Especially important for northern people with baseboard heating...

 

Actually the volt charges at 16 amps max on 220 volts. You should be fine.

 

Yes. Good food for thought for those complaining the new olt wasn't equipped to charge at 6.6.kwh, though.
most l2 charger manufacturers are only selling 30 amp units now, so so e people may have found themselves with an unwitting surprise if the car drew that much current.

 

A 100 Amp service panel can supply 230VAC at 30 Amp easily. The limiting factors are the other electrical loads. If you charge at night, you should be safe, since only a few appliances are used at night, being the refrigerator the most common, and it isn't that much of a load (about 15 A or 1.8 kW maximum when the compressor is running).

So you can install a Level 2 EVSE if you never overload the service panel, and for a 3.3kW Volt load, that is almost 15 Amps.

 

We had an i3 for several weeks while our old 3-series BMW was repaired by the dealer. With our volt and the i3 in the garage, the value of 4.8 kW charging became clear: 15 miles of charge per hr vs. 10. Fifteen is all our Clipper Creek LCS-25P could deliver. But if we'd bought a more powerful unit we could have gotten 20 miles per hour into the i3.

There are many times that we would have enjoyed having 6.6 kW charging in the Volt.

 

The point is this...
you have a 30 amp l2 charger.
You live in ermine and it is -20 degrees out side.
you use electric heating, have an electric stove and a dryer running at dinner time while the kids are playing video games on the big screen tv after taking hot sHowes returning from skiing....

100 amps runs thin then. Not often but for an economical car like the volt, it fits better.

 

in Vermont and taking hot showers after returning from skiing...

 

Most cars and most EVSEs have the ability to limit the charging to something below the maximum available, so I'm not sure that I agree here. Some of them you can change limits on the fly to handle exceptional cases, others you have to go through harder steps (dip switches, in some cases) to limit, and would probably just leave at one setting.

Either way, having the ability to charge faster doesn't require charging faster, and I don't really see a downside to having the ability (except the extra cost/weight of building more capable systems into the cars, of course.)

 

Maybe the point is this. You can buy whichever EVSE your circuits can accommodate. It would be nice if the Volt would accept 6.6 kW for those of us with the capacity to supply it.

 

Exactly!
Having a 6.6Kw onboard charger (in-car) should not have any weight penalty or very minimal at best.
Battery degradation at 6.6K charge? Not likely. Every time the volt rolls downhill and regen applied ( or shifter to L) it goes to 54KW charge to the battery. NO worries the battery can handle it.

If you only have 100amp service available at the condo, simply opt for a 3.3KW wall charger (EVCS) which will only pull about 16 amp at 230Volt.
Or simply use the supplied 120VOlt charger, it will even pull less wattage.
The wall charger (EVCS) you choose will determine the amount goes into the car regardless what the car has onboard.
Only To the max Amps what the car's onboard will take of course.
But if it is a smaller EVCS it will only pull 16amps (230V), or 8-12 amps at 115V even if the car has a 6.6KW onboard charger.

As EVs evolve With longer range and larger more capacity batteries (example BOLT) and become main stream 100amp service panels in condos will be too small to run with other power hungry household appliances.
It is unlikely that battery size and capacity will would decrease in the upcoming years.

I have 200 amp panel - give me 6.6Kw or more charge please.

PS: it would also be nice if GM would include or allow the buyer to choose a faster charger vs. the 115V. supplied with the car. SO the new owner does not need to buy an other $500 EVCS after the car purchase.

 

One could always just buy a 3.3 kW EVSE which would accomplish the same purpose. This would effectively limit the output at the cord. There is no need to have a slower rate at the vehicle, which reduces the usefulness of public charging.

 

That's an excellent point!

 

The Volt should have 6.6 period.

