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"Portable" SPX 240 Charger coming soon

9K views 17 replies 9 participants last post by  Joule Thief 
#1 ·
I was told by phone today that this unit will be available in about 60 days. The thought that it is portable makes me much more interested than a permanant installed unit. I already have the receptacle in my garage for the clothes dryer.....but still kinda pricey . Has anyone placed an order for this ?

https://www.homecharging.spx.com/Portal/pdf/SS10-283_REVb.pdf

Steve in Boca Raton #313
 
#5 ·
I was told it is 3 prong....same as the pigtail on my dryer. Still expensive, but it seems like a simple and cheaper way to go ! And still far less than Tesla were selling their charging stations during their roll-out !

Steve in Boca Raton #313
 
#4 · (Edited)
https://www.homecharging.spx.com/Portal/Display.aspx?id=11&menu=8

Power Xpress
SPX offers a complete home charging solution to ensure the next generation of electric vehicles are properly charged to OEM specifications. The SPX solution has been tested, certified and complies with all industry standards. The Power Xpress provides customers with a flexible, reliable, value oriented and durable answer for their home charging needs.

  • Optional plug-in unit allows for future portability
  • Plugs into standard 240V outlet
  • Durable design to withstand harsh indoor/outdoor environments
  • Flexible global platform – Meets multiple global standards
  • Attaches to garage wall or pole mount

To order Call: 1-877-805-EVSE(3873)
$749.00*
*Plus taxes and shipping. Installation not included. Price subject to change without notice.
Note: 3 year warranty with installation performed by an SPX certified electrician or 1 year warranty without SPX installation. 90 day warranty on the cable/connector assembly.
 
#9 ·
But wait....there's more!

I just came up with a solution for people who want to be able to have a low-cost kit for their SPX Level 2 Charging Station here:

http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread...eir-SPX-charger-quot-portable-quot-Or-WANT-to


A "3-prong" clothes drier outlet will not work, as the 3rd prong is NOT a GROUND but a "COMMON/NEUTRAL" line. The SPX charging station checks for a dedicated GROUND upon powering up. I solved this issue with my custom pigtails. Check it out and let me know what you think.


~Best,
Scott
 
#10 ·
A "3-prong" clothes drier outlet will not work, as the 3rd prong is NOT a GROUND but a "COMMON/NEUTRAL" line. The SPX charging station checks for a dedicated GROUND upon powering up. I solved this issue with my custom pigtails. Check it out and let me know what you think.
And 3-prong is no longer code-compliant either. Probably best to replace it with a 4-prong and rewire the dryer. I'm considering the SPX PowerXpress because it handles up to 40A and the house I'm looking to buy has a 40A well pump circuit that I'd want to be made switchable (well / charger) with a 6-50R socket for the charger.
 
#13 ·
Yep, and there's always the chance that I'd trade my 2011 in for a future model with 6.6kW charger (or install a 'GM Performance Parts' charger upgrade). Luckily, the house has electric appliances and already has a 200A service, and I'd rather Xeriscape and reduce my need to pump well water.

(side question: would it be safe to run the ground off of a nearby 120V socket to a 3->4 upgraded 240V, or should a new line run directly to the breaker's wiring panel?)
 
#15 ·
(side question: would it be safe to run the ground off of a nearby 120V socket to a 3->4 upgraded 240V, or should a new line run directly to the breaker's wiring panel?)
Here's my solution:


I plug the standard "120v" connection into an extension cord that is plugged into a 120v wall outlet to pick up the GROUND going to the main box. THEN I plug in my NEMA 10-30 plug to get my 240v power.

Here's my feeler-thread for my "Travel-Kit" setup that my brother and I use with our Volts:
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread...eir-SPX-charger-quot-portable-quot-Or-WANT-to



~Best,
Scott
 
#14 · (Edited)
Maflagulator, the breaker is there to protect the circuit, not the device plugged into it so it's perfectly fine to plug the Volt into a 30A, 40A or 50A outlet. Also, Mathew is talking about installing an SPX Power Xpress, not SPX Voltec which you have. The Power Xpress is rated up to 32A which would be used with a 40A breaker and 6-50 receptacle. The Voltec is only rated to 16A which is why you used a 20A breaker.

