5 Mistakes Made at Various EV Charging Stations

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fetv

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
114
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9InCQslp8E[/youtube]
I will share with you 5 mistakes I made at various charging stations. You may feel embarrassed if there are people around, but you should be grateful if there is someone around the station who can explain things to you. When there was no one around, I had to spent a long time to figure things out myself.

1. For the evGo fast charger, pay attention to the tricky lever to unplug. I did not read the instructions, could not unplug it, it was my fault.

2. For the Clipper Creek charger, make sure you follow the correct order and sequence. There was no instruction on how to use it, you have to use trial and error, I was lucky someone explained it to me.

3. For the Blink faster charger, the charger itself was faulty, it was my first time and I was not familiar with the charger, there was no one to ask for help, so I wasted a lot of time to experiment on how to get it working. When I tried a second charger, the unit was not faulty, it was pretty easy. You only need to pay attention to how to latch it and how to unplug it.

I hope by sharing my mistakes, this video can save you time and frustration. Happy charging.

update 4/29/2015:
new update: I did not dare to repeat the same at the same location, so I moved to another location. This time, desiv way worked:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia_cNr54y6s[/youtube]

At a 3rd station, I got a new code 0x0404, does anyone know how to resolve this one?
 
For the Nissan DCFC, don't push the Emergency Stop button to stop the charge.
This happens semi-regularly on the one donated by Nissan to the City of Salem OR.

Note: If you come up to the charger and it's "down" because someone has done the above, just hold the "stop" button (NOT the Emergency Stop button, but the one labeled stop below the one labeled start) for a few seconds for it to reset.

desiv
 
Are any of these DC fast chargers using the new CHAdeMO 1.0 standard rather than the older 0.9 standard? And if so, do the newer ones seem appreciatively easier to use?
 
Where is the "Emergency Stop"?

Thanks.

desiv said:
For the Nissan DCFC, don't push the Emergency Stop button to stop the charge.
This happens semi-regularly on the one donated by Nissan to the City of Salem OR.

Note: If you come up to the charger and it's "down" because someone has done the above, just hold the "stop" button (NOT the Emergency Stop button, but the one labeled stop below the one labeled start) for a few seconds for it to reset.

desiv
 
fetv said:
Where is the "Emergency Stop"?
The big red one. ;-)
mountainviewnissan.jpg

(Not the one in Salem, OR, but the same model)
 
OK, thanks, now I can see. In my video time at 2:28 https://youtu.be/t9InCQslp8E#t=2m26s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; , your Emergency Stop is where I swipe the card. This is also a Nissan Dealer's charger. I am wondering where the Emergency Stop is on my unit.


desiv said:
fetv said:
Where is the "Emergency Stop"?
The big red one. ;-)
mountainviewnissan.jpg

(Not the one in Salem, OR, but the same model)
 
I think that the #1 mistake Leaf drivers make is to confuse a timer setting error, with the resulting refusal of the car to start charging, for an equipment malfunction.
 
LeftieBiker said:
I think that the #1 mistake Leaf drivers make is to confuse a timer setting error, with the resulting refusal of the car to start charging, for an equipment malfunction.
Charge timers programmed in the LEAF have no impact on DCQC (no need to bypass timers to start a DC quick charge session).

Gerry
 
GerryAZ said:
Charge timers programmed in the LEAF have no impact on DCQC (no need to bypass timers to start a DC quick charge session).
I didn't know that! Thanx..
One of the reasons I have been avoiding using a charge timer is that I don't want my wife to have to hassle (Not a big hassle, I agree, but still) with remembering to hit the timer button when out and needing a charge. (At least not until she's more used to the car)

Well, that and the threads on how to use the timer properly make we question whether it's worth it.. ;-)

desiv
(That said, yesterday she was driving the car while I was at work and at the end of the day, said "I really like driving that car!" ;-) :) )
 
desiv said:
Well, that and the threads on how to use the timer properly make we question whether it's worth it.. ;-)

(That said, yesterday she was driving the car while I was at work and at the end of the day, said "I really like driving that car!" ;-) :) )

Unless you have TOU rates to take advantage of I see little value in the timer myself. Sure, I can dream up reasons but I guess they just don't apply to me - I tend to think that the whole "don't leave it fully charged too long" fear is overblown... or maybe I'm just happily in denial :)

As to your wife liking the care - that is the beginning of the end I'm sure - time to get another EV!
 
I set mine for 80% charge, and use the timer so that charging is done during the coolest part of the day. If I need it to 100% for more range, or a charge during the day, I use a phone app to start the charger.
 
desiv said:
For the Nissan DCFC, don't push the Emergency Stop button to stop the charge.
This happens semi-regularly on the one donated by Nissan to the City of Salem OR.

Note: If you come up to the charger and it's "down" because someone has done the above, just hold the "stop" button (NOT the Emergency Stop button, but the one labeled stop below the one labeled start) for a few seconds for it to reset.

desiv

Oftentimes, you can "reset" a charger by pressing and holding the green start and red stop buttons together. Keep them pressed, and the charger software will reset, unless it has certain error codes. This has worked for me at eVgo Nissan-made DC fast chargers.
 
rumpole said:
Oftentimes, you can "reset" a charger by pressing and holding the green start and red stop buttons together..
Good to know for those units.

