AeroVironment EVSE loud humming noise

[lion]

So I installed my AeroVironment EVSE last week, and while everything sounds ok when the charging cycle starts, it is making a loud humming noise (actually more like the noise an old spinning hard drive makes) about 30 minutes before the charging timer is set to expire (I'm not talking about the noise coming from the car). This has woken me up several times now (mounted on other side of bedroom wall), an am wondering if something is wrong with the unit, or if this is normal.

Using google to search this site didn't reveal anyone else mentioning this issue, but hopefully someone knows what's going on.

 

[LEAFer]

Noisy (vibrating) contactor. I assume it's under warranty. Call AV.

 

[lion]

So I just did some more experimenting, and looks like it does it about a few minutes after the charging process starts.

The noise reminds me of the noise a transformer makes, or a fluorescent lamp ballast.

The unit is brand new, and while it's under warranty, I want to make sure it's not something I did wrong (not sure what, considering how 'simple' these devices are).

 

[hill]

So - prior to the Aerovironment EVSE, were you only charging "at home" using L1- 120 volts ? Your avatar states 2013 'delivery'. Used? or New. Reason I ask is because some of us who took delivery of the very 1st few thousand Leafs had poor torrid / filters in their Leaf's on-board chargers . Many to this day don't even realize this. If early Leaf owners simply charge at night (on timer) - nothing will necessarily 'buzz' like a transformer while the owner is up & awake. Some folks home appliances would buzz (speakers - phones - x-10 appliances etc) and noticed it only happened while charging. Our PV inverters sounded like they were arcing ... but in fact it was simply the Leaf's on-board charger.

If you L2 charge away from home, obviously it's not going to affect your home appliances. Aerovironment came out to our home and confirmed that is wasn't their EVSE. They checked all of the connections inside our service panel to be sure. At least one owner installed their own choke to cure their on-board charger. I chose to have Nissan take care of it their self, since their device was the cause. That took persistence, but Nissan finally approved replacement of the (expensive) on-board charger. Nissan sent someone out to confirm that our appliances were being interfered with, but once confirmed, they moved forward and did the right thing. any way ... it's just a thought.

.

 

[lion]

The car was built in May of 2013.

Until last week, I was charging the car using the OEM EVSE at Level 1, every night at my house, and it was a very quiet process, no noises anywhere.

Now that I have my Level 2 going, I can hear the car's cooling system (I assume) run while charging @ 30A, and the transformer like noise from the AeroVironment EVSE.

I do charge outside the home once in a while, using recently deployed ChargePoint charging stations, but I don't remember hearing any noises. That said, these stations are in a noise environment, so it's a bad comparison.

 

[lion]

So no one has ever run into this? Getting a response out of AeroVironment is like pulling teeth (really really tired of companies not answering polite e-mails asking for a little help, but that's for another thread I guess). So far they have said it's the contactors, and that power cycling it should fix the device.

Since that isn't happening, and they still haven't responded to my follow-up question, I'd like to know if this device is defective and needs to be sent back.

 

[LEAFer]

If it were me ... yes I would send it back for replacement -- under warranty at no cost to me (including no (or reimbursed) shipping cost).