Dsinned
Well-known member
I just installed a Leviton EVB32-5ML in my two car garage. Previously, I already installed a SPX Power Express EVSE L2 16A 3.84kW charging station for recharging my 2012 VOLT. Unfortunately, the latter is not compatible with my one week old Toyota RAV4 EV. This is the reason (somewhat reluctantly) I installed a second Charger made by Leviton, which is 100% compatible with both of my EVs.
The Leviton's quality of materials and construction is much better than the SPX. The charging station itself is protected inside a heavy duty metal box that mount on the wall. Just like my Power Express, the Leviton EVB32 series is for "plug-in" applications, and lends itself to a Do-It-Yourself project, provided you have the expertise to install HV electrical equipment.
I am very familiar with and have worked around HV electrical equipment in the NAVY, but please be FOREWARNED, working on even 115VAC power sources can be DANGEROUS in the wrong hands!!! 240VAC can be absolutely LETHAL!!!
I had a choice between a 25' cord model vs. a ($100 cheaper) 18' model. I opted for the 25 footer so that I could charge either vehicle in the garage or parked on my driveway for maximum convenience. Also, Leviton provides an integrated cord hanger so that you can neatly stow the lengthy, quite bulky output cord when not in use. SPX offers no such cord hanger even as an accessory, thou one is pictured on their website. This is a form of false advertising imho!
With the aid of Leviton's $79 Evr-Green Home Charging Station Pre-Wire Installation Kit, installation was a snap. With the help of a licensed Electrician ($375), it was easy to install and ready to use in about 4 hours. Fortunately, I had a spare 240V 40A circuit breaker in my utility's breaker panel at the side of my house, with a no longer used existing wiring run to a no longer being used Hot Tub in my backyard. It was easy for the Electrician to relocate that wiring to my garage in the crawl space under my house. This is the reason for the relatively low cost for the Electrician's services. I already had all the electrical supplies for the job!
The Leviton works flawlessly on both my Chevy VOLT as well as my Toyota RAV4 EV. Just to be sure checked my home electricity monitor at the MAINS connection from my power company and sure enough. 3.3kW for the VOLT and 7.7kW for the RAV EV is was what I measured for each car while being charged.
The EVB32-M5L (25' cord) costs $1099 (plus tax of course). The 18' version costs $999, and the separately orderable Installation kit is $79. The are the prices from Home Depot Online which offers free shipping.
I highly recommend Leviton EVSE L2 as home charging solution, and their 7.7kW models are somewhat "future proof". Unfortunately, the SPX Power Express is not universally compatible with "all" J1772 equipped EVs, such as my RAV4 EV. The PE costs almost as much as my Leviton with only half as much output charging capacity. It is also a "plug-in" but the input is NOT prewired to the charging station's less rugged hard plastic case and it has a much shorter - lower current, 30A max output rating (with expensive modifications).
The ONLY advantages of the SPX are that it weight less and costs about $150 less and is certainly adequate to charge a Chevy VOLT as fast as it can be charged. However, it is almost inexcusable it is incompatible with other EV vehicles that are J1772 compliant just the same as the VOLT.
The Leviton's quality of materials and construction is much better than the SPX. The charging station itself is protected inside a heavy duty metal box that mount on the wall. Just like my Power Express, the Leviton EVB32 series is for "plug-in" applications, and lends itself to a Do-It-Yourself project, provided you have the expertise to install HV electrical equipment.
I am very familiar with and have worked around HV electrical equipment in the NAVY, but please be FOREWARNED, working on even 115VAC power sources can be DANGEROUS in the wrong hands!!! 240VAC can be absolutely LETHAL!!!
I had a choice between a 25' cord model vs. a ($100 cheaper) 18' model. I opted for the 25 footer so that I could charge either vehicle in the garage or parked on my driveway for maximum convenience. Also, Leviton provides an integrated cord hanger so that you can neatly stow the lengthy, quite bulky output cord when not in use. SPX offers no such cord hanger even as an accessory, thou one is pictured on their website. This is a form of false advertising imho!
With the aid of Leviton's $79 Evr-Green Home Charging Station Pre-Wire Installation Kit, installation was a snap. With the help of a licensed Electrician ($375), it was easy to install and ready to use in about 4 hours. Fortunately, I had a spare 240V 40A circuit breaker in my utility's breaker panel at the side of my house, with a no longer used existing wiring run to a no longer being used Hot Tub in my backyard. It was easy for the Electrician to relocate that wiring to my garage in the crawl space under my house. This is the reason for the relatively low cost for the Electrician's services. I already had all the electrical supplies for the job!
The Leviton works flawlessly on both my Chevy VOLT as well as my Toyota RAV4 EV. Just to be sure checked my home electricity monitor at the MAINS connection from my power company and sure enough. 3.3kW for the VOLT and 7.7kW for the RAV EV is was what I measured for each car while being charged.
The EVB32-M5L (25' cord) costs $1099 (plus tax of course). The 18' version costs $999, and the separately orderable Installation kit is $79. The are the prices from Home Depot Online which offers free shipping.
I highly recommend Leviton EVSE L2 as home charging solution, and their 7.7kW models are somewhat "future proof". Unfortunately, the SPX Power Express is not universally compatible with "all" J1772 equipped EVs, such as my RAV4 EV. The PE costs almost as much as my Leviton with only half as much output charging capacity. It is also a "plug-in" but the input is NOT prewired to the charging station's less rugged hard plastic case and it has a much shorter - lower current, 30A max output rating (with expensive modifications).
The ONLY advantages of the SPX are that it weight less and costs about $150 less and is certainly adequate to charge a Chevy VOLT as fast as it can be charged. However, it is almost inexcusable it is incompatible with other EV vehicles that are J1772 compliant just the same as the VOLT.
