Overheating EVSE plug

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shroud

Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Messages
18
Hello,

I have had a Nissan Leaf S 2015 for a month. The car originally comes from the USA, so it has Type 1 charging socket and the EVSE has a standard USA plug so it has always been used by previous owners with a plug adaptor to fit EU sockets. The car battery is of the 24 kWh type, and the charger inside the car is 6.6 kW.

I have noticed that the plug adaptor gets very hot particularly at the metal "pins" when I charge the car. I have always charged it from about 20% to 80-90% so typically it stays plugged into the wall socket for 4-5 hours. Yesterday for the first time, when I went to unplug it the EVSE signalled the "too high temperature" condition by flashing the READY and FAULT leds.

The yard wall socket was inspected (but perhaps not thoroughly so) by an electrician, who told me that it should be OK, and it has a 16A capacity. While reading the Leaf manual for double-checking the EVSE leds fault code, I also noticed that it says to use only sockets connected to a circuit breaker, while our socket is connected only to a 16A fuse.

My first thought is that maybe I should invest in a new EVSE that has the correct plug and no plug adapter needed. But is there such thing as a Nissan Leaf EVSE with EU plug on the wall side and Type 1 "gun" on the car side?

Alternatively, since the fault is unlikely to be the EVSE itself but just the plug, do you think it's possible to have the EVSE modified by a specialist so that only the plug is replaced (saving a lot of money)?

Apart from the EVSE/plug, I am thinking about having the wall socket replaced with a new one that is more robust and heavy-duty, just in case the problem is in there. Do you think that also a circuit-breaker is a must-have?

Please keep in mind that I know nothing about practical electricity, so I may well say very dumb things... I am just trying to figure out which of these things are absolutely necessary to protect ourselves from electrical or fire accidents, and which are just extra precautions but not absolutely necessary, so that I can prioritize these possible investments instead of doing them all at once (considering they won't be cheap).

Thank you!
 
shroud said:
I have had a Nissan Leaf S 2015 for a month. The car originally comes from the USA, so it has Type 1 charging socket and the EVSE has a standard USA plug so it has always been used by previous owners with a plug adaptor to fit EU sockets. The car battery is of the 24 kWh type, and the charger inside the car is 6.6 kW.

The yard wall socket was inspected (but perhaps not thoroughly so) by an electrician, who told me that it should be OK, and it has a 16A capacity. While reading the Leaf manual for double-checking the EVSE leds fault code, I also noticed that it says to use only sockets connected to a circuit breaker, while our socket is connected only to a 16A fuse.

It would be helpful if you mentioned the make/model of your EVSE, but I doubt that is the issue. I have never had a "too high temperature" fault on my EVSE (modified Nissan/Panasonic) in 7 years; I use it on a dedicated 30A circuit. The fact is, the 6.6 kW charger can potentially draw much more than 16A (I have the old 3.3 kW version).

shroud said:
Please keep in mind that I know nothing about practical electricity, so I may well say very dumb things... I am just trying to figure out which of these things are absolutely necessary to protect ourselves from electrical or fire accidents, and which are just extra precautions but not absolutely necessary, so that I can prioritize these possible investments instead of doing them all at once (considering they won't be cheap).

This statement alone is why I responded: I think you need to stop using your current circuit until it has been examined (and maybe replaced) by a certified electrician.
 
Biggest problem is the USA cord is made for 120 volts and an EU outlet is 230 volts. While some have done an aftermarket upgrade... if the label says 120 volts I would not use it on 230. This is not the same as plugging in your I-Pad with a universal voltage charger.

Yes get a locally sourced evse as it will plug in just fine.

https://store.clippercreek.com/international
 
smkettner said:
Yes get a locally sourced evse as it will plug in just fine.

Well I just went to the local Nissan dealer / certified maintenance, and unfortunately they told me that there is no guarantee that any EVSE will work, except the Nissan one the car came with, but which might not be safe. I wonder how the original owner managed to even import the car and pass the inspections if it's not safe!
 
