# Electric Cars and Their Chargers



## eutecticalloy (Dec 12, 2010)

Nissan Leaf >>>>>


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## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

I done about thirty leaf chargers.

I would have done a 4S jbox and liquitite instead of condulet and emt.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

I think all those electric cars look stupid, however, I encourage people to buy more things that requires an electrician to wire up! Its the wave of the future... it sure will help our work pick up once again!

~Matt


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

miller_elex said:


> I done about thirty leaf chargers.
> 
> I would have done a 4S jbox and liquitite instead of condulet and emt.


That is about 6% of all Leafs, they've only sold 500 in the last four months.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I want a Tesla. At 100 grand, I don't think I'll be an owner anytime soon.


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## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

drsparky said:


> That is about 6% of all Leafs, they've only sold 500 in the last four months.


The ones at the dealerships, not in the homes.


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

MDShunk said:


> I want a Tesla. At 100 grand, I don't think I'll be an owner anytime soon.


 After spending 100 G's for the car, the owner had to settle for a Murray eight space sub-panel.


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## fondini (Dec 22, 2009)

I hope they come up with a better idea than an electric car. The carbon footprint from making it is larger than running a hummer for 3 years. I find it funny that the state with rolling brownouts is where they are pushing them.


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## Jcode (Mar 24, 2011)

^ we're not looking at electric cars for short term...


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## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

fondini said:


> The carbon footprint from making it is larger than running a hummer for 3 years..


Are you saying that because of lithium extraction?

That will only improve. If technology rarely improved we'd be on 2400 baud modems.

Checkup on how much it costs to filler 'er up compared to gasoline. I thinks it's equivalent to 40 cents a gallon gas.


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## rexowner (Apr 12, 2008)

miller_elex said:


> Checkup on how much it costs to filler 'er up compared to gasoline. I thinks it's equivalent to 40 cents a gallon gas.


That's right, and the maintenance costs are a fraction. There's a DC motor
without all the genius complexity that have made internal combustion
engines work about as well as they every will. Brakes on an EV lasts
>> 100K miles. There will be a lot less service revenue at dealerships
and elsewhere.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

rexowner said:


> That's right, and the maintenance costs are a fraction. There's a DC motor
> without all the genius complexity that have made internal combustion
> engines work about as well as they every will. Brakes on an EV lasts
> >> 100K miles. There will be a lot less service revenue at dealerships
> and elsewhere.


 The dealers need negitive feed back otherwise they wiil rake it in on you!


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## farlsincharge (Dec 31, 2010)

I have trouble getting my cordless tools to work 6 months out of the year. Electric cars are out of the question.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

rexowner said:


> That's right, and the maintenance costs are a fraction. There's a DC motor
> without all the genius complexity that have made internal combustion
> engines work about as well as they every will. Brakes on an EV lasts
> >> 100K miles. There will be a lot less service revenue at dealerships
> and elsewhere.


Tesla is actually hiring for service guys. They recommend an inspection every year or 12K miles. I guess that's just a safety inspection. They only have 4 service centers in the US that I can find. They send a trailer to your house to pick up your car, service it, and bring it back to you... at the low. low cost of a buck a mile round trip. If I had one, for instance, it would cost me about 250 bucks for the "towing" to DC. Probably not too bad, considering it's a 100K car. Heck, my friend had to have a seat motor put in his Benz, and that was $2,400 bucks.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

MDShunk said:


> Tesla is actually hiring for service guys. They recommend an inspection every year or 12K miles. I guess that's just a safety inspection. They only have 4 service centers in the US that I can find. They send a trailer to your house to pick up your car, service it, and bring it back to you... at the low. low cost of a buck a mile round trip. If I had one, for instance, it would cost me about 250 bucks for the "towing" to DC. Probably not too bad, considering it's a 100K car. Heck, my friend had to have a seat motor put in his Benz, and that was $2,400 bucks.


I cant feel sorry for people like that. lol... 2400 bucks - thats more than I made last month... way more.

~Matt


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

TOOL_5150 said:


> I cant feel sorry for people like that. lol... 2400 bucks - thats more than I made last month... way more.
> 
> ~Matt


Most of 'em are just as broke as we are. They just deal on a different scale. :thumbsup:


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

As income increases, spending increases.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

MDShunk said:


> Most of 'em are just as broke as we are. They just deal on a different scale. :thumbsup:


Strangely I am not shedding any tears, they could sell the Mercedes and get a chevy.


