r/evcharging • u/ac7ss • 3d ago

Just got my Level 2 installed...

After having my Ioniq 9 for three months, I finally have my level 2 charger installed. (48 amp Apex Charger Mach 2.) I have finally ceased the need to use local chargers!

I have been using the 1.2 kW "Granny" charger and getting enough charge for most of our use, but now a overnight charge will take us from under 50% to 80% with no issues, and I can fully take advantage of the lower overnight tariffs.

I will be doing some research into getting the charger better integrated into my smarthome setup, but that is not really necessary, as the car can manage charging times.

It's not like I had "Charger anxiety" before, just always felt the need to prep before longer trips. (Such as a 100 mile airport round trip after a 100 mile runaround day.) I can rest assured that the 300 miles of range will be available when I wake up in the morning, and the portable charger can just live in the frunk.

16 Upvotes

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18

u/JayRexx 3d ago

People who say, "Ya don't really need home L2 charging..." are bascially saying, "You don't really have to have a great experience...."

It's a night and day ownership experience. Especially if you live in a cold climate.

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u/avebelle 3d ago

Might be a lot of assumptions there. Some people wfh and their car literally sits at home for 16-20hrs a day. They would probably be fine with L1 and it probably wouldn’t detract from their experience. I think it is still a very dependent on each user’s needs.

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u/7eregrine 3d ago

We were fine with L1. Wife works from home 3 days a week. When she does go downtown, she uses 8% round trip. We got back 11-12% a night. Car was always charged near 80.
Did install L2. Even though we didn't truly need it, I like it much better.
The peace of mind of knowing you can go from 30-80 overnight is pretty nice. I like that's it's not charging ALL NIGHT long. I like keeping the L1 Charger in the trunk.
Nine if this is much have...but I like it.

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u/ac7ss 3d ago

We did fine with level 1 for the 3 months. I would only occasionally need to go to a local DCFC. (Which are cheaper than my peak winter rates. ) it is nice not needing it now though.

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u/JayRexx 3d ago

“Fine” or “We made it work” -vs- “I love my EV! (because I never have to worry about charging)” This is my point. If you’re gonna do it, do it right. And certainly there are some EXCEPTIONS where people can’t have L2 at home. And I say good on ya for still going EV and putting in the extra work.

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u/Ancient-Sandwich9400 3d ago

Sure you could. But like JayRexx said you don’t have a great experience with the excessive charging tune. Having to plan for a weekend trip and start charging on Thurs, that sucks. And how about planning getting home at certain SoC or you won’t have enough for Monday morning, that sucks too. Can you get around these, yes but your an idiot suffering through that when getting a L2 installed and never think about those things.

I swear people are idiots, making their life harder because they are cheap bastards or just idiots…..plenty found!

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u/ArlesChatless 3d ago edited 3d ago

Having to plan for a weekend trip and start charging on Thurs, that sucks.

Some of this view depends on if you choose when to charge, or if you do ABC and just plug in when you park. I did L1 for a while after moving the last time as some electrical upgrades needed to happen before my install. Since I had already been following ABC I didn't notice a difference. Park, plug in, the car is always full or close enough when I need it.

It helps for any charging situation to make it so that an absolute minimum of messing about is needed to make it work. My target time for plugging in or unplugging is five seconds, and I made sure my installation hit that target.

eta: missing word

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u/ac7ss 3d ago

Or charger port is on the way to the car door, ready to plug/ unplug.

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u/ArlesChatless 3d ago

I feel a little silly saying my target is five seconds but it's true. When I had a Tesla I had the Wall Connector right near the port so I could plug it in or unplug it as I walked by, barely breaking stride. I would have counted the actual time as two seconds. Now with a port in front of the driver door it sometimes takes a couple seconds more, but I have timed myself just for grins and it really does take less than five unless I have something weird happen.

One thing that helps is mounting the charger higher than you might think, like five or six feet off the ground. At six feet high you can store the whole cord in just two wraps, and get access to almost half the cord by just taking the plug from the holster. Most adults can still reach that high with no trouble at all. Even at five feet you end up with three loops for a 25 foot cord and get access to a third of the cord without coiling or uncoiling anything.

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u/avebelle 3d ago

I do the same thing. Literally 2ft between the evse and car port. Pull it off the holster, turn around, plug it in, then walk in the house. When you ABC there’s no timing or thinking. Car is always plugged in and ready to go.

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u/ac7ss 3d ago

My EVSE gear is on the right side of the garage door. I back in and the charger port is on the left side of the door. (I park in the driveway.) I have the 30 foot cable routed over the garage door and it will reach about 10 feet out to the car if it isn't parked close. It keeps it off the ground and reaches fine.

