L2 EVSE Installation testing ???
- Thread starter idashark
- Start date
Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:
Haven't decided on the EVSE yet, just trying to decide if I can get one installed this fiscal year.
Since I won't have an EV to try it with I was just wondering how the heck I'd know if:
1. the EVSE actually works
2. the electrician's work was ummmmm complete.
Since I won't have an EV to try it with I was just wondering how the heck I'd know if:
1. the EVSE actually works
2. the electrician's work was ummmmm complete.
smkettner
Well-known member
Be sure both the product and installation warranty cover the period in which you will actually get the car.
Or get the car first and suffer with L1 until you get the install done after.
Or pay the megabux for AV to install and test
Or get the car first and suffer with L1 until you get the install done after.
Or pay the megabux for AV to install and test
garygid
Well-known member
CAUTION:
To test the EVSE you will need a resistor and a diode to simulate
being plugged into an EV, and a voltmeter to test that the Control Pilot
signal (from the EVSE) comes on.
A 2nd resistor will allow "the EV" to ask the EVSE to provide power, and
the voltmeter can measure that the 240v (or 120v) power does come on.
But, USE CAUTION
To test the EVSE you will need a resistor and a diode to simulate
being plugged into an EV, and a voltmeter to test that the Control Pilot
signal (from the EVSE) comes on.
A 2nd resistor will allow "the EV" to ask the EVSE to provide power, and
the voltmeter can measure that the 240v (or 120v) power does come on.
But, USE CAUTION
EVDRIVER
Well-known member
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idashark said:Thanx for the info folks!
Sounds like there might be a small business opportunity to build an EV tester.....
Not likely since most will have cars if they buy one and if it does not work it can be returned. I doubt they will have many DOA.
garygid
Well-known member
Might be nice to have a small "safety tester" to use on public "e-hoses" before plugging it into your expensive EV.
How much over-voltage can the LEAF safely accept?
Now much current is the EVSE "offering"?
Is the EVSE safely "OFF"?
And, you never can tell where that e-nozzle might have been! :roll:
How much over-voltage can the LEAF safely accept?
Now much current is the EVSE "offering"?
Is the EVSE safely "OFF"?
And, you never can tell where that e-nozzle might have been! :roll:
planet4ever
Well-known member
Tell me more, Gary, I'm not sure I get it:garygid said:
How much over-voltage can the LEAF safely accept?
I wouldn't think that is likely to be a problem. Wouldn't the LEAF include a surge protector? If not, wouldn't any over-voltage be likely momentary, so the tester would probably miss it?
How much current is the EVSE "offering"?
Who cares? The LEAF won't bite off more than it can chew no matter what is offered. Or would too little current cause distress for the charger?
Is the EVSE safely "OFF"?
Frankly, if it wasn't I'd feel a lot safer plugging into a large solid object rather than juggling a nozzle in one hand and trying to mate it with a small tester in the other.
palmermd
Well-known member
planet4ever said:
Don't confuse things with logical answers. Haha.
mitch672
Well-known member
"AV" (Aerovironment) does have a "test tool" to "simulate" an EV, and they use that to verify the EVSE is functioning properly. There will be a small (emphasis on small) market for such testers, but as EV's become more commonplace, they will not be needed as much.
EVDRIVER
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I don't see a value in a tester, there is little an EVSE can do to damage your car and few issues related to safety.
Gary, you never took me up on my Pizza bet, I bet you don't buy your Leaf for yourself when your delivery date comes up. What do you say? I'll make it up to a two topping large
Gary, you never took me up on my Pizza bet, I bet you don't buy your Leaf for yourself when your delivery date comes up. What do you say? I'll make it up to a two topping large
garygid
Well-known member
Tester costs $99, LEAF replacement perhaps $38,000.
So, it might be better to test an unknown "e-hose" before risking your expensive EV?
