charging NISSAN LEAF 2014 1.G Owner's Manual

•
Pass the lower side belt of the EVSE
(Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment)
case securely through the fastener on
the bottom of the luggage board. If the
case suddenly becomes loose, it may
cause serious injury or death.
CAUTION
•
To prevent damage to the charging
equipment:
– Do not close the charge port lid
without closing the cap.
– Do not subject the charging equip-
ment to impact.
– Do not pull or twist the charge cable.
– Do not drag the charge cable.– Do not store and use charging
equipment in locations where the
temperature is over 185°F (85°C) .
– Do not place the charging equip-
ment close to a heater or other heat
source.
• Make sure the cap is closed on the
charge port when charging is finished.
If the charge port lid is closed when the
cap is open, water or foreign materials
may enter the charge port.
• Do not charge when a vehicle body
cover is in use. This may cause damage
to the charge connector.
• Do not attempt to perform a jump start
on the 12-volt battery at the same time
that the Li-ion battery is being
charged. Doing so may damage the
vehicle or charging equipment and
could cause an injury. See “Jump start-
ing” in the “In case of emergency” sec-
tion.• Trickle charging is performed using the
EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equip-
ment) provided with the vehicle.
NISSAN recommends using an AC 110
- 120 volt, 15A, dedicated electrical cir-
cuit and outlet. The dedicated circuit is
used to help prevent circuit damage or
the circuit breaker from tripping due to
the high draw of charging the Li-ion
battery. If the dedicated circuit is not
used, the circuit may cause adverse
interference on MCB (Moulded Circuit
Board) and household electrical appli-
ances such as televisions and audio
systems. If the circuit is shared, and
another electrical device is being used
at the same time the vehicle is charg-
ing, the breaker may trip. A licensed
professional electrician should install
a dedicated circuit if one is not already
available.
ChargingCH-3

NOTE:
•When charging the Li-ion battery, place
the power switch in the OFF position.
When the power switch is in the ON posi-
tion, the Li-ion battery will not start charg-
ing.
•If the charger is connected to the vehicle
when it is in the READY to drive position,
the power switch automatically changes
to the ON position. Place the power switch
in the OFF position to begin charging.
•For your safety, if the charger is connected
to the vehicle while the power switch is in
the READY to drive position, the vehicle
will automatically switch to the ON posi-
tion. Because charging will not be started
while the power switch is in this position,
be sure to place the power switch in the
OFF position.
•When the ambient temperature is 32°F
(0 °C) or less, charging time may be longer
than normal and the level to which the
Li-ion battery can be charged may be less
than at higher temperatures.•If the vehicle will not be used for an ex-
tended period of time, charge the Li-ion
battery once every 3 months. Do not oper-
ate the charging timer repeatedly while
the charge connector is connected to the
vehicle after the Li-ion battery charging is
completed. Doing so may discharge the
12-volt battery.
•The power switch can be set to ON posi-
tion and the climate control and naviga-
tion system (models with navigation sys-
tem) can be used while the Li-ion battery
is charging. However, because these op-
erations consume Li-ion battery power, it
will take longer for the Li-ion battery to
become fully charged. Place the power
switch in the OFF position to help reduce
Li-ion battery charge time.
•If electrical power is interrupted while
charging, charging restarts automatically
when the electrical power is restored.
•It is recommended to keep the charge
cable connected to save Li-ion battery
power, when the heater and air condi-
tioner are operating with remote opera-
tion (models with navigation system) .•If the charge port is frozen, melt the ice
using a hair dryer. After the ice has
melted, charge the Li-ion battery. Forcing
the charge connector to connect may
cause a malfunction.
•If foreign materials have entered the
charge connector and charge port and it is
not possible to connect it, do not attempt
to force the connection. Contact a NISSAN
certified LEAF dealer. Forcing the charge
connector to connect may cause damage
to the charging equipment and vehicle.
•There is a hole on the charge port for
water drainage. If the water drainage hole
becomes blocked, or if water gets trapped
inside the charge port, do not charge.
Contact a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer.
CH-4Charging

