[ausev] 110 or 220??

[The Mullins]

Brian:
I'm almost convinced that I need a Manzinita Micro charger...there's still
the problem of fitting it in. I have some ideas on that subject but I'll
have to physically inspect a PFC30 as the dimensions given range from 5" to
6" tall and 8 1/2" to 9" wide.
Which model do you have in your Saturn? The websites that sell them don't
describe them in terms of kws.
Thanks, George Mullins

-----Original Message-----
From: ausev-bounces at austinev.org [mailto:ausev-bounces at austinev.org] On
Behalf Of Brian Lasseter
Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 4:36 PM
To: AustinEV News Announcements and General Discussion
Subject: Re: [ausev] 110 or 220??

On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 1:15 PM, The Mullins <ckmullins at earthlink.net> wrote:
> The Zivan 110V versions input is only 18A. Why install a circuit larger
than
> 20A? (Please excuse my ignorance...No one would ever guess that my first
> major was EE...but then, I didn't stick with it).

If the Zivan only goes up to 18A... then you are right, a 20A circuit
on #12 wire would be fine.  I'd check to make sure you have #12 wire,
and that the charger is the only thing on the circuit though.  (Also,
some "20A" breakers trip well before that if you are pulling
continuous current.  I have run into this with IBM's "20A" plugs and
breakers... that seem to trip around 16A.)


18A @ 120VAC only gives you a 2.1kw charger.  I would do the math on
your batteries and be sure that you will be happy with that
performance.  I originally had a 4.8kw charger, and upgraded after 8
months to a 7.2kw charger.

I have a 24kwh lead pack (18x 8VDC x 170Ah)... which is mostly dead
when 16kwh is used up.  Charging with a 7.2kw charger, I can be
completely full in 2 and a quarter hours... Using a 2.1kw charger, I
would be forced to wait 8 hours to be full again.  Granted, 90% of the
time, I only charge at 2kw to keep the batteries happy... when I have
nowhere to be.  However, on the weekends when I have places to be...
it's hugely useful.

I'm not saying this to get you to spend more money... I'm just trying
to make sure that you are an informed consumer, and that you know what
to expect with what you are buying.


> Also, wouldn't a permit be required (from the city). I'm embroiled right
now
> with the code enforcement dept for enclosing my garage without a permit.

Electrical work done by the homeowner does not require a permit.
(I've had to do a lot of electrical work to allow my house to be in
compliance with electrical rules for solar panels.  I did a lot of it
myself, and the City of Austin signed off on it when they commissioned
the panels.)

Taxing authorities get jumpy when you change the amount of "living space".


-- 
TTFN,
Brian "Lasso" Lasseter

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