Schneider EVSE

[LTLFTcomposite]

Until Schneider resolves the false GFI trip issue I am having, I cannot recommend them to anyone. The data Nissan corporate gave my field techs was pretty damning. Schneider's GFI design is totally different than every other unit they have tested, and the only one having this problem. My unit tripped with 2 other 2012 LEAFs they brought to my house. If they would just filter out the garbage >1 Khz the 5ma trip threshhold wouldn't be such an issue, but the 2 together make it way too touchy, IMO.

We've used our Schneider EVlink unit w/o fail for close to 4 months to charge almost daily ... we have it hardwired on about a 30' run along the inside garage knee wall through metal conduit; garage is quite deep (tandem 4-car), charger installed mid-way, but of course some exposure to whatever moisture comes in from the cars coming in and out as well as an active sump pump a few feet away in the corner. Reading about false GFI trip issues a few forums do say that some can be quite sensitive. Have to believe a high percentage of Schneider charger users aren't having the same issues you are; however with another recent price increase (at least on the Home Depot site) they may not have the advantage they once had over other alternative EVSE units (we paid only $679 back in Oct '11) at a now non-discount $899 but 28/31 (90%) people on the HD site recommend it. I would have thought pricing would have gone down not up --- with this forums notes on charging in the rain, etc.; still have confidence to plug it in when the car is still wet and/or covered with snow ... no issues at all so would still recommend but try to shop for better pricing.

This is still going on? We have had zero problems as well. Have they tried replacing the unit completely? Maybe there's some fault in the cable or other random defect.

 

[EdmondLeaf]

Is this cheapest 30A evse?
Square D Universal Wall Mounted Electric Car Charger
Item #: 382390 | Model #: EV2430WS
$799.00
http://www.lowes.com/pd_382390-296-...rrentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=car+charger&facetInfo=

 

[TNleaf]

Square D Universal Wall Mounted Electric Car Charger
Item #: 382390 | Model #: EV2430WS
$799.00
http://www.lowes.com/pd_382390-296-...rrentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=car+charger&facetInfo=

Nice find. The Home Depot one's had their price raised again, so this will put some more competition back in the pricing.

 

[EdmondLeaf]

looking for cheap stand alone evse for first official OK Leaf delivery guy - now May 15

 

[smkettner]

Home Depot is back to $799... competition does work

 

[keydiver]

This is still going on? We have had zero problems as well. Have they tried replacing the unit completely? Maybe there's some fault in the cable or other random defect.

Yes, they sent me a completely different unit, and it had the same issue. The second unit tripped with 2 other 2012 LEAFs the Nissan guys brought here to my house. I'm still waiting (>1 month) to hear back from either Nissan or Schneider.

 

[garygid]

So far, the trouble does not follow your car, or the EVSE.
It seems to "follow" your (installed) location/position/house/neighborhood.

Perhaps there is something strange or different about your house/location.

Is there noise or data on the AC lines?

X-10, Ethernet through power, near high voltage lines, motors, welders, etc.?

Maybe from another house or business?

Take your (2nd) EVSE and hook it up at another ("far away") address.

 

[keydiver]

I have it all. X-10, 2 solar inverters, Ethernet-over-AC, etc. As I have said before, the diagrams that Nissan showed me were rather damning. The problem is not only that the Schneider unit is more sensitive, 5ma leakage instead of the J1772 20ma, but they have no/little filtering, so it thinks any garbage on the AC is ground leakage, including the high frequency switching hash coming out of the LEAF charger. All of the other EVSE's NISSAN has tested have good filtering, so they don't have this problem. Sure, you can point the finger at my LEAF, or my house, or my solar, etc, but it doesn't change the fact that Schneider designed their EVSE differently than every other manufacturer. If they won't fix their filtering, I'll simply sell it and get another EVSE that does work with my setup. But, IMO Schneider would be best to nip this in the bud now, early on, while there are relatively few EV's sold, than to take a chance more people will start complaining later, which would cause much more bad publicity.

 

[mitch672]

Just an FYI, I have the Schnieder EVSE (installed in September of 2011), and I just bought my 2012 Plug in Prius on Saturday, I have not had any issues with charging, or false GFCI tripping, of course the PiP fully charges between 90 and 105 minutes, so its only running for a few hours, it's also only drawing 12AMPS on each leg [correction: calculates to only 8AMPS per leg] (it actually states "1.9KW" on the Prius dashboard display), so this is a different animal than the Leaf charger, but I figured I would give you a report anyway. I've charged it about 5 times already using the Schnieder (multiple times per day on the weekend)

 

[bryan38401]

@keydriver-This is Bryan in Columbia, Tennessee. I am owner of Charge-A-Lot and I have done everything you could possiblly do to a Schneider unit to make it fail. One unit was run off a lot of different generators and inverters for over 1200 hrs and we have installed ONLY Schneider eq.:both residential and commercial. The Square D/Schneider units will drop out if the voltage drops below 189v or if the amps are not avilable at the power source. This will occur almost instancaly and set a fault. I did have one complaint like yours and found a loose teardrop at ground rod when ac/heating unit would kick on evse would trip. Teardrop was cracked and we replaced it and the unit has run fine ever since. I personally have a Schneider ev2430ws installed for my leaf! It is installed in less than ideal conditions (on purpous of course, as part of testing). If you are still having a problem shoot me an email [email protected] and I'll see if I can help.