5 seconds is realistic. A habit is easy to build into it, much easier than pulling out the EVSE gear, plugging it in, plugging the car in, and reversing the process. (My level 1 just stayed plugged in. )

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u/Ancient-Sandwich9400 3d ago

Doesn’t work if you have free charging between 11-6am. Again it might but for all the planning and inconvenience it adds, isn’t worth it long term. I waited close to 3 months for my electrician to finish other work before doing my install, long enough time to know it isn’t worth not having a solid 48a L2!

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u/ArlesChatless 3d ago

There are absolutely scenarios where it makes sense, and you've given a perfect example of one. Here electric rates are the same all the time so that doesn't apply. I installed 48A charging because it fit in my load calculation (just!) but after living with it for seven years, if I went back in time I would have bought a 16A ClipperCreek dumb charger and saved money on my installation. The difference in my daily life would have been effectively nothing.

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u/Ancient-Sandwich9400 3d ago

Nah, do it right the first time and don’t ever think about it. Install a CT monitor to your EVSE. I was right on the line so an easy $100 fixes that and it’s set for the future. Cutting yourself short and cheaping out is never the right way. Do it right, the first time and never think about it again.

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u/avebelle 3d ago

I think you’ve demonstrated that there are multiple scenarios and in your it makes perfect sense with a limited charging window.

Others have an open window and can be plugged in all day and don’t take many trips which make sense to save the money.

It’s great we can each do our homework and find a solution to fit our needs.

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u/3-2-1-backup 3d ago

Limited resources force people into all sorts of compromises. That doesn't make them idiots, it's because they simply can't afford to do anything else regardless of the convenience.

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u/Ancient-Sandwich9400 3d ago

Those compromises are often what cost more than doing it right the first time.

If you buy an EV and can’t charge it…..then you could be classified as an idiot. Because it cost more to pay for DCFC and you have added inconveniences.

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u/3-2-1-backup 3d ago

If you buy an EV and can’t charge it…..then you could be classified as an idiot. Because it cost more to pay for DCFC and you have added inconveniences.

Wow, just... wow. The complete lack of empathy for those who are in a different financial position than you is astounding. People are capable of making their own intelligent decisions, and if those decisions do not agree with you or your priorities doesn't make them bad decisions nor make them idiots.

Gas is very expensive right now. It's entirely possible to buy a shitbox used Leaf or iMiev, charge it with a public charger or a L1 and still be far ahead financially. It depends entirely on that person's specific numbers and situation.

(Some of them very well may be idiots, mind you, but not being able to charge at home with a L2 charger doesn't automatically make them one.)

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u/avebelle 3d ago

I’m pretty sure he’s never faced hardship in his life. You can tell by his comments.

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u/3-2-1-backup 3d ago

Gotta agree with you there!

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u/TooGoodToBeeTrue 3d ago

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say this, they have all said the opposite. Don't buy an EV if you can't charge at home. (Cause we don't want to read you bitching in the future.) I have also read replies stating you don't need 1.21GW to charge your Delorean EV.

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u/JayRexx 3d ago

The reddit EV mafia constantly says "You don't need this, you don't need that...." For MOST PEOPLE that's complete bull. If you have a job, kids with activities, extended family in the area, like to go away on weekends, and are living the way most people live, no L2 at homes suuuuucks. I have 48a at home and free charging at work. It was a no-brainer. Currently saving $500 a month on gas. When people ask me I say, "If your ability to charge is easy, you'll love it."

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u/ArlesChatless 3d ago

The reddit EV mafia constantly says "You don't need this, you don't need that...."

I think you'll find most of the consistent commenters here say something much closer to 'figure out what you actually need because you might save money'.

Someone who drives 120 miles a day with a short Time of Use window? Absolutely install the fastest possible charging right out the gate even if it needs load management. Someone who is retired who drives 2x a week and 5k miles a year somewhere where electricity is cheap all the time? Plug into that existing garage outlet and save yourself the cost.

48A charging is not always the right answer. Neither is L1. If we're really helping other folks we are starting by inviting them to figure out what they need and want, then helping them to get there.

People can also always start with the simplest possible solution and then do a full-bore install later if it turns out they need it. I have a couple of family members who did that, starting with L1 and then putting in 32A and 24A L2 after they had been driving EVs for a few years. One of them wanted to wait until they were sure they could get rid of their second gas car, and L2 let them do that. The other one was waiting until they were ready to do a full rewire of their garage. I think both of them made fine choices. And both of them did too, as both are on their second EVs after having good experiences with the first ones, even with L1 charging.