Just as long as people don't try that with the Nissan charger as the "Red" stop is the Emergency stop and will halt the unit.
It's awkward that their color choice for Emergency Stop is red (which is fine) but they have a STOP button that is green.
And the instructions say to hit stop. People will hit the Red button for that. ;-)
They should label it END and have the instructions say to hit END (and not Stop). ;-)

desiv
 
nice to know that. Yesterday, when I swiped the card, it was working, but when I tried to plug in, I had connection error. I tried to reset it by pushing the red button (this unit does not have the emergency red button), it did not work. Finally I called the 877 number, the operator first asked me to connect the plug to the car (I usually swipe the card first), and then swipe the card, it did not work, he then asked me to push the red button, it did not work. And then he did the reset remotely, and it worked. He did not not suggest me to press the green and red together.

So there seem to be two important things:
1. how to reset
2. the operator suggest to connect the plug first. (I think except chargepoint, most of the chargers don't have the plug locked, correct?).



rumpole said:
Oftentimes, you can "reset" a charger by pressing and holding the green start and red stop buttons together. Keep them pressed, and the charger software will reset, unless it has certain error codes. This has worked for me at eVgo Nissan-made DC fast chargers.
 
desiv said:
One of the reasons I have been avoiding using a charge timer is that I don't want my wife to have to hassle (Not a big hassle, I agree, but still) with remembering to hit the timer button when out and needing a charge. (At least not until she's more used to the car)

Well, that and the threads on how to use the timer properly make we question whether it's worth it.. ;-)
I've said before that the timer should automatically be overridden if you are plugging in away from home. Or at least you should be able to tell it to do that through a menu. I presume that the car knows "where it is" and all models could be informed somehow of where home is.

I said this after making the "timer mistake" with my 2012. For that reason (and because I now have a S), I refuse to use the timer "feature" at all any more.
 
Timer's are/were off on all my EVs (Spark, Soul, Leaf). Don't need them. Ever. When you need to charge you plug in. When you don't you don't.

It's no big deal for me to come downstairs and plug an EV when it turns 9 pm. Plug in, have a bite of food, swig of wine and upstairs I go. This way I know it's cooking, no surprises.
 
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b29_IsqSx5s[/youtube]
I am very sorry that the next user will see the non-function charger after my experiment. I read from this thread that if someone before you pressed the red button emergency stop, you can reset it by:
1. "If you come up to the charger and it's "down" because someone has done the above, just hold the "stop" button (NOT the Emergency Stop button, but the one labeled stop below the one labeled start) for a few seconds for it to reset. " recommended by user desiv.
2. "Often times, you can "reset" a charger by pressing and holding the green start and red stop buttons together. Keep them pressed, and the charger software will reset, unless it has certain error codes. This has worked for me at eVgo Nissan-made DC fast chargers." recommended by user rumpole.


Well, I've done both,but neither worked, instead I messed up for the next person. So did I reset it correctly? What is the correct procedure? I am sure desiv and rumpole are good people, just me not doing it correctly.


desiv said:
For the Nissan DCFC, don't push the Emergency Stop button to stop the charge.
This happens semi-regularly on the one donated by Nissan to the City of Salem OR.

Note: If you come up to the charger and it's "down" because someone has done the above, just hold the "stop" button (NOT the Emergency Stop button, but the one labeled stop below the one labeled start) for a few seconds for it to reset.

desiv
 
fetv said:
Well, I've done both,but neither worked, instead I messed up for the next person. So did I reset it correctly? What is the correct procedure? I am sure desiv and rumpole are good people, just me not doing it correctly.

Thanks for doing the experiment on restoring function after EPO - good info to have.

I suppose you didn't notice the power relay in the grey box behind the DCQC unit? I'm willing to bet had you power cycled the unit it would have been reset. Code in many areas requires the ability to cut power (in case of emergency like someone running over the EVSE and having exposed wires etc).
 
fetv said:
Well, I've done both,but neither worked, instead I messed up for the next person. So did I reset it correctly? What is the correct procedure? I am sure desiv and rumpole are good people, just me not doing it correctly.
One of the things I just saw (yesterday) on the one around here is that the Red Emergency stop button was locked down.
So apparently when pressed, it can get locked (probably the way it is always supposed to work) down.
If you look at the red emergency stop button, you will see some arrows on it.
If you twist the button, it will pop up just a bit back to it's normal position.
Then you hold the green stop button down to reset it.

Worked for me yesterday.

I wonder if there's some type of timer in there also? Maybe after the button has been pressed, it has to wait a while before it can be reset? Not sure, all I know is I've seen it locked up and reset it. But I've never pushed the Emergency STOP button to test it.
Next time I'm in the area, I might try it...

desiv
 
I did not pay attention to the emergency stop button, may be if you twist the button, it will pop up. I may try next time.

I was just feeling bad to make a charging station unuseable for the next person. Why can't they post reset instructions?

desiv said:
fetv said:
Well, I've done both,but neither worked, instead I messed up for the next person. So did I reset it correctly? What is the correct procedure? I am sure desiv and rumpole are good people, just me not doing it correctly.
One of the things I just saw (yesterday) on the one around here is that the Red Emergency stop button was locked down.
So apparently when pressed, it can get locked (probably the way it is always supposed to work) down.
If you look at the red emergency stop button, you will see some arrows on it.
If you twist the button, it will pop up just a bit back to it's normal position.
Then you hold the green stop button down to reset it.

Worked for me yesterday.

I wonder if there's some type of timer in there also? Maybe after the button has been pressed, it has to wait a while before it can be reset? Not sure, all I know is I've seen it locked up and reset it. But I've never pushed the Emergency STOP button to test it.
Next time I'm in the area, I might try it...

desiv
 
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