Charging options at home

[Agmedmam]

Looking for some insight into the EV world. I received a quote for $500 to install a 220v plug or install my Rivian charger. Would it be more beneficial to just install an outlet in the garage and using the portable charger? I am thinking about future resell/added value.

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[Donald Stanfield]

If you get a 14-50 plug which is a 50 amp 220V plug you can use the portable charger and get around 16 miles of range added per hour of the truck charging. If you get the Rivian charger and are able to run it on the max 60 amp breaker it gets around 25 miles of range per hour. So the Rivian charger is the fastest it’s going to be able to charge on level two. Only thing faster is a DC fast charger.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

The portable charger that plugs into a regular wall socket is a Level 1 charger, that will take basically forever.

This is not accurate. The included portable EVSE is a Level 2 unit, capable of 32A @ 240V AC with the included NEMA 14-50 pigtail. This would get you approximately 16 miles of range added, per hour. There is a 120V (level 1) pigtail included, as well, which you could use in a pinch... But it is a level 2 unit that supports level 2 speeds.

And having the Rivian charger will be added value at resale time. It's among the fastest Level 2 chargers out there now (15kW), and the plug type (J2) has basically become universal, so it should work with any EV.

This is also incorrect. If you're referring to the Rivian portable EVSE, included with every R1, it is a 7.6kW unit. If you're referring to the optional Rivian Wall EVSE, which is available as an additional purchase, that is an 11.5kW unit. Neither are 15kW. The R1T does not support 15kW AC charging from any EVSE. The R1T uses the J1772 plug for AC charging -- not "J2".

 

[odingrey]

I went with a nema 14-50 a few years back, rather than a hardwired version. I figure in the lifetime of the house, who knows what electric cars will want and I don't want to have to deal with rewiring all the time.

I did find the included evse a bit slow, so I bought a semi permanent solution that just plugs into the 14-50. Can't go a full 50 amps, but I can get 40 out of it now.

 

[Hoo D. Hoo]

This is not accurate. The included portable EVSE is a Level 2 unit, capable of 32A @ 240V AC with the included NEMA 14-50 pigtail. This would get you approximately 16 miles of range added, per hour. There is a 120V (level 1) pigtail included, as well, which you could use in a pinch... But it is a level 2 unit that supports level 2 speeds.


This is also incorrect. If you're referring to the Rivian portable EVSE, included with every R1, it is a 7.6kW unit. If you're referring to the optional Rivian Wall EVSE, which is available as an additional purchase, that is an 11.5kW unit. Neither are 15kW. The R1T does not support 15kW AC charging from any EVSE. The R1T uses the J1772 plug for AC charging -- not "J2".

So sorry! And thanks for correcting me. I knew I should not type fast and dash.

On the portable -- I didn't know they included a level 2 portable. Interesting. That gets into a different issue, about whether you want/need/already have a dryer plug there. For me personally, that's the thing that might do in a pinch, but not be preferable. I think the hardwire would be cleaner, safer, and a greater value.

And 15 kW is a typo. I meant 11.5. And J2 was just plain lazy. I got confused between that and my local J2 bus route.

Was dashing out the door. Not my strongest post. Thanks for clarifying.

P.S. In fact, I'm going to go back and delete that, just because having all that wrong there isn't helpful to anyone. Leaving the acknowledgment here, though.

 

[Hoo D. Hoo]

To rephrase my opinion:
I think in the long run the Rivian wall charger, at 11.5 kW (one of the fastest Level 2s currently available), will be cleaner looking, faster, more convenient to you, and add greater house resale value than relying on the 7.6 kW portable. I don't know the details of your installation, but $500 seems reasonable. I'd make the investment.

