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Wall Mount vs. Mobile home charging station

6K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  phila 
#1 ·
Im in between a wall mounted charging box and a mobile charging box. The initial cost of the two is roughly the same however with a wall mount I will need an electrician to do a bunch of stuff which will end up costing more then the unit itself, with a mobile one I may get by without having to do anything other then plug it into my existing wall socket.

Anyone have any experience with mobile charge boxes which can simply be connected to a socket and are deemed safe? Even the one that Jaguar supplies with the I-Pace is there any safety features which would stop the socket from eventually frying if plugged in for extended periods of time?

Obviously speed is not a topic as the wall mounted chargers will always be much faster. I am all into the DIY stuff around the house but I stay away from anything with electricity in it.
 
#2 ·
All but one of my Level 2 (240v x 16-32 amp) are 'plug-ins' and can be removed for traveling.

It costs a little more for a 'plug' style than a 'hardwired' style.

Unless you frequently plug and unplug a high-power device like an EV charger, there is little difference in the heat buildup IF THE FEMALE SOCKET IS IN GOOD SHAPE.

Most the horror stories about EV plug-in charging is from old wornout sockets, frequent connecting/disconnecting, or running more than 80% of the circuit's amperage rating.

If there is any doubt about your wall outlet's wear, replace it. Turn off the breaker that feeds it, lock the panel closed (safety), then 15 minutes later, you have a new connection. Sand the wire so it is shiny, if you have dielectric grease use some, and torque it down. Use the RIGHT sized screwdriver, not just one that seems to be 'ok'.

The fastest charging is going to require 32 amps at 240 volts. These are often clothes dryer sockets for houses with electric dryers. Check the panel for 40/50 amp breakers. 30 is not wise, risk of overheating.

My personal taste is a NEMA 14-50 wall outlet using 6 gauge wire, and a 40 amp breaker, with a 32 to 40 amp NEMA plug 14-50 Level 2 Smart Charger. It is a very sturdy plug, and portable. I don't know how RV sites are in Norway, but in the US, they are 14-50 primary, so in a bind, you can add 30km per hour range at any RV park when you traveling in the countryside.
 
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#4 ·
I haven't tested my TeslaTap yet, but thanks for the original posting. I'll probably buy the Tesla UMC 14-50 / 120v convertible and replace the Jaguar unit and test that too. Carrying a 14-50 for trips off the beaten path is a good backup plan.
 
#5 ·
Thanks McRat, flying you in First Class would likely be cheaper then getting electricians in to set something up here :) But I guess I will end up with some sort of a wall mounted box, I just wish we had something like ChargePoint available here, all wall chargers here that I have seen are wired directly into the unit without any sort of socket ever being connected. TeslaTap is also an option I was looking at, thanks for the links.
 
#7 ·
Never been to Norway yet. We were supposed to cover Northern Europe, but a family injury cancelled that trip.
Join an EV club in your area, and you will probably be able to see how others are doing it, and find someone who is not going scalp you for an install, and might even find someone who enjoys helping EV owners for free.
 
#6 ·
Brands that plug in:

Tesla Portable UMC (requires TeslaTap adapter) 14-50 (I believe their HPWC is now available in plug-in)
JuiceBox
Clipper Creek
Bosche
ChargePoint (recommended by JLR in the US)

Some are NEMA 14-50, some are NEMA 6-50, some give you many options of plugs.

Living in a country that is 220v from the wall already, you might be OK just using Euro house plug EVSE of the highest amperage that is supported by the wall plug x 0.80. If the outlet is 20 amps, then 16 amp. If it is 15 amps, then 12 amp. If it is 10 amps, then 8 amp.
8 amp has the advantage of being safer if you use an extension cord.
 
#9 ·
Connector type? Shuko (standard EU outlet)
Voltage? 220
Circuit rating? dont know what that is. the breaker into the garage is tagged with C15A
Is this a shared or dedicated circuit? shared with lights and possibly garage door
Does the outlet have some other use? an occasional light is plugged in there as well

currently only driving about 50km / 30miles on average.
 
#10 ·
I found the best regular usage for my Frunk/Froot ... that's where I keep my TeslaTap. Used it twice. Both times, the Tesla charger had been rained on, and it was very hard to pull it loose (the moisture sealed in a vacuum). Other than that, the instructions for using it (plug Tap into car, lock & unlock, then plug in Tesla charger, and lock) works great.
 
#13 ·
Thanks to all whom have commented so far. I have checked if I can get any of the listed charge boxes here locally but they do not sell or ship them here unfortunately. JuiceBox or ChargePoint would have been my choice otherwise.
- JuiceBox
- Clipper Creek
- Bosche
- ChargePoint (recommended by JLR in the US)

really strange that especially JuiceBox doesnt sell here, as they sell in all neighboring countries and even Iceland and Switzerland whom also are not a part of the EU. I guess this product is likely too cheap and easy to install here and hence not allowed :)
 
#14 ·
And today I know placed an order for a wall mounted home charger. Finally found one that was not too expensive, approx 820 USD, and manageable via WiFi. Wont be getting it until early April however, even chargers in this country have a lead time now not just the EVs!
 
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