Charger does not click after icy snow

[dovaillancourt]

Hi. There was a blizzard and turned into icy snow. When I unplugged my charger, it was difficult so I had to tug at it. Now, it does not click when I plug it and it just beeps when I plug it. It is a Leaf 2015. I suspect it is the clicking mechanism that is either broken or stuck somehow because it does it with my portable and house charger. I can’t drive it too far cause I drive a lot for my work. Any ideas or solutions ? Thank you.

 

[nlspace]

Do you recall whether or not you were able to press the release trigger before you pulled out the handle?

Pressing the trigger signals to the OBC that you are about to pull the plug, so it reduces the charging current to zero.

But if you pull the plug without the trigger, then there might be full current flowing inside the OBC inductors and transformers, which will cause a large inductive voltage spike that will cause damage inside the On Board Charger.

When the OBC is damaged then no charging will be possible from the L1 or L2 port; Chademo may work if your car has the DCQC port.

 

[LeftieBiker]

But if you pull the plug without the trigger, then there might be full current flowing inside the OBC inductors and transformers, which will cause a large inductive voltage spike that will cause damage inside the On Board charger.

It's my understanding that the pin length is used as a failsafe for that. The pilot pin is shorter, so that when the plug is pulled it disengages the pilot signal first, and turns the OBC off before the charging pins are exposed. Wouldn't that also prevent the above scenario?

 

[powersurge]

I suspect that the "clicking" part that you say has stopped is the sound of the hook lock that the charging handle, which is located above the round nozzle...

You may have snapped off the locking mechanism that hold the nozzle in the car. If that has broken off, I would think that the charger will still work, but that the locking part will not work.

I would not spend all that money to replace the charger handle. Just use it without the locking mechanism.

 

[dovaillancourt]

There were ice pieces in the tubes of the charging port. An unfolded paper clip did the trick.

 

[goldbrick]

Thanks for the resolution update. It really helps a forum like this when the end result is reported for all to see, both now and in the future.