The EV1 was GM's learning experience. When they designed the Volts they seem to have put in extra effort to make things right. I've owned three of them and still have two... A 2013 and a 2019. The most dependable cars I've ever had, and I've owned at least 20 cars. (I'm 70.)
Well Harry, apparently you do not own a Bolt. I own a Bolt and let mw tell you, it's a an ok city car and that's it. I will not list all the b.s. that you get with this car cause I'd have to spend half an hour typing and I type fast. But, for city driving it's ok, and the price (assuming you can find a dealer that will sell it for msrp) is goos enough for me to sell my bolt and get another one next year. Mine's 2017.
Great information. It should also be noted that charging efficiency is increased at 240v. The AC-DC converter gains a few % more efficiency over 120v. Even if 120v was all you needed for your daily commute, it would be worthwhile charging at 240v if you already have these adapters and outlet available.
I found this video about a year ago and purchased these two adapters. I’ve been charging my Bolt inside my garage using the EVSE that came with my Bolt since then plugged into my dryer outlet with no issues at all. Works perfectly. I normally drive about 40 miles per day but once a month I take a long trip and arrive back home with 50 to 70 miles of range left. Charger works great in dryer outlet and chargers quite a bit faster than plugging into a 110 outlet at 12 amp setting. Thanks for posting this video. I figured I’d need to buy a level 2 charger and have it installed but thanks to this solution you saved me quite a bit of money and my 2021 Bolt is fully charged every morning. I charge to 100% every day and car stays plugged in continuously. I only unplug when I’m driving. Car has 36,000 miles and I’ve always charged to 100% daily. Car always garages when home. Smart smoke detector installed above car in garage just to be safe. Car still has original battery. Fully charged usually shows 226 to 245 miles.
When I went to buy a back-up charger for my Bolt, I found a charger on Amazon from Duosida that, like the Bolt charger, can charge at either 120vac or 240vac, but the Duosida charger can deliver 16amps at 240vac - that's 3.8kW!. It's a lot cheaper than getting another Chevy charger and it actually comes with a NEMA 6-20 plug and an adapter cable to the standard NEMA 5-20 (120vac) plug. I have been using it to charge from my off-grid PV system and have been very pleased, particularly when I need a quick boost.
I'v had my EVSC operating at 240v now for around two years. I've found that when the ambient air reaches around 105 deg., the unit will get too hot and shut down. Just something to think about.
When I got the BoltEV in 2018, I knew the 12A 120V would charge about 45 miles of range from when I got home until when I leave for work. My commute is almost exactly 40 miles round trip. So, I bought a 50A Clipper Creek charger. It's more than the BoltEV can consume, but my next EV might be able to use it. BTW, it charges at about 25 miles of range per hour of charging.
I took your advice and it works great! I have the Nema 6 - 20R already installed in my garage, bought a 6 - 20P and with some heavy gage wire and a KB-2NF-1R to plug my EVSE into it works. My Bolt recognizes the connection as Level -2 and cuts my charge time in half which is all I really needed. Thank you for this tip and this video. Really helped me out a lot!
This was a very helpful video and worked great for me. I spent $10 on a 20 amp short extension cable. Cut off the male end. And wired it up to a $10 14-50 male plug (both at Amazon). Could not be simpler. Roughly doubled my charge speed at my folks house (they had a 240v 14-50 plug in their garage).
I built and adapter cable to do this, and I did run into a faulty end from Home Depot. I was actually in the garage when it started to smoke - after over a year of use. I was able to unplug it and get a new, non-defective end and do it up again. Fortunately, the head on the EVSE itself did not melt.
I bought my Bolt new in 2017 and I used the stock charger on 240V right from the beginning. Works great, never had any kind of problem with it, and it saved me a few thousand bucks by not having to trench a higher capacity 240V circuit from my house to my detached garage.
I really like the new mobile adapter option for the Bolt EV/EUV. It's capable of 30 A at 240 V, so there's really no need for someone to buy a home charger.
I have this setup and it works well. Assuming you plug in every night, it gives a decent amount of range. Basically it charges about 50% in 12 hours. If you're religious about plugging in, this avoids having to buy a standalone charger
Good tip. I got one some time ago and it's in the car as a charging option when necessary. Inexpensive and provides more choices if needed. Also provides a low cost interim approach while you're considering whether you want an EVSE. Some peoples' daily mileage won't require anything more.
Yes, exactly. 60 to 80 miles, and you'd be covered. I actually put it under my false floor with the EVSE in case I need it when camping, so it's very mobile as well.
My ‘13 Focus Electric had a recall on the original L1 cord, but the replacement is exactly like the one shown in the video. Haven’t tried 240 volt though
Likewise thanks for the tip.... I replaced my stock EVSE that came with my Mini SE rated for only up to 10A with one that is rated for 16A. At 120V, it goes from 1.2kW up to 1.9kW. I know that that's not a lot, but that is already over 50% increase in charging speed. Just need to watch out for outlet circuits that are only rated for 15A or less....
Great tip... somehow I assumed you'd covered it already! But you're so right that often an overnight charge with this solution will cover the next day's mileage, without the need for a fancy 6-7 kW solution.
Bless you for using the proper term EVSE. By the way, you can multiply Amps times Volts to get the current. I had a Nissan EVSE with a mod that let you crack up the Amps. After using it on 240V at 18A… it melted and ended up in the trash.
I just went 54 miles in my 2019 Volt, air conditioning on, 74 degrees, almost all 60mph. I have been using the 240V modified plug since I bought the car in January, it fully recharges my car in about 4 hours. Total spent was about $40 to wire 240V into a standard 120V plug. Most expensive part was an exterior “in-use” cover for $20. You didn’t mention the standard Nema plug has a temperature sensor in it, so you definitely want to leave that intact. I’m perfectly happy with my set-up and LOVE the Chevy Volt. It cost me $6 in gas to go 160 miles today....54 miles on all electric, charged at 4 cents kWh.
Yes, that's a good point about the temperature sensor. I guess I didn't expect so many naysayers about using this setup. If the socket temperature gets too hot, the EVSE shuts down automatically.
Seems pretty safe, but I like to be extra safe & cover myself legally (insurance), UL listed, used as directed. Got a connected charger for $300, UL listed. I have previosly had a 120v charger plug weld itself to an extension cord.
It works fine as long as both legs are switched with a two pole contactor inside the charger. I modified two early first gen chargers for 240. Those had to be disassembled and the former neutral routed through the double pole contactor by changing a soldered jumper. Both old and new versions of the charger were designed to be easily manufactured for either voltage, since many countries use 240 V. as the standard household voltage.
For the last 3 years I made up 2 adapters,. A 3 prong 240V dryer plug to a 120V receptacle and a 4 prong 240V dryer plug to a 115V receptacle. I use the Volt 115V Volt EVSE cord with no problem. It gives about 10 miles per hour charge..
Many OEM evse's are capable of running at 240v. My Honda Clarity came with a evse made by Panasonic which was easy to convert without altering the evse. It's the same evse found in the Toyota Prius Prime and the Chrysler Pacifica PHEV. I bought a 10foot NEMA 6-20 extension cord off Amazon, chopped off the receptacle end and replaced that with a NEMA 5-20 plug. Used the same adapter that you show in your video that converts my NEMA 14-50 outlet to NEMA 6-20. Plug in my modified cable to the NEMA 6-20. Cost me about $40 in parts to make this cable (not counting the cost of the NEMA 14-50 adapter). On 240v, it will fully charge my Clarity battery in about 5.5 hours. It pulls about 11amps when in use.
I installed a level 2 charger on my driveway back in 2013 and the rebates more than covered the cost. We actually made money on the deal. Many utility companies offer all kinds of incentives to install 220v chargers at home. I paid $550 way back when, but the rebate crested over $1,100 from the LADWP. Check with you local utility company. Also convert your home to a Time-Of-Use Meter and charge during the off peak hours for a greatly reduced rate.
This is a great tip for an emergency or camping back up. I just purchased a 2021 Bolt Premier and this will live in the sub trunk space. I installed the Webasto TurboDX which seems to do a very good job. I think 9-9.5hrs will give you a full charge. I use location charging set for 12 amps and 85% capacity.
I've made an adapter for my Bolt EVSE and it works fine with 240v. But I also have a 30A L2 EVSE at home (I got that when I had a Leaf). I have the Bolt adapter mostly as a backup, so I can charge faster than 120v if/when my other L2 goes out until I can get it repaired/replaced. Luckily, haven't needed it yet. (knocking on wood)
That it’s correct, been a Volt user since 2012 and with a new 2018 that it’s the auto charger also for (2) more Bolts in the family. Additional I use free charging at work
I'm retired and don't drive my Bolt every day. I drive it cause I like it not to save money. I bought a 240v charger and installed it. But since I don't put heavy mileage on, l use the 120v charger the most. I just plug in when it gets to 30% and stop the next day sometime. As in the video you can get by just fine with the charger that comes with the car as long as you don't commute too far. My 240v charger is gathering dust. The adapter is a great option. Don't think you absolutely need a 240v charger. Good info to have. Thanks.
I bought a bolt two weeks ago. They had actually allowed it to be almost completely discharged at the dealership so I had a quick introduction to the problems with charging at 120 volts. I am very comfortable with electrics so I ordered a 30 amp 240 volt charger on the parts to free up a double breaker space in my main panel. What you show will be great as an emergency travel kit but I would probably add in a big fat extension cord.
Why would you even accept that? I have a Volt, and I always tell them to have it fully charged before I pick it up. That’s insane on a Bolt, where you don’t have an engine for a back-up.
@@patrickflohe7427 I wanted the car to be bought in my wife's name and she couldn't get there until early evening. The salesman said he couldn't take a deposit and suggested I take it out for an extended test drive as a way of preventing another person from buying it. They have put rapid chargers in now.
