murphy

According to the Lowe's web site the GE unit has a built-in button for zero energy usage so you don't need a separate switch. The GE is listed as 7.2 KW instead of the normal 7.6 KW. That gets it down to 30 amps instead of the 31.7 required for a 7.6 KW unit. The question is what plug is installed on the GE unit. My 3.8 KW came with a 6-20P plug installed. I think the next larger size is a 6-50P plug. If the GE unit has a 6-50P plug then you need a 6-50R outlet and a cover plate to match. Is the electrician supplying the wire? I doubt it unless that was $75 plus materials. For a 30 amp circuit you need 10 gauge wire with two conductors and a ground. The white wire must be wrapped with red tape at both ends to indicate that it is not a neutral. Hopefully the electrician knows this. 240 volt circuits do not use a neutral normally. Is there a spare 30 amp dual breaker in your power panel or do you need to purchase one for the panel? Is there space for an additional dual breaker in your panel? A 30 amp device on a 30 amp breaker would make me nervous. I would go to at least a 40 amp breaker which requires 8 gauge wire. Breakers are sized to protect the wire.

It depends on your situation. How long will you keep your current house? You can uninstall the charger but the wire will stay. How long will you keep the current car? Will you ever consider an all electric car? Will you ever need to charge two cars at the same time? The 7.6 KW charger draws 32 amps. It requires a 40 amp circuit (8 gauge wire) or more likely a 50 amp circuit (6 gauge wire). The 3.8 KW charger draws 16 amps. It requires a 20 amp circuit (12 gauge wire). Copper wire is expensive. How long is the run from your power panel to the garage? My power panel is at the opposite end of the house from the garage and required a 75 foot wire run. Compare the price difference between 75 feet of #12 wire and 75 feet of #6 wire.

You are welcome. I have a degree in Electrical Engineering so I don't have to think too much about this stuff. Although when I am tired not thinking enough can get me in trouble.

My estimate was 7.3 kwh per month. So 87.55 kwh per year. At 13 cents per kwh that is $26.27. The estimate was for my 3.8 kw charger which I measured at 10 watts when idling. I don't know what the idle current for a 7.6 kw charger would be.

The dealer stock is an SE and yours is a Titanium. I wouldn't expect those to be on the same production line at the same time.

It was built yesterday (3/21) The character between the two Ps is a zero, not an oh.

I installed a kwh meter in front of the charger so when I get my car I will be able to provide actual kwh values for charging the battery. That will remove the varying cost of electricity from the equation. Mine is currently at 17.4 cents per kwh. I just got my window sticker today so probably another month before I see the car.

Wow! I'm glad I have been doing my own wiring for 50 years. That breaker is worth about $8 and a box to put it in is about $15. http://www.lowes.com/pd_2760-296-HOM250CP_0__?productId=1078729&Ntt=50+amp+circuit+breaker&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3D50%2Bamp%2Bcircuit%2Bbreaker&facetInfo=

I stand corrected. He picked a 50 amp breaker because 40 amp breakers are not very common.

The Ford L2 charger is a 16 amp unit. Why is he installing a 50 amp breaker which will require the installation of 6 gauge wire. Breakers are sized to protect the wire, not the load. A 20 amp breaker with 12 gauge wire is all that is needed. You don't need a breaker at the unit, just a 20 amp 240 volt double pole switch. It costs about $8.00.

Since I did the install myself the wire and outlet were the only additional costs. Note that the power cord is one foot long, comes out of the bottom of the unit, and is stiff as a board. An extension cord is not permitted. Look at the picture in my post to see how tight the outlet installation has to be. http://www.fordfusionenergiforum.com/topic/536-l1-charging-amperage-requirements/?p=1254 I recommend installing the unit first so the electrician can accurately place the outlet. I had to install the outlet upside down from the way it would normally be installed.

You can buy the charger separately. http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-EVB22-3PM-Evr-Green-Charging-Station/dp/B004G6ZSZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363746957&sr=8-1&keywords=leviton+ev+charger It doesn't say Ford on it but it was made by the same company that makes the "Ford" one. There would also be the cost of installing a 240 volt outlet for a 6-20P plug. The power cord is 1 foot long and extension cords are not permitted. You might be able to get by with the 120 volt charger that comes with the car unless you make a lot of trips from home during the day. If you leave in the morning to go to work and return in the evening the 120 volt charger will charge the battery over night.

It may be taking into account that as the car sits there is some drain on the 12 volt battery. When you turn the car on it will have to use energy from the "big" battery to top off the 12 volt battery. Does the phrase "Start the car" have any meaning with a car that can go 21 miles without using the ICE?

My 2010 Fusion Hybrid has mood lighting in the cup holders. Did they forget how to do it?

I am glad that I have 50 years experience installing electrical circuits. My parts costs for charger, wire, boxes, outlet, switch, and KWH meter were about $980.00. I had some of the parts (box, cover plate, and 6-20P outlet) on hand. My service panel is in my basement so conduit was not needed. Of course if I was charging for my time at $100 per hour it would come out about the same as your estimate.

I have one installed in my garage. I just wish I had the car to connect it to.

I suspect that they are not going to ship a car until they have enough cars going to the same area to fill a rail car.

Unfortunately no. I had previously measured the idle draw to be 10 watts using other equipment. 10 watts is 0.01 KW. This meter confirmed that. 10 watts times 24 hours times 30.4 days equals 7296 watt hours per month divided by 1000 equals 7.296 kilowatt hours per month. For me at 16 cents per KWH that is $1.17 per month. Probably not worth worring about when IHOP is charging $2.19 for a cup of coffee. In case you are wondering where the 30.4 came from, 365 days divided by 12 months equals 30.42 days per month on average. I've already modified my spreadsheet to include KWH per month in addition to gallons per month.

My KWH meter has been installed. As promised, here is a picture. It took slightly over an hour of the charger being powered on for the 0.01 KWH reading to happen.

That was my thought when I purchased the 2010 Fusion Hybrid in 2009. I was 69 at the time. My previous car was a 2002 Crown Vicroria and when I bought it I thought it would be my last. But here I am with an outstanding order for an Energi 4 years later. I'm now of the mindset that if I want something I buy it.

This http://www.ekmmetering.com/ekm-metering-products/electric-meters-kwh-meters/basic-kwh-meter-100a-120-240-volt-3-wire-60hz-ekm-25ids.html?gclid=CK3Qitri07UCFZOe4AodXAcAlA is the one that I ordered. It won't arrive until late this week or early next week. I did not order either of the cases since it will be in my garage but the DIN mounting rail ($2.00) is required to mount it. I'll have a picture once I decide on how to mount it.

I posted this question on the Blueoval forum but got no response. Has anyone considered installing a kilowatt-hour (KWH) meter in the feed to their 240 volt charger to track the power used to charge the battery? It's easily done with a plug-in Kill-a-watt device for the 120 volt charger but has to be wired into the 240 volt circuit for the 240 volt charger. I have one on order to experiment with the measurements.

I didn't get the email but it will be 5 weeks tomorrow (2/26) since I ordered and I also have not seen a vin yet. The waiting is starting to annoy me. Over 40 years ago I worked for Philco-Ford and ordered a 1968 Ford XL direct from the factory (a dealer was not involved). I had it in three weeks. It went to a local dealer and they paid him $100 to prep it for delivery.

That's $1.17 where I live. It's not just this one appliance, it's the cumulative effect of all of the appliances that are using power when they don't need to.

The sticker on the side of the case says 16 seconds. I measured it at 14 seconds.