I purchased this charger at a retail store long before Amazon carried it. The internals are made with overbuilt componants and are top quality. This same charger would have cost you $3000.00 a year ago, amazing how fast progress is being made. I recommend installing the charger on a dedicated 40amp circuit breaker. The J1772 connector is solid and does'nt feel cheap at all. The electrical wiring they use for the J1772 cord is VERY flexible and long. I cant stop looking at the lights on the charger at night. Internally I can see ports for a LED light bar, RFID port, VFD display, 2 serial COM ports, and, an ethernet port. Because this is a shared circuit board with other model GE chargers I am not sure if they can be made active.
This charger can deliver a full 40 amps of power to the J1772 plug if the vehicle requests it. Twice what similiar units offer at the same price point. For the money no other charger (EVSE) offers more bang for the buck then the GE wattstation. It's also alot more attractive then a dull grey box hanging on the wall. This unit is one of the few that are UL listed for indoor AND outdoor usage. Even if you mount this indoors, it's nice to know the unit is built for a outdoor enviroment. When not in use the charger has a button to take all power from the unit. No vampire power usage here!
I have completed some "hacks" to the wattstation that can be viewed at:
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As I write this review, I'm basing my judgment on 6 months of trouble-free service. I have two each level 2 chargers at two locations, 43.6 miles apart, and this is typically my daily commute.
My other charger is not as nearly robust as the GE product and often trips during a charge. My GE WattStation has not ever failed in 6 months.
One of the features (or idiosyncrasies might be a better word) is when the unit is plugged into my 2012 Chevrolet Volt, a moment later it makes a "thud" noise. Some people find this sound "alarming" however I like to hear the unit when it makes this noise because I have a brief audio indication that the unit is working and charging my car. My other unit is an SPXpress and doesn't make this noise and I always have to stand looking at my Volt to make sure the car is actually in the charge mode. The GE "tells" me it is charging as I am walking away back into my house.
I installed my GE WattStation myself, and it was fairly easy with the exception of one minor detail. This unit, unlike the SPX product, can be locked in-place to the mounting plate that is bolted to a wall. I was never able to get the lock mechanism to not interfere with the plate as I was installing it and I gave up on having the lock and had to remove it and discard it.
The GE WattStation has performed in very high temperatures in my garage here in Texas in August when 100 degrees and more, and also on cold days this winter when our temps have reached as low as 17 degrees. It has never tripped, needing a reset as my SPX product has done about 7 times in the same period. Typically, I am able to have my Volt charged in 3 hours with the GE WattStation after my 43.6 mile commute. The SPX Xpress seems to take just a little longer (not by much) for the return trip, however the fact that the SPX often trips and is not self-resseting sometimes requires "baby-sitting" and the GE is "plug it in and forget..."
A few people complain about the humming noise the GE makes (my SPX doesn't hum...) but I am not annoyed by the sound. It makes no more humming than the refrigerator inside my kitchen. And, the hum is a lot less noticeable than when my AC kicks in inside my house. I can only detect the hum when I am in my garage and in fact I have to walk up very close to the WattStation to actually hear it, but I was a machine-gunner in Vietnam, and I don't have the ability to hear crickets or June Bugs either.
The cord on the GE WattStation curls (or loops) back onto the attractive housing and tucks away nicely. The cord on my SPX doesn't and has to be draped along a couple of hangers I fabricated on the wall.
The GE WattStation is very attractive and I especially like the small oval light on the face of the unit, because it serves as a nice night-light in my garage.
The length of the charging cord is perfect and long enough that I can park my Volt on either side of my over-size two car garage and attach it to the charging port on my car. The actual "handle" for lack of a better word, seems more robust on my GE cord than the 110 volt charger that came with my car, and more robust looking than the SPX product to.
You can see my GE WattStation on my Flickr account. Just do a Google search for "Chevrolet Volt Flickr Southwest USA" and that should take you to my sets "Chevrolet Volt" where I am documenting the experience of using my car.
I'll try and load a picture here on Amazon when I am on my computer having my picture files.
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Bought this for my Nissan Leaf after considering the Aerovironment, Leviton and other EVSEs. If you have a NEMA 6-50 outlet (or can put one in), this could not be an easier unit to install and start using. Mounting kit is a breeze to use, plug it in, turn it on, and start charging. The Leaf is of course only cable of charging at 16 amps, but this unit being able to charge at 30a was still a consideration for any future upgrades or purchases. Once you begin the charging process, the unit will let out a fairly loud POP! and then it's going. Handsome unit, glossy black finish looks nice in my garage. Works every time, probably been used at least 100 times in the four months I've owned it. Highly recommended.
Honest reviews on GE WattStation Wall Mount - Level 2 EV Charger - 7.2kW, 30A
One small issue, The cord to plug in is very short. You must install outlet in exactly the right place relative to the product mounting. The Cord to the car could be a little longer also.
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With the purchase of my new Chevy Volt I wanted to cut my charging time and keep the volt available to use after my daily commute. I did not want to think about the charger and also thought it would be great to be able to keep it when we next change homes. This model had the pigtail installed out of the box. I had a licensed electrician perform the 240 volt box installation and secure the unit to a stud in the garage near my electrical panel.
What is great is that it has been running for a week and it only has a low humm when charging. Quick, easy, foolproof product. My car now charges in less than four hours when depleted, not ten. I could not be more satisfied.