For 12A I’d convert a standard outlet to NEMA 6-20R and just use the little adapter. You generally only need a replacement receptacle and breaker. Just make sure it’s the only outlet in the circuit then connect hot/neutral to the new 220v breaker as hot phase 1/2… then replace the receptacle. If you skip the last step you could use the EVSE without any adapter but you are asking for trouble. Fewer adapters is typically better but, well, wiring 220v into a standard outlet is asking for trouble. It’ll work but totally against code and someone will eventually plug something 120v into it. The 220v outlet in the workshop I rent had a 120v receptacle. I didn’t know it was 220v until it fried my worklights. Stupid! I replaced it with NEMA 6-20R and made a pigtail for my AmazingE EVSE since I needed to pass it through a tiny hole to get outside anyway (assembled the plug/receptacle on either end after passing through). The AmazingE Level 2 Portable EVSE I use looks exactly like your Bolt EVSE except it’s NEMA 14-30P, so it seems they are both rebranded Clipper Creek models. :) I don’t recall reading that mine is limited to 12A but that’s all the Volt will draw anyway, which is the car I’m charging.
I hear Gov. Newsom is going to add a new EV plan this week to the 2021 budget ...when the details come out can you talk about what you like or dont like about the plans?
Very helpful, I’m just got a 2017 Bolt and will give this a cheaper option a try. I’m not liking the Chevy app though. Since my wife will be driving the most, I wish there was a better way to monitor its usage/status without having to come outside and sit in the car. I understand there is level 2 chargers that could help with that. Just haven’t made up my mind on a good one yet. Keep it up test pilot🤠
I just bought one last night. I'm going to try it but I will have to run a longer than optimal 220v extension cord from my dryer socket. I'm going to lose a lot of the power in the length. I don't know if it's a good idea or not
Why not just wire in a 110v 20a outlet to the dryer outlet? Seems a lot cheaper and cleaner. Would love someone to comment on this though. I am not an electrician but I have done some home wiring to code. I doubt this would be OK with code, but safe? Not sure
I've had the same juicebox for some 5 years but never really used it because it kept dropping the wifi connection but now with the new Bolt, the Bolt decides when and how to charge and the juicebox it always on so I"m glad to have it.
Ref your 120V setup--Seems to me you need a larger gauge wire. Also all of that extra length adds resistance. The same considerations apply with 240 V. Keep resistance to a minimum. I'll bet that 120V setup generates a lot of heat in the line.
the new Nissan LEAF includes a plug for 240 or 120. Like you mentioned this should be on EVery EVSE that comes with an electric car. Tesla of course does this with all their cars but recently in late 2020 only includes the 120 plug. You have to buy the 240 plug but they are easy to swap and don't cost much. I have an assortment of the different 240 plugs for just about every 240 outlet.
Nice video Eric, I had tried this trick a little while when I first got my Bolt also by using the 240v I have in my woodshop for certain tools. The other thing you mentioned early on but I didn't hear much later was the ability to use a dryer socket and thus avoid having to get an electrician to provide a 240 outlet. For that of course you would need a different adapter or make your own cord like I did 😉.
Would you recommend this set up for the outdoors because my charging area has no cover from rain or snow? I was also going to use this set up for camping which is also usually exposed.
thanks for posting this; i think the safer way to do this would be to rewire the evse with a 6-15 or 6-20 plug for use at 240v, and then have an adapter that converts it to 5-15p for when you want to use it with 120v. this way you never have a 5-15 receptacle with a hot neutral.
My electrician just upgraded my panel to 200 and is in business with a guy who sells EV chargers in Winnipeg. So I showed them this video as i thing I wanted to do and they said it was a fire hazard.☹️ I am on the fence yet again.
You da man! Just realized I had a 120/220v welder and the adapter plug is a 240 to 120v plug adapter so literally I just unplug my welder and plug in my charger and I'm good to go!!! Didn't even need to buy anything. Again thank you so much for making a video for this!
This is great info. nice instruction for those with only 120 at home like us. I had a second Leaf Panasonic charger modified to 120/240 in 2017, but just to carry and charge on a portable duel-fuel 240 generator (resistor added of course to fool charger when on gen. per youtube vid instruct hee hee). We carried gen. mainly for fun with our fast range-declining 2012 Leaf (has the early weak 3300w onboard charger blah). Never saw above 2300w on 240 gen. but on home 15a 120 it charged only 1300w, so did increase a good 1000w, but we were also paying gas or propane price AND all the other ICE generator foolishness blah! I had not seen anyone address in detail this simple but great mod. (I really do need to get out more 😷). I called a guy in the Bay Area from eBay ad who suggested the simple mod back in 2017 along with the various adaptors for home, gen. plus RV parks etc. Spent about $450 in all shipped, charger also included. Never really used set-up that much. Not too fun or even smart anymore running a dumb ICE generator for EV, but I was experimenting and learning and having fun trying to solve my range anxiety without buying a Tesla. Bolt or Volt our next move.
Excellent video But I have a question. Taking these chargers overseas, where frequency is 50 Hz. And chargers in USA use 60 Hz. Would that be an issue? Or frequency does not matter in these cases?
When I bought my 2019 Bolt, I picked up the OEM'ed charger from Aerovironment (GM Part # 19355504). I picked up this one specifically because it advertised it could do the extra 2A, for 32A. I also, not knowing a whole lot about the EV charging world at the time, wanted to have the "blessed" home charging unit from GM. So, if there were ever any charging issues and GM tried to jerk me around about a "unsupported charger", they wouldn't be able to. The unit has worked like a charm ever since I installed it...HOWEVER - In retrospect, had I known more, I probably should have just bought a 30A charger at the time, as there were *WAY* more of those to choose from, and most of those used a NEMA 6-50 or 14-50P plug. With the GM-blessed Aerovironment, I had to hardware it, use 8 gauge wire because it was > 30A (10 gauge for ≤ 30A) and because my detached garage is not line-of-sight to the breaker box feeding it, I had to spend extra $$$ for a Hot Tub / Air Conditioner-style disconnect box and the corresponding 40A circuit breaker. After it was all said and done, it was ~$500.00 for the 32A GM-blessed Aerovironment from Chevy's official accessory website, and another $300.00 in electrical materials to get it up and running. I live in an area where you aren't required to have work like this done by a licensed electrician, and I'm comfortable doing this kind of work... so I did it myself Now - Why the hell did I just mention all of this lol? Well, first : I wanted to give some "real world insight" (like Eric does) about the costs for a 240A OEM charger. Second : Had I known that charger that was included with the 2019 Bolt could do 240A charging at 12A, in 90% of my personal situations that would have been adequate for my daily needs (~80 miles per day). So, Eric - thank you for passing this message along to future / prospective buyers of the Bolt. Had this video existed in March of 2019, I probably would have saved myself $500.00 !
Without question, the Bolt EV. It's quicker and more nimble, though both the Bolt EV and Volt are both FWD, so their driving dynamics are different than AWD or RWD (like your Camaro). They're both still commuter cars, but the Bolt EV is a blast to drive.
this video is 3 years old but I feel obliged to point out the one serious problem with plugging an 8 or 12 A rated 120V EVSE into a 240V dryer or oven outlet (they are the same). Dryers and ovens are normally wired to 40A service, with 40A wires and a 40A breaker in the power distribution box in your house. If something goes wrong and there is a short or overcurrent in the dryer pulling 40A or more, the breaker will trip, and the AWG 10 or 12 gauge wire can handle the 40A. But when you put an adapter on your 8 or 12A rated EVSE and plug it into a 240V 40A dryer outlet, the wires in your EVSE, and to its plug for your car, are only rated for 15A (AWG 14 or 16 wire). If something happens to the wire or the EVSE and it starts drawing more than 15A, when its plugged into a 15A breaker it will trip. If its plugged into a 40A outlet and breaker it will keep supplying up to 40A into your 15A wire and it will glow red hot like the wires in a toaster. This is how you burn your house to the ground. IF you want to plug your stock EVSE into 240V, you must wire a proper outlet with the correct 15 or 20A breakers in the power distribution panel. If your only source of 240V is a dryer or oven 40A outlet, you must put together a 20A breaker or fuse in the adapter/outlet box or use a 240V outlet that has a built in 20A breaker for the plug going to your EVSE. No exceptions.
I'm confused by this statement. The EVSE will only accept 12 A from the socket. Are you saying that when I plug a 120 V 5 A device into a 120 V 15 A socket, I need to install 5 A circuit breakers in the panel? Yes, if you put a 30 A load on a 20 A circuit, you can encounter issues, but I've never heard the opposite. The breaker protects the wiring of the house, not the devices that are plugged in.
@@newscoulomb3705 All devices made for 120V use a 16AWG wire, that can surge up to 22A without overheating. A table lamp for example that was designed for a 100W bulb would only draw 0.8A from 120V, but the wire on the lamp, the plug, the bulb socket can all handle 22A without catching fire. If something sharp falls on the cord for the lamp and shorts the wire, if it draws 16A the 15A circuit breaker in the service panel will trip, before the wire can get hot. If something falls on the wire and partly shorts it, the wire can sit there and draw 14A all day long without starting a fire - and this is for a light fixture intended for only a 100W bulb. Your OEM EVSE is designed to handle 8 or 12A, and likewise it is only equipped for plugging into a 15A receptacle and circuit breaker. If the wire going to the evse is cut or damaged, or something inside the evse fails and shorts, the wire can handle the 15 to 22A that its rated for and trip the 15A breaker in the service panel. Nothing gets hot enough to burn. Now plug your OEM evse into an outlet that is on a 30A breaker (120, 240V... either way). If the cord or EVSE is damaged it can draw up to 30A and not trip the breaker, but wire will get hot at 18A, very hot at 25 A, start to glow red at 30A and the breaker will not trip in the service panel. This is because the wires and the plug are not heavy enough to handle 30A without getting hot. This is why 15A and 20A 120V outlets are different, and 240V 20A, 30A, 50A... outlets/ receptacles are physically different, so you cannot plug a 15A device into a 30 or 50A supply that will easily burn up the wires if something goes wrong. Its not just the 120 vs 240V that matters, the max current the wire and plug can handle matters too.
