Leviton Level 2 Charger is a Phantom Power Drain

[murphy62]

I installed a Leviton level 2 plug-in charger in my garage in preparation for my Fusion Energi when it eventually is delivered. I measured the power it idles at and found that it is about 10 watts. Over a month that amounts to 7.3 kwh wasted. I modified the installation to have an on/off switch so it will only be turned on when needed. That's one less phantom power drain in my house.

[twintornados]

Was going to suggest just that....an override "true off" disconnect switch. You are thinkin' smart!

[murphy62]

I forgot to mention that the reason for the switch instead of just unplugging it is that a 6-20P plug takes a lot of force to remove and to connect. That got annoying after just two times of unplugging it. It is another solution if the force required doesn't bother you.

[akirby]

I forgot to mention that the reason for the switch instead of just unplugging it is that a 6-20P plug takes a lot of force to remove and to connect. That got annoying after just two times of unplugging it. It is another solution if the force required doesn't bother you.

 

Hadn't thought about a switch for a 220V line with 2 hot legs - how did that work? Do they make 220V switches with 2 legs or did you have to rig something up?

[murphy62]

Hadn't thought about a switch for a 220V line with 2 hot legs - how did that work? Do they make 220V switches with 2 legs or did you have to rig something up?

A double pole switch is available at Lowe's.

 

http://www.lowes.com/pd_89198-334-CSB220W_0__?productId=3569190&Ntt=double%2Bpole%2Blight%2Bswitch&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Ddouble%252Bpole%252Blight%252Bswitch&facetInfo=

 

The hard part is finding one rated for 20 amps. The vast majority of switches at Lowe's are 15 amp switches.

Edited February 14, 2013 by murphy62

[shaggy314]

Plus a electrical junction box (residential) to hold it...

[terryblauser]

Never use a single pole device in a two pole 240V circuit. You're asking for someone who believes it's off 'cause the switch says so to be given a possibly fatal shock. Not up to code either.

Edited February 14, 2013 by terryblauser

[murphy62]

Someone said that a picture is worth a 1000 words.

So here it is:

 

 

[murphy62]

Never use a single pole device in a two pole 240V circuit. You're asking for someone who believes it's off 'cause the switch says so to be given a possibly fatal shock. Not up to code either.

That's true. I'll remove the single pole observation from my previous post.

 

However anyone who works on a circuit without turning off the breaker feeding the circuit is an accident waiting to happen.

[akirby]

Plus a electrical junction box (residential) to hold it...

 

Fits in a normal box as you can see by the picture.

 

I guess I never paid attention to them since they look the same as the single pole switches.

[murphy62]

Fits in a normal box as you can see by the picture.

 

I guess I never paid attention to them since they look the same as the single pole switches.

It's less complicated internally than a 4-way switch that is used with two 3-way switches to provide control of a light from three locations.

[akirby]

It's less complicated internally than a 4-way switch that is used with two 3-way switches to provide control of a light from three locations.

 

Good point. I actually bought 2 3-way switches and wired them up on the worktable and used a voltmeter to figure out how they worked. Now I can wire it up any way I need to - power in one switch, load out the other, power and load at the same switch, power at the fixture, etc. etc. Drove me crazy until I figured it out.

[murphy62]

Has anyone considered installing a kilowatt-hour (kwh) meter, in the feed to their 240 volt charging station, to track actual electricity usage for charging?

[TurboTi]

There's one on the house. Just measure before turning on, then turn on and re-measure.

[murphy62]

There's one on the house. Just measure before turning on, then turn on and re-measure.

That doesn't work. Someone could turn on the microwave (1500 watts) or worse yet the clothes dryer (6000 watts) or the air conditioner compressor (2400 watts) could come on.

[murphy62]

The kilowatt hour meter installation is complete.

 

 

[taylorjd]

A double pole switch is available at Lowe's.

 

http://www.lowes.com/pd_89198-334-CSB220W_0__?productId=3569190&Ntt=double%2Bpole%2Blight%2Bswitch&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Ddouble%252Bpole%252Blight%252Bswitch&facetInfo=

 

The hard part is finding one rated for 20 amps. The vast majority of switches at Lowe's are 15 amp switches.

 

If you are using the Ford box (32Amp) then you will need a 40 amp switch. Another option is to install a small fuse-box type junction box with a dual 40amp breaker near the Charging station and just trip the breaker (like a switch).

 

Shutting/turning it off, you will lose the ability to check it or do a warm-up from your cell/iPad, right? I was told that the Ford Charger had some pre-programmed Ford code in it. Does anyone know if that is true?

[murphy62]

Why would the Ford box be the 32 amp version when the car is incapable of using more than 16 amps?

[taylorjd]

Why would the Ford box be the 32 amp version when the car is incapable of using more than 16 amps?

 

Looking to do my own install, I checked with the manufacture (Leviton), here is what they told me "the Ford unit is a 32A rated unit and will require a minimum of 8 Gauge wire. Since there will have to be a conduit from the breaker panel to your disconnect switch, I would recommend THHN wire in at least 8 Gauge. The breaker would have to be a double pole 40A and the outlet would be a NEMA 6-50R."

[murphy62]

Looking to do my own install, I checked with the manufacture (Leviton), here is what they told me "the Ford unit is a 32A rated unit and will require a minimum of 8 Gauge wire. Since there will have to be a conduit from the breaker panel to your disconnect switch, I would recommend THHN wire in at least 8 Gauge. The breaker would have to be a double pole 40A and the outlet would be a NEMA 6-50R."

If you have trouble finding a double pole 40A 240V breaker resist the urge to use a 50 A breaker. That would require the wire size to be increased to 6 gauge. Breakers are sized to protect the wire and a 50 amp breaker with 8 gauge wire is not allowed.

[taylorjd]

If you have trouble finding a double pole 40A 240V breaker resist the urge to use a 50 A breaker. That would require the wire size to be increased to 6 gauge. Breakers are sized to protect the wire and a 50 amp breaker with 8 gauge wire is not allowed.

 

Actually I already did that part of the install. Found a 40 amp dual and used 6 gauge wire anyway. Hope to have the Charging Station in today. I'll post all about it once it is in.

[taylorjd]

Mr. Electric came by and mounted my Charging Unit, now I just need the car. Actually, I need to clean the garage, fix-up and paint the walls, then I'm ready....but getting closer.
PS: anyone know how to display images smaller on a post then they are in the URL?

Edited March 23, 2013 by taylorjd

[Mr. Fusion]

Looks great JD! Love the Ford branding.

[Former Expedition owner]

PS: anyone know how to display images smaller on a post then they are in the URL?

 

If you are using Windows, open your photo in Paint, then use the Resize tool (CTRL W) to reduce the size by, say 50% (or more).

 

Re-save it to your hard drive and upload it to the sharing site you are using (Google?). If you overwrite it with the same filename/location as the URL you used in your post above, it will modify that photo, too.

[taylorjd]

If you are using Windows, open your photo in Paint, then use the Resize tool (CTRL W) to reduce the size by, say 50% (or more).

 

Re-save it to your hard drive and upload it to the sharing site you are using (Google?). If you overwrite it with the same filename/location as the URL you used in your post above, it will modify that photo, too.

 

I know how to resize the image, I just wanted to use like an <img> tag to display it smaller on the forum without have to create a second smaller, less resolution image. If idid, then I would want the smaller image to be clickable to a full image. But i do not see a way to add HTML tags like that in here.