Most Popular and Highly Recommended EV Charging Stations Which Qualify for Forum Discount code "FORD"

[Madtroniks]

I did some research on the most popular and highly recommended charging stations currently available.

Emporia for $359 after forum discount is a great value.

Feel free to use the forum discount code “FORD” to save $$$ on A2Z EV website.

Another option is the Tesla Universal Wall Connector if you want to be able to futureproof a little or combine the A2Z Stellar Tesla to J-1772 adapter with an OEM Tesla Charger which the FORD discount code works on. The Tesla Universal will be at full price from Tesla.

EMPORIA EV CHARGER WHITE | ENERGY STAR | UL LISTED | 48 AMP | 24' CABLE | 22" NEMA 14-50

Autel MaxiCharger AC Elite Home 50A EV Charger

Tesla Wall Connector | 48A | OEM + A2Z Stellar Tesla to J-1772 Adapter

Grizzl-E | Classic

Grizzl-E | Smart

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[chl]

Nice list.
If I didn't already have a FCSP, I would bite on the Emporia 48A.
However, I did see 'refurbished' chargers at Emporia or Amazon web site for sale - I always wonder about things when I see 'refurbished' ones.

If you live in Virginia or an area served by Dominion Energy, they have a $125 rebate on some EV chargers as well: see chargingrewards.com/dominionenergy-ev

Get $125 and earn rewards with EV Charger Rewards!
If you have an eligible Level 2 EVSE charger you can participate in EV Charger Rewards! You’ll allow small adjustments to your EV charging schedule during times when electricity is most in demand. You will remain in control of your charging, and you’ll be helping us manage energy consumption – a win-win. You’ll earn $40 each year you participate in the demand response program.
*To qualify for the Equipment rebate of $125 customers must apply using this portal dominion.myrebateportal.com within 120 days of purchase. Customers may still participate in the Demand Response portion of this program anytime, participating in the Demand Response portion of the program will qualify customers to earn a $40 rebate after 365 days of participation. Registration in the Demand Response portion of the program is required to be eligible for the $125 equipment rebate.


This page has the list: https://dominion.myrebateportal.com/Rebate/EligibleEquipment/Electric Charger

 

[RocketGhost]

Nice list.
If I didn't already have a FCSP, I would bite on the Emporia 48A.
However, I did see 'refurbished' chargers at Emporia or Amazon web site for sale - I always wonder about things when I see 'refurbished' ones.

I bought a refurbished Emporia direct from their site and it's been fine.

I read that an advantage of refurbished products is that they are individually tested, while products coming off an assembly line don't always get fully tested, or tested at all. The only potential issue is if there is an intermittent problem, but warranty would take care of that if I had a problem.

I don't hesitate buying manufacturer refurbished products. Third-party refurbished is a different story.

 

[Nolander]

Emporia is a good unit. I have had it for 3+ years now with not a problem. Puts out 11w on a 60 amp breaker

 

[chl]

Emporia is a good unit. I have had it for 3+ years now with not a problem. Puts out 11w on a 60 amp breaker

You mean 11kW I hope, 11w would be rather slow charging.

 

[chl]

I bought a refurbished Emporia direct from their site and it's been fine.

I read that an advantage of refurbished products is that they are individually tested, while products coming off an assembly line don't always get fully tested, or tested at all. The only potential issue is if there is an intermittent problem, but warranty would take care of that if I had a problem.

I don't hesitate buying manufacturer refurbished products. Third-party refurbished is a different story.

Glad to hear you have good results.
Generally that item has good reviews, and the price is right even if not refurbished. The refurbished one was only $50 less than list price a I recall.

However, if you search "Emporia EVSE problems" you will see not everyone has had a great experience with them, for what it is worth.

For example: "when I set it to 60A breaker, the Emporia says it will charge at a max rate of 48A (11.5kW). It stops, though, after an hour or so. To avoid the stopping (and no longer restarting on its own), I have to set it to 40A breaker, charging at 32A max, or 6.7kW."



I have seen mixed results on refurbished items, sometimes there is a design defect that can't be fixed permanently by replacing a defective part, it'll last for a while and then fail again for example.

The devil is in the details of why it had to be refurbished in the first place, which is hard to find out most times.

As an EE, I like to know that info so I can make a value determination.

Same with cars/trucks, some are just lemons from the getgo.

Like apparently some years of the Kia Forte and the Hyundai equivalent - engine lock up due to connecting rod failure:
https://www.abc15.com/news/let-abc1...ng to the class action,and even catch on fire.

Two of my daughter's had bad ones.
One was bought new and was still under warranty, although Kia dragged their feet replacing the engine they eventually did - that dealership had upwards of 20 needing new engines.

The other was a used car with low mileage that looked like a good vehicle that would last years, but unfortunately the warranty wasn't extended and it wasn't a model year that was included in the big class action law suit so over $15,000 down the drain with no recourse after 1 year of use.

 

[Nolander]

For example: "when I set it to 60A breaker, the Emporia says it will charge at a max rate of 48A (11.5kW). It stops, though, after an hour or so. To avoid the stopping (and no longer restarting on its own), I have to set it to 40A breaker, charging at 32A max, or 6.7kW."

This is exactly my setup and it works perfectly. I also take advantage of the ability to modulate the current to allow it to charge slower overnight. I have heard this is less taxing on the whole system overall - less heat.