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## woodchuck2 (Sep 18, 2009)

MDShunk said:


> I want a Tesla. At 100 grand, I don't think I'll be an owner anytime soon.


Must be the prices are up due to demand, the prices i have seen start around $55k if i remember correctly.

I myself would love to buy a Tesla. Right now they are working on a battery pack to extend the driving range up to 800 miles :thumbsup:. These auto makers can take these hybrids and stickem up the tree huggers behind. I have even tried talking my girlfriend into buying a Tesla but she is unsure of electric cars. Right now she drives 102 miles one way to work and she is killing my wallet when she drives my truck. I have insisted on nice days that she takes her mothers car until she can afford a new car but even then it will still be expensive. She will be buying a Hyundia Elantra here in a couple weeks which is rated for up to 40mpg but will still cost her an average of $95 a week for gas. If the math of .40 cents compared to a gallon of gas is correct then the Tesla would cost about $10 a week to drive. That would be around $340 a month savings compared to gas and we have not even counted the savings of oil changes yet. Are electric cars more economical yet? Maybe, maybe not? But they will be soon enough and i want one.


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## woodchuck2 (Sep 18, 2009)

While i like the roadster i myself prefer the sedan for it usefulness. My apologies MD, the roadster is over $100k but the S sedan starts at $49k which is around the number i was thinking.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

woodchuck2 said:


> While i like the roadster i myself prefer the sedan for it usefulness. My apologies MD, the roadster is over $100k but the S sedan starts at $49k which is around the number i was thinking.


You shouldn't have pointed that out to me. That puts is a little bit closer to what I'd normally pay for a car. Still about 10 grand more than I'd like to pay. I'm about 3-4 years out from the next planned new car purchase. I've gotta say that I'm going to give it more serious consideration now. It still qualifies for the 7,500 bucks back from uncle sam... thinking...


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

rexowner said:


> That's right, and the maintenance costs are a fraction. There's a DC motor
> without all the genius complexity that have made internal combustion
> engines work about as well as they every will. Brakes on an EV lasts
> >> 100K miles. There will be a lot less service revenue at dealerships
> and elsewhere.


That's not a DC motor. My Prius has a 500 volt, 3 phase permanent magnet synchronous traction motor. It has a converter-inverter unit that converts 201.2 volts DC to 500 volts 3 phase AC. Information is available from wikipedia.


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## woodchuck2 (Sep 18, 2009)

MDShunk said:


> You shouldn't have pointed that out to me. That puts is a little bit closer to what I'd normally pay for a car. Still about 10 grand more than I'd like to pay. I'm about 3-4 years out from the next planned new car purchase. I've gotta say that I'm going to give it more serious consideration now. It still qualifies for the 7,500 bucks back from uncle sam... thinking...


The $49k is the base price with the small battery pack good for 160 miles. The next size battery pack for 240 miles is another $10k and the 300 mile battery pack is another $20k so to get the 300mile car would be $69k. I hope in another couple yrs these prices drop and they succeed with the 800 mile battery pack.

When comparing the prices of the Tesla cars themselves to the Prius, Insight, Leaf, etc and the overall costs to operate each i am still a firm believer in the Tesla being a cheaper alternative.


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## rexowner (Apr 12, 2008)

retiredsparktech said:


> That's not a DC motor. My Prius has a 500 volt, 3 phase permanent magnet synchronous traction motor. It has a converter-inverter unit that converts 201.2 volts DC to 500 volts 3 phase AC. Information is available from wikipedia.


Your Prius is not an EV. It is a Hybrid. But your point is well taken - I was oversimplifying
a little bit.


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## CTshockhazard (Aug 28, 2009)

I wonder how many of those Nissan _Zero Emission_ chargers are actually connected to a solar or wind generated system.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

BBQ said:


> Strangely I am not shedding any tears, they could sell the Mercedes and get a chevy.


LOL.. dont do that - you gotta be rich to maintain one of those craps.. i put $15k in my suburban just to keep it on the road within the last year.

~Matt


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

And how often do you have to change the battery packs in these things? I have to replace battery packs in my UPS's every 3-5 years.. and that isnt even close to being cheap.

