Leaf not always charging - suggestions for diagnosing?

I have a Schneider EVSE and my car is not always charging. I've finally been able to figure out at least part of what is going on and I'm wondering if there are any suggestions on how to go further.

First, here's what happens in a normal charge:
-Plug EVSE into Leaf
-Leaf beeps once
-EVSE briefly displays it's "delay timer" indicator, looking like it will charge the car in an hour
-Leaf beeps again (maybe two beeps, I don't recall right now)
-EVSE "pops", and starts showing regular charging indicators
-Leaf shows regular charging indicators.

Here's what happens on a failed charge:
-Plug EVSE into Leaf
-Leaf beeps once
-EVSE briefly displays it's "delay timer" indicator, looking like it will charge the car in an hour (I think it does this - I need to pay more attention, I'm usually looking at the car)
-EVSE switches to it's regular "on" display.

When in this failed charge state, there are two ways I can get it to start charging:
1)Reset the connector. I've been able to get this to start charging just by "wiggling" the connector, but sometimes I have to unplug/replug
2)Press the "charge now" button in the Leaf

the #2 is the one that is really throwing me. I have no timers set on the Leaf (I've checked multiple times), and even if I did the fact that I can just unplug and replug to make it charge indicates it's not a timer issue.

My guess is that the first suggestion is going to be "what does the 120v EVSE do" - well, being that this is an intermittent problem, I don't know. The two times I've tested the 120v EVSE, it has worked fine.

Any other ideas/hints/guesses?

try turning off the timer. insure power flow, then check it once every 30-60 minutes for excessive warmth (my car you can barely feel a slight amount of warmth from the car. there is no place on the car that i can touch easily from the top that gets warmer than the rest which tells me that i am experiencing one of the greatest heat sinks i have ever seen.

i think you want to see if your car is overheating or the timer is simply not working.

if "wiggling" the connector restarts the charge, I suspect the connector, either on the EVSE or Leaf. There is a pilot signal on the connector and it will not charge without this connection being solid. Make sure you plug it in all the way and the latch locks. You shouldn't be able to wiggle it.

FYI There was a post somewhere that stated there was a faulty design in a particular brand of EVSE connector that would not allow the latch to close.

if pressing "charge now" does it, i think that eliminates a loose/bad connection

jcesare said:

if "wiggling" the connector restarts the charge, I suspect the connector, either on the EVSE or Leaf.

Click to expand...

DaveinOlyWA said:

if pressing "charge now" does it, i think that eliminates a loose/bad connection

Click to expand...

It's a dichotomy. If it's a loose connection, then pressing "charge now" shouldn't work. If it's something with the timer (not sure why it would be, since I don't have any timers set up), then wiggling the connector shouldn't start the charge.

Here's my theory, but this is probably just going to show my ignorance about what signals go back/forth:
Something in the "loose connection" is telling the Leaf that the EVSE is going to charge "later". If I wiggle, that clears it. If I hit the button, that also clears it.

The problem is that I didn't think the communication worked that way - hence my confusion.

JasonT said:

If it's a loose connection, then pressing "charge now" shouldn't work. If it's something with the timer (not sure why it would be, since I don't have any timers set up), then wiggling the connector shouldn't start the charge.

Click to expand...

Depends on how much "wiggle" you're doing. A big enough wiggle might look like a unplug/replug sequence. That would mean that you don't have a bad connection. Since you have the Nissan EVSE to show that the car is OK, I'd be on the phone to Schneider. After all, it's under warranty, and an EVSE you can't rely on isn't much good.

You're probably breaking the connection by wiggling it -- either the pilot or proximity pin. That starts the process over again and you get another shot?

Jason,
I was very interested in what you had to say about the Schneider charger. Given the continual delays with the Leviton charger which I've been waiting for many months, I'm starting to wonder if the Schneider / Square D is a better way to go. Please keep us updated on how this works out.
I did have one other comment (for the newbies, if not for you): it's definitely worth understanding how to "read" the blue lights on the dash, and understand how they indicate whether the car is on timer or immediate charge, and what the state of charge was. I was wondering if they might be able to tell you more about what was going on with your charger.

- Bob

P.S. - I've been fairly happy with level 1 charging for the time being.

_____________________
2011 Leaf, Blue SL
Took delivery March 8, 2011

JasonT said:

My guess is that the first suggestion is going to be "what does the 120v EVSE do" - well, being that this is an intermittent problem, I don't know. The two times I've tested the 120v EVSE, it has worked fine.

Any other ideas/hints/guesses?

Click to expand...

Jason, I think you've answered your own question. The factory unit is working fine but the Schneider unit is giving you a problem. Check the immediate charge using the 120-volt EVSE. If it continues to work fine, that pretty much narrows it down to a faulty connector on the Schneider. Good luck!

LEAFguy said:

Jason, I think you've answered your own question. The factory unit is working fine but the Schneider unit is giving you a problem.

Click to expand...

I am suspecting the Schneider unit myself. I can't stress enough how "intermittent" this is though. I'm using the car every day, sometimes charging more than once, and I've maybe seen this failure... 4 or 5 times so far. I've been trying plugging the unit in different ways to reproduce it and I just can't MAKE it happen. Because of that, saying I got the 120v EVSE to work twice doesn't mean that much.

I will definitely update this when I have more info. Until I can reliably repro it I am hesitant to place a call into Schneider.

For anyone looking at this unit (say... instead of the AV one) I would still say get it. This not-charging thing is 1)intermittent 2)obvious after just a couple of seconds if you're paying attention and 3)could very well be just some specific problem with my car or something wrong with my specific unit.