TCU replacement with OVMS (using its case)

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Joined
Dec 30, 2024
Messages
5
Location
Speyer, Germany
I recently bought a used Leaf and because original app is not working because of its age, I replaced immediately with my OVMS. I have the connector for the TCU from my Renault reversing and want to use the TCU case for mounting it back into the car.

I used the 12V and the EV CAN for it, the CarCAN needed tapping a CarCAN wire so I had attached a additional cable for it. The antenna connector from the TCU is unknown to me, otherwise I had used a SMA adapter.
 

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Nice work! I also placed my OVMS unit in place of the TCU however I just replaced the car side connector with the DE-9 and jumpered the pin on a DA-26 connector so the wakeup signal is on pin 1 of the DE-9. The antenna connector does unfortunately seem pretty impossible (or at least super expensive) to get, it would be great to use the original antenna in the car for cellular connection.
 
The antenna connector does unfortunately seem pretty impossible (or at least super expensive) to get, it would be great to use the original antenna in the car for cellular connection.
It's not so much that it's expensive (the parts are <<$10), but I was never able to (properly) terminate the connector on the antenna side; I even borrowed the tool for the Hirose (GT16) connector...and I still couldn't get a good connection. I still have a coax cable (with an SMA connector on the other end) running under my dash!
 
Ah GT-16 connector. Ok if your getting no good reception, the antenna may be for other / older used frequencies, depends on service provider and their licensed bands.

So yesterday I mounted the OVMS, most of data is incoming, but not all. Is this normal for the old 2013 Leaf? CAN1 (EV-CAN through TCU plug) and CAN2 (CarCAN through OBD Port 6/14) are working and I have incoming packets. Remote climate and stop/start charging is working too, but lock and unlock not (but this is not important).

But for example SOC from BMS (user value displayed on Dashboard) (xnl.v.b.soc.instrument) is is missing. I switched to manual GIDs in the Features Tab, but these are decreasing over time, so I cannot get a 100% charge if I am not lowering the number manually.