@@kenwittlief255 You do realize that the devices themselves have fuses, right? If something cuts the cable and closes the circuit, it's likely going to cause a fire regardless of whether the wiring is rated for the full amperage of the circuit. That's why it's possible to have 5 A and 7 A (18 to 16 AWG) extension cables for NEMA 5-15P sockets; the load dictates the wiring size.
Budget motels in the USA very offend have a dedicated 208volt (sometimes 240volt) 16ampe outlet (nema 6-20/15 R) to run the heating/cooling unit. At 12a (208v) is 2.5 kilowatt so over 10 hours that 25kWh. ALLWAYS USE A HEVY DUTY EXTENSION CORD "12gauge it's printed on the side of the wirer" and even a 12g extension cord will get warm over hours. I prefer the flat profile type to deal with door thresholds and to minimizes tripping hazards. There are level 1 EVSEs that can handle 16a at 240v" that's 3.8kW".
RE: Cadillac Lyric. I suspect they’ll do what Ford (w Mach E) and Nissan (w 2nd gen Leaf) have done and include a portable EVSE that has a detachable NEMA 14-50 plug along with the standard 5-15
The car lies about charge levels. It rounds up. The oem evse clearly shows 1440 @120 volts. Rounded up it shows that as 2kw. At 240 volts you get double (2880 watts) showing 3kw..
I was inspired and tried this on my 2019 KIA NIRO EV 's supplied 120 volt /12 Amp EVSE. (Canada). I looked at the US site and it claimed this evse was 240 compatible. I bought a plug adapter which converted all European 220 volt plugs and the NEMA 5-15 plug to a NEMA 6-15 plug. The Niro display reported charging at 2.7 kW when the battery was at 68%. It's nice to have if I ever travel far away from home. 🤔 I still had to make another adapter for the 6-15P to a locking L6-20 plug as those are the only 20amp 240 outlets I have (in a barn) . Not sure I'd try this on a 6-50 welder outlet. I have a Bosch 40amp EVSE for that.
Hi Eric, Update, the new 2022 Bolts and 2023 Lyriq will come with a dual plug charger , so you can charge with 110v at 2kW or 220v at 7.2 kW charging. And they will install a 220v 40 amp outlet for you for free.
While this video made me smarter(thank you!)I am still a bit confused: I currently have 120 volt outlet in my garage, will this option work with my standard outlet or do I need to upgrade my standard outlet from 120 to 240? Many thanks in advance!
Thank you. The standard connector works with 120 V natively. The biggest issue with only charging on 120 V is that you'll only add about 40 miles of driving range per night, so it will take 2 to 3 days to fully charge a Bolt EV from empty. If you can install a 240 V outlet, then you could cut down your charging time significantly.
@@newscoulomb3705 thank you, NC! Okay, yes, I’ve experienced the slow charging by just plugging my charger(the one that came with my 2019 Bolt) in to my 120V outlet. I will call an electrician and get an estimate on bolstering my 120V outlet up to a 240V. Then I will shop for the adapter. Thanks again, this is a welcomed savings!
Great video - Keep a few things in mind. Volts x Amps = watts. So how many watts do we need to recover for a normal commute. An advantage of using 240v over the stock 120v is the internal car chargers are around 5% more efficient at 240v. This is important for saving money and/or being green. So yes using your hack is absolutely awesome, and it doubles the charger speed it’s actually SLIGHTLY better than 2x faster and it saves you about 5%, so that could add up to a lot of savings. Also, charging FASTER at night during off peak hours for areas with discounts (or like parts of Texas with free night time EV charging) you would really want to speed up the charging to get as much as possible during the time discount window. If you do need to hire an electrician or do the work yourself, adding a NEMA 6-20 for the stock charging cable will be the easiest and least expensive option. You sort of show it, but it’s worth pointing out, if your clothes dryer is in the garage you already have a 240v socket you could use. Look around, maybe someone already put a 240v outlet for a table saw, air compressor, golf cart, welder, etc.
Avoid expenses and Legacy Manufacturers in the same sentence??? I think you short circuited... 🤣🤣🤣🤣 They will SELL this adapter for $500 as an option for the Cadillac... 🤑🤑🤑🤑 For us, regular people, this video will really save a lot of money !!! Thank you ! 😎😎😎😎
Just bought my 2023 Bolt EV and it had what appears to be the same black box GM EVSE in the trunk. It also only have the permanent 110 VAC plug on it. However, the sticker only says 110, not 110/220 like many power bricks. Even though the EVSE only says 110, are you saying internal it is constructed for 220 as well?
Yes, mine came with the wrong charger, It took me 5 phones. calls and 3 pictures to dealer to prove the wrong charger was in the trunk. They are ordering me the newer two pigtail Level 1/2 charger. I was just curious if I can plug this level 1 into the 220 outlet like in your video @@newscoulomb3705
Everyone I've spoken to says that if you run from the dryer outlet, you need to reduce from 30A to 24A. Otherwise you overload the circuit breaker and it could trip. Does/can the OE Chevy charger limit the voltage? Or do I need some sort of adapter to do this?
Generally, you only want to run a sustained load on a circuit at 80% or less than the circuit's rated capacity, which is where the 24 A limit on a 30 A plug comes from. This unit will only pull 12 A, though, because that is the current limit at 120 V or 240 V. The newer Bolt EVSEs can pull 30 A, though, so be careful with those.
Sounds like a great solution, but I only paid $350 for my level 2 charger (Grizzl-E Classic) excluding the 240-volt outlet installation in my garage. I could have charged from my dryer outlet which is only a few feet from the door separating my kitchen from my garage, but the door would be left ajar, raising my heating and AC cost, and unplugging the dryer to plug in the charger frequently would wear out the socket. The Grizzle-E is a great EVSE. It has none of the bells and whistles that you don't need (wifi, bluetooth, programmability, digital display), and it's probably the most rugged and reliable EVSE on the market. My car supplies the programmability and display, and who really needs to remotely control an EVSE? The bells and whistles are only more things to go wrong. Keep It Simple Stupid. It's also reasonably portable. I can easily unplug it, remove it from its wall mount, and toss it in the back of my Bolt. I have adapters for my sister's house and my ex-wife's house neither of which have 14-50 outlets for their 240-volt circuit. The number of competing 240-volt outlets is crazy.
News Coulomb-- I recently commented that your video says that some of the Bolt EVSE's will not accept 240 volts. I watched again and see that I missed the part where you said "this is for some other brands and the Chevy Volt." I stand corrected and have removed the comment.
I stated that some EVSE will accept 240 V, but yes, I can't validate each model or EVSE. The 2017 Bolt EV's EVSE has been demonstrated to be 240 V capable, so I demonstrated that. Before attempting this, though, I recommend confirming that capability.
Great video. I just bought a 2021 Bolt. While I find an electrician to hook up my 220 to my parking lot. I thought I would try this at a power outlet at my shop which is 220. My Bolt charges at 1kwh on 8 amps and 2kwh on 12 amps. I think I saw this in the video. But, what is the Charge rate when converted to 220? I think you said 3 or 4 kwh. I'm gonna run through your video again. :)
This is a great tip! But if you have a 240V plug already I would still buy a level 2 portable EVSE which is a lot cheaper than your JuiceBox, you can get full power and don't run into issues with adapters.
I would ask an electrician, but the EVSE should throw an error if the power isn't usable. I know that my power isn't exactly 120 V, either, but I've never had a problem with it.
Interesting how you said you were running a 110v out off your balcony to the carport, Are you a renter? I want to do the same as my carport space is directly below (10ft) but the cord will run over (above head) the sidewalk between space and building.. I am not sure if this is legal in Sonoma Co. and I don't want to upset the landlord but 110v would be fine for me though.
I would suggest that you clear it with your landlord first (I did as well). I try to keep my extension cords a short run, and I was using a 15' 10/3 extension cord.
Hi there The 15 amp very small plug that went into the 20 amp End, did u get that at Home Depot or Lowe’s? Also, on Saturday I’m going to pick up my 2019 Chevy bolt in Quebec and I live in Ontario. I will probably have to charge a little bit, are there any apps I need to download to be able to charge the car , is there anything that I need to know, I’m guessing they will take a credit card? There’s not many videos about public charging the car Thanks Chad
Some 240V chargers on Amazon can similarly run on 120v as well... AmazingE Fast comes to mind. The good ones will automatically adjust how much current they advertise to the car.
Hello, thanks for the informative video. I ordered the two parts you listed in the description. Can you recommend a 50ft or more extension chord that would be compatible with the set up? I’m afraid to purchase something that is not compatible and mess something up. Thanks
You're welcome! I wouldn't recommend an extension cord. In fact, GM specifically recommends against using an extension cord at all with the EVSE. If you do decide to use a 50' extension cord, I recommend researching one that can support 12 A sustained current over 50'. Even 10/3 might be too small.
@@newscoulomb3705 I'm running the 12a 120v stock EVSE at the end of a 100' 10/3 extension cord and it's working fine. However, after an all night charging session the cord is warm... not hot... warm, so this proves the gauge and length of the cord is at it's limit. I wouldn't hesitate a 50' 10/3... One thing though, make sure the extension cord plug is heavy duty. It does get pretty warm and it does not have the heat sinking ability of the socket (my socket is in a metal box)... Things to think about.
GM uses the exact same adapter for their sales overseas (Europe) where normal house main power runs at 240v. It’s rated and certified for 240v use... in Europe. Here in the US they didn’t want to spend the money on the extra certification for 240v use, and more importantly, it’s possible to hook something up wrong to the adapter and cause damage (to the other stuff, not the Bolt), and GM didn’t want the liability concerns if someone did something stupid. So it’s not technically supported, yet works just fine. And if someone does something dumb, GM can easily say “hey that’s not a supported use so it’s not our fault”.
0:55 “It was literally plugged into the same socket as my TV” GM’s own Volt instructional videos say to use a GFCI with no other devices plugged in on the same circuit. You can’t have anything else plugged into the circuit because the Volt draws very near the 15A maximum when set to 12A and even that alone is known to melt outlets with a poor connection. That is the reason you have to manually override from 8A after an update. If you have anything else plugged into the circuit it is very easy to cross the 15A maximum rating and trip the breaker. I’ve actually melted a GFCI outlet using the Volt EVSE with nothing else plugged in. The outlet didn’t feel loose but there had to be a high resistance connection because it totally melted at 12A.