Voltage: Can your EV survive (with no damage at all) ANY voltage applied to it? If you apply 5000v AC from a malicious EVSE, probably not, but we do not actually know the answer. So, might it be better to measure the voltage output of any never-used-before "e-hose" BEFORE connecting it to your expensive EV? Yes, a properly designed, correctly functioning, un-tampered EVSE should never hurt your EV, because nothing can go wrong, go wrong, ... go wrong!
Also, getting only 110 volts when you expect 240 volts would charge, but a lot slower than you are expecting.
Current:
If the EVSE only "offers" 6 amps, the charging would take a lot longer than you were expecting. Might it be helpful to know that BEFORE you leave the car (expecting a full charge when you return)?
OFF/ON:
If the EVSE is not operating properly (perhaps its relay stuck ON or OFF), do you really want to just plug it in and walk away?
Yes, I would try and design my EV so that I could set the EV's charging "expectations", and it would do these tests, and honk the horn if things were not as I set it to expext. But, the LEAF does not have such settings, as far as we know. Even if we have a 6.6 kW charger (upgrade), expexting 240v and 32 amps, the LEAF (as far as we know) would not complain if it got only 100 volts and 6 amps (a 40-hour charge instead of 4-hour charge). Could that make you late for work, or slow getting home?
So, it might be better to test an unknown "e-hose" before risking your expensive EV?
Voltage: Can your EV survive (with no damage at all) ANY voltage applied to it? If you apply 5000v AC from a malicious EVSE, probably not, but we do not actually know the answer. So, might it be better to measure the voltage output of any never-used-before "e-hose" BEFORE connecting it to your expensive EV? Yes, a properly designed, correctly functioning, un-tampered EVSE should never hurt your EV, because nothing can go wrong, go wrong, ... go wrong!
Also, getting only 110 volts when you expect 240 volts would charge, but a lot slower than you are expecting.
Current:
If the EVSE only "offers" 6 amps, the charging would take a lot longer than you were expecting. Might it be helpful to know that BEFORE you leave the car (expecting a full charge when you return)?
OFF/ON:
If the EVSE is not operating properly (perhaps its relay stuck ON or OFF), do you really want to just plug it in and walk away?
Yes, I would try and design my EV so that I could set the EV's charging "expectations", and it would do these tests, and honk the horn if things were not as I set it to expext. But, the LEAF does not have such settings, as far as we know. Even if we have a 6.6 kW charger (upgrade), expexting 240v and 32 amps, the LEAF (as far as we know) would not complain if it got only 100 volts and 6 amps (a 40-hour charge instead of 4-hour charge). Could that make you late for work, or slow getting home?
palmermd
Well-known member
garygid said:
First of all 5000v would probably just explode the contactors in the EVSE and your car would get nothing. Then you change your argument from safety danger for your car to slow charging. You seem to create more FUD than the oil companies. An EVSE is no danger to you or your car unless it was installed by somebody with malicious intent. As far as slow charging, just look at your dash before you walk away or use your smart phone to monitor the progress of the charging.
garygid
Well-known member
EV...,
You are right, if there is effectively no battery capacity warranty by the time I need to "buy", it is quite likely that I will generate an orphan, and ... others are likely to bail out also.
You are right, if there is effectively no battery capacity warranty by the time I need to "buy", it is quite likely that I will generate an orphan, and ... others are likely to bail out also.
Coffee_Slurry
Well-known member
If I have to test each EVSE before connecting the car, they blew it.
I don't test the wall outlets in the hotel room either.
I don't test the wall outlets in the hotel room either.
EVDRIVER
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This is already another nonsense thread. High voltage will not come from an EVSE and damage the pack, nor will any of these silly other thought up disasters or issues. Even a bad EVSE will not damage a LEAF and there are PLENTY of fail safes built into the car to protect it in the HIGHLY unlikely even something were to happen. It would take a big deliberate effort and focus to even make a good or bad EVSE do any harm to a Leaf. EVSEs have been around for over a decade and there have been no issues and there is not reason to think there should be, this is just FUD but I'm sure it will be beat to death and re-hashed by newbies down the road. Can we please start using common sense again, particularly those that are supposed to be electrical engineers.
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