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Thread: Electric Car Rant

  1. #11
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    I should have bought an i-Miev instead of my Mirage lol. Had a chance to buy one used - I liked it too. It didn't last long before it sold.


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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


  2. #12
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    If you want an electric car, BUY USED! They depreciate faster than most other cars. I recently heard someone paid $40,000 for a used Tesla that was $120,000 new a few years ago. I have zero interest in electric cars, but used ones are a better value.

    https://www.greencarreports.com/news...other-vehicles

  3. #13
    I see it appears as though Tesla changed their warranty. I swear they had 8 year unlimited milage for battery and motors for the Model S(except older 60kwh). Now they show 200k kms/124k miles. That's still relatively good but I wouldn't want to be stuck with a used one needing batteries out of warranty.

    If I owned an electric car I'd have a home charger. I don't know what people in apartments or ones that only have street parking would do about that. Buy a portable diesel generator lol.
    Mirage videos:

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE wussie cvt edition. 1.2 automatic: 37.7 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.3 mpg (Imp)


  4. #14
    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fummins View Post
    If I owned an electric car I'd have a home charger.
    This is something I don't hear discussed very much. If you want an EV charger installed in your house, it could get expensive if your existing service panel doesn't have enough power to support it.

    General info from the interwebz...

    All current Tesla models come with either a 48 or 72 amp charger built into the car. (72 amp version comes with the 100kWh battery cars) To take full advantage of either one you’ll need a Tesla Wall Connector attached to either a 60 or 90 amp circuit, respectively. This is because the National Electrical Code requires continuous loads like EV charging to not use more than 80% of a circuit’s rating.
    If you aren't familiar with household electrical panels, having a "spare" 60 or 90 amps in your home's panel could be a problem for many houses. My first house only had a 100 amp service panel for the entire home! I would have had to pay for a complete service upgrade to support an EV charger. I guess if you can afford a new EV, what's another $1,500 for an upgraded service panel?!?

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


  5. #15
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Top_Fuel View Post
    I guess if you can afford a new EV, what's another $1,500 for an upgraded service panel?!?
    The labor may be pricey depending on who does the work. I paid well under $150.00 at Home Depot for a 200 amp panel about a month ago and put it in myself.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


  6. #16
    Good point about the panel. My old house was only 100amp, I think my current one is 120? $1500 for upgraded panel sounds good to me, I'd more power in my garage for a hoist, and air compressor anyways.
    I wouldn't attempt replacing my panel myself. I'm too dumb and chicken. Out here you need to get permits for almost everything. And if my house burns down cause I screw it up I'd have no insurance.

    On the other hand, how hard was the panel to replace? I don't think I have the ability to shut the power off to my panel.
    Last edited by Fummins; 10-21-2019 at 04:35 PM.
    Mirage videos:

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE wussie cvt edition. 1.2 automatic: 37.7 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.3 mpg (Imp)


  7. #17
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fummins View Post
    On the other hand, how hard was the panel to replace? I don't think I have the ability to shut the power off to my panel.
    A storm took care of shutting off the power and I took advantage of the opportunity. I hired out replacement of my service mast, weatherhead, meter & meter box and I replaced the panel guts by purchasing the same manufacturer of what was installed, making the swap easier.

    Service cabling was sized up, but not to the 200 amp size. It's still an improvement. I think the house was originally built with 60 amp service and was upped to 100 at some point. It's my understanding that the electric utility might not always size up the aerial cabling.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Eggman View Post
    Service cabling was sized up, but not to the 200 amp size.
    So you now have a 200A fuse and an outer cable which can't handle 200A? Sounds dangerous in my ears. The outer cable can catch fire before the fuse blows.

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    Senior Member timw4mail's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Space Wolf View Post
    So you now have a 200A fuse and an outer cable which can't handle 200A? Sounds dangerous in my ears. The outer cable can catch fire before the fuse blows.
    I'm pretty sure the input wire is generally higher rated than the average electrical box capacity. From what I understand, the "XAmp service" is usually referring to the amount of space in the box, rather than the input amperage capacity.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2018 Mirage SE 1.2 automatic: 33.6 mpg (US) ... 14.3 km/L ... 7.0 L/100 km ... 40.4 mpg (Imp)


  10. #20
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Space Wolf View Post
    So you now have a 200A fuse and an outer cable which can't handle 200A? Sounds dangerous in my ears. The outer cable can catch fire before the fuse blows.
    The circuit breaker located inside my home protects the wiring inside, not the service drop from the utility. I can't speak to how they do or do not protect the service drop - in my case, an aerial cable. My advice is don't touch it, especially if one doesn't understand it.

    Quote Originally Posted by timw4mail View Post
    I'm pretty sure the input wire is generally higher rated than the average electrical box capacity. From what I understand, the "XAmp service" is usually referring to the amount of space in the box, rather than the input amperage capacity.
    I'm pretty sure the term refers to what the utility can deliver/provide, which depends upon more than the size of the service cabling (though that's a big part of it - think distribution transformer.) The distribution box does not always match what the utility provides.


    Several electricians shared that the local utility might not change out the service drop cable for an increase in service because the aerial cabling in our neighborhood isn't at as high a risk of overheating, especially in winter. I suppose they have a point, and they might be mistaken. When the utility finally returned to restore my power, I asked over & over to put in cabling for 200 amp service. They didn't have any on the truck at the time but put in what they had, which was larger than was there in the first place.

    I haven't changed the electrical load inside my house as a result of this storm, but putting in a higher capacity main circuit breaker (and larger size cabling from my weatherhead, through the meter and to my main distribution box) will make it easier for the utility to come out and make any other changes needed. My home has been running fine before this storm, including the load from the heat pump as it starts up. It is one step closer, one step easier to get things ready to put in that electric vehicle charger that I'll only wish for but probably never own haha.


    Last edited by Eggman; 10-21-2019 at 07:29 PM.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


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