First, I didn't say that they were plugged in at the same time (they weren't), and second if you're getting singed sockets, it's because of a loose/corroded contact in the socket. GFCI wouldn't help. The EVSE won't even operate on a circuit without a ground, and it will let you know whether it's adequate.
@@newscoulomb3705 I simply said what you didn’t about sharing a circuit in case anyone got the wrong idea. The reason I mentioned GFCI is because GM says it is required and few would have that for their home theater. I never suggested it had anything to do with preventing singed receptacles. Though it sounds like it’s from a specific dealer, “2014 NEW 2013 Chevy Volt charging basics Mike Savoie Chevrolet” is an instructional presentation from GM for owners which specifically says to use GFCI. I am aware that singed outlets are typically blamed on loose connections which is why I said it didn’t feel loose but there had to be a high resistance in there anyway… probably loose wiring inside. I was a renter so I did not install that receptacle. It was GFCI, in the garage, and had no other outlets sharing the breaker, so it was seemingly ideal… until it melted. I only used it until I got an extension for the 220v stove outlet to my AmazingE portable portable EVSE (looks identical to yours). Eventually I installed my own NEMA 14-30R with permission from the property owner but I only got to use if for a few months before the house was destroyed in a tornado. This is why I’m now forced to charge at my rented workshop as mentioned in my other comment.
@@emmettturner9452 Yes, I should have been more clear. My intent was to illustrate that a standard 15 A circuit will charge a Volt overnight. That was the first I had heard of a GFCI requirement, though I know that a ground is required. We have an outdoor receptacle with a dead ground lead, and the EVSE won't even activate on that circuit.
@@newscoulomb3705 I did some more research and it seems that the National Electric Code was updated a few years ago to require GFCI for any EVSE outlet, but not a hard-wired wall-mounted EVSE. Because you can’t buy a GFCI NEMA 14-30, 14-50, or 6-50 socket, it means you have to have an expensive GFCI breaker that costs over 10x as much as a normal breaker. Yikes! Luckily, several localities have exempted this part of the NEC. Personally, I think a tight connection is more important than GFCI since the outlet has to meltdown and happen to short to ground before GFCI can do anything anyway. 220/240v should be significantly less likely to melt an outlet at 12A than the same amperage at 120v.
@@emmettturner9452 Yes, I've seen that update to the NEC, but apparently, there's a lot to it. It appears that a NEMA 14-50 that's inside a dwelling doesn't require a GFCI, and some EVSE specify under their UL listing that they are not to be used on GFCI circuits, which apparently supersedes the Code. I'd defer to whatever a local, licensed electrician advises.
A very good option, the added caveat would be not using a standard 120v 3 wire extension cord to prevent the possibility of a fire or someone accidently using the 240 source cord for a 120 device 😀
@@6855mike it sounds like I was possibly impatient and perturbed when I wrote that, tho I can’t for the life of me remember why. 2:45 seconds is hardly nothin’ to wait for a video ultimately worth commenting on in retrospect
Thanks, Tom! I can add a link in the description. I didn't want to get too prescriptive, though. It's really something I would want EV owners to research or consult an electrician for if they aren't comfortable.
@@newscoulomb3705 Thanks. The reason I mentioned it is I've seen a few requests on the forums or where to buy adapters. But yeah, you have to be careful how you use one.
I charged my Volt and Tesla Model 3 for about 2.5 years with this exact setup. Volts charger is fantastic because the cord is so long and can reach anywhere. The Tesla charger by comparison is bulky, heavy and short. Not sure why Chevrolet doesn't promote this hidden feature.
I bought this from the links you've provided, and I think the link for the 120V adapter is likely incorrect. Is anyone else having this issue? I think the 120V adapter needs to be a n6-20r to 5-15p adapter if I'm not mistaken. The one you've linked goes in the other direction. Thanks as always for the helpful information.
I have an N620R plug in my shop wall for welding. The breaker is 50Amp. I have a Grizzle charger with the male "dryer plug". If I put an N620r on the Grizzle what do you think my charge rate will be? I know to run this the 250 feet to my parking lot, I'm going to need 6 gauge wire. But, this is just an experiment. :p
Wire gauge cares more about current than voltage. It's still restricted to the same 12 A, so the stress on the EVSE would be the same at 240 V as it is at 120 V.
Personally speaking I don't think I'd be comfortable pushing 220/240v through the stock charger for extended periods of time. I've noticed that on mine the plug itself and the cord running from the EVSE to the J1772 can get quite warm.
Yes, that's a fair point. Just running 120 V @ 12 A, I've scorched several sockets due to poor internal wiring. I'd definitely want an electrician's blessing on any other equipment in the system.
@@newscoulomb3705 To be fair, it used to be worse on the older chargers that came with the Volt. Especially the 2011 where you couldn't tell the car to charge at 8amps. It was all 12amp all the time.
The plug will not get any more or less warm running it at 240V, as the heat is caused by the current passing through the connector, not the voltage it's operating at. With this adapter trick, the EVSE is still running the same 12 amps you can do at 120V, so no change there.
ALLWAYS USE A HEVY DUTY EXTENSION CORD "12gauge it's printed on the side of the wirer" and even a 12g extension cord will get warm over hours. I prefer the flat profile type to deal with door thresholds and to minimizes tripping hazards. It's the Amps! not the volts that are mostly responsible for the heat.
It’s the exact same EVSE they provide to their European sales. It’s meant to be fully capable of running at 240v. They just don’t want the liability, here, because the adapters can get you into trouble if you are dumb and plug something other than the Bolt into them.
Yeah, I'm not sure why GM chose to round up rather than show to the tenths of a kW. Part of the reasoning is that I don't think they intended the display to be used for tracking exact kW. This is really the driving screen, that's more focused on power traveling through the motor. I do think they need to update the power flow screen to show that type of data.
That's one of the first things I noticed and also annoyed me the first time I got in my mother's Bolt EV. Really wish that display had at least 0.1kW resolution for charging, Also wish that an EVSE actually designed for 100-250V input range was labeled as such instead of inducing people into buying a whole new cable just to get a different plug and label. A modular cable for the socket plug to avoid stacking adapters would be nice too, then you'd only need to buy the relevant ones for the places you charge at for $40-70 each without worries.
I learned some things. I don’t speak anything electric. I still don’t know if I can plug in a level 2 charger directly into my dryer outlet ? Do I need the adapter to do that? I don’t want to charge and dry clothes at the same time.
I tried this exact set up with my EVSE. When I plug it into the 14-50 both the red and green lights in the EVSE light up briefly and then shut down. The EVSE part number is listed as 240v adaptable. I wonder why it’s not working??
One point I would like to make. I hope the adaptor is internally fused at a lower rating. While the EVSE I believe has an internal 20A fuse anything upstream of the EVSE is protected only by the 40A circuit breaker which in a fault condition could be messy at the adapter. I do like the idea of GM providing a higher power EVSE with their cars (especially Cadillac and Hummer). They could sell it with multiple adapters and the EVSE would automatically sense the adapter and the allowable current rating. NEMA 5-15 12A (standard wall outlet), NEMA 14-30 24A (dryer plug), NEMA 14-50 32A (stove plug).
Chevrolet Bolt is still the best EV you can buy at any price! After all, GM was way ahead of the EV game with the release of the 1990s EV1!
The EV1 was GM's learning experience. When they designed the Volts they seem to have put in extra effort to make things right. I've owned three of them and still have two... A 2013 and a 2019. The most dependable cars I've ever had, and I've owned at least 20 cars. (I'm 70.)
@@utah133 I've known people with Volts, great cars! I'm older than you and I have had a lot of cars in my life, my favorite - Bolt.
VOLT Gen1 was the best of all. very well made and doesnt give trouble.
Well Harry, apparently you do not own a Bolt. I own a Bolt and let mw tell you, it's a an ok city car and that's it. I will not list all the b.s. that you get with this car cause I'd have to spend half an hour typing and I type fast. But, for city driving it's ok, and the price (assuming you can find a dealer that will sell it for msrp) is goos enough for me to sell my bolt and get another one next year. Mine's 2017.
Great information. It should also be noted that charging efficiency is increased at 240v. The AC-DC converter gains a few % more efficiency over 120v. Even if 120v was all you needed for your daily commute, it would be worthwhile charging at 240v if you already have these adapters and outlet available.
I found this video about a year ago and purchased these two adapters. I’ve been charging my Bolt inside my garage using the EVSE that came with my Bolt since then plugged into my dryer outlet with no issues at all. Works perfectly. I normally drive about 40 miles per day but once a month I take a long trip and arrive back home with 50 to 70 miles of range left. Charger works great in dryer outlet and chargers quite a bit faster than plugging into a 110 outlet at 12 amp setting. Thanks for posting this video. I figured I’d need to buy a level 2 charger and have it installed but thanks to this solution you saved me quite a bit of money and my 2021 Bolt is fully charged every morning. I charge to 100% every day and car stays plugged in continuously. I only unplug when I’m driving. Car has 36,000 miles and I’ve always charged to 100% daily. Car always garages when home. Smart smoke detector installed above car in garage just to be safe. Car still has original battery. Fully charged usually shows 226 to 245 miles.
Awesome to hear! I'm glad this helped.
When I went to buy a back-up charger for my Bolt, I found a charger on Amazon from Duosida that, like the Bolt charger, can charge at either 120vac or 240vac, but the Duosida charger can deliver 16amps at 240vac - that's 3.8kW!. It's a lot cheaper than getting another Chevy charger and it actually comes with a NEMA 6-20 plug and an adapter cable to the standard NEMA 5-20 (120vac) plug. I have been using it to charge from my off-grid PV system and have been very pleased, particularly when I need a quick boost.
I bought a Duosida also and am happy, but I run it at lower 9 amp setting since I use extension code.
@@Milhouse77BS Probably not a good idea unless it's an extra heavy duty extension cord.
Yes, not normal extension cord. I use 12 gauge Arctic cable
Can you provide a link?