 

[chl]

This is exactly my setup and it works perfectly. I also take advantage of the ability to modulate the current to allow it to charge slower overnight. I have heard this is less taxing on the whole system overall - less heat.

That's good news.

There were a couple people on that Reddit post who had the issue of it cutting off after 1 hour when set to 48A.

But I think they both may have been charging Kia's, so maybe it's just a problem between the Kia and the Emporia EVSE miscommunicating and causing the Emporia to shut off?

There are protection mechanisms, to prevent overheating/fires, in the software but if a sensor output is misinterpreted as indicating an issue, for example, then an unnecessary halt could be initiated.

One of the persons said the Emporia tech's did a firmware update on their EVSE but that didn't solve the issue.

I agree I wouldn't care as long as 32A works flawlessly.

If you don't need faster charging at 48A, and 32A is good enough, it's better in the sense that it causes less stress on the battery and the on-board charger in the Lightning to charge at a lower rate.

I have a FCSP I bought 1/2 price on eBay (unused) but I only bought it for the Home Integration possibility, and perhaps the rare occasion I need a faster charge at 48A.

I use the 30A (or 32A which ever it really is) mobile charger when I need to add juice, based on my driving requirements. I also use the mobile to charge my 2012 Leaf which I got in 2011 and still has a decent range for local driving - when I need to go places the truck is a bit too large to go.

 

[Nolander]

That's good news.

There were a couple people on that Reddit post who had the issue of it cutting off after 1 hour when set to 48A.

But I think they both may have been charging Kia's, so maybe it's just a problem between the Kia and the Emporia EVSE miscommunicating and causing the Emporia to shut off?

There are protection mechanisms, to prevent overheating/fires, in the software but if a sensor output is misinterpreted as indicating an issue, for example, then an unnecessary halt could be initiated.

One of the persons said the Emporia tech's did a firmware update on their EVSE but that didn't solve the issue.

I agree I wouldn't care as long as 32A works flawlessly.

If you don't need faster charging at 48A, and 32A is good enough, it's better in the sense that it causes less stress on the battery and the on-board charger in the Lightning to charge at a lower rate.

I have a FCSP I bought 1/2 price on eBay (unused) but I only bought it for the Home Integration possibility, and perhaps the rare occasion I need a faster charge at 48A.

I use the 30A (or 32A which ever it really is) mobile charger when I need to add juice, based on my driving requirements. I also use the mobile to charge my 2012 Leaf which I got in 2011 and still has a decent range for local driving - when I need to go places the truck is a bit too large to go.

Actually the original install was for my Kia EV6. It worked flawlessly for that and for the Lighting.

 

[chl]

Actually the original install was for my Kia EV6. It worked flawlessly for that and for the Lighting.

Well, there goes that theory.

I guess it was the Emporia EVSE's then.

Could have been a bad batch of electrical components that only affected a limited number of them I suppose.

From the Emporia web site:

"Emporia Energy is based in Littleton, CO (USA) - just outside of Denver. All of our product design, testing and management occurs out of that office with primary device manufacturing occurring in India. We have component manufacturers from all over the world...."

I got a GE hybrid water heater, the compressor-made in China-it had bad welds.

When I bought it, Sears had a sale and provided a 5 year warranty.

The first failure happened within the first year, so GE came out and fixed a weld and it worked for a while, but then after the GE year was up, a different weld failed, one that was not so easy to fix either.

So Sears came out and replaced it with a whole new water heater, but guess what? Bad welds and it failed too.

This time, Sears had to order a part from China to fix it, and thaat took more than a month to get, but finally they installed it. It produced hot water during that time but not in hybrid mode.

But then that water heater failed as well, and they replaced it once again with a new one.

With that one, water heater the third, the welds lasted, however it has a design flaw - the compressor needs to drain condensed water through a little plastic tube attached to a nipple located in the back top of the unit, integral with the plastic tray that catches the water.

The nipple likes to clog up with dust and debris frequently and then water overflows on to the basement floor.

Not only that, the nipple is very fragile and eventually broke off from the weight of the plasic tube to the drain pump. No way to glue it together.

And to replace the whole tray requires disassembling the whole top of the water heater, the compressor sits on top of the tray.

So now it runs with no the hybrid mode because otherwise it waters the basement floor.

EDIT: That really bugs me because it saved me many $$ when running in hybrid on my electric bill!

Just an example of how foreign made components, where there is inadequate quality control, can cause havoc.

I have seen the same problem with electrical components, lights, switches, etc. It is almost like China is trying to sabotage America with dangerously flawed things!

A reliability testing org info:
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What type of issues can be avoided thanks to reliability testing?

Here are three examples of issues that are not that uncommon in electronic products:

1. Some components soldered on the PCB board move (and get disconnected) due to vibrations in transportation
2. Capacitors have micro-level defects that only cause issues when the product is exposed to humid ambient air
3. A battery stops operating normally at a temperature that would be considered normal (say, 5 degrees in Siberia)

Reliability tests can help you catch these issues before it is too late!

These tests often catch design issues that would seldom be detected with inspections after production (actually, those issues often become obvious once the product is in the customer’s hands!)

https://qualityinspection.org/reliability-testing-on-electronic-products-china/
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I suppose maybe it is true that refurbished items are reliability tested better/more extensively than ones off the production line from where ever they are made and assembled.

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