OpenEVSE - Open Source Charging Station

[chris1howell]

I can answer for Chris, until he sees your question. The pre assembled version uses surface mount components on the underside of the PCB, those are difficult if not impossible to install with a soldering iron. The DIY kit uses ALL though-hole components, so it's easy to assemble for the DIY builder.

Thanks, Mitch is exactly correct. The two versions are exactly the same as far as the circuit goes. But the non-DIY version is very small due to both the tiny surface mount components and utilizing both sides of the Circuit board (top for through hole parts bottom for the surface mount). I spent many hours routing each trace at 45 degree angles on the board manually to optimize the size. Pictures do not do the OpenEVSE Plus justice. Many have commented that this board is not an EVSE controller but a work of art.


The DIY version is a lot larger because it uses just the top surface for parts and is designed not for size but for easy assembly. The PCB is very high quality with a silk screen layer for labels and solder masking to help prevent solder bridging (much more forgiving for beginners).

 

[DaveEV]

I spent many hours routing each trace at 45 degree angles on the board manually to optimize the size. Pictures do not do the OpenEVSE Plus justice. Many have commented that this board is not an EVSE controller but a work of art.

Even though I have not yet bought an OpenEVSE, I truly appreciate your efforts here, Chris. Very nice work and the new website looks great, too.

BTW - does anyone know if there are relays available with ring terminal lug or similar instead of spade terminals? I'm personally not a fan of spade terminal connections, they always seem to heat up a bit under load, especially 30A, and are a potential weak point in the connection but maybe I worry about it too much.

 

[gobble]

My soldering iron is warming up and waiting for the mailman.

 

[chris1howell]

BTW - does anyone know if there are relays available with ring terminal lug or similar instead of spade terminals? I'm personally not a fan of spade terminal connections, they always seem to heat up a bit under load, especially 30A, and are a potential weak point in the connection but maybe I worry about it too much.

Yes, I will have new contactors with ring terminals in the OpenEVSE store in a day or two. It is the same contactor used in the AV and many namy other Commercial EVSE.

The spade terminals have been just fine for 30A EVSEs (24A Continuous), poor quality 3AB fuses seem to be the week link as far as heat goes which is why the OpenEVSE Store only carries the larger and high quality 30A Cooper Bussman Midget fuses.

 

[gobble]

Looks like you dropped the price $20 and excluded the AC cable from the kits?

 

[gobble]

This might be a dumb question, but does anyone know why it's ok to use 18 gauge wire for some of the internal wiring when 10 gauge is needed for wiring the outlet? It looks like both the heavy and thin wire is connected to the came terminal of the relay.

 

[gobble]

And has anyone seen a picture or example of a system built with two SPST relays instead of a single DPST relay? All I can find are examples of the DPST while the new kit comes with two SPST's? Single relay with 6 terminals vs. two relays with 4 terminals each. Something must be wired differently.

 

[chris1howell]

Looks like you dropped the price $20 and excluded the AC cable from the kits?

And has anyone seen a picture or example of a system built with two SPST relays instead of a single DPST relay? All I can find are examples of the DPST while the new kit comes with two SPST's? Single relay with 6 terminals vs. two relays with 4 terminals each. Something must be wired differently.

Yes, I recieved a few comments/complaints that the price was too high and combos had parts that would not be used by all builders. So I modified the combo to the core components and reduced the price accordingly.

I will post pictures. I am working on build guides for all parts and example Charge Stations.

The wiring is similar just 1 added relay line to OpenEVSE.

Relay 1
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay 1
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay Common (middle)
NO contact - AC Line IN L1 (red)
NO contact - J1772 Out L2 (red)

Relay 2
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay 2
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay Common (middle)
NO contact - AC Line IN L2 (black)
NO contact - J1772 Out (black)

 

[davewill]

Looks like you dropped the price $20 and excluded the AC cable from the kits?

Makes sense to me. Some people will hard wire, and others will want different plugs. Besides an appliance cord is easy to pick up at any hardware store.

 

[DaveEV]

BTW - does anyone know if there are relays available with ring terminal lug or similar instead of spade terminals? I'm personally not a fan of spade terminal connections, they always seem to heat up a bit under load, especially 30A, and are a potential weak point in the connection but maybe I worry about it too much.

Yes, I will have new contactors with ring terminals in the OpenEVSE store in a day or two. It is the same contactor used in the AV and many namy other Commercial EVSE.

That's awesome - I'd actually like to use a similar type of relay for my Easy240. Even at 16A the 20A relays I'm using get warm, and I suspect a good amount of the heat is from the spade connectors.

 

[gobble]

Looks like you dropped the price $20 and excluded the AC cable from the kits?

And has anyone seen a picture or example of a system built with two SPST relays instead of a single DPST relay? All I can find are examples of the DPST while the new kit comes with two SPST's? Single relay with 6 terminals vs. two relays with 4 terminals each. Something must be wired differently.

Yes, I recieved a few comments/complaints that the price was too high and combos had parts that would not be used by all builders. So I modified the combo to the core components and reduced the price accordingly.

