Using the 120V included charger

[Perfesser]

Three questions, one bordering on silly:

I completed my first charge, using the included 120V molasses pipe. Yes, it was slow. I took the 8 amp option because I did not know the condition of the wiring (other than the fact that it is a 20 amp circuit) and because the manual made it sound like taking the 12 amp option was reckless. Can anyone comment on the safety issue?

Sillier question: Any tips on coiling that #@&%! cord? I'd like to keep it in the car but the cargo well was not designed for easy access.

No one seems to want to talk about the included 120V charger. There are a few of us with brand new Bolts, who have not yet arranged for a 240V charger. And there are also a few who think the included charger is sufficient for their needs. And there are a lucky few (moi included) who have a public charging station at the end of the block, courtesy of the West Coast Electric Highway. Does anyone have comments on the usability or cost of this network?

Thanks. I was able to get answers to my other newbie questions by searching the forum. If these topics have been covered, I missed them.

 

[sgt1372]

Three questions, one bordering on silly:

I completed my first charge, using the included 120V molasses pipe. Yes, it was slow. I took the 8 amp option because I did not know the condition of the wiring (other than the fact that it is a 20 amp circuit) and because the manual made it sound like taking the 12 amp option was reckless. Can anyone comment on the safety issue?

Sillier question: Any tips on coiling that #@&%! cord? I'd like to keep it in the car but the cargo well was not designed for easy access.

No one seems to want to talk about the included 120V charger. There are a few of us with brand new Bolts, who have not yet arranged for a 240V charger. And there are also a few who think the included charger is sufficient for their needs. And there are a lucky few (moi included) who have a public charging station at the end of the block, courtesy of the West Coast Electric Highway. Does anyone have comments on the usability or cost of this network?

Thanks. I was able to get answers to my other newbie questions by searching the forum. If these topics have been covered, I missed them.

If you have a 20 amp circuit, I don't see any problem using the 12 amp option. if there's an overload, the circuit breaker should handle it and then you'll know if the circuit is up to the job or not.

Are you also using the 120v charge cord elsewhere? If not, why not just leave it in your garage for use when you get home rather than coil it up for storage in the trunk? If you must store it in the trunk and have the false floor, I'd just put in under the false floor above the lower cargo well.

Don't know anything about the West Coast Electric Highway "network."

There are 9 free ChargePoint chargers located about 3 miles from my house and 2 not free EvGo DCFC chargers less than a mile away as well but the ChargePoint location is too far away and the EvGo location is too costly. So, I installed a Clipper Creek L2 charger in my house instead.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Just to keep the meanings clear: the GM charging cable with the "brick" attached is an "EVSE" or "charging cable." The actual charger is built into the car. The only things an EVSE does are to make sure the connection is safe, and that it is grounded. It feeds house AC current (either 120 or 240 volts, or 208 volts in some commercial setups) to the onboard charger, which charges the pack. DC Fast Charge uses a separate connection to bypass the onboard charger and charge the pack directly, with 400+ volts of direct current.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Sillier question: Any tips on coiling that #@&%! cord? I'd like to keep it in the car but the cargo well was not designed for easy access.

Not a silly question at all. Most people don't coil cords the right way, leading to twists, tangles, and in some cases broken internal wires (mostly in more delicate cables). Here is a great video of how to do it right. It applies to your EVSE cord the same as the audio cable he uses. Since I've switched to this method, my cables stay neat, clean, and under control.

https://youtu.be/pEd7ru24Vx0

 

[SparkE]

Three questions, one bordering on silly:

I completed my first charge, using the included 120V molasses pipe. Yes, it was slow. I took the 8 amp option because I did not know the condition of the wiring (other than the fact that it is a 20 amp circuit) and because the manual made it sound like taking the 12 amp option was reckless. Can anyone comment on the safety issue?

Sillier question: Any tips on coiling that #@&%! cord? I'd like to keep it in the car but the cargo well was not designed for easy access.

No one seems to want to talk about the included 120V charger. There are a few of us with brand new Bolts, who have not yet arranged for a 240V charger. And there are also a few who think the included charger is sufficient for their needs. And there are a lucky few (moi included) who have a public charging station at the end of the block, courtesy of the West Coast Electric Highway. Does anyone have comments on the usability or cost of this network?