Type 2 to type 1 cables are definitely readily available. In fact, the early LEAFs came with Type 1 inlets worldwide (I actually thought they still did). You could probably find someone to put a new plug on the EVSE, but it might make more sense to get an entire new one. If you do decide to repair the one you have, make sure the folks who fix it know what they're doing. They need specific crimping equipment to do the job right.

Type 2 to type 1 cable for public charging:
https://evcables.co.uk/index.php/charge-cables-for-type-1-cars/type-1-to-type-2-cables/euro-series-type-1-to-type-2-blue.html

Home EVSE that works with above:
https://evcables.co.uk/index.php/charge-cables-for-type-1-cars/charging-stations/eo-home-charger-t2.html

Type 2 to type 1 adapter for charging station that has an integrated cable:
https://evcables.co.uk/index.php/type-2-to-type-2-converter.html

Note: I have no idea whether the liked site is any good. It's just the first place my Google search found that stocked everything.
 
Stanton said:
It would be helpful if you mentioned the make/model of your EVSE, but I doubt that is the issue. I have never had a "too high temperature" fault on my EVSE (modified Nissan/Panasonic) in 7 years; I use it on a dedicated 30A circuit. The fact is, the 6.6 kW charger can potentially draw much more than 16A (I have the old 3.3 kW version).

It's the standard Nissan/Panasonic EVSE which comes with the car (photo from the web):

62e4833d8570a29a8105cb68154ca4ac.jpg


However the plug itself is not the same as in the picture. It's a bigger, light-grey 90-degrees angled plug. I wonder if this could mean that it was replaced?

EDIT: Found a picture with a plug more similar to mine, although not exactly identical (mine seems even slightly larger, and it has 3 pins only, 1 round pin + 2 flat pins)

2018-Leaf-EVSE.jpg


Funny this picture has text explaining this is supposed to be a Leaf 2018 EVSE capable also of charging at 240V. But mine definitely has 120V written on the back.
 
Yeah, there are a couple of folks that modify it for 240v use. If I had to guess, I'd say that the connections inside the handle are the problem, but it would be good to test the car on some other cable, maybe at the Nissan dealer in order to be sure the issue isn't the inlet itself.
 
davewill said:
Yeah, there are a couple of folks that modify it for 240v use. If I had to guess, I'd say that the connections inside the handle are the problem, but it would be good to test the car on some other cable, maybe at the Nissan dealer in order to be sure the issue isn't the inlet itself.

By "inside the handle" do you mean inside the "box"? Just to make it clear, the only part which is getting too hot seems to be the small adapter between the EVSE plug (which itself gets warm but not too hot) and the wall socket. The "box" (not sure how to call it) is very mildly warm at most. I am anyway charging outdoor at 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit.

What still puzzles me is, how the hell can this EVSE even work when plugged to 230V if it's supposed to be 120V? Shouldn't it have already burned a long time ago? And yet it's been used by previous owners for at least 2 years.
 
shroud said:
davewill said:
Yeah, there are a couple of folks that modify it for 240v use. If I had to guess, I'd say that the connections inside the handle are the problem, but it would be good to test the car on some other cable, maybe at the Nissan dealer in order to be sure the issue isn't the inlet itself.

By "inside the handle" do you mean inside the "box"? Just to make it clear, the only part which is getting too hot seems to be the small adapter between the EVSE plug (which itself gets warm but not too hot) and the wall socket. The "box" (not sure how to call it) is very mildly warm at most. I am anyway charging outdoor at 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit.

What still puzzles me is, how the hell can this EVSE even work when plugged to 230V if it's supposed to be 120V? Shouldn't it have already burned a long time ago? And yet it's been used by previous owners for at least 2 years.

As I said, there are some third parties that modify it for 240/230v use, which may have happened here. It may also be an EU model that was designed for 230v. You should be able to tell by looking at the sticker on the back.