Here is the full metrics list:
v.b.12v.current
v.b.12v.voltage 12.41V
v.b.12v.voltage.alert
v.b.12v.voltage.ref 12.23V
v.b.c.temp 6.936;6.732;4.692ТАC
v.b.c.temp.alert 0;0;0
v.b.c.temp.dev.max 0.82;1.56;-1.6ТАC
v.b.c.temp.max 6.936;7.752;4.692ТАC
v.b.c.temp.min -0.102;0.51;-0.612ТАC
v.b.c.voltage 4.083;4.076;4.08;4.08;4.08;4.08;4.083;4.081;4.083;4.079;4.079;4.083;4.071;4.071;4.071;4.062;4.08;4.076;4.078;4.072;4.08;4.08;4.08;4.08;4.078;4.075;4.075;4.076;4.075;4.075;4.079;4.076;4.076;4.08;4.076;4.081;4.078;4.078;4.078;4.075;4.076;4.08;4.08;4.076;4.08;4.078;4.08;4.08;4.08;4.081;4.08;4.076;4.075;4.075;4.078;4.08;4.078;4.078;4.078;4.08;4.08;4.076;4.08;4.081;4.075;4.08;4.079;4.076;4.075;4.075;4.075;4.076;4.08;4.081;4.076;4.081;4.076;4.076;4.075;4.076;4.08;4.08;4.08;4.081;4.083;4.08;4.08;4.08;4.075;4.076;4.078;4.076;4.078;4.078;4.078;4.08V
v.b.c.voltage.alert 0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;1;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0
v.b.c.voltage.dev.max 0.01043;-0.01103;0.00743;0.01243;0.00685;0.00685;0.00985;0.00885;0.00692;0.00679;0.01085;0.00985;-0.00992;-0.01562;-0.01033;-0.02463;0.00785;-0.00767;-0.00878;-0.01021;0.00679;0.00491;-0.00766;0.00806;0.00606;-0.00533;0.00673;0.00644;-0.00818;-0.00668;0.00708;-0.0057;-0.00652;0.00631;0.00839;0.00633;0.00606;0.00826;-0.00531;0.00714;0.00491;0.00557;0.00669;-0.00667;-0.00561;0.00816;-0.00697;0.00732;0.007;-0.00683;0.00674;0.00817;-0.00674;-0.00621;0.00654;0.00854;0.00652;0.00933;0.00851;-0.00665;0.00736;-0.00645;-0.00643;0.00734;-0.00846;-0.00643;0.00934;-0.00682;-0.00566;-0.00558;-0.00646;-0.00705;0.00697;0.00652;0.00845;0.00752;-0.00733;-0.00783;0.00617;-0.00929;0.00557;-0.00662;-0.00763;0.00677;0.00577;0.01035;0.01035;0.01135;0.00626;-0.00886;0.00854;0.00976;0.00676;0.00956;0.00676;0.01056V
v.b.c.voltage.max 4.111;4.108;4.103;4.108;4.107;4.107;4.11;4.104;4.106;4.106;4.106;4.109;4.098;4.098;4.098;4.093;4.103;4.103;4.106;4.099;4.107;4.107;4.103;4.108;4.106;4.103;4.103;4.103;4.103;4.103;4.106;4.103;4.104;4.103;4.108;4.104;4.106;4.106;4.101;4.106;4.103;4.103;4.107;4.104;4.107;4.106;4.103;4.107;4.107;4.109;4.108;4.109;4.103;4.107;4.109;4.108;4.106;4.11;4.11;4.103;4.107;4.104;4.108;4.108;4.103;4.103;4.106;4.103;4.103;4.103;4.103;4.103;4.103;4.104;4.104;4.104;4.103;4.103;4.103;4.104;4.103;4.103;4.103;4.104;4.106;4.107;4.107;4.107;4.106;4.107;4.11;4.109;4.106;4.106;4.106;4.107V
v.b.c.voltage.min 3.883;3.881;3.885;3.885;3.885;3.885;3.888;3.882;3.883;3.888;3.888;3.888;3.88;3.881;3.88;3.872;3.884;3.881;3.883;3.881;3.888;3.885;3.885;3.886;3.887;3.885;3.884;3.885;3.885;3.88;3.887;3.882;3.886;3.886;3.885;3.886;3.883;3.883;3.888;3.885;3.885;3.882;3.885;3.886;3.885;3.884;3.88;3.885;3.885;3.881;3.882;3.881;3.88;3.88;3.883;3.881;3.884;3.883;3.879;3.885;3.889;3.881;3.882;3.886;3.885;3.885;3.889;3.885;3.885;3.885;3.885;3.885;3.886;3.886;3.887;3.886;3.884;3.885;3.886;3.882;3.885;3.885;3.886;3.886;3.888;3.885;3.881;3.885;3.881;3.881;3.879;3.877;3.883;3.883;3.884;3.885V
v.b.cac 43.6502Ah
v.b.capacity
v.b.consumption 0kWh/100km
v.b.coulomb.recd
v.b.coulomb.recd.total
v.b.coulomb.used
v.b.coulomb.used.total
v.b.current 0A
v.b.energy.recd 0.00471457kWh
v.b.energy.recd.total
v.b.energy.used 0.41751kWh
v.b.energy.used.total
v.b.health
v.b.p.level.avg
v.b.p.level.max
v.b.p.level.min
v.b.p.level.stddev
v.b.p.temp.avg 6.12ТАC
v.b.p.temp.max 6.936ТАC
