The OpenEVSE Advanced Series 48-amp EV charger made it into our Home EV Charger Buying Guide For 2020, so we figured it was only fair that we offer one of our "Ultimate Reviews" on the unit. Our Ultimate Review series is a deep dive into the EVSE, we don't just plug it in and declare it a good choice, we actually test it out and use a points-based rating system we call the ChargerRater.
The OpenEVSE Advances series comes in both 40-amp ($499.00) and 48-amp ($549.00) versions and is a WiFi-connected smart charger. The user can adjust the power delivery from 6-amps up to 40 or 48-amps, depending on which unit they have.
It comes standard with a 24-ft cable, which is one of the longer cables available on a charger today. Its see-through plastic casing is NEMA-4 rated for extreme weather conditions and it's the smallest, lightest 48-amp charger that we've ever tested.
Gallery: OpenEVSE EV Charger Review
The cable didn't fare too well in our cable deep-freeze test, but because it is so thin, it was manageable. It wasn't the worst performing cable in the deep freeze test that we've seen, but it was far from the best.
Perhaps the OpenEVSE's biggest flaw may be that it's not safety-certified. While OpenEVSE points out that "All safety features required by SAE J1772, UL, and NEC are standard", many buyers may be concerned that it hasn't been thoroughly tested and certified by the UL, ETL, CE, or CSA.
The fact that OpenEVSE didn't spend the tens of thousands of dollars to have the unit safety certified, is probably partially why the price is as low as it is. The 40-amp OpenEVSE is only $499, and you just can't get a 40-amp EVSE with smart charging features for less than that. It's a very good value if the lack of a UL stamp isn't a dealbreaker for you.
More EV Charging Reviews
The OpenEVSE 48 comes with a plug that will plug into either a 30-amp NEMA 14-30, a 50-amp NEMA 14-50, or a 60-amp NEMA 14-60 outlet. That's accomplished by removing the neutral pin in the plug, as it's not used in the EVSE. You then set the power delivery in an online portal to match the circuit the outlet is on.
It's the only EVSE available today that is able to plug into a NEMA 14-60 outlet and deliver 48-amps to the vehicle. All other 48-amp EVSE have to be hardwired, or the owner would have to attach a NEMA 14-60 plug to the unit first.
The OpenEVSE has an LCD display that allows to user to view the current power output, the amount of energy dispensed in the current charging session, as well as the cumulative power the unit has delivered over time.
It also has the ability to power-share between multiple units, but not right out of the box. You would have to have it configured to do so. The OpenEVSE has the ability to participate in utility demand response programs and comes with a three-year warranty.
It did well on our ChargerRater and scores an 87, which converts into a 4.35 out of five. We then offer our personal score which was 4.55 and came up with a final score of 4.45 out of five stars.
We like to hear from OpenEVSE owners out there. Are you happy with the unit? Have you had any issues? Do you agree with our score? Let us know in the comment section below.
Source: State of Charge