TYPES OF CHARGE AND HOW TO
CHARGE THE LI-ION BATTERY
ChargingCH-5

CH-6Charging

This vehicle is an electric vehicle and it requires
electricity to operate. The Li-ion battery is the only
source of power to operate the vehicle. It is
important to conserve power and plan your
charging needs when you drive to avoid com-
pletely discharging the Li-ion battery and being
unable to drive.
There are three methods available to charge the
Li-ion battery;
• Normal charge
• Trickle charge
• Quick charge (if so equipped)
The time to completely charge the vehicle Li-ion
battery varies, based on the state of charge of the
Li-ion battery, condition and age of the Li-ion
battery, ambient temperature and condition of the
power source connected to the vehicle. The
charging times provided in this manual are esti-
mates only and may vary.
Normal charge
NISSAN recommends using normal charging for
usual charging of the vehicle. Use of quick charge
should be minimized in order to help prolong
Li-ion battery life.
Normal charging uses an SAE J1772 compliant
charging device that can be installed on a dedi-cated 220V/240V circuit in your home. NISSAN
recommends the installation of a home charging
dock by a licensed professional electrician.
NISSAN has contracted with a company to assist
you in purchasing and installing a charger. Con-
tact your NISSAN certified LEAF dealer.
It takes approximately 4–7 hours (depending on
the charger) in order to charge the Li-ion battery
from discharged (low battery charge warning
light illuminated) to charged.
See “How to normal charge”.
Trickle charge
Trickle charging is not recommended for regular
use. Trickle charge can be used when it is nec-
essary to perform an emergency charge at a
destination such as a friend’s house.
Trickle charge uses the EVSE (Electric Vehicle
Supply Equipment) or an SAE J1772 compliant
cord set to connect the vehicle to an AC 110 -
120 volt, 15A dedicated outlet. The outlet should
be protected by a dedicated circuit breaker or
fuse to avoid overloading the circuit or other
electrical hazard.
It takes approximately 21 hours to charge the
Li-ion battery from discharged (low battery
charge warning light illuminated) to charged.See “How to trickle charge”.
Quick charge (if so equipped)
Quick charge capability is only available on ve-
hicles manufactured with the quick charge op-
tion, which includes the quick charge port. If your
vehicle does not have such a port, quick charging
cannot be used.
A vehicle equipped with a quick charge port is
compatible with most CHAdeMO (Japanese in-
dustry standard) connectors on charging sta-
tions. Charging stations using this standard are
UL certified and safe to use in the US. While
supported by NISSAN, this connector may not
become the US SAE standard.
Quick charging is possible (even several times a
day) if the battery temperature is not near the red
zone. If the battery temperature reaches the red
zone, in order to protect the battery, quick charg-
ing is not allowed and the power limitation mode
will be triggered.
Public charging:
This vehicle is compatible with any public charg-
ing station that is SAE J1772 compliant. If you
attempt to charge from a non-compliant charging
station, you may not receive a complete charge,
or you may not be able to charge at all due to
ChargingCH-7

hardware and software differences. NISSAN is
working with state, municipalities utility compa-
nies and others to assist in the preparation of
markets and infrastructure, but makes no repre-
sentations that public charging stations will be
available in locations where you wish to operate
the vehicle, nor can NISSAN predict the period of
time it may take for public charging infrastructure
to be developed in your area. Depending on
where you live or drive, there may not be sufficient
public charging stations available to meet your
particular needs for driving range and charging
away from your home. Trip planning is therefore
important, and you should plan trips with these
facts in mind.
Quick charge uses public charging stations (up
to 50 kW of power) .
The time needed to charge the Li-ion battery from
discharged (low battery charge warning light illu-
minated) to 80% charged using the a quick char-
ger depends on many factors including the Li-ion
battery temperature and the type of quick charger
used.
It may take more time to charge the Li-ion battery
using the quick charger if the vehicle is parked in
a cold location (for example below 32°F (0°C))
for a long time.The Li-ion battery temperature gauge can be
used to estimate the approximate time needed to
charge the Li-ion battery to 80%.
Li-ion battery tem-
perature gaugeEstimated charge
time
A3 or fewer seg-
ments illuminatedMore than approxi-
mately 90 minutes
B4-5 segments
illuminatedApproximately 30-90
minutes
C6-7 segments
illuminatedApproximately 30
minutes
D8-9 segments
illuminatedApproximately 30-60
minutes
Li-ion battery tem-
perature gaugeEstimated charge
time
E10 or more seg-
ments illuminatedMore than approxi-
mately 60 minutes
NOTE:
Charging time is typically limited to 60 min-
utes when using a quick charger. Press the
start switch on the quick charger after it
stops if additional charge time is necessary
to reach an 80% charge.
See “How to quick charge”.
Power Limitation Mode
This mode protects the health and operation of
the vehicle’s Li-ion battery. This mode operates in
certain extreme conditions (heat, cold, low state
of charge) . Power available to vehicle systems,
including its traction motor, is limited resulting in
limited performance, acceleration and top speed.
Charging may be automatically terminated, espe-
cially with repeated quick charging in extreme hot
weather.
CH-8Charging