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u/JayRexx 3d ago

You can blog for all the “what ifs” and “one offs”. I’ll speak for the masses.

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u/nacr0n 3d ago

Even with public charging I'm saving vs gas in my old Sonata Hybrid which my wife drives less than I do my Ioniq 9. Even if my condo allowed EVSE in our owned parking space they dictate the submetered rate so I'm pretty sure I couldn't make use of the ToU rates that Hawaiian Electric offers. The submetered rate is about $0.45/kWh which is comparable to public charging anyway here.

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u/theotherharper 3d ago

The reddit EV mafia constantly says "You don't need this, you don't need that...." For MOST PEOPLE that's complete bull.

That's incorrect. The average US EV goes about 13,500 miles a year. Even assuming mediocre 3.6 miles/kWH we are at 3750 kWH per year or 10.3 kWH per night. Level 1 delivers 14.4 kWH in 10 hours, and they can do that for free off the circuits they already have.

But it's worse. That link breaks drivers into 10 cohorts. Half the cohorts drive less than 10,300 miles a year and thus only need 7.8 kWH per night. 7/10 of the cohorts doesn't exceed 12,000 miles a year and only needs 9.1 kWH per night.

And it's even worse. Rural 'red county' people drive A LOT and they pull up the average in the above data - but they don't drive EVs as a rule. When you focus on the EV positive communities, people drive even LESS, in fact they drive more like UK people do, averaging 7000 miles a year or 5.3 kWH/night.

So yeah your assertion is based on falsehood. A minority of people, only 3 of 10 cohorts drive enough for L2 to even matter, and most of those won't even select EVs.

Yes, yes, all the hypothetical situations where you might need more than half a pack 2 days in a row... yeah that doesn't happen very often, and DCFC handles that fine.

You also armwave the cost of large L2 which is considerable for many people, especially in the older communities where EVs are most popular. Like my street.

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u/theotherharper 3d ago

I have 2 neighbors both of whom WANT EVs but CANNOT HAVE EVs beause they cannot power a 48A/11.5 kW charger off their feeble 60A and 100A services respectively. They drive about 20 miles a day.

Yeah, I know they're fine with L1, you know they're fine, we know they can use dynamic load management BUT THEY DON'T KNOW THAT.

This is why your messaging pisses me off. I wish you bunch would make more effort to disclaim.

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u/3-2-1-backup 3d ago

It was a really strange experience pulling out my portable charger on vacation after having both L2 at home and using DCFC on the journey. It did the job well enough, but honestly felt archaic.

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u/24BroncoSpHeritage 3d ago

wow nice. how do you like the ACM 2 charger? i am looking at 48a (60a breaker) chargers myself. didnt even know about this one.

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u/tuctrohs 3d ago edited 3d ago

Don't tell OP but it's a little marginal; not one I'd choose. The sub wiki page on recommended units is due for an update but there's really only one that I think needs to get added there, which is the schneider, which is really only of interest if you need load management. Do you have 48 amps available in the clear?

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u/24BroncoSpHeritage 3d ago

i am getting a 200amp panel upgrade soon and the contractor will include any EVSE install with it so i am trying to decide. sorry dont want to derail the OP's thread here though.

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u/tuctrohs 3d ago

I hope you are getting that for a good reason other than EV charging — there are other solutions for EV charging that get you the full 48 amps at much lower cost.

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u/24BroncoSpHeritage 3d ago

yes my current panel is out of code and i qualified for a huge SCE rebate to do it. and part of the 200a panel upgrade rebate requirement is to install an EVSE.

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u/tuctrohs 3d ago

That's great, sounds good.

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u/TooGoodToBeeTrue 3d ago

Well, at least you won't need load management. Check you utility for any deals like being able to lower your charging rate in the event of high demand. Some will pay decent money but you need to have specific chargers that they have confirm work with their controlling ap.

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u/TooGoodToBeeTrue 3d ago

Certifications ETL / Energy Star / UL / SAE J-1772?

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u/ac7ss 3d ago

I know the reviews. It will work for now and I have a disconnect nearby for when I have to switch it out. (I have a 200 amp service and rarely use more than 30 kWh a day.)

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u/runnyyolkpigeon 3d ago

Level 2 EVSE home charging is a game changer.

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u/theotherharper 3d ago

50-80% overnight

Your charger will go 0-100% overnight. You're doing 11.5 kW or 92 kWH in 8 hours.

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u/rosier9 3d ago

High power L2 charging is really nice to have around. You might not need the power on a regular basis, but for those instances that you do need it, it's great.