Electric Vehicle (EV) Residential Level 1 Charging

[3rdgenerationelectrician]

SITUATION
I currently work for a company that is manufacturing Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) used for Level 2 charging (240V, 40A) for the consumer EV's to be released this year. Our company has been tasked to provide a national installation network of electrical contractors to install the EVSE product. Part of our responsibility is to provide assessment of Level 1 charging (120V, 20A) in the area the customer will be charging the vehicle. The car manufacture will supply the car with a cord set that is GFCI protected.
PROBLEM
If the cord set is GFCI protected and the outlet requires GFCI protection for this location this will cause tripping.
QUESTION
What options are available to eliminate this problem, can a twist lock receptacle be used on the line side of the GFCI outlet (assuming a GFCI breaker was not used)?
What other options may be used?

 

[charlie b]

If the cord set is GFCI protected and the outlet requires GFCI protection for this location this will cause tripping.

What makes you think that? You can put 42 GFCI devices in series, one right after the other, and that will not, by itself, cause a nuisance trip at the final outlet (or any other in the series). If a GFCI device trips, it means that there is leakage current.

 

[LarryFine]

Welcome to the forum!

PROBLEM
If the cord set is GFCI protected and the outlet requires GFCI protection for this location this will cause tripping.

As Charlie said, there should be no issue. It's just like hair blow dryers that have GFCI plugs working in GFCI-protected bath receptacles.

Plus, if you understood how GFCI devices work, you'd see that there is no electrical reason for cascaded GFCI devices to have nuisance tripping.

 

[Sierrasparky]

I guess non of you have had any GFCI's trip because of RF interference.

Welll I have

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

They are putting the gfi on cord because older houses may not have gfci receptacles. As been said this should not cause a problem

 

[jwjrw]

Are you saying it would case tripping or is your company saying it will?

 

[jwjrw]

"cause" sorry cant spell today...

 

[LarryFine]

I guess non of you have had any GFCI's trip because of RF interference.

Still, that has nothing to do with the quantity of GFCI devices.

 

[3rdgenerationelectrician]

Great Points

Great Points

All great points, all valued input. I will make note of all replies.
This concern had been brought up by several people related to the project. Although we all know that it will work, there was concern for nuisance tripping after walking away from the vehicle. The last thing we need are people waking up in the morning to go to work with a dead battery.

 

[MarkyMarkNC]

In that case, perhaps some sort of audible alarm in the case of a trip could be engineered into the product.

 

[nakulak]

I would suggest that you build into the charger one of two devices:
1) bluetooth notification to cell phone that charger is plugged in but no power
2) some kind of wireless keyfob that indicates charger is plugged in but no power


just my 2 cents

 

[e57]

What makes you think that? You can put 42 GFCI devices in series, one right after the other, and that will not, by itself, cause a nuisance trip at the final outlet (or any other in the series). If a GFCI device trips, it means that there is leakage current.

In defense of the OP - it was in the early days of GFI devices was a problem - if a GFI device was on the load of an other GFI device the first one detected some missing current due to the sensing circuit of the second one. GFI circuit design has since changed and is no longer so much of an issue. And yes, IMO if someone inadvertantly puts a GFI receptical on the load of another GFI receptical - is does increase the sensitivity of the first - it may cause nussiunse tripping. 5ma is not a whole lot of current and the circuitry of the old ones was just enough.

 

[e57]

SITUATION
I currently work for a company that is manufacturing Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) used for Level 2 charging (240V, 40A) for the consumer EV's to be released this year. Our company has been tasked to provide a national installation network of electrical contractors to install the EVSE product. Part of our responsibility is to provide assessment of Level 1 charging (120V, 20A) in the area the customer will be charging the vehicle. The car manufacture will supply the car with a cord set that is GFCI protected.
PROBLEM
If the cord set is GFCI protected and the outlet requires GFCI protection for this location this will cause tripping.
QUESTION
What options are available to eliminate this problem, can a twist lock receptacle be used on the line side of the GFCI outlet (assuming a GFCI breaker was not used)?
What other options may be used?

The "problem" as stated is not a real issue any longer with new GFCI designs. And the GFCI device on the cord set is superfluous in newer construction and upgraded wiring, as any area where a car would plug in would be protected with a GFI. But the additional one on the cord set covers you in liability for those consumers who have older wiring and no GFI installed where the car would be plugged in, or faulty GFI devices in the premise wiring.

I say test it out.... Real world with old GFi's of varying age and new ones. You may find that it is not the problem you think it is. But if you find there is with certain one - you can then put it in the troubleshooting section as compatibility of GFCI devices.

 

[AV ELECTRIC]

I wonder if you can develop a system for a secondary gfi working on a relay to engage when loosing power to the load-side of the gfi this will be a one time automatic reset of coarse if this trips you probably have a problem with the equipment which should be serviced . I think an alarm system should be activated when in this mode so you can reset the primary gfi .Ime sure you can compress this into a control box . Have you developed a quick charge yet maybe 10 minutes ime sure in time these charging stations will be put in gas stations I believe this will be a boom to are profession in the future .

 

[dmagyar]

Aren't dedicated receptacles in garage exempt from GFCI protection?

Aren't dedicated receptacles in garage exempt from GFCI protection?

Why not just dedicate the receptacle. In Northern California that exempts you from the necessity of having to install a GFCI protected outlet. Combined with a twist lock receptacle, the homeowner wouldn't be pluging in his car vac and losing GFCI protection. P.S. you could use the full 40 amp/240 circuit for charging with the right nema config'd receptacle.

 

[AV ELECTRIC]

Why not just dedicate the receptacle. In Northern California that exempts you from the necessity of having to install a GFCI protected outlet. Combined with a twist lock receptacle, the homeowner wouldn't be pluging in his car vac and losing GFCI protection. P.S. you could use the full 40 amp/240 circuit for charging with the right nema config'd receptacle.

I believe he is talking about a level 1 charging system which is 120 volt 20 amp the new code calls for everything in garage to be gfci You may operate under the older version. But using the the higher voltage system would probably be better and avoid that gfci requirement not sure why they are using 120 volt system maybe a cost factor.