 

[bryan38401]

@keydriver-This is Bryan in Columbia, Tennessee. I am owner of Charge-A-Lot and I have done everything you could possiblly do to a Schneider unit to make it fail. One unit was run off a lot of different generators and inverters for over 1200 hrs and we have installed ONLY Schneider eq.:both residential and commercial. The Square D/Schneider units will drop out if the voltage drops below 189v or if the amps are not avilable at the power source. This will occur almost instantly and set a fault. I did have one complaint like yours and found a loose teardrop at ground rod when ac/heating unit would kick on evse would trip. Teardrop was cracked and we replaced it and the unit has run fine ever since. I personally have a Schneider ev2430ws installed for my leaf! It is installed in less than ideal conditions (on purpous of course, as part of testing). If you are still having a problem shoot me an email [email protected] and I'll see if I can help

 

[keydiver]

So far, the trouble does not follow your car, or the EVSE.
It seems to "follow" your (installed) location/position/house/neighborhood.
Perhaps there is something strange or different about your house/location.

I'm 99.9% sure I have located the "problem". When I shut off all power to my Outback GTFX solar inverter the problem goes away. This would also explain why the problem all started when I would run errands during the day, and come back home in the afternoon to recharge. The Outback is evidently generating some hash on the AC, which the Schneider is misreading as a ground fault. This would also explain why no one else is having this problem, very few people have both an Outback inverter and a LEAF.
I just had a very cordial conference call with the Schneider engineers, and they assured me that a revision is in the works, just awaiting UL approvals. I'm confident that will resolve the issue.

 

[smkettner]

Might be worth a call to Outback.

 

[DaveEV]

I'm 99.9% sure I have located the "problem". When I shut off all power to my Outback GTFX solar inverter the problem goes away. This would also explain why the problem all started when I would run errands during the day, and come back home in the afternoon to recharge. The Outback is evidently generating some hash on the AC, which the Schneider is misreading as a ground fault.

Either that - or your Outback/PV system has a bad ground somewhere that only shows up when it's generating power and for some reason the Schneider picks it up.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

All this talk of the GFI tripping raises a question in my mind: I thought GFIs worked by seeing if a current is induced on a coil that two conductors run though - that there should be no current on the coil because the current on the two conductors cancel each other out assuming none of it is leaking out to ground. Is there more to it than that on an evse? (I see how high frequency noise could also induce a current on the coil)

Not that it has anything to do with keydiver's problem, but what if both conductors were leaking equally to ground? Unlikely, but is there any way to detect that?

 

[TNleaf]

Got a notification about the EV Symposium going on right now and Schneider Electric announced their DC Quick Charger:

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Schneider-Electric-Cuts-Charging-Time-With-New-EVlink-DC-Quick-Charger-Electric-1653463.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'll try to follow them and find some more information.

 

[cash4solar]

Hello everyone.

I just purchased a 2011 Leaf SL and right now I am very excited. I am preparing to have an electrician come over to install the Schneider EVSE and was wondering if I could use my Dryer's 30 amp 220 to do so or, do I need a 40 amp for the install. I am pretty ignorant when it comes to this stuff so, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[smkettner]

For the electrician to install Schneider to code it needs to be 40 amp circuit.

Leviton 160, Legrand and Siemens Versicharge can go with 20 or 30 amp circuit.

 

[cash4solar]

That is not what I wanted to hear but, thanks for the info.

 

[redLEAF]

OK for all of you who may have taken one of these apart ... I'm applying for an EVSE rebate from a different part of the IL state government and they want either verification that the Schneider EV2430WS does or does not have a serial number and if it does where can I find it?? (copy from email from IL state agency):

"Section 7. Final Documentation Required
· We need confirmation from the vendor with regard to the serial number for the purchased charging unit. "

I've also put an online request through the Schneider information site but thought someone may have already run across this themselves --- I just a soon not pull the cover off if it's not in there as it's tough now that I have everything back in place after the electricians left (would shut off at the breaker, etc. if need be).

I'm sure they won't take my word for it (take a look at the latest post on the Chicagoland thread) so something 'official' from Schneider would be great if you have it. My unit has run quite well but this program will offset the cost for both the unit and install so it's worth pursuing.