1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Prius OEM Charger

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by bevhoward, Sep 15, 2020.

Tags:
  1. bevhoward

    bevhoward Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2019
    64
    32
    0
    Location:
    Austin, Texas
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    This has been "touched on" in this thread, but I am starting a new thread as that thread contains a lot of confusing and possibly misleading information.

    I installed this Morec charger in our carport after doing a lot of research with the thought that if it's charge wattage turned out to be insufficient, it's cost was low enough to replace the Prius' OEM "trunk charger" and buy a higher wattage 220v charger.

    I'm happy to report that the Morec charger has been ideal. Since I bought it in February there has only been one case when I needed to use the Prime before the charging had completed... and, since February and covid isolation coupled with our reduced vehicle needs, the gas gauge is still showing "full"

    The Morec charger comes with a plug adapter that allows connecting to either 220v or 110v. Since the input amperage is the same on either supply voltage, the charger puts out twice as many watts to the battery per hour on 220v as when connected to 110v. The Morec's 220v wattage output compared to the Prius' 110v OEM charger is 2.7 times greater.

    When I noticed that electrical fact, it then made sense that the OEM charger SHOULD be able to double the 110v wattage if connected to 220v... so...

    I removed the supply voltage cord from the OEM charger, and, sure enough, the supply input has 5 input connections. Since most countries line voltage is 220v, I would guess that the same charger is designed to be used on either 110v or 220v ...and, without any modifications to the charger's circuitry, it would output twice as many watts.

    upload_2020-9-15_20-25-41.png

    The construction of the (apparently fused together) wall plug also suggests that it might be possible to replace the 110v connector pin section with a 220v connector and the "insert" at the other end to easily double the wattage output when 220v is available.

    That's theory... I have yet to cut the plug off to see if there are 5 conductors in the supply cord. Pinning out the 5 connectors should show neutral, 110v and ground and it's "likely" that the remaining two pins are for either 220v and neutral, or 110v phases a and b.

    Anyone have any additional information or thoughts?

    Beverly Howard
     
    #1 bevhoward, Sep 15, 2020
  2. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,963
    8,839
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Maybe doing a little search before posting a new thread might have shown you that this has been talked about in many threads. And in fact, many PC Prime owners are already using a pigtail to connect the OEM L1 EVSE to the 240v wall plug. You don't have to cut your OEM L1 EVSE cord.

    Maybe start with this thread: Standard Prius Prime Charger (G9060-47130) supporting 240V | PriusChat
    And this thread: Using the Primes 120v Charger at 240 Volts, Cost $20 !!! | PriusChat

    Just to clarify, it is my understanding that the "charger" is actually inside of the car, and EVSE is just a fancy cord connecting the electric supply from the wall to the car. And for Prius Prime, L1 EVSE supplies 12A @120v whereas L2 EVSE supplies 16A 240v. So, when you use OEM L1 EVSE with 12A @240v, it is still a bit slower than using a real L2 EVSE.
     
    #2 Salamander_King, Sep 15, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2020
    jerrymildred and schja01 like this.
  3. bevhoward

    bevhoward Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2019
    64
    32
    0
    Location:
    Austin, Texas
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    Thanks for the links. I actually did do a search and the only response that seemed relevant was the one I posted and, as mentioned, it didn't help much, but your links were what I had searched unsuccessfully to find.

    >> the "charger" is actually inside of the car <<

    I would like to know more about that as well... it doesn't make sense since there is so much circuitry packed in the charger cord, but the label does indicate that the output is 120vac. I want to learn more.

    Apologies, and thanks again,
    Beverly Howard
     
    #3 bevhoward, Sep 15, 2020
  4. bevhoward

    bevhoward Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2019
    64
    32
    0
    Location:
    Austin, Texas
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    The five pins that connect the supply side of the charger as shown in the op photo would seem to indicate that the charger needs a supply cable that is specific to the supply voltage rather than auto switching. Voltmeter time.

