EVSE LEVEL 1 TO LEVEL 2 (2.0) (Take a Look at the 3.0)

My intent with this design is to make a small, simple, portable level 2 charger out of a level 1 charger that can also function as a level 1 charger, is fully automated and will work with any charger (Although the wire colors may vary.).  With this design I intentionally make no changes to the EVSE control unit itself.  I have made a number of designs which have different attributes and I will be posting some more of them soon. Check out the 3.0. So on to the warning.

Step 1: WARNING

You will be working with a 220V circuit. All parts used should have a minimum rating greater than or equal to 15AMP and 220VAC. I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOU ELECTROCUTING YOURSELF. If you don't have experience with High Voltage/High Current you may not want to do this.  If you do not wire this circuit as it is in the diagram you can damage your car and house and yourself. NEVER WORK ON A HOT (PLUGED IN) CIRCUIT! Do research beyond this article before you start. I take no responsibility for you or your car or any property that may be damaged.  You are responsible for wiring things properly! If you do not know how to work safely, and how to wire things in reference to a schematic do not attempt this.

Step 2: LABELING THE WIRES

I have numbered the lines coming out of the NEMA 14-50 plug. #1 and #6 hook to ground in the plug, they ground the GFCI, the EVSE and the J1772. #2 is hooked to one side of the 220V line in the plug and to one side of the GFCI which then feeds to the relay and then to pin 1 on the J1772. #3 and #4 are hooked to the other side of the 220V line (note when one side of a 220V is hooked to a neutral line it is a 110V line) in the plug with #3 going to the GFCI and then on to pin 2 of the J1772 wile   #4 going to power the EVSE and then to the coil of the relay.   #5 is hooked to the neutral prong (neutral and ground arenotthe same thing) in the plug and goes to power the EVSE run the relay. #7 is the control signal out of the EVSE and goes to pin 4 on the J1772.

Step 3: STARTING WITH THE PLUG

Connect the NEMA 14-50 (NEMA 14-50 because it's the 220v plug that campgrounds use and it is a fairly standard household plug, but any 110/220v  4 prong plug rated at 15 amp or better plug will work) to a 220v GFIC and connect the EVES to the NEMA 14-50 as well .  It will look under wired but remember you are only pulling 12 amps.

I have numbered the lines coming out of the NEMA 14-50 plug. #1 and #6 hook to ground in the plug, they ground the GFCI, the EVSE and the J1772. #2 is hooked to one side of the 220V line in the plug and to one side of the GFC which then feeds to the relay and then to pin 1 on the J1772. #3 and #4 are hooked to the other side of the 220V line (note when one side of a 220V is hooked to a neutral line it is a 110V line) in the plug with #3 going to the GFCI and then on to pin 2 of the J1772 wire   #4 going to power the EVSE and then to the coil of the relay.   #5 is hooked to the neutral (neutral and ground are not the same thing) in the plug and goes to power the EVSE to run the relay. #7 is the control signal out of the EVSE and goes to pin 4 on the J1772.

The photo on the right shows how to wire a NEMA 14-50 receptacle to convert a 110V plug so that it can power this unit. Note that the return is hooked to two lugs. The other end just hooks to a standard 110V plug (do not uses this cord for any other device).

Step 4: BUILDING THE RELAY BOX

I used a standard PVC outlet box (If I lived in a warm climate I would use a metal box due to the fact that it can dissipate heat better). Drill out two holes for mounting the tension reliefs on one side and glue in the other one on the other side. I could not find a box that had one hole on one side and two on the other side however 4 holes would have worked but isn’t as esthetic.

Step 5: Making Room

I milled out the extra posts which made a little more room. This is not a needed step but if you have a mill I think it makes it easier.

Step 6: The Layout

The EVSE turns the relay on and the relay passes the power to the car.

Step 7: Feeding the Wires Into the Box

Connect 220V GFCI out cord into the top of waterproof out box, a with tension relief. Connect EVSE box out cord into the top of waterproof out box, with a tension relief. Connect J1772 cable into bottom of waterproof out box, with a tension relief. I used ½ inch tension reliefs that I had to ream to ½ inch to get the cords to fit in to, ¾ inch may work better.

All three green wires #1, pin3, #6 all hook togher.

Both of the blue wires pin4 and #7 hook togher.

Step 8: WIRING IN THE RELAY

I'm using a 30 amp 300V rared Double Pole Single Throw (DPST) relay that has a 120V coil.

