New Owner from Denver!

[i3Bev]

2015 i3 BEV Giga World. I did not get the Rex since I only drive 28 miles or less a day and I wanted to go full electric. Took me a while to get the package I want and I did (Tech, Parking, Driving less HK sound system).

I also own an X5 E70. Past cars were E90 330i and E46 330i. I am a member of the Bimmperpost for i3 as well but the forum is very limited and boring (don't tell them!) so much more info here which I find more useful.

Also, I am thinking of getting a Tesla Wall connector using TeslaTap adapter J1772. Wondering if anyone has this setup and had some issues? I did not want to get the chargepoint since it's pretty much the same price or more than Tesla? The BMW i Wallbox is double the price of Tesla. Any thoughts?

 

[alohart]

Also, I am thinking of getting a Tesla Wall connector using TeslaTap adapter J1772.

What do you see as the advantage of a Tesla Wall connector? It requires an adapter unlike all other EVSE's. It doesn't charge any faster than any EVSE capable of outputting 32 A. It doesn't have WiFi connectivity and an associated app that provides all sorts of useful charging information.

An alternative worth considering would be the JuiceBox Pro 32. If you have a charging circuit rated for least 50 A and you want some future-proofing, consider the JuiceBox Pro 40.

If WiFi connectivity isn't important to you, there are a number of good 32 A EVSE's available that don't require an adapter and that aren't very expensive.

 

[i3Bev]

Also, I am thinking of getting a Tesla Wall connector using TeslaTap adapter J1772.

What do you see as the advantage of a Tesla Wall connector? It requires an adapter unlike all other EVSE's. It doesn't charge any faster than any EVSE capable of outputting 32 A. It doesn't have WiFi connectivity and an associated app that provides all sorts of useful charging information.

An alternative worth considering would be the JuiceBox Pro 32. If you have a charging circuit rated for least 50 A and you want some future-proofing, consider the JuiceBox Pro 40.

If WiFi connectivity isn't important to you, there are a number of good 32 A EVSE's available that don't require an adapter and that aren't very expensive.

Thank you for responding! The reason is because I will be trading my X5 for a Tesla hopefully next year. My electrician will be installing a dedicated 220V 60A circuit.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Not sure what the largest EVSE the Teslas can handle, but IF you have the capacity in your power panel, there are some advantages of going big, but it does cost more. The primary advantage is, obviously, a shorter time to full charge. Somewhat depends , on what your typical turn-around time is. IF you have all night, it's not that big of a deal, but could still be if your battery was nearly depleted. YOu can't hurt a properly functioning EV or EVSE by having one larger than needed. The Tesla box, though, doesn't necessarily mean that follows all of the J1772 protocols, it's just that the car, the adapter, and the box do enough to work with either when charging a Tesla.

The adapter seems to convert a J1772 EVSE to a Tesla plug, does it work the other way around, too?

 

[alohart]

reason is because I will be trading my X5 for a Tesla hopefully next year. My electrician will be installing a dedicated 220V 60A circuit.

Your charging circuit would provide a maximum of 48 A of continuous current. A JuiceBox Pro 40 would provide a maximum of 40 A of continuous current. Assuming your Tesla's onboard charger is capable of charging at 48 A (any Tesla other than Model 3 Mid or Short Range), a Tesla Wall Connector would charge a Tesla up to 20% faster than a JuiceBox but without the capabilities that the JuiceBox's WiFi connection provides.

Most (all?) Teslas include a J1772 adapter that allows a Tesla to be charged by any J1772 EVSE like a JuiceBox, so you wouldn't have to buy an adapter unlike if you bought a Tesla Wall Connector.

 

[theothertom]

First of all, welcome to the forum. Like several of us here, I've also owned a progression of BMW ICE cars, starting with a 98 Z3 and ending with an E90 335i. I still visit bimmerfest occasionally, but, like you, I've found this forum has more info. If you're into Facebook, there are several i3 groups you can join.
Regarding chargers, be sure to look at the amps each one supplies. That way you'll be comparing apples to apples as far as charging time goes. In my opinion, I'd look at the juicebox and clippercreek models and see which ones compare to the Tesla charger. Then I'd decide based on price, especially if Tesla supplies an adapter so that you can use the J1772 connector on your Tesla. Note that clippercreek sells factory refurb models on their website. For future proofing, I'd install the highest rated breaker and associated wiring that your panel can reasonably supply. Make sure you take into account your other electrical loads (dryer, stove, etc) when deciding what size breaker to install.

