Bad news using my retrofitted EVSE with the LEAF :(

[mitch672]

If CC will sell you a "logic board" from one of their current CC-40's, I bet you could install it and it would work just fine. Of course it all depends on how much it costs. It's just running the relay and generating the pilot signal. If they won't sell you a logic board, I'm sure if you wait a bit, there will be some comming available soon, as the DIY's spring up to fill the need for homebrew EVSEs. I bet Gary could whip up something that would work as well

[EVDRIVER]

If CC will sell you a "logic board" from one of their current CC-40's, I bet you could install it and it would work just fine. Of course it all depends on how much it costs. It's just running the relay and generating the pilot signal. If they won't sell you a logic board, I'm sure if you wait a bit, there will be some comming available soon, as the DIY's spring up to fill the need for homebrew EVSEs. I bet Gary could whip up something that would work as well

This should be cheap and easy to do as mentioned.

[garygid]

EVSE "Logic Card" Replacement:

GFI sensor, relay trip, and retry
Over-Temperature sensing
Brown-out & blackout detection
Error conditions, CP status & Leds
CP sensing and PWM generation
Error states
State transition Logic
Over-Current monitoring
EM noise issues
Off, On, Reset functions
Self-test functions
Any display functions

I am probably forgetting some things.

Replacing all of that, really well done, is non-trivial. Making a square wave generator is trivial.

Apparently the DIY EVSE Project people have been working on the control logic for some time.

Yes, I could do it, but it is a LOT of work, for very little benefit at this point.

[mitch672]

EVSE "Logic Card" Replacement:

GFI sensor, relay trip, and retry
Over-Temperature sensing
Brown-out & blackout detection
Error conditions, CP status & Leds
CP sensing and PWM generation
Error states
State transition Logic
Over-Current monitoring
EM noise issues
Off, On, Reset functions
Self-test functions
Any display functions

I am probably forgetting some things.

Replacing all of that, really well done, is non-trivial. Making a square wave generator is trivial.

Apparently the DIY EVSE Project people have been working on the control logic for some time.

Yes, I could do it, but it is a LOT of work, for very little benefit at this point.

For the replacement, I would just provide the pilot signal, and control the energizing relay. You are not going for UL Listing for the reworked old EVSE... Let the circuit breaker provide the overcurrent protection. No, this won't be as good as a J-1772 2010 EVSE, but then again, it doesn't have to be.

[EVDRIVER]

EVSE "Logic Card" Replacement:

GFI sensor, relay trip, and retry
Over-Temperature sensing
Brown-out & blackout detection
Error conditions, CP status & Leds
CP sensing and PWM generation
Error states
State transition Logic
Over-Current monitoring
EM noise issues
Off, On, Reset functions
Self-test functions
Any display functions

I am probably forgetting some things.

Replacing all of that, really well done, is non-trivial. Making a square wave generator is trivial.

Apparently the DIY EVSE Project people have been working on the control logic for some time.

Yes, I could do it, but it is a LOT of work, for very little benefit at this point.

For the replacement, I would just provide the pilot signal, and control the energizing relay. You are not going for UL Listing for the reworked old EVSE... Let the circuit breaker provide the overcurrent protection. No, this won't be as good as a J-1772 2010 EVSE, but then again, it doesn't have to be.

+1

[mitch672]

FYI, checkout this link, they are comming up with a J-1772 2010 control board, expected to be availble February 2011 (at least they say that, could be delayed a little possibly)

http://modularevpower.com/EVSE_module_development.htm

just wait for this, if CC won't sell you a logic board, and you can update your old EVSE yourself, I'm betting this will cost you a lot less than any other option availble.

[garygid]

The scope picture looks like the PWM timing for about a 32-amp Max-Current CP signal.

[Spies]

I really do appreciate all the enthusiasm around getting my EVSE to work properly with the LEAF! I have not given up hope just yet and I am gonna try to get the timers to synchronize tonight for the interim.

Trying to hit a three minute or so window reliably with one of these is not going to be easy

[garygid]

Instead of that "mechanical" timer, go buy an inexpensive digital timer (something like an alarm clock that will turn on a light, only more "macho") that should be easy to set within a few seconds?

[Spies]

Instead of that "mechanical" timer, go buy an inexpensive digital timer (something like an alarm clock that will turn on a light, only more "macho") that should be easy to set within a few seconds?

Are there inexpensive UL listed DPST 40 amp digital timers on the market?

Wait! Just asking this question gave me an idea though! Instead of having the inexpensive digital timer control the EVSE I could just have it control the pilot inside the EVSE. Either by controlling the power to the pilot signal generator or controlling the pilot connecting to the car. That might just be accurate enough to get the timers synched as a work around. It is still not a complete solution of course.

The more I fiddle with this though the more I think I should have just tried to order the AV unit last year and taken the 50% tax credit. I have already sunk almost $400 into retrofitting this unit with the new cable and connector and the AV unit would have been like $900 before the tax benefit. Granted the AV unit is not built anything like the EVSE I have and I was told by ClipperCreek it would work with the LEAF using the new cable and connector and for the most part it does. Sigh.

Maybe I will call ClipperCreek and see if they would still take back the connector and cable since they told me it would work and I can apply that cost to the AV unit. At least I can still get the 30% tax credit.