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CHAdeMO Installation

Discussion in 'Prime Accessories and Modifications' started by masco, Aug 27, 2018.

  1. masco

    masco New Member

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    Has anyone added CHAdeMO to their Prius Prime? It's available in the Japanese market Prius PHV and I thought it would be a convenient addition to have on my Canadian market car. I've been looking over the parts diagrams and it looks feasible so long as you have the parts.

    [​IMG]
     
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    not that i have seen. it would be great if you do a parts list, installation instructions and step by step pics.

    all the best!(y)
     
  3. burnout8488

    burnout8488 Member

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    Working on this car doesn't seem hard in the back. I'm guessing it only needs a new port, some cabling, and a new onboard charger?

    Hopefully the computer wouldn't need to be reprogrammed in any way and already has the right stuff for fast charging.

    How fast do these cars charge on CHAdeMO? What's your source on the parts diagrams? I'd like to try to figure out a rough cost.
     
    #3 burnout8488, Sep 5, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2018
  4. Old Bear

    Old Bear Senior Member

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    As I understand it, the CHAdeMO standard delivers 500 volts DC to the vehicle. By delivering DC, the vehicle does not have to use its own internal rectifier circuitry to convert from AC to the DC required by the batteries.

    A CHAdeMO EVSE unit incorporates its own internal circuitry to provide this service to the vehicle. By being a stationary device, it can be designed to more easily handle the heat generated by its rectifiers and electronics.

    Because a CHAdeMO EVSE can deliver up to 62,500 watts, it requires more power than most residential electric services can supply. Typically, CHAdeMO equipment is connected to commercial 3-phase wiring.

    Were you to try to supply 62.5 kW from a conventional 240-volt single phase residential service, you would need a service entrance and wiring capable of handing 260 ampere of current. Most homes have 200 amp service at most -- and part of that must remain available for ordinary household uses like lighting, appliances and air conditioning.

    An alternative would be to install a power storage device similar to the Tesla "power wall" which would fill up with power at a moderate rate so that it could be quickly dumped into your car via your CHAdeMO EVSE. (Or, you could just get your electrical contractor to get your local utility to install a 3-phase service entrance to your home.)

    Considering a Prius Prime with a traction battery which uses about 12kWh for full charge, a 62.5 kW CHAdeMO unit would bring your Prime to full charge in less than 12 minutes. That's a good deal if you want the convenience of recharging on the road, but may be less important to you at home.

    Were public CHAdeMO stations to be widely deployed, it would be a boon to electric vehicles equipped to use them. But without a wide-spread public network in the United States, I can understand why Toyota has decided not to equip the US version of the Prime with this capability.
     
  5. iplug

    iplug Senior Member

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    I don’t think he’s trying to install a CHAdeMO station at his residence, rather a CHAdeMO port/electronics in his Prime.
     
  6. Old Bear

    Old Bear Senior Member

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    Yes, I understand that.

    I guess I should have just asked the question "Why do this if there is no place to use it?" Personally, I think it sounds like a cool project and a fun challenge that appeals to my inner geek. Kind of like inventing a corkscrew for a world without corks. :)
     
  7. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    There are CHAdeMO stations everywhere. And of course CHAdeMO/CCS Combo stations. My Leaf has it.
     
  8. burnout8488

    burnout8488 Member

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    It's useful on long trips where the L3 chargers are scattered along the highway network. I wouldn't expect to find many in-town, but as long as the electricity rate is reasonable, L3 would be smart on a long trip where a 20min break is convenient.

    But, I think L3 is typically more expensive than gas, since it caters more to full BEVs that have no choice but to use it. Still, I'd love to consider installing it in my vehicle if the parts cost was reasonable and the modification was possible without needing the dealership too much. (Programming)
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    living in new england, we don't know much about public charging stations.
     
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  10. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Living in rural new england, I have not seen any public charging stations yet. I was checking PlugShare site to find out where is the closest CHAdeMO charge station if I buy a new Leaf. As it turned out the closest one is 150 miles away from our home.:(
     
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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    yup, there's a couple around here, but if you travel the 95 corridor, you'd never make it anywhere in a prime without using the engine.
    and even a bev would take a ton of planning.
     
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  12. masco

    masco New Member

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    I've briefly compared the Japanese to North American market car diagrams, but I have limited access. From what I can gather, additional hardware required would essentially be the Charge Inlet (connector), DC Network Gateway Computer, DC Voltage Sensor, and DC Fast Charge Controller, and a harness with the additional wires to connect them. As far software that's a total unknown.

    Toyota sells the car with Level 3 plugs for different markets (CCS/SAE and CHAdeMO) but have omitted Level 3 fast charging from the North American models. I personally think Toyota should have equipped Level 3 fast charging as standard for North America. I would gladly pay for a dealer installed Level 3 charge connector, if Toyota were to choose to offer it. I think it's an upgrade program they should look into as the number of people who would benefit from Level 3 charging will only increase as the infrastructure becomes more robust.
     
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  13. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    When I bought my Leaf the nearest one was out of range! And the next nearest one was California... Now there are 6 or so around town. 2 free. And quite a few sprinkled around the blue parts of the state.
     
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  14. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    What is your 2013 Leaf range in winter like? I was considering used 2015 leaf off of lease, but after reading some comments from present owner of Leaf saying in winter the range can be as short as 40 miles, I quickly scratched it off my list.:( With fantastic deals on brand new 2018 Leaf, it didn't make sense to risk purchasing an used.
     
  15. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    I run winters tires year round and I'm the idiot with their window down when it's below freezing out enjoying the breeze. So I don't need or use the heater really. My range is about the same winter and summer. The difference is when driving in snow or slush itself. Just like in a normal car. I've had it use 30% of the battery going 12 miles in a blizzard before. Not plowed roads, heavy wet slush. But that's really the exception. Same conditions is where the Prius gets barely double digit fuel economy.
     
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  16. Giddion

    Giddion New Member

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    I live in South East Connecticut and there are 7 public charing stations near by, in New London the public parking garage has public charger (AC), the Merzedies dealership has a public charger(ac), and the shopping center with Best buy has the DC charger, the DC charger at the best buy is what brought me to this forum. See chargepoint for a good place to get a list of local charger, they list all of them regardless of vendor

    Based on the list on this site/app I think you could travel the 95 corridor all electric.
     
  17. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Not on PRIME with only 25 miles range. Even with Leaf with a diminished range in winter, it is hardpressed to make to next nearest charge station. Even if I could, I don't have time and patience to wait around hours for L2 charging every 100 miles.
     
    #17 Salamander_King, Jan 5, 2019
    Last edited: Jan 5, 2019
  18. Franco.F

    Franco.F Junior Member

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    Ok I guess that's why the charging port cap is this large...
     
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  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think it's because they have 100v out in japan
     
  20. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    What does that have to do with anything? All CHAdeMO stations take higher voltage industrial supply power or have a boost inside. Then they buck down to battery voltage.