This page is specific to EVSEs and the Nissan Leaf. Go here for general EVSE info

General EVSE Info

• Comparison chart for current EVSEs, including ability to sort by price, cord length, max amps etc.
• Excellent list of usage scenarios to aid in deciding which EVSE to get, as well as information on “how to purchase”, and an extensive list of available EVSE’s.
• “Poll : What is your AV qoute ?” sic: poll of charge installation quotes from AeroVironment from MyNissanLeaf.com
• Nissan allows waiver to skip charging station install:
• Nissan allows waiver to skip charging station install (search within page for “waiver”).
• “…just call Nissan and ask for a waiver – several of us did that and were able to order without the charging dock.”
• “EVSE Home Assessment Reports”
• “EVSE Installation, Info and Cost Comparison Thread”. from MyNissanLeaf.com
• Another list of charger manufacturers, and list of best home ev chargers.
• Charge Station Locations
• Quick220, a quick way to have a 220/240V outlet.
  And why it won’t work with GFCI outlets.

The LEAF’s OEM EVSE (“Trickle Charge Cable”)

• The Leaf has a 110/120V trickle charge cable (“OEM EVSE”) that works with the onboard charging system Nissan Leaf FAQs, at nissanusa.com. Here is a pic of the OEM EVSE’s label, showing the manufacturer as Panasonic, and a current draw of 12A.
  
• The OEM EVSE would only work on a grounded outlet. It tests the outlet and if it’ not grounded, the green “READY” light will blink and it will not enable charging.
  If the OEM EVSE will not charge, you can try using a GFCI outlet tester or a receptacle tester to test your outlet(s) to identify issues such as being ungrounded, hot/neutral reversed, etc.
• Some recommend to not use a GFCI outlet to with the OEM EVSE because the the GFCI breaker may trip, due to a slight amount of leakage current in the car. If that happens, charge on a non-GFCI grounded 120V outlet.
  Leviton makes a GFCI outlet designed specifically for charging EVs.
• The OEM EVSE’s cable consists of 3 12 AWG (American Wire Gauge) conductors and one 18 AWG conductor. As such, if used with an extension cord, the extension should also have at least 12 AWG conductors. Here is a close-up of the cable, showing the number and size of its conductors:
  
  Here is a table showing amperage rating (“ampacity”) of wire sizes in AWG.
• Interchangeability between LEAF’s OEM L1 EVSE, GM Volt’s OEM EVSE, and Blink L2 EVSE Interwiki: mnl++:
• LEAF OEM L1 EVSE charges Leaf, not Volt.
• Volt OEM L1 EVSE: Charges both cars.
• Blink L2 EVSE: charges both cars.
• Leaving Nissan OEM EVSE always plugged in:
• “three months, no problems”
• Plugged in “using an appliance extension cord” for four months so far.

EVSE Manufacturers

General Information

• List of some charger manufacturers.
• Another list.
• evseupgrade.com can modify your stock 110V L1 EVSE to also work on 240V: send in your stock 110V L1 EVSE and they will modify it and send it back, for a fee. (The service’s “proprietor” is a member of the mynissanleaf.com forums; he has written an extensive description and explanation of this modification; the original forum thread is here.) After modification, the OEM EVSE can charge at 2.88 kW on 240V, versus at 3.3kW at 120V with a “normal” 240V EVSE (for instance, an AeroVironment EVSE).
  Be aware that the modification changes the stock Nissan EVSE’s three-prong NEMA 5-15 plug into a NEMA L6-20 twist lock plug. You will need to order the optional “NEMA 5-15P (Edison) plug to L6-20” adapter to charge on 120V. Yet another forum member offers plugs for use with the modified EVSE.
• As of Oct 2011, as many as 15% of the US’s 7000 LEAF owners have had their OEM EVSE modified by evseupgrade.com.
• Accounts of use of this mod:
• Use and outcome. Interwiki: mnl++
• Works properly on 30A 240V outlet and on 20A 120V non-GFCI outlet as well as on 110V/120V GFCI outlets. Interwiki: mnl++
• Some questions and answers about this mod from the seller. Interwiki: mnl++
• Open EVSE is a DIY system capable of supporting charging up to the maximum L2 rate of 80amps. It is an Open software/hardware project hosted on the open-evse Google Project page Interwiki: mnl++
• Open-EVSE Forum support page under EVSE – Charging Equipment Interwiki: mnl++
• Horror stories with EV-Charge America’s EV2104 Interwiki: mnl++

Manufacturers

• AeroVironment chargers
• Blink Level II Wll Mount Charger
  Bad experiences with Blink EVSE’s:
• Another Blink malfunction: “black screen, no timer”
• “I have asked my Blink EVSE to be removed”
• “Power Fault error – big red screen”
• Clipper Creek CS-40
• Coulomb Technologies CT500 Level II Residential Charger
• ECOtality chargers
• General Electric WattStation
• Leviton evr-green
• Schneider Electric

EVSE/Charging Issues/Problems

• During Level 1 charging (120V), the battery coolant bubbles, “like a teakettle”, thought battery temperature seems normal. The coolant overflow tank is full and the coolant is “quite hot”. Neither fans were running.
  Dealer “properly got the air out of the HV coolant system (inverter, charger, and motor)“. No fault codes were registered. The car was then charge on L2 for about an hour without exhibiting the symptom. However, the problem persists.
  Finally, dealer determines that “Junction Switch in Battery Control Module failed”; it’s replaced. Problem solved.
• Nissan/AV L2 EVSE not charging Interwiki: mnl++: AeroVironment EVSE won’t charge car.