlink.net> wrote:
> I’m determined to leave my rear trunk uncluttered (except for 2 batteries
> half-sunk into the floor). My search for a charger that would fit in the
> front trunk has led me to conclude that I have to use the Zivan NG3. (Unless
> there’s another charger out there that’s only 4’ tall)
>
> This means that I have to choose between 110 and 220 Volts input. I can
> install either one in my home charging station and I don’t commute anywhere
> so that means I will be at the mercy of other (unknown) sites for
> opportunity charging.
>
>
>
> What do we know about public charging sites that are, or will be, out there
> in the near future? Will they be 110, 220 or both?? That is the question.


As someone who has driven an electric car nearly every day for the
past year and a half... I can tell you that 99% of opportunity
charging sites are regular NEMA 5-15 plugs.  IBM has NEMA 5-20 plugs
which is nice, and I only once used a 240V dryer outlet at a friend's
house.  Normally I just use the NEMA 5-15 plugs at friend's houses
since I carry 50' of 120V 15A extension cord, while my 240V 30A
extension cord is only 20' long.

That being said... even though most opportunity charging is NEMA 5-15
at 120VAC... 80% of the times that I charge my car, I am at home.
Charging faster at 240VAC at home is really nice; I can charge the car
in 2hrs over dinner, and head back out for evening errands.


If you stick with 120VAC to allow opportunity charging, you could
install a special 30A, 40A, or even 50A 120VAC circuit in your house.
While common sense would tell you to run any household appliance that
needed that much current at 240VAC, you could run a high current
120VAC feed directly from your breaker panel.  This would require
copper wire twice as thick as a 240VAC feed with the same power, but
you save money by only having one charger.  L5-30 and TT-30 plugs
allow for 30A @ 120VAC, or you could pull 50A out of one leg of a NEMA
14-50 plug.

Also, any money spent on your house qualifies you for a tax credit for
installing an "Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Station".


-- 
TTFN,
Brian "Lasso" Lasseter

"No Sane man will dance."   -Cicero (106-43 B.C.)