I will post pictures. I am working on build guides for all parts and example Charge Stations.

The wiring is similar just 1 added relay line to OpenEVSE.

Relay 1
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay 1
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay Common (middle)
NO contact - AC Line IN L1 (red)
NO contact - J1772 Out L2 (red)

Relay 2
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay 2
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay Common (middle)
NO contact - AC Line IN L2 (black)
NO contact - J1772 Out (black)

Excuse my ignorance. I'm a tinkering accountant and not an electrical engineer.

What do you mean by Coil and NO contact on the relays? And do the Common (middle) wires go to the same terminal on the OpenEVSE.

 

[chris1howell]

Looks like you dropped the price $20 and excluded the AC cable from the kits?

And has anyone seen a picture or example of a system built with two SPST relays instead of a single DPST relay? All I can find are examples of the DPST while the new kit comes with two SPST's? Single relay with 6 terminals vs. two relays with 4 terminals each. Something must be wired differently.

Yes, I recieved a few comments/complaints that the price was too high and combos had parts that would not be used by all builders. So I modified the combo to the core components and reduced the price accordingly.

I will post pictures. I am working on build guides for all parts and example Charge Stations.

The wiring is similar just 1 added relay line to OpenEVSE.

Relay 1
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay 1
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay Common (middle)
NO contact - AC Line IN L1 (red)
NO contact - J1772 Out L2 (red)

Relay 2
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay 2
Coil - OpenEVSE Plus Relay Common (middle)
NO contact - AC Line IN L2 (black)
NO contact - J1772 Out (black)

Excuse my ignorance. I'm a tinkering accountant and not an electrical engineer.

What do you mean by Coil and NO contact on the relays? And do the Common (middle) wires go to the same terminal on the OpenEVSE.

The NO (normaly open) contacts have the larger 1/4" conection terminals, its a switch so either terminal can be in or out. Just make sure one relay is for the red wires and the other for the black. The coil connection has the smaller contacts its just a coil of wire to pull the contact so you can connect to either one.

Yes, 2 wires will go into the middle conector (common) of the relay block on the OpenEVSE Plus board.

 

[pchilds]

Does anyone know of a compact contractor that is good 40 amps continuous? I am building an portable Open EVSE for my RAV4 EV and want to keep it as small a possible.

 

[chris1howell]

Does anyone know of a compact contractor that is good 40 amps continuous? I am building an portable Open EVSE for my RAV4 EV and want to keep it as small a possible.

Yes... I will have two options for a 40A continuous relay/contactor in the new store in a few days.

http://openevse-store.myshopify.com/

 

[gobble]

The push button in the Open EVSE store has 5 pins on the back but comes with a 3 pin wire. Does anyone know which pins are used and the order for the build?

I found the answer here but it doesn't make sense. http://code.google.com/p/open-evse/wiki/OpenEVSE_LCD_spec" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

5V to + terminal....ok
GND to - terminal...makes sense
C1 and the select button to NO1...what does that mean?

I see 5V on the LCD board and it connects to + on the button
I see GND on the LCD board and it connects to - on the button
The spot next to 5V on the LCD board isn't marked. In the picture it appears the red wire connects to this spot. Where does that wire go to on the button? The picture on the link about isn't very clear.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[z0ner]

The push button in the Open EVSE store has 5 pins on the back but comes with a 3 pin wire. Does anyone know which pins are used and the order for the build?

I found the answer here but it doesn't make sense. http://code.google.com/p/open-evse/wiki/OpenEVSE_LCD_spec" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

5V to + terminal....ok
GND to - terminal...makes sense
C1 and the select button to NO1...what does that mean?

It actually reads GND to - <AND> C1. The picture is a little blurry, but yellow is bridging both GND + C1

I see 5V on the LCD board and it connects to + on the button
I see GND on the LCD board and it connects to - on the button
The spot next to 5V on the LCD board isn't marked. In the picture it appears the red wire connects to this spot. Where does that wire go to on the button? The picture on the link about isn't very clear.

Red-> NO (normally open)
Yellow-> GND+C1
Orange -> +5V

 

[chris1howell]

Zoner is correct. GND hooks to both - and the pin right next to -(NO1). + connects to +5v and S button input goes to the common (C1) contact. I believe it is the middle pin.

The normally closed contact (NC1) is not connected.

 

[gobble]

Oh no, I just took my Voltec charger apart to salvage the J1772 cable for this build and it doesn't have a pilot wire. Only 4 wires - black, white, green, blue. What do I do?

 

[TonyWilliams]

Oh no, I just took my Voltec charger apart to salvage the J1772 cable for this build and it doesn't have a pilot wire. Only 4 wires - black, white, green, blue. What do I do?

What do you think blue is?

 

[gobble]

What do you think blue is?

I don't know what blue is, but I don't think it's the pilot based on these instructions in the how-to:

2.Cut the blue wire short, bend 180º and insulate by covering with electric tape. It is not used.