I'v had my EVSC operating at 240v now for around two years. I've found that when the ambient air reaches around 105 deg., the unit will get too hot and shut down.
Just something to think about.
OpenEVSE , save money on your level 2, and I enjoyed the put it together package.
When I got the BoltEV in 2018, I knew the 12A 120V would charge about 45 miles of range from when I got home until when I leave for work. My commute is almost exactly 40 miles round trip. So, I bought a 50A Clipper Creek charger. It's more than the BoltEV can consume, but my next EV might be able to use it. BTW, it charges at about 25 miles of range per hour of charging.
I took your advice and it works great! I have the Nema 6 - 20R already installed in my garage, bought a 6 - 20P and with some heavy gage wire and a KB-2NF-1R to plug my EVSE into it works. My Bolt recognizes the connection as Level -2 and cuts my charge time in half which is all I really needed. Thank you for this tip and this video. Really helped me out a lot!
How many kws does it show when charging?
Mine only shows 3kw
Just wondering if yours is the same or not
Thanks
This was a very helpful video and worked great for me. I spent $10 on a 20 amp short extension cable. Cut off the male end. And wired it up to a $10 14-50 male plug (both at Amazon). Could not be simpler. Roughly doubled my charge speed at my folks house (they had a 240v 14-50 plug in their garage).
I built and adapter cable to do this, and I did run into a faulty end from Home Depot. I was actually in the garage when it started to smoke - after over a year of use. I was able to unplug it and get a new, non-defective end and do it up again. Fortunately, the head on the EVSE itself did not melt.
I bought my Bolt new in 2017 and I used the stock charger on 240V right from the beginning. Works great, never had any kind of problem with it, and it saved me a few thousand bucks by not having to trench a higher capacity 240V circuit from my house to my detached garage.
I really like the new mobile adapter option for the Bolt EV/EUV. It's capable of 30 A at 240 V, so there's really no need for someone to buy a home charger.
I have this setup and it works well. Assuming you plug in every night, it gives a decent amount of range. Basically it charges about 50% in 12 hours. If you're religious about plugging in, this avoids having to buy a standalone charger
Good tip. I got one some time ago and it's in the car as a charging option when necessary. Inexpensive and provides more choices if needed. Also provides a low cost interim approach while you're considering whether you want an EVSE. Some peoples' daily mileage won't require anything more.
Yes, exactly. 60 to 80 miles, and you'd be covered. I actually put it under my false floor with the EVSE in case I need it when camping, so it's very mobile as well.
I did this with my Focus Electric as well. The older ones don't support 240v, but the newer ones do.
My ‘13 Focus Electric had a recall on the original L1 cord, but the replacement is exactly like the one shown in the video. Haven’t tried 240 volt though
@@AnalogueKid2112 the replacement one should definitely be ok.
Likewise thanks for the tip.... I replaced my stock EVSE that came with my Mini SE rated for only up to 10A with one that is rated for 16A. At 120V, it goes from 1.2kW up to 1.9kW. I know that that's not a lot, but that is already over 50% increase in charging speed. Just need to watch out for outlet circuits that are only rated for 15A or less....
Thank you. I just installed a 15 amp 240 volt in my garage. Charging is 13 hours sooner from 40% to 80% from 120v
Great tip... somehow I assumed you'd covered it already! But you're so right that often an overnight charge with this solution will cover the next day's mileage, without the need for a fancy 6-7 kW solution.
Good point. I assume a Bolt will charge on a 3kw duosida type evse?
oops I see that it does after watching the rest of the video
Bless you for using the proper term EVSE. By the way, you can multiply Amps times Volts to get the current.
I had a Nissan EVSE with a mod that let you crack up the Amps. After using it on 240V at 18A… it melted and ended up in the trash.
Amps times volts gives you the power. Amps is the current and watts is the power.
I just went 54 miles in my 2019 Volt, air conditioning on, 74 degrees, almost all 60mph. I have been using the 240V modified plug since I bought the car in January, it fully recharges my car in about 4 hours. Total spent was about $40 to wire 240V into a standard 120V plug. Most expensive part was an exterior “in-use” cover for $20. You didn’t mention the standard Nema plug has a temperature sensor in it, so you definitely want to leave that intact. I’m perfectly happy with my set-up and LOVE the Chevy Volt. It cost me $6 in gas to go 160 miles today....54 miles on all electric, charged at 4 cents kWh.
Yes, that's a good point about the temperature sensor. I guess I didn't expect so many naysayers about using this setup. If the socket temperature gets too hot, the EVSE shuts down automatically.
Seems pretty safe, but I like to be extra safe & cover myself legally (insurance), UL listed, used as directed. Got a connected charger for $300, UL listed.
I have previosly had a 120v charger plug weld itself to an extension cord.
It works fine as long as both legs are switched with a two pole contactor inside the charger. I modified two early first gen chargers for 240. Those had to be disassembled and the former neutral routed through the double pole contactor by changing a soldered jumper. Both old and new versions of the charger were designed to be easily manufactured for either voltage, since many countries use 240 V. as the standard household voltage.
For the last 3 years I made up 2 adapters,. A 3 prong 240V dryer plug to a 120V receptacle and a 4 prong 240V dryer plug to a 115V receptacle. I use the Volt 115V Volt EVSE cord with no problem. It gives about 10 miles per hour charge..
Many OEM evse's are capable of running at 240v. My Honda Clarity came with a evse made by Panasonic which was easy to convert without altering the evse. It's the same evse found in the Toyota Prius Prime and the Chrysler Pacifica PHEV. I bought a 10foot NEMA 6-20 extension cord off Amazon, chopped off the receptacle end and replaced that with a NEMA 5-20 plug. Used the same adapter that you show in your video that converts my NEMA 14-50 outlet to NEMA 6-20. Plug in my modified cable to the NEMA 6-20. Cost me about $40 in parts to make this cable (not counting the cost of the NEMA 14-50 adapter). On 240v, it will fully charge my Clarity battery in about 5.5 hours. It pulls about 11amps when in use.
I installed a level 2 charger on my driveway back in 2013 and the rebates more than covered the cost. We actually made money on the deal. Many utility companies offer all kinds of incentives to install 220v chargers at home. I paid $550 way back when, but the rebate crested over $1,100 from the LADWP. Check with you local utility company. Also convert your home to a Time-Of-Use Meter and charge during the off peak hours for a greatly reduced rate.
Starting with the 2018 Nissan Leaf, it comes stock with an adapter plug so you can use your 120V EVSE and plug into a 240V outlet. Stock. Included.
This is a great tip for an emergency or camping back up. I just purchased a 2021 Bolt Premier and this will live in the sub trunk space. I installed the Webasto TurboDX which seems to do a very good job. I think 9-9.5hrs will give you a full charge. I use location charging set for 12 amps and 85% capacity.
I just got 2KW 12Amp from my ecoflow delta! I already had the required adapter!
Very useful tip when going camping with our Bolt, since most trailer spots have a 240V outlet already.
Thanks!
⁰
I've made an adapter for my Bolt EVSE and it works fine with 240v. But I also have a 30A L2 EVSE at home (I got that when I had a Leaf). I have the Bolt adapter mostly as a backup, so I can charge faster than 120v if/when my other L2 goes out until I can get it repaired/replaced. Luckily, haven't needed it yet. (knocking on wood)
Yeah, the adapter is now just sitting in my trunk. It might come handy on camping trips, if I can access a NEMA 14-50 at an RV park.
That it’s correct, been a Volt user since 2012 and with a new 2018 that it’s the auto charger also for (2) more Bolts in the family. Additional I use free charging at work
I'm retired and don't drive my Bolt every day. I drive it cause I like it not to save money. I bought a 240v charger and installed it. But since I don't put heavy mileage on, l use the 120v charger the most. I just plug in when it gets to 30% and stop the next day sometime. As in the video you can get by just fine with the charger that comes with the car as long as you don't commute too far. My 240v charger is gathering dust.
The adapter is a great option. Don't think you absolutely need a 240v charger. Good info to have. Thanks.
Always use a qualified electrician. They understand the load(s) on an electrical system. VERY IMPORTANT!
rasp!!
I bought a bolt two weeks ago. They had actually allowed it to be almost completely discharged at the dealership so I had a quick introduction to the problems with charging at 120 volts. I am very comfortable with electrics so I ordered a 30 amp 240 volt charger on the parts to free up a double breaker space in my main panel. What you show will be great as an emergency travel kit but I would probably add in a big fat extension cord.
Why would you even accept that?
I have a Volt, and I always tell them to have it fully charged before I pick it up.
That’s insane on a Bolt, where you don’t have an engine for a back-up.
@@patrickflohe7427 I wanted the car to be bought in my wife's name and she couldn't get there until early evening. The salesman said he couldn't take a deposit and suggested I take it out for an extended test drive as a way of preventing another person from buying it. They have put rapid chargers in now.
For 12A I’d convert a standard outlet to NEMA 6-20R and just use the little adapter.
You generally only need a replacement receptacle and breaker. Just make sure it’s the only outlet in the circuit then connect hot/neutral to the new 220v breaker as hot phase 1/2… then replace the receptacle.
If you skip the last step you could use the EVSE without any adapter but you are asking for trouble. Fewer adapters is typically better but, well, wiring 220v into a standard outlet is asking for trouble. It’ll work but totally against code and someone will eventually plug something 120v into it.
The 220v outlet in the workshop I rent had a 120v receptacle. I didn’t know it was 220v until it fried my worklights. Stupid! I replaced it with NEMA 6-20R and made a pigtail for my AmazingE EVSE since I needed to pass it through a tiny hole to get outside anyway (assembled the plug/receptacle on either end after passing through).
The AmazingE Level 2 Portable EVSE I use looks exactly like your Bolt EVSE except it’s NEMA 14-30P, so it seems they are both rebranded Clipper Creek models. :) I don’t recall reading that mine is limited to 12A but that’s all the Volt will draw anyway, which is the car I’m charging.
Was thinking same thing. Scrolled down in comments to see if anyone else had thought of it…good explanation
This is very cool! I think this is a much better back up than just the level 1 alone.