Thanks. I was able to get answers to my other newbie questions by searching the forum. If these topics have been covered, I missed them.

1) If you already have a grounded 240V socket in your garage (say, for an electric dryer) then you can create a custom 'pigtail' for the EVSE delivered with the vehicle and plug it into the 240V socket - the provided EVSE is 240V-ready and will charge twice as fast on 240V (240V x 12A = 2.8 kw). Most people don't need more than that, unless they routinely drive over 100 miles a day, or a series of back-to-back 120-mile-days. 2.8kW plugged in for 10 hours is about 28 kWh, or 100-ish mile range (more, actually). Don't take my comment as encouragement to use your EVSE on a 240V socket : only YOU can decide what is safe. It's not my fault if you think it is safe and it isn't. (Yes, that is a 100% CYA comment.) I have heard tell that regular contributors to this site have been using the stock EVSE at 240V for months now with no negative consequences.

2) Use PlugShare {PS} to see what the charging network near your house and work are like. PS entries generally describe prices and give a good indication of reliability and availability of individual locations. I used PS to find *free* charging locations near me (there are quite a few, actually lucky for me). Since ChargePoint stations don't provide real-time availability via PlugShare, I use both PS and CP apps : PS to find out where ALL charging spots are (even those that aren't integrated into any networks at all) and CP to locate "open" charging spots right now (when I need a charge). Depending on the details of you "West Coast Electric Highway" stations, it may be cheaper to charge there than at home (only you can easily figure out the kWh prices at home and the closest stations).

 

[Perfesser]

Thanks to everyone who responded.

I knew that the EVSE would accommodate 240V, but I don't have a convenient source for that voltage. I would need some electrical work done. (There are 220 circuits in the house, though.) The question for me is, if I only need a Level 2 charge occasionally, am I better off driving to the nearby charging station and walking home (2 blocks) while the car is charging? In my area of the Oregon coast, all of the "West Coast Electric Highway" stations are owned by Aerovironment. The cost is $4 for a Level 2 charge and $7.50 for a Level 3 charge. My first Level 1 charge put about 80 miles of range into the car and cost me about $1.50. That makes $4 (regardless of charging time) sound pretty reasonable.

Thanks for the PlugShare tip. I had looked at the site months ago but I had forgotten its name. I will get the app.

The cord coiling video was also helpful. I knew that some coiling methods are bad, but I did not have a reliably good technique. When I asked the question, I was time trying to get the EVSE, with coiled cord, into the styrofoam bin under the cargo area. I later realized (thanks, Sarge) that there was no good reason to keep it in the car, so I mounted it on the wall today and, just now, coiled the cord about three times until I was sure I had the technique.

One new question: many folks talk about the SOC. Based on the miles shown on the IP display, I can do the math, but . . . is there a display setting that shows the SOC as a percentage? Or do I need an app for that?

 

[SparkE]

{...} if I only need a Level 2 charge occasionally, am I better off driving to the nearby charging station and walking home (2 blocks) while the car is charging? In my area of the Oregon coast, all of the "West Coast Electric Highway" stations are owned by Aerovironment. The cost is $4 for a Level 2 charge and $7.50 for a Level 3 charge.