v.b.p.temp.min 4.692ТАC
v.b.p.temp.stddev 1.01ТАC
v.b.p.temp.stddev.max 1.29ТАC
v.b.p.voltage.avg 4.07792V
v.b.p.voltage.grad 0.00059V
v.b.p.voltage.max 4.083V
v.b.p.voltage.min 4.062V
v.b.p.voltage.stddev 0.00308V
v.b.p.voltage.stddev.max 0.00399458V
v.b.power 0kW
v.b.range.est
v.b.range.full
v.b.range.ideal
v.b.range.speed
v.b.soc 98.3784%
v.b.soh 66%
v.b.temp 7ТАC
v.b.voltage 391V
v.c.12v.current
v.c.12v.power
v.c.12v.temp
v.c.12v.voltage
v.c.charging no
v.c.climit 15A
v.c.current 0A
v.c.duration.full 0Min
v.c.duration.range 0Min
v.c.duration.soc 0Min
v.c.efficiency 100%
v.c.kwh 7.0433kWh
v.c.kwh.grid
v.c.kwh.grid.total
v.c.limit.range 0km
v.c.limit.soc 0%
v.c.mode
v.c.pilot yes
v.c.power 0kW
v.c.state timerwait
v.c.substate onrequest
v.c.temp
v.c.time 9111Sec
v.c.timermode
v.c.timerstart
v.c.timestamp
v.c.type type1
v.c.voltage 70V
v.d.cp yes
v.d.fl no
v.d.fr no
v.d.hood
v.d.rl no
v.d.rr no
v.d.trunk no
v.e.alarm
v.e.aux12v
v.e.awake no
v.e.c.config
v.e.c.login
v.e.cabinfan 0%
v.e.cabinfanlimit 7
v.e.cabinintake
v.e.cabinsetpoint 0ТАC
v.e.cabintemp 2.11111ТАC
v.e.cabinvent off
v.e.charging12v no
v.e.cooling no
v.e.drivemode
v.e.drivetime 0Sec
v.e.footbrake 0%
v.e.gear 0
v.e.handbrake no
v.e.headlights no
v.e.heating no
v.e.hvac no
v.e.locked yes
v.e.on no
v.e.parktime 26886Sec
v.e.regenbrake
v.e.serv.range
v.e.serv.time
v.e.temp 1ТАC
v.e.throttle 0%
v.e.valet no
v.g.climit
v.g.current
v.g.duration.empty
v.g.duration.range
v.g.duration.soc
v.g.efficiency
v.g.generating no
v.g.kwh
v.g.kwh.grid
v.g.kwh.grid.total
v.g.limit.range
v.g.limit.soc
v.g.mode
v.g.pilot
v.g.power 0kW
v.g.state stopped
v.g.substate stopped
v.g.temp
v.g.time 0Sec
v.g.timermode
v.g.timerstart
v.g.timestamp
v.g.type
v.g.voltage
v.i.efficiency 100%
v.i.power 0kW
v.i.temp 12.2222ТАC
v.m.rpm 0
v.m.temp 12.2222ТАC
v.p.acceleration
v.p.altitude 111m
v.p.direction 37.8ТА
v.p.gpshdop 0.8
v.p.gpslock yes
v.p.gpsmode AA
v.p.gpsspeed 0km/h
v.p.gpssq 100%
v.p.gpstime 2025-01-01 02:54:40 CET
v.p.latitude 49.325527
v.p.location
v.p.longitude 8.413080
v.p.odometer 118066km
v.p.satcount 14
v.p.speed 0km/h
v.p.trip
v.p.valet.distance
v.p.valet.latitude
v.p.valet.longitude
v.t.alert
v.t.health
v.t.pressure
v.t.temp
v.type NL
v.vin
xnl.bms.balancing 1;2;3;4;5;6;7;8;9;10;11;12;17;18;19;20;21;22;23;24;25;26;27;28;29;30;31;32;33;34;35;36;37;38;39;40;41;42;43;44;45;46;47;48;49;50;51;52;53;54;55;56;57;58;59;60;61;62;63;64;65;66;67;68;69;70;71;72;73;74;75;76;77;78;79;80;81;82;83;84;85;86;87;88;89;90;91;92;93;94;95;96
xnl.bms.temp.int 7;7;5;4;4;0ТАC
xnl.bms.thermistor 642;644;664;673
xnl.cc.fan.only no
xnl.cc.remotecool no
xnl.cc.remoteheat no
xnl.cc.rqinprogress no
xnl.v.b.charge.limit 102.3kW
xnl.v.b.e.available 14.56kWh
xnl.v.b.e.capacity 0kWh
xnl.v.b.gids 182
xnl.v.b.heatergranted no
xnl.v.b.heaterpresent no
xnl.v.b.heatrequested no
xnl.v.b.hx 59.85
xnl.v.b.max.gids 0
xnl.v.b.output.limit 110kW
xnl.v.b.range.instrument 25km
xnl.v.b.regen.limit 63.75kW
xnl.v.b.soc.instrument 0%
xnl.v.b.soc.newcar 98.3784%
xnl.v.b.soc.nominal 93.5%
xnl.v.b.soh.instrument 66%
xnl.v.b.soh.newcar 66.1367%
xnl.v.b.type 0
xnl.v.c.chargebars 0
xnl.v.c.chargeminutes3kW 0
xnl.v.c.count.l0l1l2 0
xnl.v.c.count.qc 0
xnl.v.c.duration 0;5;10;0;0;0Min
xnl.v.c.event.notification reset
xnl.v.c.event.reason
xnl.v.c.limit.reason normal
xnl.v.c.quick 0
xnl.v.c.state.previous timerwait
xnl.v.e.hvac.auto no
 
