2011 Nissan Leaf modifications (efficiency and utility)

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

I already have a mobile 17.5kw generator trailer.
If there is a way to put 240v power to the car while driving I would like to know. I already have the main component to pull that off.

240V is a bit low. I don't have the specs off hand, but the Leaf's electrical system is around 350V average. 400V is close to what it is when fully charged. And a fully discharged battery is around 300V, if I remember correctly.

Originally Posted by ldjessee00

Overcharging is another concern... being able to automate turning down or off the generator once the battery was at 80% would be great... I guess I could just rig up some remote and turn off the generator, but would really prefer it to happen automagically, in case I was distracted or otherwise preoccupied.

Basically you want something that throttles it back as voltage increases. As it nears 400V it throttles back and shuts off. For an example, 350V and lower, full throttle. 375V, half throttle, 400V zero throttle shut down.

[ksa8907]

I dont know how the components are tied together, but I would assume you would need to bypass the onboard charger. Or some other way of preventing the car from knowing its plugged in.

[jray3]

Hey OilPan4, how much does that 17.4 kW genset trailer weigh? That power level should be just right for steady-state highway cruising.

This has been done, here's one example. By Phil Sadow of EVSEUpgrade.com



#39 Ingineer, Dec 4, 2015 .

Yeah, it made the news a bit back in 2011:
How one inventor wants to boost EVs with a towable turbine
2012 Nissan Leaf Gets Unofficial Jet-Powered Range Extender, Quick Charger

Here's my post on the Nissan Leaf forum: The

The journalists never get the facts straight. It was a proof-of-concept engineering test, never meant to be a product, but it worked well. It's a modified Capstone C30 turbine with recuperator. It can put out from 250 to 700 volts DC at up to 30kW and it's 27% efficient at it's peak.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

I dont know how the components are tied together, but I would assume you would need to bypass the onboard charger. Or some other way of preventing the car from knowing its plugged in.

It's been done several times, as in the example by jray3.

All you need to do is connect to the main bus. That's the main two power wires coming out of the traction battery. One is positive and the other negative. Just hook up to those. As long as you don't put any voltage to them when the car tells the main contactors to open you'll be fine. Basically you need another set of contactors to close and open synchronously with the main contactors or turn them on after turning on the car and turn them off before turning on the car.

With your extra battery or APU (auxiliary power unit) generator supplying electricity to the main bus the Leaf won't be able to tell where that extra power is coming from. It's like hooking up a second 12V battery or a second alternator to a car battery. How's the car going to know where the electricity is coming from? It's not. The car will continue to function normally by drawing electricity from off the main bus. The difference is that you're feeding electricity into the main bus by two different means, the Leaf's own traction battery and your auxiliary battery or APU generator or solar roof or hydrogen fuel cell or portable nuclear power generator or whatever.

This guy shows where to hookup another power source. He also makes the mistake of having that power source hooked up while the battery is trying to disconnect from the bus.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...sE6-EyGCAKRlS1

[ksa8907]

Yes, bypass the onboard charger.

Or you just buy a chevy volt....

[oil pan 4]

Can I get a 2011 chevy volt with under 50,000 miles for less than $6000?

My generator trailer weighs around 400lb, with additional fuel and cord sets it will weigh over 500.

It's been a full week and my my firebirds gas tank is still full.

[oil pan 4]

I have another question.
I remember reading that the first gen leaf only had a 3.3kw charger.
From what I understood the fast charge package was the CHAdeMO. Through the j1772 was limited to 3.3kw.

But when I stuck my after market EVSE on my 240v power meter I see the EVSE running at its full rated current of 16 amps, sending it's rated 3.8kw to my leaf, not the 3.3kw I was expecting.
The only reason I got the 3.8kw charger was because I thought the leaf would only accept 3.3kw max.

Does the 2011 and 2012 leaf fast charge package charge faster than 3.3kw through the j1772?
Because I'm searching around on the Internet and the 3.3kw limit for the j1772 on 2011 and 2012 leaf seems to be the consensus?

Because if this thing will charge at 6.6kw I will buy one tonight.

[vskid3]

It looks like the 3.8kw vs 3.3kw is due to some sort of rounding. This poster saw the same.

I haven't looked at the power draw of these 3.6 kW OBCs, but at work on our ~208 volt L2 EVSEs, it seems '11 and '12 Leafs (w/a totally different OBC in the hump area in the back) with their "3.3 kW" OBC actually pull about 3.7 to 3.8 kW.

Charging capability with 3.6 kW on-board charger - My Nissan Leaf Forum

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

IDoes the 2011 and 2012 leaf fast charge package charge faster than 3.3kw through the j1772?
Because I'm searching around on the Internet and the 3.3kw limit for the j1772 on 2011 and 2012 leaf seems to be the consensus?

Because if this thing will charge at 6.6kw I will buy one tonight.

Not unless modified, all 2011 and 2012 Leafs charge the same off the J1772 port, regardless of CHAdeMO charge package or not.

But 3.8kW does sound right. The "3kW" or "3.3kW" charger pulls 80% of 20A, that is, 16A. 16A x 240V = 3.8kW.

Try finding a "6kW" charging station and see what happens.

[ME_Andy]

I know you love high voltage, but remember that excessive fast charging is not good for Leaf batteries. Nissan recommends 240V.

This guy's down to 35 miles of range. https://www.google.com/amp/s/insidee...l-battery/amp/

And another thing to consider is that Nissan 'recommends' changing the brake fluid every year. I'm going to try to do it every 3. Upgrading to DOT4 is a nice, simple mod.