Checking Li-ion battery charge
The three methods for checking amount of
charge are as follows.
• Check by using the Li-ion battery available
charge gauge on the meter when the power
switch is placed in the ON position. See “Li-ion
battery available charge gauge” in the “Instru-
ments and controls” section and “Li-ion battery
low charge warning” in the “Instruments and
controls” section.
• Check by using a cellular phone, smart phone or
personal computer. See LEAF Navigation Sys-
tem Owner’s Manual (models with navigation
system) .
• Check by using the charging status indicator
light. See “Charging status indicator light”.
NOTE:
•During the charge operation, charge con-
tinues when the power switch is placed in
the ON position.
•The Li-ion battery cannot be charged if the
quick charge connector and the normal
charge connector are connected at the
same time. If another charge connector is
connected mid-charge, charging will stop.•For safety reasons, it is not possible to
switch to the READY to drive position
while a charge connector is connected.
•During charging, it is possible that the
radio may be inaudible due to noise by the
electromagnetic wave.
HOW TO NORMAL CHARGE
WARNING
• If you use any medical electric devices,
such as an implantable cardiac pace-
maker or an implantable cardiovascu-
lar defibrillator, check with the electric
medical device manufacturer concern-
ing the effects that charging may have
on implanted devices before starting
the charge operation. Charging may
affect the operation.
• If you have an implantable cardiac
pacemaker or an implantable cardio-
vascular defibrillator, while the Li-ion
battery is charging:
– Do not stay inside the vehicle.
– Do not go inside the vehicle, for ex-
ample to remove or place an item in
the passenger compartment.– Do not open the rear hatch, for ex-
ample to remove or place an item in
the cargo area.
Charging may affect the operation of
electric medical device and result in
serious personal injury or death.
• Be sure to follow the precautions for
using the charger that can be installed
in your home. Failing to do so could
result in serious injury or death.
CAUTION
• Do not use any charging equipment
that is not compatible with the LEAF.
Doing so could prevent the Li-ion bat-
tery from charging properly or could
result in damage to the vehicle or Li-
ion battery.
• Normal charge uses the charging device (AC
220 - 240 volt, 20A) that can be installed in your
home to charge the Li-ion battery.
• Immediate charge, charging timer and remote
charge (models with navigation system) can be
performed in the normal charge mode. See
“Charging methods”.
ChargingCH-9

• The Genuine NISSAN charging equipment
communicates with the vehicle before Li-ion
battery charging starts. If this communication
does not occur because other equipment is
used, the Li-ion battery will not charge.
• NISSAN recommends that you connect the
normal charge cable when getting out of the
vehicle, even if it is not going to be used. By
doing this, you can get the most out of the
remote climate control (models with navigation
system) and Climate Ctrl. Timer functions the
next time you use the vehicle.
To start normal charge:
1. Push the P (Park) position switch to place the
vehicle in the P (Park) position and apply the
parking brake.
2. When charging the Li-ion battery, place the
power switch in the OFF position. When the
power switch is in the ON position, the Li-ion
battery will not start charging.
3. Open the charge port lid and charge port cap.
See “Charge port lid” and “Charge port cap”
in the “Pre-driving checks and adjustments”
section.4. Connect the charge connector to the charge
port. If it is connected normally, a beep will
sound once.
5. If charging has started or if the battery is
waiting for charging timer, a beep will sound
twice and the charging status indicator light
display will change. See “Charging status in-
dicator light”.To stop normal charge:
1. Ensure that the charge connector lock is not
engaged. For more information, see “Charge
connector lock switch” in this section.
2. Press the button on the charge connector,
release the lock and remove the charge con-
nector from the charge port and properly
store it.
3. After closing the charge port cap on the
charge port, close the charge port lid.
CH-10Charging