I hear Gov. Newsom is going to add a new EV plan this week to the 2021 budget ...when the details come out can you talk about what you like or dont like about the plans?
I'll definitely look at Governor Newsom's EV plan. I'll try to make time to give my thoughts.
Very helpful, I’m just got a 2017 Bolt and will give this a cheaper option a try. I’m not liking the Chevy app though. Since my wife will be driving the most, I wish there was a better way to monitor its usage/status without having to come outside and sit in the car. I understand there is level 2 chargers that could help with that. Just haven’t made up my mind on a good one yet. Keep it up test pilot🤠
I just bought one last night. I'm going to try it but I will have to run a longer than optimal 220v extension cord from my dryer socket. I'm going to lose a lot of the power in the length. I don't know if it's a good idea or not
Why not just wire in a 110v 20a outlet to the dryer outlet? Seems a lot cheaper and cleaner. Would love someone to comment on this though. I am not an electrician but I have done some home wiring to code. I doubt this would be OK with code, but safe? Not sure
I've had the same juicebox for some 5 years but never really used it because it kept dropping the wifi connection but now with the new Bolt, the Bolt decides when and how to charge and the juicebox it always on so I"m glad to have it.
Ref your 120V setup--Seems to me you need a larger gauge wire. Also all of that extra length adds resistance. The same considerations apply with 240 V. Keep resistance to a minimum. I'll bet that 120V setup generates a lot of heat in the line.
the new Nissan LEAF includes a plug for 240 or 120. Like you mentioned this should be on EVery EVSE that comes with an electric car. Tesla of course does this with all their cars but recently in late 2020 only includes the 120 plug. You have to buy the 240 plug but they are easy to swap and don't cost much. I have an assortment of the different 240 plugs for just about every 240 outlet.
I just use a portable Duosida charger that I plug into my 240v dryer outlet for my Fiat 500e. It works great.
Nice video Eric, I had tried this trick a little while when I first got my Bolt also by using the 240v I have in my woodshop for certain tools. The other thing you mentioned early on but I didn't hear much later was the ability to use a dryer socket and thus avoid having to get an electrician to provide a 240 outlet. For that of course you would need a different adapter or make your own cord like I did 😉.
Would you recommend this set up for the outdoors because my charging area has no cover from rain or snow? I was also going to use this set up for camping which is also usually exposed.
@@Liefpj I would either recommend a a proper IPA rated charger or put a plastic bag over it if temporary.
Been doing this for 4 years with my Gen2 Volt and my 2019 Bolt.
thanks for posting this; i think the safer way to do this would be to rewire the evse with a 6-15 or 6-20 plug for use at 240v, and then have an adapter that converts it to 5-15p for when you want to use it with 120v. this way you never have a 5-15 receptacle with a hot neutral.
My electrician just upgraded my panel to 200 and is in business with a guy who sells EV chargers in Winnipeg. So I showed them this video as i thing I wanted to do and they said it was a fire hazard.☹️ I am on the fence yet again.
That's why I like the 1 that comes with the Leaf; I get both 1.4KW and 6.6KW! Adapter included.
it didnt "come with it"
the cost was added to the price of the Leaf
nothing is free
You da man! Just realized I had a 120/220v welder and the adapter plug is a 240 to 120v plug adapter so literally I just unplug my welder and plug in my charger and I'm good to go!!! Didn't even need to buy anything. Again thank you so much for making a video for this!
FYI the newer Bolts come with a 240V adapter included.
Yes, I saw that! I'm glad they started including that.
Another great video, thank you.
I'm an ev plug-in novice, and need all the info.
This is great info. nice instruction for those with only 120 at home like us. I had a second Leaf Panasonic charger modified to 120/240 in 2017, but just to carry and charge on a portable duel-fuel 240 generator (resistor added of course to fool charger when on gen. per youtube vid instruct hee hee).
We carried gen. mainly for fun with our fast range-declining 2012 Leaf (has the early weak 3300w onboard charger blah). Never saw above 2300w on 240 gen. but on home 15a 120 it charged only 1300w, so did increase a good 1000w, but we were also paying gas or propane price AND all the other ICE generator foolishness blah!
I had not seen anyone address in detail this simple but great mod. (I really do need to get out more 😷).
I called a guy in the Bay Area from eBay ad who suggested the simple mod back in 2017 along with the various adaptors for home, gen. plus RV parks etc. Spent about $450 in all shipped, charger also included.
Never really used set-up that much. Not too fun or even smart anymore running a dumb ICE generator for EV, but I was experimenting and learning and having fun trying to solve my range anxiety without buying a Tesla.
Bolt or Volt our next move.
You have to have 220v at home to do what the video is suggesting so it isn’t for people who only have 120v at home.
made this adapter with parts from Lowes
Excellent video
But I have a question.
Taking these chargers overseas, where frequency is 50 Hz. And chargers in USA use 60 Hz. Would that be an issue? Or frequency does not matter in these cases?
When I bought my 2019 Bolt, I picked up the OEM'ed charger from Aerovironment (GM Part # 19355504). I picked up this one specifically because it advertised it could do the extra 2A, for 32A. I also, not knowing a whole lot about the EV charging world at the time, wanted to have the "blessed" home charging unit from GM. So, if there were ever any charging issues and GM tried to jerk me around about a "unsupported charger", they wouldn't be able to.
The unit has worked like a charm ever since I installed it...HOWEVER - In retrospect, had I known more, I probably should have just bought a 30A charger at the time, as there were *WAY* more of those to choose from, and most of those used a NEMA 6-50 or 14-50P plug. With the GM-blessed Aerovironment, I had to hardware it, use 8 gauge wire because it was > 30A (10 gauge for ≤ 30A) and because my detached garage is not line-of-sight to the breaker box feeding it, I had to spend extra $$$ for a Hot Tub / Air Conditioner-style disconnect box and the corresponding 40A circuit breaker.
After it was all said and done, it was ~$500.00 for the 32A GM-blessed Aerovironment from Chevy's official accessory website, and another $300.00 in electrical materials to get it up and running. I live in an area where you aren't required to have work like this done by a licensed electrician, and I'm comfortable doing this kind of work... so I did it myself
Now - Why the hell did I just mention all of this lol? Well, first : I wanted to give some "real world insight" (like Eric does) about the costs for a 240A OEM charger. Second : Had I known that charger that was included with the 2019 Bolt could do 240A charging at 12A, in 90% of my personal situations that would have been adequate for my daily needs (~80 miles per day).
So, Eric - thank you for passing this message along to future / prospective buyers of the Bolt. Had this video existed in March of 2019, I probably would have saved myself $500.00 !
This is all so confusing and detail heavy 😵💫
Which one is more fun - Volt or Bolt? Coming from a Camaro, love how Chevy is building these good electrics
Without question, the Bolt EV. It's quicker and more nimble, though both the Bolt EV and Volt are both FWD, so their driving dynamics are different than AWD or RWD (like your Camaro). They're both still commuter cars, but the Bolt EV is a blast to drive.
@@newscoulomb3705 thank you. Ps. I enjoyed your Bolt Regen braking video, I love the idea of recapturing energy. Subscribed.
this video is 3 years old but I feel obliged to point out the one serious problem with plugging an 8 or 12 A rated 120V EVSE into a 240V dryer or oven outlet (they are the same).
Dryers and ovens are normally wired to 40A service, with 40A wires and a 40A breaker in the power distribution box in your house. If something goes wrong and there is a short or overcurrent in the dryer pulling 40A or more, the breaker will trip, and the AWG 10 or 12 gauge wire can handle the 40A.
But when you put an adapter on your 8 or 12A rated EVSE and plug it into a 240V 40A dryer outlet, the wires in your EVSE, and to its plug for your car, are only rated for 15A (AWG 14 or 16 wire). If something happens to the wire or the EVSE and it starts drawing more than 15A, when its plugged into a 15A breaker it will trip. If its plugged into a 40A outlet and breaker it will keep supplying up to 40A into your 15A wire and it will glow red hot like the wires in a toaster. This is how you burn your house to the ground.
IF you want to plug your stock EVSE into 240V, you must wire a proper outlet with the correct 15 or 20A breakers in the power distribution panel. If your only source of 240V is a dryer or oven 40A outlet, you must put together a 20A breaker or fuse in the adapter/outlet box or use a 240V outlet that has a built in 20A breaker for the plug going to your EVSE.
No exceptions.
I'm confused by this statement. The EVSE will only accept 12 A from the socket. Are you saying that when I plug a 120 V 5 A device into a 120 V 15 A socket, I need to install 5 A circuit breakers in the panel?
Yes, if you put a 30 A load on a 20 A circuit, you can encounter issues, but I've never heard the opposite. The breaker protects the wiring of the house, not the devices that are plugged in.
@@newscoulomb3705 All devices made for 120V use a 16AWG wire, that can surge up to 22A without overheating. A table lamp for example that was designed for a 100W bulb would only draw 0.8A from 120V, but the wire on the lamp, the plug, the bulb socket can all handle 22A without catching fire. If something sharp falls on the cord for the lamp and shorts the wire, if it draws 16A the 15A circuit breaker in the service panel will trip, before the wire can get hot.
If something falls on the wire and partly shorts it, the wire can sit there and draw 14A all day long without starting a fire - and this is for a light fixture intended for only a 100W bulb.
Your OEM EVSE is designed to handle 8 or 12A, and likewise it is only equipped for plugging into a 15A receptacle and circuit breaker. If the wire going to the evse is cut or damaged, or something inside the evse fails and shorts, the wire can handle the 15 to 22A that its rated for and trip the 15A breaker in the service panel. Nothing gets hot enough to burn.
Now plug your OEM evse into an outlet that is on a 30A breaker (120, 240V... either way). If the cord or EVSE is damaged it can draw up to 30A and not trip the breaker, but wire will get hot at 18A, very hot at 25 A, start to glow red at 30A and the breaker will not trip in the service panel. This is because the wires and the plug are not heavy enough to handle 30A without getting hot.
