2011 Nissan Leaf modifications (efficiency and utility)

[oil pan 4]

I don't understand why most electric vehicles only come with 120v only chargers.
If you can't charge at work your realistic range is only around 50 miles per work day that's if you give the car 10 hours of charge time.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

I don't understand why most electric vehicles only come with 120v only chargers.
If you can't charge at work your realistic range is only around 50 miles per work day that's if you give the car 10 hours of charge time.

That's the standard for gen I EVs with <100 miles of range. If the Leaf only has a 75 mile battery, it's unlikely that it's completely discharged when it's plugged in, so most people are likely to get sufficient charge on 120v. Still, it costs practically nothing to build a dual voltage EVSE as evidenced by the ease in converting Leaf units.

The Bolt comes with an EVSE that can run 120v or 240v. Makes sense, as the car has 240 miles of range (60 kWh battery). Don't know what Teslas come with, but are there any >100 mile range EVs that don't include a 240v EVSE?

[Isaac Zackary]

The Nissan Leaf's Owner's manual even states that 120V charging is basically for emergencies and the recommended way to charge regularly is off 240V.

But there's a law in the USA that states that a 240V EVSE must be hardwired to the building. So Nissan recommends that if you buy a Leaf that you also have a 240V home charging station installed by an electrician. In the early days, Nissan would even schedule an inspection of your home to see if one could be installed if you were interested in buying the Leaf.

However, there is a loophole in the law that allows you to plugin a 240V EVSE into an acceptable outlet legally. So now we're seeing some EV manufacturers that have caught on and now offer them. Nissan will now give you a 240V EVSE with a NEMA 14-50 plug if you purchase a new Leaf SL.

[oil pan 4]

With my welding machines, plasma cutter and air compressors I an no stranger to 240v stuff that uses 30 and 50 amp plugs.

Eventually I would like to find a nice stainless wash down rated panel at the scrap yard to put outside the garage and keep the j1722 in there

Unless charging is provided it seems like most people use 120v to charge at home.

[Isaac Zackary]

I don't know if most people charge off 120V at home. But I have heard of a lot that do.

Some EV owners don't even have a place to plug in at home! They rely on their work or public charging for charging their EV's

I once drove to Denver and back in my Leaf. I camped out on the way there and on the way back at campsites with 120V RV hookups. Since all I had was the standard "15A" 120V EVSE that came with the Leaf I used that and charged all night. I didn't quite get 100% charge either time, but it charged up close to 90%, enough to make it to the next charging station.

[oil pan 4]

All the mods are now funded.

The 2001 VW 1.8t bug is now someone else's problem.
I sold it for $1850 and didn't have to do anything to it.
I was going to fill it up with premium gas, oil change, put head lights on it, a new pass side brake light and take it to get detailed.

That means I will need 2 new tires soon.
What's a good LRR tire for use on a leaf?

Now it has the bridgestone ecopia ep422 tire in 205/55r16.
Max load is 1,356lb.

[oil pan 4]

I was reading over on mynissanleaf dot com that they were going from 3.9kw per mile, which is perfectly normal average power consumption to 4.7kw per mile by doing a grille block and a clever aero mod using the little OE mud flaps. They remove the mud flap from behind the tire, go to the opposite side and install it forward of the tire. Making it kind of a tire air deflector and it looks stock.
Unfortunately mine didn't come with mud flaps. But I can get genuine nissan mud flaps for $130.
Seems reasonable, since I just sold my VW for $1850 I have a few $ laying around to splurge on leaf mods.

[Piotrsko]

Did you say that correctly? Sounds like mpwh went down.

[oil pan 4]

I had that backwards.
Went from 3.9 miles per KwH to 4.7 miles per KwH.

[oil pan 4]

I don't know why the EVSE would need to be hard wired. Old and new electric code stated the EVSE needed it's own dedicated circuit, didn't matter if it was 240 or 120 volt.
But the term "dedicated circuit" doesn't mean it needs to be hard wired.
For example your clothes dryer and electric range are on their own dedicated circuits and are almost never hard wired.