n00b QQ. Does anyone have experience charging from a plug with less than 32a 7kw capacity. Say the breaker is only 240v/20a, will the breaker trip or will the I-Pace somehow mysteriously charge at a lesser rate? Or is there some option to change the charging rate? I may not be phrasing this question correctly but I hope you get the jest.
Although the question is asked about the breaker capacity, nowhere is the info about what kind of plug the owner has.
First of all, if we were talking milkshakes, and you tried to suck too much thick milkshake through a straw too small, it would blow the milkshake breaker. Same with current, if the breaker senses one is trying pull too much (AC) through it, it shuts down to protect the connections and load capacity of the wiring.
I would assume that the person asking the question isn't an electrician. I would like to know just what kind of plug he has start the other half of the conversation. There's a $h*t-ton of plugs out there but if he's talking a 240/20 that says to me a standard 3 prong cord with a lug turned sideways (leaving twist lock connectors out of the conversation) . Regular Edison type plugs are only rated for 15 amps no matter if it's a cheapy or pro model. Once you get into a 20 amp plug you have to go with the one spade sideways type. I don't know what comes with an iPace because I don't have one, but assume a 120volt charger?
If the soon to be electric car owner is planning on using a 220 volt outlet already in their garage, then usually they're going to looking at plugging into their existing 3 prong (older) dryer plug or newer 4 prong dryer plug. The difference between the 2, being new types have a ground AND a neutral. Most older plugs plugs are going to be (dual) 30 amp breakers, and maybe depending on exact type a (dual) 50 amp breaker if you have a sexy 14-50 (my favorite) plug.
If the electrical installation was done by a pro, then the breaker cannot exceed the plug rating. So if you have a older 3 prong type then it's not going to be a (dual) 50. If the person asking the question has indeed a 240/20 and it's actually hooked up the a dryer plug then someone would have had to switch out to a small breaker which would be nonsense. So that again leaves me with the idea that the question revolves around the plug which must be a small non-dryer plug type, and couldn't handle anything over 20 amps at best, and would have to be a spade turned sideways if indeed you wanted to pull 20 amps. Me personally I would never have a device pulling the maximum rated capacity on a plug, because it will be warm and that's not cool, and you shouldn't exceed about 80% of the rated capacity. Both the i3 and the Cad ELR pull 12amps at maximum, for a reason, while nursing on that breaker.
Basically the electrical world must be based on constant draw, and not dynamic power, the difference being one is like a heater, light, car charger, etc versus power being demanded in spurts, in which a breaker, wire, or plug can handle substantial amounts more if we were talking power amps, and things with zero cycle starts like your frig.
I hope that helps or makes any sense... If anyone is going to get new wiring, get a 14-50 plug and be clear to the electrician that you want a 14-50 and not a L14-50 because sometimes electricians will default to other worlds they work in. L denotes twist lock type connections.
