Home Level 2 chargers—seeking basic guidance

[Rividiculous]

Hi All,

I’m looking to select a home charger (okay, an EVSE). A few questions:

Is there any advantage to getting the Rivian home charger? Will that reduce number of apps on my phone or otherwise simplify anything? (It’s pricey, I notice.) Do people like the Rivian charger?

Is there an advantage to a “smart charger”? Does having an app for the charger give me benefits I can’t otherwise get via the Rivian app?

Regarding specific brands, I’m looking for an alternative to Tesla products. (I respect different views but I dislike Elon so much I don’t want that brand in my home.) What are some favorites? I prefer products made in the US or allied countries. (I’m eyeing the Grizzl-e products which people seem to like.)

THANK YOU.

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[beatle]

If you're just looking for something to mount on the wall that will provide electricity to your Rivian, you don't need a fancy EVSE. Common features you might care about upgrading for are energy tracking and scheduled charging, but you can also schedule from the truck, and there are services like ElectraFi (maybe others?) that will track your charging both home and away without any equipment. I wouldn't personally spend money on these features on an EVSE.

I know you said you don't like Tesla, but the Tesla universal wall connector has some significant advantages over others. One, it has a built in NACS >> J1772 adapter. When Rivian and other automakers start putting NACS ports on their vehicles, you won't need a separate adapter to continue using the wall connector if/when you move on. And if you ever think you'll need to charge a second EVSE, you can daisy chain your first UWC to another one on the same circuit which can save you a lot on install. The Tesla UWC also costs less than the Rivian wall connector.

Emporia and Grizzl-E seem to be popular around here. You may also check your utility company to see if they offer discounts on other brands. Just ensure whatever you get is UL or ETL listed. Most, if not all major brands will be.

 

[SparkyR1t]

If you can get past Elon the Tesla wall connectors are a top quality product.

 

[Yossarian]

I went with the Emporia based on the positive reviews and the price. Very happy with it so far (early days) with my only complaint being the wifi connectivity. The Emporia cannot handle 5G and was a bit finicky in connecting. You can get a bit of a discount on the A2Z website with the code RIV - no connection, just passing the info along.

I actually ordered a GrizzlE for our vacation house in the Poconos but ended up returning it. The unit seems well built, but is difficult to hardwire due to its use of non-standard ring terminals.

If cost was not an issue, I probably would have gone with the Tesla unit.

 

[Jeep Addict]

I have used a Schumacher SEV1600HW wall mounted charger for two years and it works great. IT has the typical bells and whistles, but I don't use any of them. The vehicles inform me of anything charge related. It has an app etc, but I just plug the EV's in and it charges them.

Full transparency, I received it free from Home Depot as part of their review program, but that doesn't change the fact that it's affordable, and works perfectly, made by a reputable company, and has nothing to do with any controversial personalities.

 

[Rae11]

Personally, I would not buy the Rivian one.
We use the chargepoint home flex.
When it comes to this, don’t skimp. Buy a trusted safe reliable one and pay a licensed electrical contractor to hardwire.

 

[MidnightRivian]

Emporia for $359 after forum discount is a great value.

Feel free to use the forum discount code “RIV” to save $$$ on A2Z EV website.



EMPORIA EV CHARGER WHITE | ENERGY STAR | UL LISTED | 48 AMP | 24' CABLE

Most Popular and Highly Recommended EV Charging Stations Which Qualify for Forum Discount code "RIV"

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

Hi All,

I’m looking to select a home charger (okay, an EVSE). A few questions:

Is there any advantage to getting the Rivian home charger? Will that reduce number of apps on my phone or otherwise simplify anything? (It’s pricey, I notice.) Do people like the Rivian charger?

Is there an advantage to a “smart charger”? Does having an app for the charger give me benefits I can’t otherwise get via the Rivian app?

Regarding specific brands, I’m looking for an alternative to Tesla products. (I respect different views but I dislike Elon so much I don’t want that brand in my home.) What are some favorites? I prefer products made in the US or allied countries. (I’m eyeing the Grizzl-e products which people seem to like.)

THANK YOU.

I have the Tesla chargers but if you have ruled those out, check with your utility. Some utility companies offer rebates and time of use rebates for specific chargers. Usually the Enel X or ChargePoint units.

I would have it hard wired by an electrician vs having a 14-50 plug installed for the fastest and most reliable charging experience.

Here is the Chargepoint home flex unit that's compatible with the time of use rebate programs most utility companies run.

https://amzn.to/3W71D21

 

[whizzkidd]

I have the ChargePoint Flex and have been very happy with it. It’s a simple unit, though I didn’t want any bells and whistles since I can get a majority of the data I want from the Rivian app. I also have it on a 60 amp breaker so I get 48 amps of charging to the truck.

 

[iansriv]

Emporia for $359 after forum discount is a great value.

Feel free to use the forum discount code “RIV” to save $$$ on A2Z EV website.



EMPORIA EV CHARGER WHITE | ENERGY STAR | UL LISTED | 48 AMP | 24' CABLE

Most Popular and Highly Recommended EV Charging Stations Which Qualify for Forum Discount code "RIV"

Got this about 9 months ago and it has been absolutely trouble free.

 

[R1Tmcg]

I went with the Rivian charger just because it was easy to add to my order at the time and I didn't think it mattered. There's nothing wrong with the charger, it works, but there's also nothing special about it.

If I could do it again, I would have researched ones that I could get a discount on from my state or power company. Here in Oregon, my power company would have given a big discount off specific chargers, and then lowered my power bill each month based on when I charged the car. Additionally there is an Energy Trust non-profit here that offered discounted chargers as well that could have been an option.

I would recommend that you research discounts like this for your state to pay less upfront and save some money in the long run.

 

[Rividiculous]

You all rock. I notice that this community shines whenever people ask for advice. That suggests a certain generosity among forum users. It’s very helpful hearing other people’s experience.

I will hardwire. I will think hard about whether I can get past the Elon factor for the universal flexibility. (I like to think I’ll have an R3 to charge too someday.) I’ll check for utility discounts. I’ll consider the emporia. Seems like that and the Grizzl-e are front runners. (Duly noted Grizzl-e could be harder to install though I will hire an electrician.)

It does seem like Rivian should consider stepping up its charger game. I know they have a lot to do already, but they know how to make amazing products.

Further thoughts appreciated. Thanks again.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Smart chargers are unnecessary if you don't have a time of use electrical plan, and have enough extra capacity in your electrical panel, and only need to charge one EV at a time. Otherwise some subset of the features they can provide are worth looking into.

 

[brooklyn]

Personally, I would not buy the Rivian one.
We use the chargepoint home flex.
When it comes to this, don’t skimp. Buy a trusted safe reliable one and pay a licensed electrical contractor to hardwire.

Don't own a Rivian, but we also went with the Chargepoint and it has been rock solid since we had it installed in 2020. We went with the plug-in version with a NEMA 14-50 plug on a 50amp circuit. Highly unlikely we'll be moving any time soon, but the plug in option allows me to take it with me if we ever do move and we also have a dedicated outlet in our second bay of garages should we need to switch our primary charging garage location for whatever reason. We use the original cable to charge the wife's eTron and I use an adapter to charge my Tesla. Works flawlessly with both. Don't use the app all that much, but it allows you to schedule charging times if your electricity company discounts rates overnight, and the it also works with Chargepoint public charging stations. Have not regretted our choice at all with that thing.

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