Smart Plug

I see two things that would make me a little reluctant to do that, even though it looks like it would sure be nice.

1. This comment on page 94 of the OM:
●If charging is interrupted, remove the charging connector before removing the plug.
I think the reason is that there is a fair amount of current going through there and you can get some sparks. The end plugged into the car is more enclosed, plus, when you press the release button, it stops charging before you pull it out. So no sparks there. I don't know how long the contacts in the smart plug's relays would withstand being used basically as a high amperage switch.

2. The outlet is rated at 15 A. Since my PiP draws over 13 A, that's cutting it a little close and the smart plug might fail on you.

I don't see how it would hurt the car, though, so it's a pretty inexpensive experiment. It'll be interesting to see if someone has already been testing this idea.

 

The PiP and other L1 chargers should draw closer to 12A, not 13A. Because by code, you shouldn't draw more than 80% of rated capacity for longer times. Meaning a 15A breaker should only see 12A through it continuously, 15A peak.

As for sparking not a concern if you buy the right product. In the smart switches I have made, I use zero-cross solid-state relays. Meaning when they turn on and off, they do so when the AC voltage is zero. Most smart electronics do this because hot-plugging or un-plugging is a bad idea in general. And since AC goes to zero 60 times a second in the US, it is just easier to delay to the next zero cross to get it done, it is imperceptible to the user. Some of the cheapest things out there, may not though. Fairly easy to test with an oscilloscope and just look at the waveform. If it just looks like it stops perfectly every time, it is zero cross.

 

Just a pedantic nit: In North America, we use 60Hz AC (most of the rest of the world uses 50Hz). In each of the 60 cycles per second, the voltage crosses zero twice, once in each direction. So zero crossing occur 120 times per second.

 

Correct. I had a brain fart. Been working down in the ultra-low DC core voltage levels for the past couple weeks.

 

Go for it! I'd like to know how it goes. In fact, I did a brief search for 240v smart switches and Google gave me everything but what I asked for.

Well, my Killawatt might not be all that well calibrated. I never bothered to compare it to my Klein clamp on ammeter. It read 13.8A. But I had it on a 20A circuit, so it was fine either way.

Good point. Hopefully, the one Mark's looking at does that. And I get the brain fart. I have them, too. But I think in polite company, it's called "cranial flatulence," in case you ever stumble across polite company and need that phrase.

Edited for typos.

 

Great news. Now for the durability test.

And if I could just find a 240V one with a NEMA 10-30 (dryer) socket. I guess I could cobble up something if I wanted it badly enough.

 

Thanks! I forgot about those. But at that price, I just can't justify it.