This is why 15A and 20A 120V outlets are different, and 240V 20A, 30A, 50A... outlets/ receptacles are physically different, so you cannot plug a 15A device into a 30 or 50A supply that will easily burn up the wires if something goes wrong. Its not just the 120 vs 240V that matters, the max current the wire and plug can handle matters too.
@@kenwittlief255 You do realize that the devices themselves have fuses, right? If something cuts the cable and closes the circuit, it's likely going to cause a fire regardless of whether the wiring is rated for the full amperage of the circuit. That's why it's possible to have 5 A and 7 A (18 to 16 AWG) extension cables for NEMA 5-15P sockets; the load dictates the wiring size.
Budget motels in the USA very offend have a dedicated 208volt (sometimes 240volt) 16ampe outlet (nema 6-20/15 R) to run the heating/cooling unit. At 12a (208v) is 2.5 kilowatt so over 10 hours that 25kWh. ALLWAYS USE A HEVY DUTY EXTENSION CORD "12gauge it's printed on the side of the wirer" and even a 12g extension cord will get warm over hours. I prefer the flat profile type to deal with door thresholds and to minimizes tripping hazards. There are level 1 EVSEs that can handle 16a at 240v" that's 3.8kW".
Thanks for your video! Will be using this on my 2018 Volt.
RE: Cadillac Lyric. I suspect they’ll do what Ford (w Mach E) and Nissan (w 2nd gen Leaf) have done and include a portable EVSE that has a detachable NEMA 14-50 plug along with the standard 5-15
Yes, I hope they do. They really need to introduce that with the Bolt EV/EUV that should have 11 kW onboard chargers.
@@newscoulomb3705 good call from the future. I just bought a 2022 euv and it has that.
The 2022 bolt euv will come standard with 120 volt cord set and a 240 cord set
The car lies about charge levels. It rounds up. The oem evse clearly shows 1440 @120 volts. Rounded up it shows that as 2kw. At 240 volts you get double (2880 watts) showing 3kw..
Yeah, it's just estimating the charge rate.
I was inspired and tried this on my 2019 KIA NIRO EV 's supplied 120 volt /12 Amp EVSE. (Canada). I looked at the US site and it claimed this evse was 240 compatible. I bought a plug adapter which converted all European 220 volt plugs and the NEMA 5-15 plug to a NEMA 6-15 plug. The Niro display reported charging at 2.7 kW when the battery was at 68%. It's nice to have if I ever travel far away from home. 🤔 I still had to make another adapter for the 6-15P to a locking L6-20 plug as those are the only 20amp 240 outlets I have (in a barn) . Not sure I'd try this on a 6-50 welder outlet. I have a Bosch 40amp EVSE for that.
Mine broke i bought a security torx wrench and played with it then put it back together and it works again.
Hi Eric, Update, the new 2022 Bolts and 2023 Lyriq will come with a dual plug charger , so you can charge with 110v at 2kW or 220v at 7.2 kW charging. And they will install a 220v 40 amp outlet for you for free.
While this video made me smarter(thank you!)I am still a bit confused: I currently have 120 volt outlet in my garage, will this option work with my standard outlet or do I need to upgrade my standard outlet from 120 to 240? Many thanks in advance!
Thank you. The standard connector works with 120 V natively. The biggest issue with only charging on 120 V is that you'll only add about 40 miles of driving range per night, so it will take 2 to 3 days to fully charge a Bolt EV from empty. If you can install a 240 V outlet, then you could cut down your charging time significantly.
@@newscoulomb3705 thank you, NC! Okay, yes, I’ve experienced the slow charging by just plugging my charger(the one that came with my 2019 Bolt) in to my 120V outlet. I will call an electrician and get an estimate on bolstering my 120V outlet up to a 240V. Then I will shop for the adapter. Thanks again, this is a welcomed savings!
Great video - Keep a few things in mind. Volts x Amps = watts. So how many watts do we need to recover for a normal commute.
An advantage of using 240v over the stock 120v is the internal car chargers are around 5% more efficient at 240v. This is important for saving money and/or being green. So yes using your hack is absolutely awesome, and it doubles the charger speed it’s actually SLIGHTLY better than 2x faster and it saves you about 5%, so that could add up to a lot of savings.
Also, charging FASTER at night during off peak hours for areas with discounts (or like parts of Texas with free night time EV charging) you would really want to speed up the charging to get as much as possible during the time discount window.
If you do need to hire an electrician or do the work yourself, adding a NEMA 6-20 for the stock charging cable will be the easiest and least expensive option.
You sort of show it, but it’s worth pointing out, if your clothes dryer is in the garage you already have a 240v socket you could use. Look around, maybe someone already put a 240v outlet for a table saw, air compressor, golf cart, welder, etc.
Avoid expenses and Legacy Manufacturers in the same sentence??? I think you short circuited... 🤣🤣🤣🤣
They will SELL this adapter for $500 as an option for the Cadillac... 🤑🤑🤑🤑
For us, regular people, this video will really save a lot of money !!! Thank you ! 😎😎😎😎
Just bought my 2023 Bolt EV and it had what appears to be the same black box GM EVSE in the trunk. It also only have the permanent 110 VAC plug on it. However, the sticker only says 110, not 110/220 like many power bricks. Even though the EVSE only says 110, are you saying internal it is constructed for 220 as well?
That's odd. The 2023 MY in particular should come with a 240 V EVSE.
Yes, mine came with the wrong charger, It took me 5 phones. calls and 3 pictures to dealer to prove the wrong charger was in the trunk. They are ordering me the newer two pigtail Level 1/2 charger. I was just curious if I can plug this level 1 into the 220 outlet like in your video
@@newscoulomb3705
Thank you for the tip.
You're welcome!
Everyone I've spoken to says that if you run from the dryer outlet, you need to reduce from 30A to 24A. Otherwise you overload the circuit breaker and it could trip. Does/can the OE Chevy charger limit the voltage? Or do I need some sort of adapter to do this?
Generally, you only want to run a sustained load on a circuit at 80% or less than the circuit's rated capacity, which is where the 24 A limit on a 30 A plug comes from. This unit will only pull 12 A, though, because that is the current limit at 120 V or 240 V. The newer Bolt EVSEs can pull 30 A, though, so be careful with those.
Sounds like a great solution, but I only paid $350 for my level 2 charger (Grizzl-E Classic) excluding the 240-volt outlet installation in my garage. I could have charged from my dryer outlet which is only a few feet from the door separating my kitchen from my garage, but the door would be left ajar, raising my heating and AC cost, and unplugging the dryer to plug in the charger frequently would wear out the socket.
The Grizzle-E is a great EVSE. It has none of the bells and whistles that you don't need (wifi, bluetooth, programmability, digital display), and it's probably the most rugged and reliable EVSE on the market. My car supplies the programmability and display, and who really needs to remotely control an EVSE? The bells and whistles are only more things to go wrong. Keep It Simple Stupid. It's also reasonably portable. I can easily unplug it, remove it from its wall mount, and toss it in the back of my Bolt. I have adapters for my sister's house and my ex-wife's house neither of which have 14-50 outlets for their 240-volt circuit. The number of competing 240-volt outlets is crazy.
Great Vid. Just bought a 2021 Bolt Premier and this pig tail should come with the car. I will pick one up. Thanks!
News Coulomb-- I recently commented that your video says that some of the Bolt EVSE's will not accept 240 volts. I watched again and see that I missed the part where you said "this is for some other brands and the Chevy Volt." I stand corrected and have removed the comment.
I stated that some EVSE will accept 240 V, but yes, I can't validate each model or EVSE. The 2017 Bolt EV's EVSE has been demonstrated to be 240 V capable, so I demonstrated that. Before attempting this, though, I recommend confirming that capability.
Great video. I just bought a 2021 Bolt. While I find an electrician to hook up my 220 to my parking lot. I thought I would try this at a power outlet at my shop which is 220. My Bolt charges at 1kwh on 8 amps and 2kwh on 12 amps. I think I saw this in the video. But, what is the Charge rate when converted to 220? I think you said 3 or 4 kwh. I'm gonna run through your video again. :)
This is a great tip! But if you have a 240V plug already I would still buy a level 2 portable EVSE which is a lot cheaper than your JuiceBox, you can get full power and don't run into issues with adapters.
Question: Can I use the stock EVSE that came with Chevy Bolt at 127 volts? That's the voltage in Mexico.
I would ask an electrician, but the EVSE should throw an error if the power isn't usable. I know that my power isn't exactly 120 V, either, but I've never had a problem with it.
@@newscoulomb3705 Thanks. There are a lot of level 2 chargers in Mexico. But there are a few gaps where I'd have to rely on the 127 volt.
Interesting how you said you were running a 110v out off your balcony to the carport, Are you a renter? I want to do the same as my carport space is directly below (10ft) but the cord will run over (above head) the sidewalk between space and building.. I am not sure if this is legal in Sonoma Co. and I don't want to upset the landlord but 110v would be fine for me though.
I would suggest that you clear it with your landlord first (I did as well). I try to keep my extension cords a short run, and I was using a 15' 10/3 extension cord.
Hi there
The 15 amp very small plug that went into the 20 amp
End, did u get that at Home Depot or Lowe’s?
Also, on Saturday I’m going to pick up my 2019 Chevy bolt in Quebec and I live in Ontario. I will probably have to charge a little bit, are there any apps I need to download to be able to charge the car , is there anything that I need to know, I’m guessing they will take a credit card?
There’s not many videos about public charging the car
Thanks
Chad
Some 240V chargers on Amazon can similarly run on 120v as well... AmazingE Fast comes to mind. The good ones will automatically adjust how much current they advertise to the car.
It's a switch mode supply, most can use 240v
Really great advice. Well done.
valuable! still true in Sept 2022? does this void any warranties?
Thanks! I haven't tested the newer EVSE, so of course, proceed with caution. The only warranty it might void would be for the EVSE itself.
Hello, thanks for the informative video. I ordered the two parts you listed in the description. Can you recommend a 50ft or more extension chord that would be compatible with the set up? I’m afraid to purchase something that is not compatible and mess something up. Thanks
You're welcome! I wouldn't recommend an extension cord. In fact, GM specifically recommends against using an extension cord at all with the EVSE.
