Extension cord for Energi charging

[Nervous but Excited]

OKay - I finally made the move and bought the Energi. Exciting times!

Until we sort out a more permanent solution I will need to run an extension cord about 100 feet to where the car is parked. I have not been able to find posts on this forum, but my research tells me that as long as I use a 10 gauge cord rated for outdoor use there should be no problems.

 

I am considering this cord: https://www.amazon.com/GearIT-Extension-Resistant-Contractor-Appliances/dp/B07TS9PD8C/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=10%2Bgauge%2Bextension%2Bcord%2B100ft&qid=1641852551&sr=8-2&th=1

 

Please let me know if there is anything else to be aware of.

THANKS!!!

[stolenmoment]

Just check that it doesn't heat up while in use.

[fbov]

Just make sure you stay within the 1875 watt rating. It's OK to get a little warm, melt snow around it, etc. Hot spots are usually plugs because contacts have a slight resistance than plain wire lacks. 

[oldbeyondmeasure]

You should be fine. Based on the power flows that I can see through my electric meter, the charger that comes with the Energi will draw about 1,500 watts at 120 volts. That is within the rating of your extension cord. When I first got the C-Max, I ran a 75-foot extension cord of the same wattage rating with no problem. Eventually I had an electrician add a new circuit to the corner of the house where the charger is now mounted. I cover the charger with a towel so that the sunlight doesn't degrade it. (Not sure that it would, but taking no chances. Where I live, the UV light is pretty brutal on plastic things that live outdoors.) 

 

As far as a permanent solution is concerned, you should consider whether a 240 volt charger makes more sense for you than the 120 volt charger that comes with the C-Max Energi. My very crude calculation is that the 120 volt charger is about 75% efficient, so filling the battery with 5.6 kWh takes about 7.5 kWh at the electric meter. The 240 volt charger will be about 90% efficient, so the power consumption would be about 6.2 kWh at the electric meter. Plus, the 240 volt charger will charge much faster because it will use the full capacity of the charging equipment in the C-Max (the charging equipment in the C-Max can accept more power than the 120 volt charger can deliver). 

 

Offset against this is the cost of a 240 volt charger ($350 to $500???) and the cost of running a 240 volt circuit to where the charger will be mounted. (You might have a 240 volt outlet in the right place already, but I didn't.)

 

In the end, I decided that the electricity savings from a 240 volt charger wouldn't offset the cost of the charger and running a 240 volt circuit. And if I remembered to plug in the car when I arrived at home from work each night, the car would be fully charged by the next morning so the faster charging of a 240 volt charger wouldn't be worth much to me. It is a close call. My wife would like to get an all-electric SUV. If we do that, then we will have to revisit the charger issue, because a 120 volt charger will take too long to fully charge the battery in an electric-only SUV. 

 

Hope this helps. 

[Nervous but Excited]

All of these responses have helped a lot!
 I really appreciate this community! Excited to learn more about the car over time.

Thanks everybody!