Mods for the Blink EVSE ! (was Fix)

[evnow]

We will just leave it at there will be firmware available soon that actually woks as well as display the correct info and puts the micro to sleep. Wow a novel concept!

While I am on the HW, the build is done so poorly with a significant amount of bypass caps and other current draining items. It really needs a complete redesign. For anyone who is considering purchasing a Blink. Just don't go there. For those of us who get the boat anchors for free, keep it for the 2 years then we'll take care of it.

Welcome to the forum.

Looks like Blink is a keeper - I'm looking forward to nice FW updates from the community.

[Spies]

Of course, after three years you can do whatever you want!

My agreement said December 31, 2012 or 1 year, 8 months and 21 more days to go

[whoami]

Wow! Thanks for the report and pics Ingineer as well as whoami's first post.

I was curious if either of you noticed what WiFi chip or module the unit is using and if it is soldered or possibly socketed to the main board. I was also curious if they shut down the WiFi and the cellular radio when using Ethernet. Someone mentioned that a zigbee radio might be in there too.

Thank you to all.

The wifi chip is really a module made by Unigen. I believe its connected via SDIO and it is this part: http://www.unigen.com/product_detail.php?pid=859

Moral of the story is that the Blink has no RF shelding and no EMI protection, we're either going to need an external antenna or a whole new wifi module. They were nice enough to connect the WAN modem via a USB-A connector so we can pop that out and use a traditional USB wifi adapter. I run over ethernet for testing and development so I'm not concerned with wifi network connectivity at this point.

The main linux board is a slightly modified Boundary Devices Hydrogen board with a PXA270 on it with other "gue". The lovely folks who built this thing decided they would go with the reference kernel and filesystem from Boundary Devices so it made life a lot easier. I have the cross compiler for the subsystem and have compiled a few applications.

Oh one other piece of information I thought everyone would enjoy. There is a 1/8" audio jack on the main board. I've already played an MP3 out the jack to some speakers. The audio quality is prety darn good. Looks like we have an EVSE + MP3 player!

Stay tuned.

[whoami]

The main linux board is a slightly modified Boundary Devices Hydrogen board with a PXA270 on it with other "gue". The lovely folks who built this thing decided they would go with the reference kernel and filesystem from Boundary Devices so it made life a lot easier. I have the cross compiler for the subsystem and have compiled a few applications.

Sorry I didn't provide a link in the earlier post:
http://boundarydevices.com/hydrogen.php

[evnow]

The audio quality is prety darn good. Looks like we have an EVSE + MP3 player!

Cool - esp. if we can stream music over intranet !! Music while you work in the garage

[Spies]

There is a 1/8" audio jack on the main board. I've already played an MP3 out the jack to some speakers. The audio quality is prety darn good. Looks like we have an EVSE + MP3 player!

Doom with audio on the home Blink is even closer to reality!

Thanks again for the investigation and the info. I plan to exclusively use Ethernet as well and my thoughts about the Wifi and Cell modules was to just disconnect them if they are drawing current as long as the software does not freak out if they are missing. Figured it would save a couple of watts and eliminate some radiation if they are still powered while using Ethernet.

In the end I seriously hope that Blink adds some sleep features to the unit sooner rather than later. In the mean time I have just been shutting off power to the unit when I am not charging. Hopefully doing this does not add undue wear and tear to the unit based on its design and perhaps it would be better just to leave the unit powered. Still that display being powered on what seems like full brightness 24/7 just drives me nuts let alone all the other components in this box. I suspect a number of the components being on 24/7 would limit their usable life span especially the screen but I could be wrong about this.

[evnow]

Changing Title. And Sticky !

[Jimmydreams]

Reading this thread and the posts from ingineer and whoami have changed my opinion of the Blink from a 'problematic maybe' to something that has some REALLY cool possibilities. I can't wait for the EVP to expire so I can snap off the seal and play with it!!! Who'd a thunk you could get music out of an EVSE?!!??! If we find a microphone on it, we can use it for an extension-phone (Skype without the video?) hahahah

[DrPowell]

In the end I seriously hope that Blink adds some sleep features to the unit sooner rather than later. In the mean time I have just been shutting off power to the unit when I am not charging. Hopefully doing this does not add undue wear and tear to the unit based on its design and perhaps it would be better just to leave the unit powered.

Agree it needs a sleep mode or screen saver, if only to avoid LCD burn-in. Would bet full power cycling would shorten Blink life, not extend it. Worse than that would be exposing it to high temperatures for extended periods even though the datasheet quotes a temp rating to 122 F.

[DrPowell]

Sorry I didn't provide a link in the earlier post:
http://boundarydevices.com/hydrogen.php

Thanks for all the great info! The Marvell processor has an ARM5 core. http://www.marvell.com/products/process ... x_emts.pdf