Lectron sold a portable SAE J1772-based Level 1/Level 2 home charging cable for those looking for one product to meet their home charging needs. But is it worth the $309.99 price tag?
NOTE: THIS PRODUCT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. Only the Level 2 cable is available. Lectron provided this product for testing, but all opinions are my own.
Find It On:
- Lectron’s Website [Level 2 only version]
- Amazon [Level 2 only version]
Design
You can buy this equipment in all black or with a white power box and handle. It’s a fairly straightforward design with a simple LED light indicator that changes colors based on charging status (e.g., it shows a cascading green light when charging). There aren’t any fancy screens here, but I think that tradeoff is well worth it to help keep the price down.
Lectron’s power box is a basic design, no fancy screens here!
One of the first things I noticed, though, is how lightweight it is for a Level 2, 40-amp capable charging cable, at around 8 pounds with the 14-50 adapter connected. This makes it a lot easier to carry or travel with.
Cable Length
The cord itself is 16 feet long, which should be enough for many garage setups, though some competitors often offer a longer 20- or 25-foot cable. Just be sure to measure before making any purchase.
Be sure to get a charging cable that is long enough to reach from your outlet to your EV.
Build Quality
The plastics used are fairly dense and don’t seem like they’d easily crack if you were to drop it. Overall, it’s very sturdy and I didn’t notice any unusual gaps or signs that it was cheaply built.
The power box and handle don’t seem to have any unusual gaps or build issues.
In fact, the handle has a metal release button, which is a nice touch and helps to make it feel more premium than the mostly plastic competition.
Sometimes, it’s the small touches like metal vs plastic that make a difference.
I did, however, notice the slightest amount of movement between the adapters and power box if you tug on it. It’s certainly not loose, and you do have to pull pretty hard to separate them when switching between charging types.
Inside the Box
The box includes a black soft shell carrying case with internal straps, a netted partition to hold the various components in place when traveling, and external carrying straps. It also includes a plastic hanging bracket to hold the power box against the wall, and an adjustable Velcro strap to help with cable management. A nice touch.
You’re also provided with two adapters, NEMA 5-15 and NEMA 14-50 plugs for Level 1 and Level 2 home charging respectively.
The included travel case is quite nice.
Features
There are two standout features of Lectron’s SAE J1772 dual charging cable worth mentioning.
Level 1 & Level 2 Adaptability
One of the most notable features of this product is the ability to switch between Level 1 and Level 2 home charging using a single cable. That means no longer having to bring two different pieces of equipment with you on the go if you travel a lot.
To change adapters, all you have to do is pull one out and push the other in. Pretty simple.
Portable Level 2 Charging at 40 amps
Secondly, and just as important, if not more so, this charging cable supports up to 250V at 40 amps or 9.6 kW using the included NEMA 14-50 adapter. For reference, Tesla’s mobile charging kit is only rated for a maximum 32 amps of charging, making this product one of the fastest portable charging solutions on the market.
No Wi-Fi Here
This Lectron charging cable does not offer Wi-Fi connectivity, but I’ve yet to see use for it, as most electric car owners use their vehicle’s mobile app to update battery and charging settings anyway.
Charging Speeds
As previously mentioned, the included NEMA 14-50 adapter is rated for 250V and 40 amps, which can add between 20-30 miles or more per hour of charging (up to 9.6 kW), while the NEMA 5-15 (regular wall outlet) still provides the same 2-4 miles of range per hour as any other Level 1 charging cable.
My VW ID.4 now only takes about 1.5 hours to recharge from my daily commute using Lectron’s 40A cable vs the 12-15 hours using the Level 1 cord it came with.
Portability vs Faster Charging
Though you can buy Level 2 home charging stations up to 48 amps, which are faster, these stations usually cost more and aren’t typically portable.
While they can charge your EV fast, 48A stations aren’t portable and can be less convenient.
That said, I always recommend portable Level 2 charging cables. You never know when you might need an emergency fill up at an RV park or campsite while traveling and the flexibility of being able to easily take it with you is well worth the trade-off.
Compatibility
This specific Lectron charging cable uses the SAE J1772 standard, which is what is found on almost all non-Tesla EVs and plug-in hybrids.
This equipment works natively with EVs that have the SAE J1772 charge port type.
If you drive a Tesla, you can still use it with a J1772-to-Tesla (NACS) adapter. All new Tesla models come with one, but if you need it, Lectron sells them for around $40 or you can find it on tesla.com for around $50.
Certifications & Warranty
The product is ETL certified to the UL2231 and UL2594 standards, which is an important thing to look for when buying any electrical equipment, especially one running at a high voltage. It also has an IP65 rating, meaning it’s fairly weather-resistant. That said, I wouldn’t leave any electrical equipment exposed to the elements, especially the harsher kind.
Always make sure your EV charging equipment is certified by either ETL or UL standards.
Lectron offers a two-year limited warranty that covers materials and manufacturing defects.
Price & Return Policy
Lectron’s dual charging cable currently goes for around $300 in the US. Usually the lowest price can be found directly through their website or on Amazon.
While $300 seems like a good amount of money and it is, many people may not realize that Level 2 home charging is about 90% efficient, while Level 1 charging is closer to 80%. That means, depending on your cost of electricity, Level 2 equipment will pay for itself after 30-40k miles worth of home charging or so.
There are less expensive Level 2-only options (including from Lectron), but you lose out on the flexibility and even then they typically aren’t rated for the same 40 amps that this Lectron unit offers.
As far as return options go, Lectron offers a 30-day “no questions asked” policy if you purchase directly through their website.
Considerations
Now, no product is perfect. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
- While the ability to switch between the two outlet types is great, it would be even better if there were more adapters you could purchase like one for a NEMA 14-30 outlet that’s commonly used for dryers.
- The 16-foot cable length will work for many, but a longer cord just makes usability that much better.
- While most automakers in the United States now ship EVs with Tesla’s NACS charge port type, most EVs on the road today, as well as used cars going on the market, use the SAE J1772 standard.
Should You Buy It?
At the end of the day, Lectron’s Level 1/Level 2 dual charging cable offers a great balance of power output, portability, and adaptability. Would I recommend this charger? Absolutely, especially if you plan on using both charging levels.
Find It On:
- Lectron’s Website [Level 2 only version]
- Amazon [Level 2 only version]
Sources
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