    Beverly Howard
     
    #4 bevhoward, Sep 15, 2020
  5. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,685
    11,295
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    The cable is an Electric Vehicle Supple Equipment(EVSE), and so are the AC Level 2 chargers. The actually charger is under the rear seat.
    The EVSE's job is as a safety device, monitoring the incoming electricity, telling the car what can be supplied, and cutting power when faults are detected. I guess you can think of it as a sophisticated circuit breaker to the car.

    What Is EVSE And Why Does Your Electric Car Charger Need It?
     
    #5 Trollbait, Sep 15, 2020
    jerrymildred, Salamander_King and schja01 like this.
  6. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,491
    14,099
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    @Salamander_King and @Trollbait are correct. Page 90 of my owner's manual shows it pretty clearly. Yet, this notion that the EVSE is a charger persists. In fact, I googled "prius prime charger picture" and didn't get a single picture of the charger except a couple from EBay way way way down the list.
    Screen Shot 2020-09-16 at 9.44.55 AM.png
     
    #6 jerrymildred, Sep 16, 2020
  7. PT Guy

    PT Guy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2016
    1,080
    708
    0
    Location:
    Washington, the state
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    The charger is inside the car. The charger communicates with the EVSE (including the mis-labeled Morec product). The five conductors are two for charging power, a ground, and two for communications between the car's charger and the EVSE smart power supply. The amperage supplied to the car is determined by the car's built-in charger communicated to the charge cable's smart power supply (EVSE). The extra pin on the SAE 1772 connector is a proximity pin that tells the car's connector when the 1772 "nozzle" is in or out.

    Power voltages in the U.S. and Canada are 120 volts and 240 volts. Japan has 100 volts and 200 volts. Most of Europe is 230 volts. Many modern power supplies are made to automatically handle 100 to 240 volt input according to their labels.

    Watts in an alternating current system are calculated by volts x amps x power factor. Ignoring the power factor (how much the current leads or lags the voltage) is OK for rough calculations. Watts is the unit of power. Voltage is the unit of electrical force. Amperage is the unit of the rate of flow of the electrons.
     
    #7 PT Guy, Sep 16, 2020
    Washingtonian, Salamander_King and jerrymildred like this.
  8. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,491
    14,099
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Solid info, @PT Guy!

    Also, @bevhoward, I forgot to mention that you do not want to cut off the wall plug from the EVSE. There's a temperature sensor in there.
     
    #8 jerrymildred, Sep 16, 2020
  9. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,963
    8,839
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Thank you for refreshing my far far memory of physics class. Man, I hated those stuff. I was good at math and science, but physics was the one subject I could never get handle on.
     
    #9 Salamander_King, Sep 16, 2020
  10. Washingtonian

    Washingtonian Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2017
    710
    608
    0
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    I also appreciated PT Guy's explanation. However, I enjoyed physics and electronics. In the Navy I taught electronics, and was an electronics Warrant Officer and a Master Chief Electronics Technician. Still learning, though.
     
    #10 Washingtonian, Sep 16, 2020
    jerrymildred likes this.
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,679
    48,934
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i think that morec looks like a decent evse at a good price
     
    #11 bisco, Sep 16, 2020
  12. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2013
    3,525
    1,241
    1
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    Bev if I may -- I wish I'd been the first to post to this thread of yours. I greatly appreciate the work you've done so far and have shared here.
    I have recently lost touch with an old friend I would contact in a heartbeat to help me get a better understanding of the pictures you've generously posted above. I'm quite certain he already knows what each of those 5 connections are for and how each is used.
    My only suggestion and I hope it is worthy of your previous work on this subject is to take a look (if you haven't seen any of their products yet) at the OpenEVSE site which I believe will provide some clues to further what work you have already started. OpenEVSE Kits - Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions
    I'll be sure to let you and @Rob43 know, if/when Rob43 starts posting here again, if I can cobble together something worthwhile to further the knowledge on this subject.
     
    #12 vvillovv, Oct 2, 2020
  13. m8547

    m8547 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2018
    927
    615
    0
    Location:
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    That's what the extra two pins the OP showed are for.

    It sould be simple enough to find a compatible thermistor and add that to a DIY replacement plug.
     
    #13 m8547, Oct 2, 2020
    jerrymildred likes this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)