NOTE:
•To stop charging mid-charge, remove the
charge connector. Charging automatically
stops.
HOW TO TRICKLE CHARGE (IF SO
EQUIPPED)
WARNING
• If you use any medical electric devices,
such as an implantable cardiac pace-
maker or an implantable cardiovascu-
lar defibrillator, check with the electric
medical device manufacturer concern-
ing the effects that charging may have
on implanted devices before starting
the charge operation. Charging may
affect the operation.
• If you have an implantable cardiac
pacemaker or an implantable cardio-
vascular defibrillator, while the Li-ion
battery is charging:
– Do not stay inside the vehicle.
– Do not go inside the vehicle, for ex-
ample to remove or place an item in
the passenger compartment.– Do not open the rear hatch, for ex-
ample to remove or place an item in
the cargo area.
Charging may affect the operation of
electric medical device and result in
serious personal injury or death.
• In order to avoid an electric shock or
fire due to a short circuit, connect to
GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) circuit
breaker and use a waterproof electri-
cal ground socket.
• The NISSAN Genuine EVSE (Electric
Vehicle Supply Equipment) charging
device provided with your vehicle
draws 12amps continuously while
charging the Li-ion battery. Do not plug
in to any electrical circuit unless it is
inspected by a licensed electrician to
confirm that the electrical circuit can
accept a 12 amp draw. Any electrical
circuit has a much higher likelihood of
being compromised in the following
conditions listed below.
– Improper use of the charger may
result in a fire and serious injury or
death.
– Do not use this charger in structures
more than 40 years old.– Do not use this charger in structures
using fuse-based circuit protection.
Use only with electrical circuits pro-
tected by circuit breakers.
– Do not use this charger on electrical
circuits with two-prong outlets.
– Do not use charger if outlet appears
damaged or will not hold plug firmly.
– Discontinue charger use immedi-
ately if plug or outlet becomes hot
to the touch or if you notice any
unusual odors.
– Do not use charger if other devices
are plugged into the same circuit.
– Never use extension cords or plug
adapters with charger.
– Do not operate with a damaged
cord.
– Always unplug the charger when not
in use.
– When unplugging, be sure to pull by
the plug and not the cord.
– The device has parts that may spark
inside. Do not use it where gasoline,
paint, or flammable liquids are used
or stored.
– Do not use if a malfunction occurs or
if charger has been damaged in any
manner. Return to a NISSAN certi-
fied LEAF dealer for replacement.
ChargingCH-11

– The charger contains no user ser-
viceable parts. Do not attempt to
repair the charger, doing so will void
your warranty.
•
Pass the lower side belt of the EVSE
(Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment)
case securely through the fastener on
the bottom of the luggage board. If the
case suddenly becomes loose, it may
cause serious injury or death.
CAUTION
• Only charge using a standard 110 - 120
volt, 15A dedicated electrical outlet
(For example do not use an electric
generator) . Failure to do so may cause
charging to fail and could cause dam-
age to the Li-ion battery charging
equipment due to power surges.
• NISSAN recommends using genuine
NISSAN charging equipment to charge
the vehicle. Using non-NISSAN equip-
ment could cause the Li-ion battery to
not charge correctly and may damage
the Li-ion battery.
• Trickle charging is performed using an AC 110 -
120 volt, 15A dedicated electrical outlet using
the EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment)
provided with the vehicle.
• The genuine NISSAN EVSE (Electric Vehicle
Supply Equipment) charging equipment or
trickle charge cable performs a communication
function with the vehicle before Li-ion charging
starts. If this communication does not occur
because other equipment is used, the Li-ion
battery will not charge.• Immediate charge, charging timer and remote
charge (models with navigation system) can be
performed in the trickle charge mode. See
“Charging methods”.
CH-12Charging