I am new to the Volt world and I find myself wishing more and more that it could charge faster

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

I believe in the States and many countries the max continuous rating, over one hour use is 80% of the actual listed rating. So 30amps is only 24amps for over 1 hour use. This means any Volt or device designed to use over 12 amps need to take this into account if running for more than an hour at the high load. So if the new volt actually runs at 3600watts on 240v = 15 amps its OK on a 20 amp plus capable supply, but two on a 30amp rated supply is over running it by 6 amps so a 40 amp rated supply (32 amps continuous) is needed. The question is are the 30 amp EVSEs rated for max continuous if so should be plugged into a 40amp receptacle or wired as a 40amp device. If actually only 24A, then OK charging one volt but would be over run if two gen2 volts are plug in, but OK for two gen1 Volts at 12 each.

Just some thoughts.

Take care Brian retired Power & Environment Specialist with Hewlett-Packard.

 

This ridiculous line of reasoning reminded me of the old Joe Walsh song, 'Life's been good'
So if 'my Maserati does 185....I lost my license, now I don't drive'
Therefore it must good to be poor and not be able to buy a Maserati and lose your license, right?!'

Thinking that a limitation is a blessing is probably the poorest kind of justification for anything.

 

Bigger onboard charger = more $$ and more weight, and less fuel efficiency (see weight).

For those who use 120v, a bigger onboard has NO effect except higher cost and less range. Even the 3300w unit is overkill.

And fast charging a battery reduces it's effective life.

GM appears to have put a lot of thought into the size of the charger. Big enough to charge in 4 hours, small enough to keep the price and weight down and not require a massive project to wire your house to a SAE charger.

 

How much weight a 6.6 kWh could be compare to 3.3 kWh. It's an electric module, it can't be that heavy compare to another. But I agree for the cost, it is a question of keeping it cheap. However an option to have a 6.6 kWh charge for more $$$ would be nice. Maybe for 2017 models... but it's not a deal breaker for me since I'm waiting to receive my2016.

 

I have 460vac 400amp 3ph service that is only at 25% capacity. 200amp x 277v per leg x 3 legs = massive power.

Sure it might be nice party trick to charge a Volt in 5 minutes, needing liquid nitrogen cooling would be extra sweet. But why? It has a gas engine, it's always ready to go.

Our house is 400 amp x single phase 121vac (measured at inlet to the charger). 200 amp is unused normally (welders, big compressor, flood lights, automotive lift). So without breaking a sweat, it could go sub 20 minute. But again, why?

We have a 10 hour window of super cheap power. That will do 2 Volts on the same circuit with the built in timer. I suppose if we get 3 or more Volts, it might be handy.

 

I love my 2011. The only thing that would get me to trade it in is 6.6KW. If GM doesn't understand people who really hate to use gasoline but need it for backup, I'll just keep my 2011 running until it's eligible for Pickers.

It's really hard to see what will wear out in a Volt. Even my brakes look almost new. Give me a 6.6KW option or forget it.

 

I think my house supply is only 100 amps, but when I had my shop wired I went with 200 amp service, so if my home can't handle the 6.6 my shop can Just need to install a garage door opener if I am going to be parking in it every day... then I can bitch and moan about homelink!

Keith

 

Brad in Las Vegas, NV, who makes EVSEs based on OpenEVSE also has a "Dryer Buddy" for about $141 including shipping. It favors the dryer leg but limits total current on the circuit to 24A.

 

Every time I hear GM say "most of our Volt customers charge with 120 volt level 1" it drives me crazy. Because they turn right around and say in "90% of them charge overnight at home." And that's where the nonsense comes in: of COURSE level 1 is ok for charging overnight. It's when you've driven it to the coast and there's no place to charge at your motel that you REALLY could use fastest possible charging by the restaurant where you eat! And a lot of them do have a good 6.6+ kW EVSE nearby.

And let's be honest here: we DID buy Volts because they're electric. Not Camaros etc. And we bought Volts specifically because they're not just electric: we can drive them anywhere, especially to where we are NOT AT HOME OVERNIGHT!

