[Sean-a-Tron]

On July 2nd, I ordered my Duosida 16A Level 2 EVSE, it finally arrived today! It was $151 shipped. I ordered it with the 6-20 plug, 5m cable, and of course with the J1772 EV plug. So far, everything works great. The EV plug fits as expected, although the cable is quite chunky. Not quite as easy to move around as the Voltec EVSE.

I'll be sure to post if I have any issues with it. They also have 30A EVSE's available for around $230 that have nifty LCD displays on them.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/110V-220V-Duosida-evse-16A-j1772_60663944077.html

 

[Rickoshay]

I have been using mine for 6 months. Zero issues.

2014 Volt Premium - Safety pkg 1 and 2, Navigation

 

[bentbiker]

That is a great price. Will it also function as an L1 EVSE with the proper pigtail? If so, Gen1 owners could sell their OEM EVSE for more than that and substitute the Duosida for travel and give them more options.

 

[jcramer]

You mention that the cable is "quite chunky". Much of the cost of an EVSE is in the copper wire for the cable. I'm suspicious that these units are using aluminum instead of copper in the cable. Any chance of a peek inside to check?

 

[Rickoshay]

You mention that the cable is "quite chunky". Much of the cost of an EVSE is in the copper wire for the cable. I'm suspicious that these units are using aluminum instead of copper in the cable. Any chance of a peek inside to check?

They are copper.

2014 Volt Premium - Safety pkg 1 and 2, Navigation

 

[Sean-a-Tron]

That is a great price. Will it also function as an L1 EVSE with the proper pigtail? If so, Gen1 owners could sell their OEM EVSE for more than that and substitute the Duosida for travel and give them more options.

I'm quite certain that they're L1 compatible, the sales-lady was trying to sell me the pigtail. I wasn't interested though as the Duosida will be my home EVSE. The Voltec EVSE went back into the slot in the car.

 

[Chris TX]

The wire is thicker on the Duosida, so yeah it's going to be harder to bend than the 14-16 gauge on the Volt's EVSEs.

And yes, if you have a 120V pigtail for it, it will do Level 1. I know the Volt will only draw up to 12 amps on Level 1, which makes it relatively safe for a 15 amp NEMA 5-15. However, if it doesn't modify the pilot signal, it would keep allowing 16 amps on 120V, which could make something like a Tesla pop a 15A breaker, or just melt the outlet.

 

[freshcut]

Yes, they are dual voltage with a proper pigtail. I have tested mine with both 240 and 120 and the vehicle reports both as charging in the appropriate voltage. Be careful though as it's been suggested in a previous thread that the units that ship with the 120 plug have a smaller gauge input cord so I'd suggest just going with the 240 spec and using an adapter for 120. I can't confirm, but there was a member who ordered the 120 spec unit and it seemed his input voltage cord was one gauge smaller than mine. Also, I can confirm that the j1772 cable from the unit is quite large. Not quite double the size of the OEM EVSE but certainly close to 50% larger.

 

[dannycamps]

A word of caution (I know from experience), the "chunky" cable if not handled properly can develop breaks in the internal wiring which happened to my Duosida. I can still get it to work sometimes if I flex the cable a very specific way and carefully lay in on the ground but more often than not, I am just moving up and down the wire twisting and bending it while my Volt sits waiting for its charge.

 

[llninja]

I still call cheap Chinese crap - buy American!!!

 

[BAZINGA]

I still call cheap Chinese crap - buy American!!!

+1, my CC is over 5 years old and works like the day I bought it.

 

[Sean-a-Tron]

I still call cheap Chinese crap - buy American!!!

I would love to buy a Clipper Creek EVSE, but I couldn't justify spending $350+. Maybe if I had a BEV. Then I would spend the extra money.

Keep in mind that the Chinese have been working on EVs for as long as we have. In fact, their government will be mandating EVs while ours, under The Orange One, will be relaxing EV mandates.

 

[tacman7]

Coal conversion pack option on new Bolts coming.

 

[obermd]

Keep in mind that the Chinese have been working on EVs for as long as we have. In fact, their government will be mandating EVs while ours, under The Orange One, will be relaxing EV mandates.

Meanwhile the Chinese are continuing to build coal fired power plants. China is the largest consumer of coal generated electricity on the planet, having surpassed the US a few years ago.

 

[Chris TX]

Meanwhile the Chinese are continuing to build coal fired power plants. China is the largest consumer of coal generated electricity on the planet, having surpassed the US a few years ago.

Looks like they're starting to clean up their act:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/world/asia/china-coal-power-plants-pollution.html

But that has nothing to do with the Duosida EVSE.

 

[marcusm]

I bought two of these Duosidas. I got the 120 end and use a Chris TX pigtail for 240. At 15 A max draw by the Volt the 120 end is adequate gauge. Unfortunately one of the two of my units is not working now and they are sending me a replacement for free. I'm going to have the original fixed by Chris so we'll see what was wrong with it.


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[Ohms Law]

I paid about $20 more for mine a few months ago...it's a great 240v portable charger. I also have zero complaints so far. I needed it for when I head out of town and need to get a bit faster charging and it really was a shot in the arm to have it.

 

[jbakerjonathan]

I bought two of these Duosidas. I got the 120 end and use a Chris TX pigtail for 240. At 15 A max draw by the Volt the 120 end is adequate gauge. Unfortunately one of the two of my units is not working now and they are sending me a replacement for free. I'm going to have the original fixed by Chris so we'll see what was wrong with it.


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Would you share with us the source of your Duosidas? Sounds like a reputable company.

 

[marcusm]

The factory --Zencar. When I bought them direct I think I paid about $300 for two units shipped -- via Paypal. The quoted price of the unit itself is about $115. Shipping is a significant part of the cost. They have a 32 amp unit which I think costs about $200, but is way overkill for the Volt. The dual voltage 120/240 one, which is their base unit, will max out the charging capacity on the Volt and charge it a little more than 4 hours on 240.

Email them about a quote on a shipped price:

[email protected]

Sales Director Amy
​Exporting Department
Shanghai Zencar Industry Co.,

​​Skype: zencar-1006
​​Web: ​www.e-zencar.net
Fax: +86 (0)519-68783077
Tel: +86 (0)519-68783066
​Mob: +86 (0)13861268956
Whatsapp: ​+86 (0)13861268956



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[jbakerjonathan]

Thanks for the prompt reply and information. I'll check it out.