dharper,
Most L2 EVSEs are designed to be hard wired to your electric panel. Hard wiring is a tad safer and less expensive, since there is no 240 V plug and socket connection. However using a 240 V outlet, plug, and cord is handy for 240 V charging on the road, or at grandma's house, or campgrounds with "50 A service."
You can just buy a replacement cord for a stove or dryer with the appropriate plug factory crimped to a 6' cord. They are very reasonably priced at Amazon.com. Connect the cord to the EVSE of choice and you are good to go. The clipper creek unit recommended above is cost effective and has a great reputation for reliability. Also, I think clipper creek offers a version with 240 V plug and cord for $25-50 extra IIRC.
The reason the EVSE itself is so expensive is because of the electronics required, and the low volume production. They must have a GFI detection circuit, pilot signal circuit, and special high voltage, high current relays (contactors) to open and close the circuit. The J1772 plugs are also low volume and expensive for the EVSE manufacturer to buy, espically the higher current ones (80 A). As more PEVs hit the road and the market gets bigger, I expect to see prices drop to maybe half what they are today, but that will take many years, maybe 10-20 years (faster I hope).
Good luck with your EVSE shopping,
GSP
Most L2 EVSEs are designed to be hard wired to your electric panel. Hard wiring is a tad safer and less expensive, since there is no 240 V plug and socket connection. However using a 240 V outlet, plug, and cord is handy for 240 V charging on the road, or at grandma's house, or campgrounds with "50 A service."
You can just buy a replacement cord for a stove or dryer with the appropriate plug factory crimped to a 6' cord. They are very reasonably priced at Amazon.com. Connect the cord to the EVSE of choice and you are good to go. The clipper creek unit recommended above is cost effective and has a great reputation for reliability. Also, I think clipper creek offers a version with 240 V plug and cord for $25-50 extra IIRC.
The reason the EVSE itself is so expensive is because of the electronics required, and the low volume production. They must have a GFI detection circuit, pilot signal circuit, and special high voltage, high current relays (contactors) to open and close the circuit. The J1772 plugs are also low volume and expensive for the EVSE manufacturer to buy, espically the higher current ones (80 A). As more PEVs hit the road and the market gets bigger, I expect to see prices drop to maybe half what they are today, but that will take many years, maybe 10-20 years (faster I hope).
Good luck with your EVSE shopping,
GSP
