J+ Booster: Juice Booster EVSE For USA

[satchurator]

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...nited-states-canada-and-mexico-301603063.html

Thanks to @tigerbalm mentioning it, I’ve been aware of the Juice Booster as a very well made European EVSE with nice adapters and very robust construction.

They now have a US product. I have a message out to them to confirm, but unfortunately it seems the wire gauge is 10 AWG which @daveo4EV will tell you is iffy at 40A continuous.

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[daveo4EV]

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...nited-states-canada-and-mexico-301603063.html

Thanks to @tigerbalm mentioning it, I’ve been aware of the Juice Booster as a very well made European EVSE with nice adapters and very robust construction.

They now have a US product. I have a message out to them to confirm, but unfortunately it seems the wire gauge is 10 AWG which @daveo4EV will tell you is iffy at 40A continuous.

it would need some testing - but yeah 10 gauge is electrically "safe" but may suffer the same "too hot to touch" issues the PMCC/PMC+ are suffering from - but actual testing would be required.

I'm more fussy about the price than the 10 gauge wire - $699 according to the link - there are quite a few 40 amp high quality mobiler EVSE's for less than $700

but I'm willing to suggest it might be a good choice and their design is different than the PMCC/PMC+ so their use of 10 gauge wire might be better "considered" - their supply cable seems quite a bit shorter - so less heat build up in less wire - again actual experience/testing to see if their implementation is a problem.

but for the price there are other options we're all aware of that can do 40 amps all day long and stay cool as a cucumber for way less than $699…

functionaly the Juicebox products are rock solid EVSE's and should work well and charge most any EV you own or will purchase over the next few years. Based on JuiceBox's solid reputation I'd be willing to say most likley it's a great product, people have used them for years with few if any issues so not going to rule them out - there is no data to suggest their EVSE(s) has/have/had any problems.

 

[mod72346]

After having dangerously high heat issues with the Porsche Mobile charger that came with the car, when NEMA 14-50 plug hotspots reached 104.3C (220F) after an hour at 100% power:

That is water-boiling temperature - so if were to grab the plug at this time, it'll burn your skin in seconds.

I decided to try the j+ Booster 2, since it just came out, and reviews were mostly good. I ordered one from Amazon (for $700) and tried it out last night.

It is well made and rugged - the metal cylinder + rubberized ends. It also feels lighter and not as bulky as Porsche's charger. It allows to select EIGHT (!) amperages, and here is what my Taycan is showing for each:

6A => 1.2 kW
8A => 1.7 kW
12A => 2.5 kW
16A => 3.4 kW
20A => 4.2 kW
24A => 5.1 kW
32A => 6.8 kW
40A => 8.4-8.7 kW

I'm not sure why Taycan is showing lower Wattage than my calculations, e.g. 40A * 240V = 9.6 kW (and I only saw 8.7 kW max) -- If anyone has an answer, please reply

Thermal results are quite good. The hotspots at the 14-50 plug (see above) are no longer there, and the plug feels barely warm to the touch. The unit itself and the J-plug are body-temperature. The hottest parts are the wires -- thick short wire from the wall, reached 39C (102F) after an hour:

and the 21-foot wire going to the car reached 50.9C (124F):

So, in summary - it's a great device, BUT it's a shame that the wires are underspec'd... I understand that 10AWG is "safe" by electric standards, but I would prefer a stiffer & thicker cable if it stayed cooler and wasted less energy into heat.

It's definitely a WHOLE LOT better than the Porche's charger, especially after Porsche recommended to use at the 50% max. And so, I think I'll keep the j+ Booster.

 

[800v]

Thanks for the nice review!, I was looking at this one as well.

The only mobile charger I know of that has (supposedly) solid 8 AWG wires is the Mustard charger. Unfortunately, it does not have the nice adapter cables that the J-booster has ...

 

[tigerbalm]

Great to see them expanding to the North American market. I only use mine in a "grab a destination charge where I can" role – but its never let me down.

 

[satchurator]

I forgot to follow up on this thread. Someone from Juice Americas did get back to me with a response to my enquiry. They were very helpful and candid about this and other aspects I had asked about.

I commented on the 10AWG cable:

What we are using is actually a split cable design; there are two (2) 10 gauge cables parallel, each one taking half of the load. This allows the cable to remain relatively flexible in low temperature while offering plenty of safety margin.

I’m not sure if this was reference to the two high-amperage conductors present in the cable behind a typical J-1772 plug, or there are two pairs of such conductors at 10AWG each.

They also stated that the Juice+ is designed specifically for American single phase circuits and amperages:

only shares the housing with the European counterpart, All other components, cables, connectors, PCB etc were all specifically designed for the American single phase grid and higher amperage.

@mod72346 Thanks for sharing these thermal shots - very encouraging.

 

[mod72346]

I just took out the Porsche charger, installed the J+ Booster's charger bracket, which is quite simple, but it works well. It's upside down, because it allows me to manage the cable better. I also used a couple of utility hooks - one for the cable, and the other for the carrying case (which is kind of bulky, could have been much smaller!)

 

[Scandinavian]

hour:

and the 21-foot wire going to the car reached 50.9C (124F):

Is the second picture while the car still is charging? I.e. did you have the cable coiled like that While charging. I wonder if the cable would be cooler if it is uncoiled and as straight as possible? You are still sending A/C to the car and that could a magnetic field? Just looking at your picture the cable seems hotter where it is doubled?

 

[Vercingetorix]

Is the second picture while the car still is charging? I.e. did you have the cable coiled like that While charging. I wonder if the cable would be cooler if it is uncoiled and as staright as possible? You are still sending A/C to the car and that could a magnetic field? Just looking at your picture the cable seems hotter where it is doubled?

https://www.barlowsaireforceone.com/electricians-advice-preventing-electrical-fires/

 

[mod72346]

Thanks for the nice review!, I was looking at this one as well.

The only mobile charger I know of that has (supposedly) solid 8 AWG wires is the Mustard charger. Unfortunately, it does not have the nice adapter cables that the J-booster has ...

I checked the Mustart just now.. at 1/2 the cost of J+ Booster, it looks a lot less rugged, and people complain about it breaking after a few months. Also their certifications are missing of fake?

 

[800v]

I checked the Mustart just now.. at 1/2 the cost of J+ Booster, it looks a lot less rugged, and people complain about it breaking after a few months. Also their certifications are missing of fake?

Yeah, I don't have the mustart so I don't know how well constructed it is. The j+ booster seems a good choice (especially if it had the parallel 10awg wires.)

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