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Thinking of Adding Charge Station

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Bill Collins, Sep 25, 2013.

  1. Bill Collins

    Bill Collins Junior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    East rutherford N.J.
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    As it says in title I'm "thinking"..! I have 2013 PIP Base and don't have much patience waiting for my car to get it's full charge. I see theres all make and models of series two and some series three
    charges on the market. All kinds of prices and what else.. What i need is a fast charge at the lowest cost. Guess thats everyones desire .....right. So who has what and likes it and who has what and is sorry they spent money on it. I already am having one j1776 cable upgraded. But a nice charge station would be nice and make the neighbor's jealous. And be on the road again in the shortest time. possible. My budget is around $1000 less is better
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    boston
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    the cheaper the better, cord length is the only thing that matters. unless you're preparing for a larger battery down the road.
     
  3. giora

    giora Senior Member

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    Location:
    Herzliya, Israel. Car: Euro version GLI
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
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    N/A
    For 'quick' charging (90 minutes) you need a well protected 240V outlet (dedicated circuit recommended). If you have such an outlet and your portable EVSE cable is upgraded (as you say) to 240V, you can DIY "charge station" in less than $100 and impress your neighbor.

    Below is what I did (our std voltage is 230V)
    The box is IP66 protected and has a lock. costed me about $30. You can see I added a 3/4" thick plywood board screwed to the inside back for easy mounting of components. See also the drill (half circle on the box and half on the cover door) for the cable to charge with the box locked (to protect from the neighbor...)

    EVSE box2.JPG


    EVSE box1.JPG
     
  4. SimiPrius

    SimiPrius Member

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    Location:
    Simi Valley,Ca
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    I just installed the Bosch Powermax - the 30 amp until with the 25 ft cord. It was $749. The 16 ft unit is a bit less. Assuming you have no major electrical issues, you should be able to get an electrician to run a dedicated circuit for about $300 - as long as you don't used the Bosch certified electrician.
     
    PeteSJCA likes this.
  5. Bill Collins

    Bill Collins Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2011
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    Location:
    East rutherford N.J.
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I like that setup.. I like the BOX ..looks to be like 12x20x8 am I right?? Were did you buy it ? Thats just what i need
     
  6. giora

    giora Senior Member

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    Location:
    Herzliya, Israel. Car: Euro version GLI
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    N/A

    The box is 500l x 300w x 200 mm deep (yes, about what you estimated) made from FRP by Hager - a well known European supplier of electrical components and accessories. They have many standard sizes.
     
  7. davidhuff

    davidhuff Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2010
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    Location:
    Salem,OR
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Just seen a Bosch Level 2 Power Charge Station on Ebay .
    Top bid is $225.30 and bidding ends very soon.
    Note:check out shipping cost before you bid!
    Good Luck