~Matt


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## oliquir (Jan 13, 2011)

retiredsparktech said:


> That's not a DC motor. My Prius has a 500 volt, 3 phase permanent magnet synchronous traction motor. It has a converter-inverter unit that converts 201.2 volts DC to 500 volts 3 phase AC. Information is available from wikipedia.


It is even better than a dc motor which has brushes that needs maintenance, synchro motor are maintenance free except the bearings!


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## eutecticalloy (Dec 12, 2010)

CTshockhazard said:


> I wonder how many of those Nissan _Zero Emission_ chargers are actually connected to a solar or wind generated system.


Every one we install, Tesla or Leaf Chargers, are paired up with a PV system.

MD here in California we have an additional 5 grand incentive plus the federal tax credit. That's roughly 12 grand off the leaf or Tesla.

Tool, I've heard that the batteries last a decade plus that should improve even if they don't.


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

eutecticalloy said:


> Nissan Leaf >>>>>


 Why do you call the Telsla a sick looking car?
lla


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## eutecticalloy (Dec 12, 2010)

the other pics are the tesla and it is a sick looking car.


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## pesdfw (Jun 23, 2010)

retiredsparktech said:


> After spending 100 G's for the car, the owner had to settle for a Murray eight space sub-panel.


http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10354.html ... hope they have insurance


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## MarkyMark (Jan 31, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> And how often do you have to change the battery packs in these things? I have to replace battery packs in my UPS's every 3-5 years.. and that isnt even close to being cheap.
> 
> ~Matt


Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt both have an 8 year or 100,000 mile warranty on the battery packs.

Laptop battery's are probably a closer comparison than UPS battery's, as I believe Li-Ion cells are what they are using for the Leaf and Volt.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

eutecticalloy said:


> Every one we install, Tesla or Leaf Chargers, are paired up with a PV system.
> 
> MD *here in California we have an additional 5 grand incentive* plus the federal tax credit. That's roughly 12 grand off the leaf or Tesla.
> 
> Tool, I've heard that the batteries last a decade plus that should improve even if they don't.


And your state is how far in debt? I have an off grid solar system(no incentive from big brother) and install solar power systems. But I think government incentives are BS.


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## eutecticalloy (Dec 12, 2010)

backstay said:


> And your state is how far in debt? I have an off grid solar system(no incentive from big brother) and install solar power systems. But I think government incentives are BS.


Trust Me, California is no where near a great state. I do think its quite unfair that the majority of the rebates and incentives end up in the hands of the already rich. I was just stating that if he wanted one and lived here those were his options. 

Do you advise your customers not to use Big Brother or the Federal Tax Credit for their solar systems?

As far as I am concerned a shift in work from auto mechanics or utility jobs to electricians is fine by me, whether it be electric cars or solar systems.

You say they are BS, (not picking a fight) just wondering in is because of my above stated reason that you dislike them or because of others?


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

eutecticalloy said:


> Trust Me, California is no where near a great state. I do think its quite unfair that the majority of the rebates and incentives end up in the hands of the already rich. I was just stating that if he wanted one and lived here those were his options.
> 
> Do you advise your customers not to use Big Brother or the Federal Tax Credit for their solar systems?
> 
> ...


What I'm saying is your state is spending more than it takes in and here is one of many reasons(and soon the feds will make the rest of us bail you out). Even if it's not deficient spending, why should the taxpayer pay for someone's solar system. I keep my mouth shut around customers. They don't pay me for nonelectrical opinions. I wish the actors in Hollywood would do the same!


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## eutecticalloy (Dec 12, 2010)

Perhaps you would be in favor of utility based rebates? Dont say "you", because i don't create taxes I just pay them. You talk as if by living here for ten months I am somehow responsible for California's debt.

I also agree that states shouldn't spend more than they take or have others pay for someone else's system.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

eutecticalloy said:


> Perhaps you would be in favor of utility based rebates? Dont say "you", because i don't create taxes I just pay them. You talk as if by living here for ten months I am somehow responsible for California's debt.
> 
> I also agree that states shouldn't spend more than they take or have others pay for someone else's system.


Sorry, it was not ment to be personal. More of a blanket statment of the fine people of Kalifornia.:whistling2:


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