Maximum power of charging

[Harry]

I am investigating chargers for my ordered i3 (USA). It has been stated that 7.4 kW is the max the car can handle form a home charger, but in all of the chargers I have looked into they are all rated at 7.2. Does anyone know of a charger that can charge at the full 7.4?

Clipper Creek has a unit that they rate at 7.4 kW but it is a 30amp. http://clippercreek.com/store/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ClipperCreek-HCS40-Sell-Sheet.pdf
It has a price of $644. You might contact them to verify the specs.

 

[Alessandro]

Alessandro,
I think you are asking two questions, and one of them is if you can use the solar power, added to the mains power, to charge faster. But most houses have much more power, for example my total mains power available is 48KW, so in theory I could charge an i3 in 20 minutes. But I think we are limited to the charging equipment, not the amount of power available, so I do not think the solar equipment will provide faster charging.

It doesn't work so for me, quite the opposite, my home power is only 3,3 kW continuos at 220 V (16 A ?) or 4 kW for 3 hours at max plus the instantenous solar power, ~ 6 kW at max, if any (depending of the days and hours). That's why I' d be interested in a more powerful charging, particurally if it is more efficient (as someboby states) and doesn't affect life battery.
Thanx anyway, indeed

 

[ultraturtle]

And check their latest: http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/SectionDisplay.jsp?section=58375&minisite=10251

up to 40 AMPS and 9.6 KW... would either of these work with the i3?

The i3 would charge, but only at a maximum rate of 7.4 kW. Charging is limited to the lower of the EVSE or i3 internal charger maximum. For a 30 amp 240 volt EVSE, the EVSE is the limiting factor, and charging is limited to 7.2 kW. For a 32 amp or greater EVSE, the i3 internal charger limits charging to its maximum of 7.4 kW.

 

[CompuMagic]

And check their latest: http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/SectionDisplay.jsp?section=58375&minisite=10251

up to 40 AMPS and 9.6 KW... would either of these work with the i3?

The i3 would charge, but only at a maximum rate of 7.4 kW. Charging is limited to the lower of the EVSE or i3 internal charger maximum. For a 30 amp 240 volt EVSE, the EVSE is the limiting factor, and charging is limited to 7.2 kW. For a 32 amp or greater EVSE, the i3 internal charger limits charging to its maximum of 7.4 kW.

I had emailed Clipper about that unit too because I saw a discrepancy between their online docs - one saying 7.2 and the other 7.4. They emailed me back and said the 7.4 was a typo and they were going to fix it. I just remembered this...

"The HCS-40 station is actually 7.2 kW (30 amps at 240V), thank you for pointing that out I found the misprint on our brochure and will get that corrected. There would be no danger to the battery if the station were 7.4 kW, once the station is connected to the vehicle it will "tell" the vehicle that it is connected to a power source and what power is available, in this case 30A, from that point the vehicle takes over as being in control of the power transfer and it will take as much power as it wants, up to the 30A limit established by the HCS. This part of the standard is one of the main things that allows all stations to charge all vehicles. The BMW I3 has an power acceptance rate advertised at 7 kW, so the HCS-40 would be able to send power to the vehicle as fast as it can accept it."

 

[ultraturtle]

The BMW I3 has an power acceptance rate advertised at 7 kW, so the HCS-40 would be able to send power to the vehicle as fast as it can accept it."

There's a discrepancy in BMW's literature. The USA site states 7 kW: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Vehicles/2014/i3/BMWi3/360Electric/HomeCharging.aspx
but the international site states 7.4 kW: http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicles/i/i3/2013/showroom/charging.html

I've seen the 7.4 kW number used more frequently, and do not think the USA version will have a different charger. Probably just rounding on the part of BMW USA marketing.

 

[CompuMagic]

The BMW I3 has an power acceptance rate advertised at 7 kW, so the HCS-40 would be able to send power to the vehicle as fast as it can accept it."

There's a discrepancy in BMW's literature. The USA site states 7 kW: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Vehicles/2014/i3/BMWi3/360Electric/HomeCharging.aspx
but the international site states 7.4 kW: http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicles/i/i3/2013/showroom/charging.html

I've seen the 7.4 kW number used more frequently, and do not think the USA version will have a different charger. Probably just rounding on the part of BMW USA marketing.

Thanks for finding that - I wondered why he said 7kW and not 7.2 or 7.4... Now to get BMW to cough up an answer about the discrepancy

 

[CompuMagic]

And check their latest: http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/SectionDisplay.jsp?section=58375&minisite=10251

up to 40 AMPS and 9.6 KW... would either of these work with the i3?

The i3 would charge, but only at a maximum rate of 7.4 kW. Charging is limited to the lower of the EVSE or i3 internal charger maximum. For a 30 amp 240 volt EVSE, the EVSE is the limiting factor, and charging is limited to 7.2 kW. For a 32 amp or greater EVSE, the i3 internal charger limits charging to its maximum of 7.4 kW.

I got the Leviton 9.6kW charger for the i3 and for future uses if I get a vehicle later that takes more power. I have not installed it yet.