 

[i3Bev]

Not sure what the largest EVSE the Teslas can handle, but IF you have the capacity in your power panel, there are some advantages of going big, but it does cost more. The primary advantage is, obviously, a shorter time to full charge. Somewhat depends , on what your typical turn-around time is. IF you have all night, it's not that big of a deal, but could still be if your battery was nearly depleted. YOu can't hurt a properly functioning EV or EVSE by having one larger than needed. The Tesla box, though, doesn't necessarily mean that follows all of the J1772 protocols, it's just that the car, the adapter, and the box do enough to work with either when charging a Tesla.

The adapter seems to convert a J1772 EVSE to a Tesla plug, does it work the other way around, too?

Thanks for the input. The Teslatap allows other vehicles to utilize the Tesla connector, Tesla on the other hand, carry the SAE J1772 Charging Adapter for J1772 based EVSE.

 

[i3Bev]

reason is because I will be trading my X5 for a Tesla hopefully next year. My electrician will be installing a dedicated 220V 60A circuit.

Your charging circuit would provide a maximum of 48 A of continuous current. A JuiceBox Pro 40 would provide a maximum of 40 A of continuous current. Assuming your Tesla's onboard charger is capable of charging at 48 A (any Tesla other than Model 3 Mid or Short Range), a Tesla Wall Connector would charge a Tesla up to 20% faster than a JuiceBox but without the capabilities that the JuiceBox's WiFi connection provides.

Most (all?) Teslas include a J1772 adapter that allows a Tesla to be charged by any J1772 EVSE like a JuiceBox, so you wouldn't have to buy an adapter unlike if you bought a Tesla Wall Connector.

I really didn't care about the wi-fi part but I realize it's nice to have. I am checking JB systems. Thank you!

 

[i3Bev]

First of all, welcome to the forum. Like several of us here, I've also owned a progression of BMW ICE cars, starting with a 98 Z3 and ending with an E90 335i. I still visit bimmerfest occasionally, but, like you, I've found this forum has more info. If you're into Facebook, there are several i3 groups you can join.
Regarding chargers, be sure to look at the amps each one supplies. That way you'll be comparing apples to apples as far as charging time goes. In my opinion, I'd look at the juicebox and clippercreek models and see which ones compare to the Tesla charger. Then I'd decide based on price, especially if Tesla supplies an adapter so that you can use the J1772 connector on your Tesla. Note that clippercreek sells factory refurb models on their website. For future proofing, I'd install the highest rated breaker and associated wiring that your panel can reasonably supply. Make sure you take into account your other electrical loads (dryer, stove, etc) when deciding what size breaker to install.

Thank you for welcoming me! I would definitely check out FB. I will check both JB and CC systems. Yeah I agree about the highest rated breaker. What system do you have at home if you have one setup?

 

[theothertom]

Thank you for welcoming me! I would definitely check out FB. I will check both JB and CC systems. Yeah I agree about the highest rated breaker. What system do you have at home if you have one setup?

I struggled between JB and CC but ultimately went with a CC refurb unit, HCS-50, which is a 40 amp charger. CC also has a convenient wrap around feature for the cord and a J1772 holder that holds it "sideways" which is somewhat out of the way. They sell the holder separately if you wanted that feature but decided on the JB.

 

[theothertom]

Thank you for welcoming me! I would definitely check out FB. I will check both JB and CC systems. Yeah I agree about the highest rated breaker. What system do you have at home if you have one setup?

I struggled between JB and CC but ultimately went with a CC refurb unit, HCS-50, which is a 40 amp charger (sorry, EVSE ). CC also has a convenient wrap around feature for the cord and a J1772 holder that holds it "sideways" which is somewhat out of the way. They sell the holder separately if you wanted that feature but decided on the JB.

 

[i3Bev]

Just an update. My friend referred me to someone who is getting rid of his BMW Wallbox Pure less than two years old for only 30% of the original cost. Will check it out first to see if that would work. Simple EVSE works for me even without wi-fi as long as it is level 2.

You guys have any reservation when it comes to that equipment?

 

[theothertom]

Just an update. My friend referred me to someone who is getting rid of his BMW Wallbox Pure less than two years old for only 30% of the original cost. Will check it out first to see if that would work. Simple EVSE works for me even without wi-fi as long as it is level 2.

You guys have any reservation when it comes to that equipment?

A BMW branded EVSE doesn't mean anything to me. I'd be surprised if BMW actually made it. From what I can tell it's a 30 amp EVSE (maybe 32). Original cost is around $1270, so 30% would be around $380. I guess the question is what would a JB or CC 30 amp unit cost? And is a 30 amp charger what you really want, especially since there's a Tesla (larger battery) in your future ? Personally, I wouldn't go less than 40 amps and I would go higher if I could.