In regards to the GT16 connector, As I had opened up and removed the TCU anyway I figured I would re-use it's own plug. I desoldered it and added a standard SMA connector as shown. It seems to work well and saved any messing around. The other option is to cut the little extension cable that comes out of the TCU and crimp an SMA onto one end of that to work as an adapter.
I do note that the Antenna in my Leaf is a 3G antenna, hence the TCU being dead. I have not looked up the 3g to 4/5g frequency overlap but I don't imagine it would make a good antenna for OVMS. I was using it for a LoRa radio module (868mhz) which has overlap.
IMG_4355.JPEG
 
In regards to the GT16 connector, As I had opened up and removed the TCU anyway I figured I would re-use it's own plug. I desoldered it and added a standard SMA connector as shown. It seems to work well and saved any messing around. The other option is to cut the little extension cable that comes out of the TCU and crimp an SMA onto one end of that to work as an adapter.
Never thought about soldering an SMA connector directly to the GT16 socket...or maybe even skipping the connectors and soldering the coax cables. At any rate, the (former) TCU antenna should work just fine across the 3G/4G frequencies (for the OVMS modem).
 
Best solution would be to use the short extension cable that comes from the TCU, cut the TCU end off it and correctly crimp an SMA onto that. It would give you the best connection with the least damage to the "car" by not messing with the original cable that you can't remove/replace easily.
You can take that little cable inside the house and do it properly instead of squatting in the car trying to do it under the dash. It's like an 8inch cable that's clipped to the TCU metal bracket, right where that clip is it connects to the main wiring harness antenna plug.
 
Best solution would be to use the short extension cable that comes from the TCU, cut the TCU end off it and correctly crimp an SMA onto that.
Don't know/don't have the "extension cable" you are talking about, but I should be able to connect the (existing) GT16 side of the antenna cable to the receptacle that was on the board (shown in your picture above)...and it doesn't match up. This brings back all the frustration I had 2 years ago when I tried to terminate the other end of an SMA cable with a GT16...and it never worked! What can I do to get the internal antenna/connector to mate with the old TCU housing (and there isn't a lot of slack in that cable under the dash--like none)?
 
What year is your Leaf? my 2015 has a black TCU box mounted on a metal bracket on the right hand side of the car. The GSM antenna plugs into it via a tiny extension wire that is clipped strongly to the metal bracket If you didn't take the whole bracket out you might not realise that extension is there.
The GSM cable has a female end on it and that little cable is just an MtF Extension about 8 inches or so.
I desoldered the actual surface mount socket on the TCU box I removed, so there is no doubt it would fit. Maybe you are trying to connect the wrong end because you somehow got confused by the extension cable? Can you upload a pic of what you have? (The cable in the car and the plug you have to connect to it)
 
The GSM cable has a female end on it and that little cable is just an MtF Extension about 8 inches or so.
I desoldered the actual surface mount socket on the TCU box I removed, so there is no doubt it would fit.
I'm beginning to think the 2011 TCU and the 2015 TCU had slightly different designs; I had no "extension" cable (I removed the whole thing when I installed OVMS). However, I also desoldered the surface mount socket from my TCU and ordered the proper (I think) GT16C-1S-HU receptacle (to fit over the terminated antenna); I also ordered an SMA jack to solder onto the GT16 plug (like in your pic).
I hope it works, but if it doesn't, I only spent ~$10...and I'll just keep using the (separate) GSM antenna that I've been using the last couple of years. ;)
 
Ah yes, the 2011 clearly has a different TCU design. Using the actual socket from the TCU can't go wrong though can it? Soldering the SMA to the original socket was about as simple as I could make the process. Easier than trying to crimp an SMA anyway.
 
Soldering the SMA to the original socket was about as simple as I could make the process. Easier than trying to crimp an SMA anyway.
It worked!
Only difference was I soldered an SMA plug to the original TCU GT-16C receptacle so I could route a 10ft SMA cable assembly in the foot well back to my OVMS module. I just hope it holds (mechanically), because that solder junction isn't very strong; it's tucked up under the dash cover, so it shouldn't be touched.
I should have taken the attached picture before I put some electrical tape around it (for some re-enforcement), but it looks similar to your pic above (without the tape)...plugged into the existing GT-16C housing/retainer. And yes: that's as far as the internal antenna cable would go (barely hangs down under the dash).
 

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If it works it works!
I was considering pouring some epoxy resin over mine to strengthen it but I was worried about the amount of places it could leak into the connectors and ruin everything.
 
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