And ideally you would give the charge station a dedicated circuit but this isn't always financially viable. In my case the cost to install an SPX EVSE on a dedicated circuit was almost $11k (since it required upgrading my home service from 100A to 200A plus installing a new electrical panel, all new breakers, and a new dedicated wire run) vs. installing a DPDT switch to share my dryer outlet which cost me $180 in parts and a few hours of my time.
I'm at a loss to understand why you would consider an $11k investment, outside of doing it to be "code compliant" with an electrician, but then do a self-install with a switch and non-standard outlet.

The Power Xpress sounds like it is capable of providing power to an EV with a 6.6kW onboard charger such as the Ford Focus EV and 2013 Nissan Leaf, however the current Volt only uses a 3.3kW charger onboard, and will draw no more load than my SPX "16amp" charging station. So unless you're future-proofing the setup, it won't be pulling any more load that around 15 amps.

Was your main panel out of room for more breakers? Why not install a sub-panel for one more breaker, and have your dedicated line that way?
 
#16 ·
I'm at a loss to understand why you would consider an $11k investment, outside of doing it to be "code compliant" with an electrician, but then do a self-install with a switch and non-standard outlet.
Ha, I definitely never considered an $11k investment. What I considered was getting a free L2 EVSE from SPX plus $1200 off my install. What I got instead was a quote for $11k asking me to pay almost $10k of it. What I did was come up with a low cost safe way to share my already existing 240V 30A dryer outlet. If you want my full story just go to my DIY EVSE install link in my sig.

I'm not sure what you mean by non-standard outlet though. I used an L6-30 outlet which is a standard NEMA outlet (FYI SPX ships the Power Xpress with a 6-30 plug). I also used 10AWG wire and a 30A DPDT switch so all components are rated appropriately. I did read the pertinent sections of the NEC and did not find any code violations in my setup (although I disclose that I am not a licensed electrician).

The Power Xpress sounds like it is capable of providing power to an EV with a 6.6kW onboard charger such as the Ford Focus EV and 2013 Nissan Leaf, however the current Volt only uses a 3.3kW charger onboard, and will draw no more load than my SPX "16amp" charging station. So unless you're future-proofing the setup, it won't be pulling any more load that around 15 amps.
The proper way to install is to size the breaker to the EVSE, not the car. Many Volt owners here bought a Schneider EVSE rated at 30A and requires a 40A breaker. I'm in the process of getting a Blink EVSE installed now in my new house which is rated to 32A and will also use a 40A breaker. The Power Xpress has a dial allowing you to select 12A, 16A, 24A, or 32A. You choose which setting based on the wiring in your house, not your car (this is made very clear in the install manual). So in my case I set it to 24A to use with a 30A house circuit using 10AWG wire. So with the Power Xpress it is possible to set it down to 16A and use with a 20A breaker, but if you're connecting it to a 30A circuit there's no point. And the Power Xpress is the only L2 EVSE I'm aware of with selectable amperage. Any other L2 EVSE you buy will not have this capability so you have to use the breaker sized to the EVSE. Other than the Voltec, just about every other L2 EVSE is rated to at least 30A and will require a 40A breaker. Also, all commercial EVSEs are rated to at least 32A, some of them even 70A. Volt's plug into these all the time.

Side point - the Volt plugged into a L2 EVSE using 208V 3p will pull a full 16A. Many L2 commercial EVSEs use this.

Was your main panel out of room for more breakers? Why not install a sub-panel for one more breaker, and have your dedicated line that way?
Unfortunately both my main and sub-panel were out of room for more breakers but it didn't matter because I was limited by the 100A service. It was an old beach house near Santa Cruz using aluminum wiring. After completing the load analysis it was determined I couldn't add another circuit without increasing the service to 200A (turns out the house was actually already over capacity technically). Upgrading to 200A service required a $500 permit plus re-wiring the house with copper and new electric box, hence the very high price. The only other option was to keep my total load "as is" by having the EVSE "replace" another device rather than "add on". Since we only use our dryer 1 day a week, the remainder of the time I could dedicate the circuit to the EVSE. If I wanted I could have just unplugged the dryer and plugged in the EVSE - same effect. The switch just made it easier for my wife.

In my new house I am installing a dedicated circuit.
 
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