It sounds like the cost is $4 for any length of time or any amount of electricity (i.e., it's a connection fee) so the public level 2 charge could be the way to go (depending, of course, on your usage patterns). If you rarely drive over 50 miles a day (or 'know' that you will drive less than 50 miles tomorrow, for example) then you just wait until your car gets down to about 90-100 miles of range (maybe 40% SoC) and plug in at the Level-2 charger for the evening. 30-40 kWh for $4 is pretty cheap for electricity. If you pay $0.10/kWh at home , then 40 kWh/$4 (over 6 hours?) is the same price. If you pay .15/kWh at home, then 26.5 kWh (?over 4 hours?) would be about the same price. Or just leave it parked there overnight (if it's safe). And that doesn't even count the cost of buying a level-2 charger, or paying an electrician hundreds to pull a new line and install a new breaker. Does your electricity cost more or less than 10 cents/kWh where you live? Do you have 'tiers' of usage (once you go past a limit, you pay more for electricity). Do you already have 'time of use' billing (costs less if you charge at night)? All questions to help you decide if it is cheaper to charge at home or 2 blocks away. Plugging in at 12 amps/120V will give you about 1.4 kW charging rate, so if you plug in for 12 hours at home, you'd add about 16 kWh overnight - 64 miles or so of range. If you need to add more electricity (or it's cheaper) just park it 2 blocks away when you get home and go pick it up 6 hours later before going to bed (probably adding 36 kWh or so during that time). Seriously, if you have public level 2 charging stations 2 blocks away that are generally available, you most likely do NOT need a level 2 charger at home (unless you often drive over 100 miles a day - or it rains a lot - then it might be sort of a drag). Anytime you need > 30 kWh, you plug in down the block for 5 hours, otherwise you just plug in at home. It also looks as if you can sign up for 'unlimited charging' at the AV (AeroVironment) stations for $20/month. Do you think you'll use the AV level 2 chargers at least 5 times a month?

{...} One new question: many folks talk about the SOC. Based on the miles shown on the IP display, I can do the math, but . . . is there a display setting that shows the SOC as a percentage? Or do I need an app for that?

There are 20 little 'bars' on the screen that shows how full the battery is (that cylinder thingy with green bars) - each bar is 5% of capacity. So you can see SoC at any time that is on the display. Also, the OnStar app (or the myChevrolet smartphone app) will show you % of SoC as well.


PS : you probably want to set the "90% hilltop reserve" mode option, which will stop charging your battery at about 90% SoC. It is rumored to be good for battery longevity to not ALWAYS be charging to 100% and sitting at 100% SoC for long periods of time, especially when temps are high. If you rarely drive over 200 miles in a day, you might as well set it. Unless you need the extra 25 miles range ...

PPS : A quick look in plugshare at what is available on the OR coast (along US-101) show that all the level 3 chargers appear to be CHAdeMO - the Bolt has a CCS/SAE/Combo socket for fast charging, not a CHAdeMO socket. Now, if you have a neighbor with a LEAF (or any Asian EV with CHAdeMO) you might be able to talk them into splitting the cost of an unlimited AV monthly subscription, since a single CHAdeMO charge is worth $7.50 ...

 

[gbobman]

Some people hang the cable with bungee cords to keep it from being underfoot. Similar to how an oil change outfit would do their tubing.

If you do use that method, be sure not to kink the cables or put too much weight on any one section of cable. You'd also want to keep any radius of bends as close to 0 as you can.

 

[Perfesser]

I've done the math, to the (limited) extent of my ability. Most of my daily usage will will be about 50-55 miles. Even using the Molasses Pipe EVSE, that usage can be replenished overnight. Our electric rates here are a pretty reasonable .0735/kWh. (Our power is mostly hydroelectric. There are no hourly variations in cost, so no reason to limit charging to certain time periods.) The Aerovironment charger down the street is usually available, so I am comfortable considering that to be my backup when I need a quicker charge and, at $4 per connection, I won't feel that I'm being chiseled. But I still don't think I would use it more than 5 times per month, so the monthly fee arrangement is not attractive. Also, it does rain a lot here, so walking to and from the charger in the rain is inconvenient, although Oregonians are used to rain. So my plan is to wait and see how my current arrangement works.

There are 20 little 'bars' on the screen that shows how full the battery is (that cylinder thingy with green bars) - each bar is 5% of capacity. So you can see SoC at any time that is on the display.

OK, so, per SparkE, I don't need to use to division to calculate the SOC. I only have to count bars and multiply by 5. With shoes and socks off, I can count to 20, so I should be good. Except that my passengers might prefer that I just get the app.

(There are three reasons you should not rely on a lawyer to do math. First, they are not trained for it. Second, they can't count.)

 

[GetOffYourGas]

You'd also want to keep any radius of bends as close to 0 as you can.

I'm pretty sure this is not what you mean. A radius close to 0 is basically pinching the cable. You want a large bend radius for less stress.

 

[gbobman]

You'd also want to keep any radius of bends as close to 0 as you can.