If you do decide to use a 50' extension cord, I recommend researching one that can support 12 A sustained current over 50'. Even 10/3 might be too small.
@@newscoulomb3705 I'm running the 12a 120v stock EVSE at the end of a 100' 10/3 extension cord and it's working fine. However, after an all night charging session the cord is warm... not hot... warm, so this proves the gauge and length of the cord is at it's limit. I wouldn't hesitate a 50' 10/3... One thing though, make sure the extension cord plug is heavy duty. It does get pretty warm and it does not have the heat sinking ability of the socket (my socket is in a metal box)... Things to think about.
Wow, and this is completely safe to do? That is so cool, I wonder why GM didn’t mention that the EVSE was wired in that way.
Because they had a 240v one for sale for about $600, they want you to buy that, not use the one that comes with the car.
GM uses the exact same adapter for their sales overseas (Europe) where normal house main power runs at 240v. It’s rated and certified for 240v use... in Europe.
Here in the US they didn’t want to spend the money on the extra certification for 240v use, and more importantly, it’s possible to hook something up wrong to the adapter and cause damage (to the other stuff, not the Bolt), and GM didn’t want the liability concerns if someone did something stupid.
So it’s not technically supported, yet works just fine. And if someone does something dumb, GM can easily say “hey that’s not a supported use so it’s not our fault”.
0:55 “It was literally plugged into the same socket as my TV”
GM’s own Volt instructional videos say to use a GFCI with no other devices plugged in on the same circuit. You can’t have anything else plugged into the circuit because the Volt draws very near the 15A maximum when set to 12A and even that alone is known to melt outlets with a poor connection. That is the reason you have to manually override from 8A after an update. If you have anything else plugged into the circuit it is very easy to cross the 15A maximum rating and trip the breaker.
I’ve actually melted a GFCI outlet using the Volt EVSE with nothing else plugged in. The outlet didn’t feel loose but there had to be a high resistance connection because it totally melted at 12A.
First, I didn't say that they were plugged in at the same time (they weren't), and second if you're getting singed sockets, it's because of a loose/corroded contact in the socket. GFCI wouldn't help. The EVSE won't even operate on a circuit without a ground, and it will let you know whether it's adequate.
@@newscoulomb3705 I simply said what you didn’t about sharing a circuit in case anyone got the wrong idea. The reason I mentioned GFCI is because GM says it is required and few would have that for their home theater. I never suggested it had anything to do with preventing singed receptacles.
Though it sounds like it’s from a specific dealer, “2014 NEW 2013 Chevy Volt charging basics Mike Savoie Chevrolet” is an instructional presentation from GM for owners which specifically says to use GFCI.
I am aware that singed outlets are typically blamed on loose connections which is why I said it didn’t feel loose but there had to be a high resistance in there anyway… probably loose wiring inside. I was a renter so I did not install that receptacle. It was GFCI, in the garage, and had no other outlets sharing the breaker, so it was seemingly ideal… until it melted. I only used it until I got an extension for the 220v stove outlet to my AmazingE portable portable EVSE (looks identical to yours). Eventually I installed my own NEMA 14-30R with permission from the property owner but I only got to use if for a few months before the house was destroyed in a tornado. This is why I’m now forced to charge at my rented workshop as mentioned in my other comment.
@@emmettturner9452 Yes, I should have been more clear. My intent was to illustrate that a standard 15 A circuit will charge a Volt overnight. That was the first I had heard of a GFCI requirement, though I know that a ground is required. We have an outdoor receptacle with a dead ground lead, and the EVSE won't even activate on that circuit.
@@newscoulomb3705 I did some more research and it seems that the National Electric Code was updated a few years ago to require GFCI for any EVSE outlet, but not a hard-wired wall-mounted EVSE. Because you can’t buy a GFCI NEMA 14-30, 14-50, or 6-50 socket, it means you have to have an expensive GFCI breaker that costs over 10x as much as a normal breaker. Yikes! Luckily, several localities have exempted this part of the NEC.
Personally, I think a tight connection is more important than GFCI since the outlet has to meltdown and happen to short to ground before GFCI can do anything anyway. 220/240v should be significantly less likely to melt an outlet at 12A than the same amperage at 120v.
@@emmettturner9452 Yes, I've seen that update to the NEC, but apparently, there's a lot to it. It appears that a NEMA 14-50 that's inside a dwelling doesn't require a GFCI, and some EVSE specify under their UL listing that they are not to be used on GFCI circuits, which apparently supersedes the Code. I'd defer to whatever a local, licensed electrician advises.
A very good option, the added caveat would be not using a standard 120v 3 wire extension cord to prevent the possibility of a fire or someone accidently using the 240 source cord for a 120 device 😀
Good god man, get on with it! 2:45 is when this video gets good
You sound like Dr. McCoy, "Bones", from Star Trek, love it!!
@@6855mike it sounds like I was possibly impatient and perturbed when I wrote that, tho I can’t for the life of me remember why. 2:45 seconds is hardly nothin’ to wait for a video ultimately worth commenting on in retrospect
Thanks Eric. Good basic info for people just starting their EV journey. Would it help to add a link for your adapter?
Thanks, Tom! I can add a link in the description. I didn't want to get too prescriptive, though. It's really something I would want EV owners to research or consult an electrician for if they aren't comfortable.
@@newscoulomb3705 Thanks. The reason I mentioned it is I've seen a few requests on the forums or where to buy adapters. But yeah, you have to be careful how you use one.
I charged my Volt and Tesla Model 3 for about 2.5 years with this exact setup. Volts charger is fantastic because the cord is so long and can reach anywhere. The Tesla charger by comparison is bulky, heavy and short. Not sure why Chevrolet doesn't promote this hidden feature.
And I mean I had the 240V at 12amp setup! Great video!
I love my Bolt EV.
I bought this from the links you've provided, and I think the link for the 120V adapter is likely incorrect. Is anyone else having this issue? I think the 120V adapter needs to be a n6-20r to 5-15p adapter if I'm not mistaken. The one you've linked goes in the other direction. Thanks as always for the helpful information.
The links should be for exactly what I demonstrated in the video. I'll double check later, but the 5-15 is the female.
I have an N620R plug in my shop wall for welding. The breaker is 50Amp. I have a Grizzle charger with the male "dryer plug". If I put an N620r on the Grizzle what do you think my charge rate will be? I know to run this the 250 feet to my parking lot, I'm going to need 6 gauge wire. But, this is just an experiment. :p
HOWdy N-C, ...
Thanks = Great TIP
COOP
...
That stock EVSC will wind up like pigs tail, slinky in no time putting 3k through it. It's only 12 awg if I'm not mistaken.
Wire gauge cares more about current than voltage. It's still restricted to the same 12 A, so the stress on the EVSE would be the same at 240 V as it is at 120 V.
Personally speaking I don't think I'd be comfortable pushing 220/240v through the stock charger for extended periods of time. I've noticed that on mine the plug itself and the cord running from the EVSE to the J1772 can get quite warm.
Yes, that's a fair point. Just running 120 V @ 12 A, I've scorched several sockets due to poor internal wiring. I'd definitely want an electrician's blessing on any other equipment in the system.
@@newscoulomb3705 To be fair, it used to be worse on the older chargers that came with the Volt. Especially the 2011 where you couldn't tell the car to charge at 8amps. It was all 12amp all the time.
The plug will not get any more or less warm running it at 240V, as the heat is caused by the current passing through the connector, not the voltage it's operating at. With this adapter trick, the EVSE is still running the same 12 amps you can do at 120V, so no change there.
ALLWAYS USE A HEVY DUTY EXTENSION CORD "12gauge it's printed on the side of the wirer" and even a 12g extension cord will get warm over hours. I prefer the flat profile type to deal with door thresholds and to minimizes tripping hazards. It's the Amps! not the volts that are mostly responsible for the heat.
It’s the exact same EVSE they provide to their European sales. It’s meant to be fully capable of running at 240v. They just don’t want the liability, here, because the adapters can get you into trouble if you are dumb and plug something other than the Bolt into them.
Thank you
Weird that your car is getting 1.4 kW and it displays 2 kW. Can’t GM show a decimal? Dumbing down the data and rounding incorrectly?
Yeah, I'm not sure why GM chose to round up rather than show to the tenths of a kW. Part of the reasoning is that I don't think they intended the display to be used for tracking exact kW. This is really the driving screen, that's more focused on power traveling through the motor.
I do think they need to update the power flow screen to show that type of data.
That's one of the first things I noticed and also annoyed me the first time I got in my mother's Bolt EV. Really wish that display had at least 0.1kW resolution for charging, Also wish that an EVSE actually designed for 100-250V input range was labeled as such instead of inducing people into buying a whole new cable just to get a different plug and label. A modular cable for the socket plug to avoid stacking adapters would be nice too, then you'd only need to buy the relevant ones for the places you charge at for $40-70 each without worries.
I learned some things. I don’t speak anything electric. I still don’t know if I can plug in a level 2 charger directly into my dryer outlet ? Do I need the adapter to do that? I don’t want to charge and dry clothes at the same time.
Thank you!
You're welcome!
I tried this exact set up with my EVSE. When I plug it into the 14-50 both the red and green lights in the EVSE light up briefly and then shut down. The EVSE part number is listed as 240v adaptable. I wonder why it’s not working??
One point I would like to make. I hope the adaptor is internally fused at a lower rating. While the EVSE I believe has an internal 20A fuse anything upstream of the EVSE is protected only by the 40A circuit breaker which in a fault condition could be messy at the adapter. I do like the idea of GM providing a higher power EVSE with their cars (especially Cadillac and Hummer). They could sell it with multiple adapters and the EVSE would automatically sense the adapter and the allowable current rating. NEMA 5-15 12A (standard wall outlet), NEMA 14-30 24A (dryer plug), NEMA 14-50 32A (stove plug).
Even the 2022 Bolt EV and EUV are supposed to have an 11 kW onboard charger, so I definitely thing GM needs to develop a higher power mobile solution.