 

[Mathme]

The way I understand it there are a few options:

1. You can go with the Rivian @ 50amp (60amp breaker) or you can go with another of the same voltage (like Wallbox). These must be hard-wired direct to the fuse box. This will be about 11.5kWh andnet you about 25 miles of charge per hour.
2. Next option is through a 14-50 plug for 40amps (50amp breaker). For these, you can mount a charger next to the outlet and take it with you when you move. This will get you ~9kWh or 19-20 miles in the Rivian.
3. Next would be through a 30amp plug (like a dryer) and use either a wall charger set to this level or the Rivian portable charger.

At my place we decided to go with Option #2 above, as we already had the 50amp breaker on a 15-50 plug ran and it wasn't worth the cost to run the heavier gauge wire for the little boost we'd get. We will also have two electric cars on this outlet.

Something else to think about is what's the electric service into your house and how much extra power do you have to spare. For us, we're pushing our 200amp service with a hot tub, swim spa, a/c, dryer, and car charging.

We also decided to go with a Wallbox Charger over the Rivian because if you have two, run can run them off of the same circuit and plug two cars in at the same time. The chargers have the ability to communicate with each other and once one car is finished, they will swap the power over to the other needing a charge. We haven't added the second Wallbox as we don't have the second car...but that's an easy addition if/when we need it.

 

[AsianPersuasian]

NEMA as well. I can fully recharge overnight since I pretty much use the Rivian for my daily driver locally. Supposedly, slower charging will lengthen battery life from what I've researched on the internet.

 

[pc500]

NEMA as well. I can fully recharge overnight since I pretty much use the Rivian for my daily driver locally. Supposedly, slower charging will lengthen battery life from what I've researched on the internet.

Slower charging low length and battery life but that won't make a difference at this charge rate compared to the size of the battery

 

[schalliol]

Is the Rivian branded EVSE the most powerful L2 charger R1s can handle? We have 800 Amp home service with 200 dedicated to the garage, so we should be good for multiple vehicles, but since I don’t have an EVSE, I figure it makes sense to get whatever is most powerful for the Rivian (should it eventually come!).

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Is the Rivian branded EVSE the most powerful L2 charger R1s can handle? We have 800 Amp home service with 200 dedicated to the garage, so we should be good for multiple vehicles, but since I don’t have an EVSE, I figure it makes sense to get whatever is most powerful for the Rivian (should it eventually come!).

Yes, the R1T has an 11.5kW onboard charger, so a 48A @ 240V EVSE will max it out. You can buy larger EVSEs, but they won't charge an R1T any faster.

I have the Rivian EVSE and like it. But you can use another brand and get the same charging speeds. You don't have to use the Rivian branded unit to get the best speeds. Buy what you like.

 

[schalliol]

Thanks for clarifying. Is there anything you’d miss buy bit getting the Rivian EVSE? Maybe I’d buy one more powerful for future proofing to not have to re-buy but I’d have to figure out what would be best.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Thanks for clarifying. Is there anything you’d miss buy bit getting the Rivian EVSE? Maybe I’d buy one more powerful for future proofing to not have to re-buy but I’d have to figure out what would be best.

I like the look and warranty of the Rivian unit. But feature wise it’s pretty weak. If you just want simple plug-and-charge, it’s good. But quite limited on what data it exposes, no scheduling options, no load sharing, etc.

 

[schalliol]

I’m trying to decide between getting a dumb Clipper Creek HCS-80 or similar with 64A of charging power on an 80A circuit or just going for the Rivian. A smart one might be nice, but I’m not sure which those might be. I’ve heard that the Rivian app can schedule charging, so perhaps a smart one isn’t required. Not sure if that’s the case.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

I’m trying to decide between getting a dumb Clipper Creek HCS-80 or similar with 64A of charging power on an 80A circuit or just going for the Rivian. A smart one might be nice, but I’m not sure which those might be. I’ve heard that the Rivian app can schedule charging, so perhaps a smart one isn’t required. Not sure if that’s the case.

The R1T has a rudimentary schedule in the center screen. The app has nothing.

There are third party EVSEs with more flexible scheduling options, if that’s important to you.

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