Connect black (pin 2) and white (pin 1) wires from J1772 to a crimp connector (get a ratcheting crimping tool they make crimps you will be proud of) and then connect the crimps to the screw connectors at one of the relay.

Connect black (#3) and white (#2) wires from the 220v outside of the GFCI to crimp connector and then to the other end of the relay.
All of the black wires should be on the one side of the relay and all of the white wires should be on the other side of the relay.

Connect black (#4) and white (#5) wires from the 110v out of the EVSE to crimp connector and then to the middle screws of the relay, the coil part of the relay. All of the black wires should be on the one side of the relay and all of the white wires should be on the other side of the relay.

You can glue or bolt (if the bolts come throw the box then the bolts need to be plastic or grounded) the relay in place.

Step 9: Putting the Lid On

The lid is not squar it can be 90% and not fit.

Step 10: GOOD EASY SOLUTION

This is a good solution because the 110v part of this circuit (EVSE) is run off of 110v and 220v part of the circuit and is run off of 220v. Both the relay and the GFCI are rated for 220v at 15A as well as the crimp connecters and wires (all components have minimum rating of 220v at 15A). Every part can be documented to be operating within its safe operating range.

If you have any questions, just ask, I will be glad to help.

Comments

[tachsu]

HI Dave,

If I may, are you using Dayton 5Z546 relay? I just want to make sure I am getting the correct part. Thanks.

[CqN2]

Hi Dave,

I posting the same comment I had at your 1.0 version. Good idea. I like your emphasis on keeping the cost down, and more importantly on reusing the standard EVSE every Leaf owner got!

Again, it would be nice to have a SAMPLE parts list with make/model numbers. Are you using an in-line cable GFI? Not clear. Is there a box for it? I had never used a GFI other than the wall mounted 110v socket replacement type.

Thank you for sharing your idea!

[Dave-H]

This was my second instructible and I did not include a parts list (inadvertently). I have however tried not to promote or recommend any brand or product. I've noticed that some instructibles are nothing more than a platform for selling a product, especially in the electronics. To avoid the appearance of impropriety I have chosen to simply not name products. But as my son would say "you can search it up". I understand that this makes it a little harder for you to build this thing but I don't really have a better solution for the problem.

You can find this type of GFCI on outdoor products.

Best of luck Dave

[EVfan]

Hi Dave,
For the 220v I don't see any control board. Just passing the 2 110V(L1, L2) through J1772 plug to the car to charge. So in this the case I don't need any level1 EVSE. just I can build the 220v charger using 220v GFCI. so what is use of control board using in the leave2 charger.

[Dave-H]

The charger that is built into the car requires a series of signals before it will turn on and accept the power you provide to it. So what I'm doing is using the factory control Board(in theEVSE) which is designed with the singular purpose of telling the car to draw only 12 A. The car is only concerned with how much amperage it should draw. It is capable of figuring out what voltage is provided to it. So the control board for 110V and for 220V is the same control Board, it is not distinguishing voltage, it is setting a limit on amperage.

I hope this is answered questions. Further questions please let me know.

Thanks Dave

[pEEf]

So all this stuff and you still only get 12A? Seems like your money would be better spent on building on openEVSE (if you want to build something), or just spend the $287 and send it to EVSE Upgrade.

[Dave-H]

1) Yes it’s still 12amps but it’s now at 220V so your charge time is cut in half.
2) $90 bucks to cut your charge time in half, that’s not bad, and I’ll bring the cost down on the next one.
3) Do you understand the DIY concept?
4) This is not the forum for being a salesmen for a product.

[pEEf]

I fully support DIY and obviously OpenEVSE is DIY. If you search for it, you'll see several in Instructables. Both OpenEVSE and EVSEupgrade's can do 20A or over, (for 2013 LEAF), so it's a much faster option, and you still can adjust the amps. EVSE upgrade is not DIY, but you get something that's much less clunky and portable.

[Dave-H]

I understand that I can buy a charger on amazon or somewhere else but that is not what this site is about. This site is about showing people how to do it then selves, how to help other people make things, not to try to sell then things. If you have something to add to the “Help people make things” conversation, please do so. Otherwise go sell your product somewhere else.

[webco275]

Is your 220v to 110v converter being powered from a standard home wall plug(110v)? If so, I don't see how you are getting a true 220v ac plug.

[Dave-H]

It’s a standard 110v plug. It is facing you in the pic above. I did not go in to wiring it it is just a normal 110V plug that alows you to use this system as a level 1 when you don’t have acsess to 220V. it only workes as a level 2 when you plug into 220V(the NEMA 14-50). But I wanted to keep 110V as an option.