Best level 1 outdoor rated charger?

[Dabrakeman]

Used the Jeep stock charger outside for the first couple months of ownership. MY only outlet although bubble protected was around the back side of the house from the driveway. Got a 12 guage extension and build a box for the brick. Box is water tight but with cable holes for cable entry and exit through the sides (slit to the top edge so can get cables in and out). In case any water finds an entry to it there are a few water exit holes drilled in the bottom. Sits on cedar legs. Worked great even in heavy rains.

Have a Grizzly level 2 now but I throw this box in the back whenever going on a trip.

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[KDX]

I put mine in a weatherproof cord box

Nice solution. Where did you get that box?

 

[PntBlnk]

Nice solution. Where did you get that box?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NLWX56H?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

running the same box for mine as well. It’s a tight fit but works really well.

 

[KDX]

Thanks.

 

[SilentJL]

Jeep should have really built the Level one into the vehicle, and provided a cable to plug it in, nothing prevents someone from stealing the provided level one charger, one of the reasons I have never tried using mine.

The brick part of the charger could have been bolted on to the engine bay somewhere, then all you needed to do was plug into the wall, like a engine heater, and the other end plug it into the charging port

I imagine this is not done to avoid the liability of people using cheap extention cords not rated for 12A continous use. Especially a few years down the line when it's a second owner that may not know as much about the PHEVs and charging.

 

[BXFXJeep]

I imagine this is not done to avoid the liability of people using cheap extention cords not rated for 12A continous use. Especially a few years down the line when it's a second owner that may not know as much about the PHEVs and charging.

They could have easily put a "contains hot liquids" label like McDonald's to avoid liability

 

[Jocko]

I imagine this is not done to avoid the liability of people using cheap extention cords not rated for 12A continous use. Especially a few years down the line when it's a second owner that may not know as much about the PHEVs and charging.

Hmm would that work with having a J1772 connector though? Doesn't there need to be at least some external smarts that provide signals to the other pins? I don't know exactly how that works, but I think there's more to it than just hot/neutral/ground.

 

[SilentJL]

They could have easily put a "contains hot liquids" label like McDonald's to avoid liability

 

[SilentJL]

Hmm would that work with having a J1772 connector though? Doesn't there need to be at least some external smarts that provide signals to the other pins? I don't know exactly how that works, but I think there's more to it than just hot/neutral/ground.

There are extra pins in the EVSE for this, but this could be built into the car if desired. However there are many good reasons to keep it outside the car and use a J1772 instead of a 3 prong plug (ease of replacement, ability to use a variety of EVSE at different amps, less weight in the vehicle to name a few) so I think Jeep (and most EVs) made the right choice with the design.

Pretty good video on how they work:

 

[Bzinsky]

Nice solution. Where did you get that box?

There is zero need for a weather proof box box.

The oem one does not give AF where you leave it.

 

[Jocko]

There are extra pins in the EVSE for this, but this could be built into the car if desired. However there are many good reasons to keep it outside the car and use a J1772 instead of a 3 prong plug (ease of replacement, ability to use a variety of EVSE at different amps, less weight in the vehicle to name a few) so I think Jeep (and most EVs) made the right choice with the design.

Pretty good video on how they work:

Ah ok. Yeah being able to work with the majority of existing charging infrastructure does seem like a good reason to go the way they went. I guess it's a balancing act.

 

[BXFXJeep]

The level 1 charger can work on probably all EV, when plugged in, it's unsecured for hours, anyone can steal it and sell it for a few dollars, it's one of the reasons I don't bother using it.

 

[KDX]

There is zero need for a weather proof box box.

The oem one does not give AF where you leave it.

I was thinking of ways to secure the charger to the fence or rail at work so that it doesn't walk away. Having the charger in a box might be handy.

 

[Bzinsky]

I was thinking of ways to secure the charger to the fence or rail at work so that it doesn't walk away. Having the charger in a box might be handy.

Padlock

nobody is going to steal it if they have to cut the cable to get it.

well actually I suppose a scrapper might

 

[Roadrunner71]

I’ve used my Jeep provided L1 charger with a 100 foot outdoor rated extension cord for about 3 months. No issues so far. Since I live in a townhouse and the cord has to run over the sidewalk I take it off and put it under cover when the charge is complete. (I bought a safety cover on Amazon so it’s not a trip hazard). It has charged in the rain a few times.

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