AC/DC - basics of EV charging explained

16 May 2022
We are looking at differences between AC and DC charging - what are the benefits and drawback of each system.

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  • Anonymous

Anonymous, 15 Aug 2022All of this can be a thing of the past with the use of hydrogen fuel cells. Unlike batteries, ... moreHydrogen would need to be so efficient, that it actually MAKES me money whilst driving in order for me to even consider getting in a vehicle with a highly volatile & flammable gas (in the presence of a catalyst) on board. Not to mention invisible flames when disaster does strike - you're talking about retraining ALL emergency services personnel, along with likely necessary detection hardware equipped with each individual. As I said, there simply is not enough room for Pro's to outweigh the the Con's of large scale hydrogen usage.

Anonymous, 15 Aug 2022All of this can be a thing of the past with the use of hydrogen fuel cells. Unlike batteries, ... moreHydrogen has proven to be an economic failure. There's just no way out. It has failed as a practical concept.
Its storage and transmission is risky and expensive, its micro-generation even at point of sale requires massive investment, so decentralisation (hydrogen producing retailer) is not an option either. Everywhere its a dead end.

There's an extensive article on Team-bhp on this, I don't want to promote it, so kindly google it.

Firstly, may I thank the author, Mr. Loukas for a fine, informative read on charging and electrics in general. Thanks. I learned some new things.
However, making entire e-mobility work on DC on the user end, has its own merits and flip sides:

1. Biggest merit would be to clear unnecessary charger weight from a e-car/bike & gain marginal range/ efficiency in the process. But this comes at a cost, you'd be totally dependent on DC chargers, you can't just plug it anywhere while touring. No charging off the wall socket, not even for electric bikes.
With a charger onboard, you can atleast gain a little range even if the current is far below standard(as long as its AC, which it mostly is).

With DC, compatiblity just goes for a toss.

2. AC is far more safer for any life form. As you get a sort of + pole from the Earth below, only the - pole is dangerous to you. Since, AC keeps changing polarity many times per second (say, at 60 Hz, its 60 times per second), you get time to recover and can push back even if you get a shock.

DC is Death Current. Simple. (Full form is deliberately wronged to make a point).
Its safe at around 12V, max 20V or so. Beyond that, if you come in contact with its negative pole while standing under-insulated on the ground, you're fried to death (unless someone switches it off). Because you stick to it like magnet, you can't push away and it burns you.
You see, I've heard people surviving even 25,000V AC blast, a train's overhead catenary (high tension) line. But, I never heard someone surviving a 200V DC current on his/her own. Never.
Its better if any human error, cracked slot or a rainy day or a wet hand causes you to get electric shock on AC current.
DC? I wouldn't wish for my enemies.

3. Does Regenerative braking work without an onboard converter/ charger? I don't know, I'm actually asking a question.
A forced to rotate motor is likely to make AC current, but battery is charged by DC, right? Again, I'm not sure.

Let me know what you think, and please correct me where I'm wrong...

  • Anonymous

Anonymous, 15 Aug 2022All of this can be a thing of the past with the use of hydrogen fuel cells. Unlike batteries, ... moreWhat rubbish. Keep chirping on about hydrogen, expensive to produce, expensive to transport and more importantly, expensive to store.
Hydrogen cells are not the future hense why NO ONE is using them on a large scale like electricity

  • GORI

thank you very much for the first time to get out this car

  • Anonymous

All of this can be a thing of the past with the use of hydrogen fuel cells. Unlike batteries, hydrogen can truly emulate the use of petrol and diesel. Also, fuel cells last WAY longer than batteries.

  • Yassine

"Unfortunately, if you have the 3-phase installation and you connect your car to a schuko (type F) plug, with typical 10A current, you will get a mere 2.3 kW" : Here I think you mean, If we don't have 3phase installation.

Wolverine, 16 May 2022Power in ac quantity should be in kilo volt ampere or kva.If kw rating is used then you have t... moreWolverine you are totally correct. Power factor though, or cosφ=1 (at least in Greece where i live) because cosφ 0°=1 . So in this case, you can exclude it and still be right in the calculations.

  • Wolverine

Power in ac quantity should be in kilo volt ampere or kva.If kw rating is used then you have to multiply the power factor.Also for ac charging you have to consider harmonic content while we convert it into dc.There is many more parameters which influence the characteristics of ev charging.

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