Is this a Clipper Creek charger or not? Should I buy it?


Hi, so I’m looking for a Level 1 charger for home and found this one locally for $30. I’ve heard that the Chevy Bolt 120V chargers are good for the Kia EV6 since they’re made by Clipper Creek and are reliable. Is this one a good deal or should I keep looking for something else? There are a lot of chargers like this listed nearby for under $100.

@Kiernan
I used a Level 1 charger for my EV6 for 5 months. It takes about 3 days for a full charge. If you’re below 50%, you can use DC fast charging to get to 80% and then charge at home. Eventually, though, you’ll probably want to switch to a Level 2 charger. With even a 16A Level 2, you’ll be done charging in about a day or less. If you own your property, it’s worth looking into installing a Level 2 charger.

@Brice
Yeah, I rent and might be moving in a year or so, so a Level 2 isn’t really an option for now.

@Kiernan
Fun fact: GM sold this exact charger in the EU as well. You can replace the NEMA 5-15 with a 240V socket of your choice, and the 1.4kW charger becomes a 2.8kW charger. There’s more info about this on the Bolt forums. I had a Bolt before my EV6 and kept this charger. It’s a solid unit and $30 is a great deal. These usually go for $100+ on eBay.

@Jamie
If you’re thinking about modifying it, you could make an adapter instead. And yes, this is a Clipper Creek design as shown in past teardowns. You can buy an ‘appliance extension cord,’ cut off the end, and install a 240V plug. This way, it will work as a Level 2 charger at 12A and charge about 100 miles overnight, depending on your EV’s efficiency.

@Jamie
Or, you could just buy a new charger that supports both 120V and 240V plugs. Here’s one I found: Amazon link.

I had the same charger for my 2018 Chevy Volt PHEV. When I moved into my new house, I got an adapter from eBay to plug it into my 240V dryer outlet and charge my Volt at 240V, 12A (2.88kW). It worked really well, and I used a 75-foot extension cord to park in front of my house. For $30, this charger is a good backup, but 2.88kW is pretty slow for an EV with a 77kWh battery. Still, it’s great for traveling.

@Zoe
Okay, nice! This may be a silly question… but will this charger work with a Kia EV6 too? I believe it’s the J1772 plug? I’m still new to all of this.

Kiernan said:
@Zoe
Okay, nice! This may be a silly question… but will this charger work with a Kia EV6 too? I believe it’s the J1772 plug? I’m still new to all of this.

Yes, this will work with all current EV6 models. The 2025 EV6 will have the Tesla NACS standard, so it will be different, but the current EV6 in the USA uses the J1772 plug. If you ever need to use it with a NACS car, just get a cheap adapter.

@Zoe
Thanks so much for the help .

I used this charger with my Bolt, then my EV6, and even with a Model 3. It has held up well for over 3 years, even charging in rain or snow.

@Zem
Thanks for the advice! Very helpful .

Kiernan said:
@Zem
Thanks for the advice! Very helpful!

Glad to help! Let me know if you have any more questions.

You won’t have much fun with a Level 1 charger and a 77kWh battery. It could take up to 38 hours to charge fully.

Morgan said:
You won’t have much fun with a Level 1 charger and a 77kWh battery. It could take up to 38 hours to charge fully.

It depends on how much you drive. I have an EV6 and only use a Level 1 charger. My wife and I both work from home most of the time, so a little overnight top-up is enough. If we really need to top up quickly, we just go to the DC fast charger at Walmart.

@Kingsley
Yeah, if it’s not being used daily, that works. But Level 2 is definitely much faster.

Morgan said:
You won’t have much fun with a Level 1 charger and a 77kWh battery. It could take up to 38 hours to charge fully.

Unfortunately, I can’t install a Level 2 charger. I do about 120 miles a week, so I think the Level 1 should be fine. We have another car for longer trips.

@Kiernan
You’ll be fine. You’ll get about 30-50 miles of range back each night.

@Kiernan
I’ve used Level 1, and it’s doable. But why can’t you install a Level 2 charger? Are you renting? You could ask your landlord about installing a 14-50 socket. It could benefit both you and future tenants. If they give you trouble about it being for an EV, just tell them you need it for a welder.