I'm pretty sure this is not what you mean. A radius close to 0 is basically pinching the cable. You want a large bend radius for less stress.

No, not a 0 degree radius, 0 radius, none. Straight. That isn't 180 degrees either.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

You'd also want to keep any radius of bends as close to 0 as you can.

I'm pretty sure this is not what you mean. A radius close to 0 is basically pinching the cable. You want a large bend radius for less stress.

No, not a 0 degree radius, 0 radius, none. Straight. That isn't 180 degrees either.

What is a circle with 0 radius? it's a point. What is a 90 degree turn with a 0 radius? It's a right angle. A larger radius is a gentler bend. And that's what you want for wires.

 

[SparkE]

There are 20 little 'bars' on the screen that shows how full the battery is (that cylinder thingy with green bars) - each bar is 5% of capacity. So you can see SoC at any time that is on the display.

OK, so, per SparkE, I don't need to use to division to calculate the SOC. I only have to count bars and multiply by 5. With shoes and socks off, I can count to 20, so I should be good. Except that my passengers might prefer that I just get the app.

It appears that the Bolt's display has convenient dividing lines at 25%, 50%, and 75%, so that you can keep your socks on and still estimate SoC :

 

[SeanNelson]

If you do use that method, be sure not to kink the cables or put too much weight on any one section of cable. You'd also want to keep any radius of bends as close to 0 as you can.

I suspect you mean that any bend radii should be as far from 0 as practicable...?

Edit: I see this has been discussed already. "Radius" is the distance from the centre of a circle to it's edge, so the smaller the radius, the tighter the bend. I think the word you were looking for was "curvature" rather than "radius".

 

[jeff3948]

There is an 80% rule using electric circuits. If you have a 15 amp circuit you can safely draw 12 amps continuously provided there is nothing else using that same circuit, so it should be able to handle the Bolt's 12 amp setting. Source: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/acad/elec/greenbook/3_basicdesigns.pdf

 

[PV1]

I haven't yet charged my Bolt, but my i-MiEVs both came with 8 amp cords. Painfully slow, even with the small battery. I had one cord upgraded to do 12 amps and either 120 or 240 volt charging. What a difference! 12 amps, even at 120 volts, charges considerably faster, almost 2x faster on the i-MiEV.

You want to be on a dedicated circuit, or at least make sure that no other major loads are on the same circuit as the car (no plug-in power tools, coffee makers, toasters, etc.) when charging the car. 12 amps will warm the plug a bit, but if anything gets hot, dial it back down to 8 amps.

Ultimately, if you plan on driving more than 60 miles a day, you'll want to invest in 240 volt charging. This can be as inexpensive as utilizing an existing welder or dryer outlet and having your cord upgraded (http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=31) or as expensive as getting a fancy pedestal charging station installed.

(I have no affiliation to EVSEUpgrade outside of being a customer. My i-MiEV cord has their upgrade and it works well, so I recommend it.)

 

[ghn]

Here is an adapter cord for $60:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/384390572/chevy-volt-chevy-bolt-ev-level-2-charge?utm_campaign=shopping_us_IdeaFab_sfc_osa&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_custom1=0&utm_content=11634913&gclid=CjwKCAjwzYDMBRA1EiwAwCv6JhgWXAISrqcpc1Tl9As_zsb-F8OvlS6HJCeAsB5POh8qflpg6SSF5BoC0V4QAvD_BwE

 

[gbobman]

Man that's expensive for $35 in parts...

 

[ghn]

Man that's expensive for $35 in parts...

It looks like these guys:
http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=31

are charging $199 to but a new plug on the end of the cord!

 

[gbobman]

It looks like these guys:
http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=31

are charging $199 to but a new plug on the end of the cord!

All you need is something like these (choose what you need for a plug end):
- https://www.amazon.com/General-Electric-WX09X10020-Wire-6-Feet/dp/B00MHOFTLM/
- https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Electric-YGA022F-Electrical-Receptacle/dp/B009FZZ790/
(no referrer links in these)

Just trim the cable to what you need.
Follow the details in http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?218442-2016-Volt-120v-EVSE-is-L1-L2-Conversion-Capable&p=3033402#post3033402
It's actually pretty easy since no soldering is required.