AV EVSE ... not silent anymore

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gudy

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Messages
308
Location
Mountain View, CA
Yesterday night, I noticed a sound in my home (some kind of rumbling buzz, similar to what you hear bellow high voltage lines), while my car was charging. It was late so I didn't want to get outside and see if it was the EVSE, but tonight, after coming home and plugging the car, before the timer stops the charging, the car charges for a few seconds, and I heard the same noise. I had never heard that noise before, and therefore I'm wondering if something could be wrong with my AV unit.
The car charged fine last night, but I'm not a big fan of this noise, and it's certainly not reassuring.
 
Gudy, you have a warranty on that AV EVSE and mwalsh posted that he'd been told that one of their EVSEs caught fire a while back. I'd call AV immediately. As I recall, you didn't have AV install it, but they are still on the hook for the proper and safe function of the product.

Especially given the early phase we are in both with Nissan and AV being concerned about this roll-out, and also given your high public profile, I'd bet serious money that they'll be on your doorstep within the day.
 
Boomer23 said:
Gudy, you have a warranty on that AV EVSE and mwalsh posted that he'd been told that one of their EVSEs caught fire a while back.
And I thought the EVSEs were supposed to make things *safer* :shock:
 
johnr said:
Boomer23 said:
Gudy, you have a warranty on that AV EVSE and mwalsh posted that he'd been told that one of their EVSEs caught fire a while back.
And I thought the EVSEs were supposed to make things *safer* :shock:


Properly built ones. EVER seen inside an AV EVSE?
 
In your opinion, what is "improperly" done, please?

Is it anything specific, such that there might be a recall on these AV EVSEs?

Or, just the jumble of small wires possibly touching the probably-hot relay?

Or, something else?

Thanks for any helpful insight and education. My experience is more with very low-power digital circuits, not with this kind of stuff.
Again, Thanks. PM if necessary.
 
Yes, check these:
1. is the noise a low hum or buzz,
2. coming from the AV unit, and NOT from the LEAF
3. does the noise stop when you unplug the e-hose from the car?

And turn off the breaker (power TO) the EVSE, and keep it disconnected from the CAR.

Do try the L1 EVSE and verify that the LEAF is charging properly with the L1 EVSE.
 
I'm not a doctor, but..

If the sound coming from the EVSE is a 'hum' and fairly quiet in a quiet garage, then it might be normal. There are a number of torroid chokes, transformers, low-current DC converters, and other inductive parts in the EVSE that will vibrate with the alternating current.

If you put your ear to your laptop power supply, you can hear a hiss, buzz, or hum. When the room gets quiet enough, just about every electrical device makes some kind of noise.

My solar inverter, for example, is called "silent" with no fans or moving parts, but on a hot day in the quiet garage, you can hear the inverter working feverishly and sizzling away with high-current switching action.

Anyway, if the EVSE sound is louder than quiet, or 'raspy', I would be concerned. Get your nose near it too.. if you smell anything "hot" or baking, be concerned.

And yeah, if it's significant enough to post about, I'd call AV and ask them to come check it out regardless.
 
Boomer23 said:
Gudy, you have a warranty on that AV EVSE and mwalsh posted that he'd been told that one of their EVSEs caught fire a while back.

Oh gosh, no....not caught fire....I was told that one melted down some.

Don't want AV's lawyers calling me to find out why I'm making libelous statements about their products! :?
 
Gudy ? Come in, Gudy. Gudy ? Are you still there ? :lol:

Still, in all seriousness, this needs to be checked, and quickly, and not monkeyed with. Yes it could simply be the contactor humming, but it could be much more serious too.

We don't want pioneers with those <...> arrows in their backs here (oops there I go too ... bad dog, BAD! :lol: )
 
Probably perfectly normal buzz of a poorly wound coil
What did AV say about it? They sure brag about their warranty so let's see what action they take.
 
Ok called the tech support (which happens to be the Nissan tech support phone number), and they told me that the EVSE might make some noise, and that this is explained in the owner's manual, and that it's normal, and nothing to worry about.
 
Quiet hum and loud buzz are quite different.

Which do you have?
Did it work OK at first, but then this noise "began suddenly"?
If so, the "sudden change" would tend to indicate a problem, at least to me.

I would not want either noise to be "going all night".

Please, keep us posted.
 
Make a video to record the noise level and let us hear it ? If it's normal, fine, then we (the AV users) will be aware and forewarned. If not ... Nissan/AV can view the video and get more "diagnostic" info (kind of like it's impossible to describe a whump-whump-whump sound your ICEs making when you take it in for service).
 
There may be some hum from An EVSE at a low level but if you hear it in the house far away I would be concerned unless it is mounted to the opposite wall you head is leaning against. My solar inverter hums and attached to the house but I don't hear it. Something does not sound right but after seeing the inside of an AV unit it is not a surprise. I've owned a few EVSE units and used over a dozen and non made detectable noise, there are no large power transformers in there.
 
As a point of reference, I went out and listened to mine last night - I had to get right up on it while it was working to hear the hum it made. So if you're hearing it from across the garage, and certainly if you're in another part of the house, I'd say you've got an issue.
 
mwalsh said:
As a point of reference, I went out and listened to mine last night - I had to get right up on it while it was working to hear the hum it made. So if you're hearing it from across the garage, and certainly if you're in another part of the house, I'd say you've got an issue.

Mine used to be totally silent ... maybe it's the current temperature / climate ...

I'll have to check the owner's manual, and see what they say about it there ...
 
mwalsh said:
Boomer23 said:
Gudy, you have a warranty on that AV EVSE and mwalsh posted that he'd been told that one of their EVSEs caught fire a while back.

Oh gosh, no....not caught fire....I was told that one melted down some.

Don't want AV's lawyers calling me to find out why I'm making libelous statements about their products! :?

Sorry Mike, didn't mean to misquote you. Although melting down is one baby step from causing a fire, IMHO.

Understandable that you want to keep away from AV's bad side. Here's an article about the military side of their business. You don't want your home targeted by one of their drones. :lol:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-drone-20110112,0,1346129.story
 
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