Proof: how many times have you seen most of the spaces at public charging stations in use by Volts? Unless it's a free station (rare now), those Volt owners are going way out of their way and paying extra per mile to drive on electricity. Public charging is almost always more expensive than just skipping the whole hassle and letting the Volt use gas.

By the way, as I discovered this first week with my 2016, level 1 isn't so much "of course" enough overnight now with a 53 mile range. So even that excuse is wearing thin.

 

Spot on... KenBrown.

I think the argument was for commuter use. drive to work park it charge for 8 hours if you can, then drive home then charge over night.
This would work with a 115V at 12 amp. How ever most forks may want to drive home from work then go elsewhere. Dinner, party friends house, gym, grocery shopping, or what not.
Yes Level2 at 4 hour charge is very handy to have for a quick fill of the batteries.
Example, I can make it to the gym and back home but it will eat up the entire battery, (yes it is about 15 miles one way). When I come home it nice to be able to quickly top of the batteries so we can go elsewhere with the car using EV mode; without waiting 8 hours.

 

I always arrive with empty battery in the evening.

Can't go even to the nearest restaurant and back without gas... 6.6 would make it possible. Often I just end up taking the truck in the evenings

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

I think GM knows that we all could use 6.6kWh for opportunity charging. Residential charging is questionable. I think it's only a matter of time and you will be able to purchase a plugin hybrid with good EV range that has 6.6kWh charging.

 

Some of us have the electrical system support to support 6.6 and/or DCFC...

Bigger onboard charger = more $$ and more weight, and less fuel efficiency (see weight).

For those who use 120v, a bigger onboard has NO effect except higher cost and less range. Even the 3300w unit is overkill.

And fast charging a battery reduces it's effective life.

GM appears to have put a lot of thought into the size of the charger. Big enough to charge in 4 hours, small enough to keep the price and weight down and not require a massive project to wire your house to a SAE charger.

Make it an option, it's $750 on the Spark...The weight difference is minimal and even if it was 100lbs it's still an option that exists on another Chevy car...It doesn't affect the battery degration that much, educate yourself with Telsa forums where folks have exclusively supercharged and have reported less than a 3% degration loss after 50K miles...Furthermore, 50% of folks lease their cars anyways and do not care about degration...

Every time I hear GM say "most of our Volt customers charge with 120 volt level 1" it drives me crazy. Because they turn right around and say in "90% of them charge overnight at home." And that's where the nonsense comes in: of COURSE level 1 is ok for charging overnight. It's when you've driven it to the coast and there's no place to charge at your motel that you REALLY could use fastest possible charging by the restaurant where you eat! And a lot of them do have a good 6.6+ kW EVSE nearby.

And let's be honest here: we DID buy Volts because they're electric. Not Camaros etc. And we bought Volts specifically because they're not just electric: we can drive them anywhere, especially to where we are NOT AT HOME OVERNIGHT!

Proof: how many times have you seen most of the spaces at public charging stations in use by Volts? Unless it's a free station (rare now), those Volt owners are going way out of their way and paying extra per mile to drive on electricity. Public charging is almost always more expensive than just skipping the whole hassle and letting the Volt use gas.

By the way, as I discovered this first week with my 2016, level 1 isn't so much "of course" enough overnight now with a 53 mile range. So even that excuse is wearing thin.

Right on...Folks use the same degration excuse and never follow up because all it is, is an excuse...

 

I second the recommendation of Brad's Dryer buddy. The small company he runs is called BSA and the Dryer buddy #4 plus was a custom he did for me. I use the dryer once a week so the device has a 10-30 and a 14-50 receptacle to use existing dryer's 30amp circuit. It contains a DPDT switch to select which outlet to power. Simple solution to limited 100amp home wiring by using existing 30amp circuit. Paired with Clipper Creek LCS25P for 4.8kW potential charging at 20amp or go to larger version for 5.7kW at 24amps.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/m84es4c1qqqques/Dryer Buddy Plus #4 with kWh meter Demo.mp4?dl=0