Edit:
I checked JB and CC website. Their 32 amp EVSE's are ~$480, or about $100 more than the used BMW wall pure. So, if you're satisfied with a 32 amp charger go with the BMW unit.
As one data point, I have a '17 i3 with the 33Kw battery(94 Ah). The charger on the car is limited to 7.2 KW (~32 amps at 240V). It takes about 5 hours to fully charge. A car with, say, a 60KW battery would take almost twice that time, all other things being equal. I don't know what the Tesla charger is limited to, but if it's 7.2KW, then the 32 amp BMW unit would be ok. If it's more than 7.2, you might consider sizing your EVSE to match the Tesla's limitation.

 

[i3Bev]

Just an update. My friend referred me to someone who is getting rid of his BMW Wallbox Pure less than two years old for only 30% of the original cost. Will check it out first to see if that would work. Simple EVSE works for me even without wi-fi as long as it is level 2.

You guys have any reservation when it comes to that equipment?

A BMW branded EVSE doesn't mean anything to me. I'd be surprised if BMW actually made it. From what I can tell it's a 30 amp EVSE (maybe 32). Original cost is around $1270, so 30% would be around $380. I guess the question is what would a JB or CC 30 amp unit cost? And is a 30 amp charger what you really want, especially since there's a Tesla (larger battery) in your future ? Personally, I wouldn't go less than 40 amps and I would go higher if I could.

Edit:
I checked JB and CC website. Their 32 amp EVSE's are ~$480, or about $100 more than the used BMW wall pure. So, if you're satisfied with a 32 amp charger go with the BMW unit.
As one data point, I have a '17 i3 with the 33Kw battery(94 Ah). The charger on the car is limited to 7.2 KW (~32 amps at 240V). It takes about 5 hours to fully charge. A car with, say, a 60KW battery would take almost twice that time, all other things being equal. I don't know what the Tesla charger is limited to, but if it's 7.2KW, then the 32 amp BMW unit would be ok. If it's more than 7.2, you might consider sizing your EVSE to match the Tesla's limitation.

I got it last night for $375. It is 32A. The owner says it charges his i3 for 4ish hours. The unit cosmetically is excellent and will be connecting this to my circuit this weekend. I checked JB and CC sites as well for the 32A units. It seems to be all 32a EVSE are pretty much alike in terms of charging, takes about 4-5 hours to charge our i3 which is perfectly fine for me. This works for my budget since expenses are left and right at the moment for the i3 :|- Downpayment, I got a new set of winter wheels and tires (19" X10-I on Bizzak cost me $1800 new), and I am getting EW within a year (my factory warranty is still good until January 2020) so yeah the BMW Wallbox seem perfect based on my needs. Tesla can do as much as maximum power rating of 22 kW or 32A but 400V AC three-phase power. I heard from my electrician they are doing 48A or already been in place?

 

[theothertom]

According to this website https://www.pluglesspower.com/learn/tesla-model-s-charging-home-public-autonomously/ most Teslas can take 11.5 KW. At 240 volts, that's about 48 amps. My guess is you'd need to install a 60 amp breaker with associated wiring for 60 amps (to be safe) if you want to install an EVSE to utilize the max "intake" of a Tesla. From what I've read, your 32 amp charger will add about 20 miles of range per hour. So you could charge it up for 10 hours (overnight) and gain around 200 miles range. That's probably enough for most people.
I'd be interested to see your real world numbers when you get your Tesla.

 

[TomMoloughney]

Thank you for welcoming me! I would definitely check out FB. I will check both JB and CC systems. Yeah I agree about the highest rated breaker. What system do you have at home if you have one setup?

Personally I prefer to use the JuiceBox Pro 40, and I test & write reviews for charging stations. Take a look at my recent charging station buyers guide for InsideEVs:

https://insideevs.com/home-ev-charging-station-buyers-guide/

 

[i3Bev]

Thank you for welcoming me! I would definitely check out FB. I will check both JB and CC systems. Yeah I agree about the highest rated breaker. What system do you have at home if you have one setup?

Personally I prefer to use the JuiceBox Pro 40, and I test & write reviews for charging stations. Take a look at my recent charging station buyers guide for InsideEVs:

https://insideevs.com/home-ev-charging-station-buyers-guide/

Thank you! I settled with a BMW i EVSE and has been working flawlessly.

 

[bwilson4web]

You might consider getting a water hose, wall hanger. They are curved so there are no edges to wear through the cable.

Just a suggestion, if the water hose hanger is wide enough to equal the width of the EVSE, mounted above, the cable would drape nicely down both sides.

Bob Wilson