When I said handle I mean the actual "nozzle" that you plug into the car, which is what I thought was getting hot. If it's getting hot at the wall socket, then you need to check the connections inside the wall socket and/or inside the wall plug. I believe the wall plug on that model has a temperature sensor which could be tripped either way. I'd start by taking the cover off the outlet and looking. If that is overheating, I'd expect to see some evidence of that, probably discoloration.
 
Bring the EVSe to an electrician to see If you and plug the 240 volt plug into a 120 volt (or has it been modified in the box) EVSE box. Also, they can check how many volts are actually being given out at the end of the J1772 plug. Just get a new charger that is made for Europe man...
 
powersurge said:
Bring the EVSe to an electrician to see If you and plug the 240 volt plug into a 120 volt (or has it been modified in the box) EVSE box. Also, they can check how many volts are actually being given out at the end of the J1772 plug. Just get a new charger that is made for Europe man...

Most electricians will have no clue how to test the EVSE in any meaningful way. Checking the output voltage won't be very useful since no EVSE ever changes the the input, it just turns a relay off and on, and you usually need a car emulator to in order to get the EVSE to close the relay and energize the plug.

Even if you decide to replace the EVSE, OP, check that outlet. It may not be the EVSE at all.
 
Probably been upgraded if it has a large plug. NEMA 5-15 would be standard 120vac only. NEMA 6-30 or 6-50 would be upgraded to 208-240v service. Need to post the exact plug to know for sure. Could be something else.

Example:
http://evseupgrade.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=28

In this case I assume it is your adapter that is weak and getting hot.
I would remove the plug and add a Schuko as I assume that will plug in direct. This may draw close to 26-30 amps so maybe you have a different connector. Circuit should be rated close to 40 amp supply.

And your Nissan dealer appears to be clueless. There is no such thing as metric electricity.
 
davewill said:
As I said, there are some third parties that modify it for 240/230v use, which may have happened here. It may also be an EU model that was designed for 230v. You should be able to tell by looking at the sticker on the back.

When I said handle I mean the actual "nozzle" that you plug into the car, which is what I thought was getting hot. If it's getting hot at the wall socket, then you need to check the connections inside the wall socket and/or inside the wall plug. I believe the wall plug on that model has a temperature sensor which could be tripped either way. I'd start by taking the cover off the outlet and looking. If that is overheating, I'd expect to see some evidence of that, probably discoloration.

Thanks again! The sticker on the back definitely says 120V 12A 60Hz both input and output. Now I have found the model number so I can say it is exactly this one:

https://www.google.fi/search?q=panasonic+model+29690+3NF2E&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjS3r-C8IzeAhVHI8AKHUyCAlIQsAR6BAgGEAE&biw=1201&bih=806#imgrc=Jke7xGhmHsDqJM:

OEM-NISSAN-LEAF-EV-CHARGER-MODEL-29690-3NF2E.jpg


s-l1600.jpg
 
powersurge said:
Bring the EVSe to an electrician to see If you and plug the 240 volt plug into a 120 volt (or has it been modified in the box) EVSE box. Also, they can check how many volts are actually being given out at the end of the J1772 plug. Just get a new charger that is made for Europe man...

Thanks! Be sure that getting a new EU charger was my first thought :) The problem was that when I went to our local Nissan certified dealer, they told me I CANNOT :shock: that they cannot provide themselves an official Nissan charger for a USA car + EU power outlet, and that there is no guarantee that any third-party charger would work... so rather than spend 1000e on a charger that may not work, I am thinking about spending 1500e to get a home charging station.
 
Can you post photos of your EVSE (include a photo of the label on the back), the input plug on the EVSE, your adapter, and your outlet so we can get a better idea of what all has been modified from the original USA unit?
 
GerryAZ said:
Can you post photos of your EVSE (include a photo of the label on the back), the input plug on the EVSE, your adapter, and your outlet so we can get a better idea of what all has been modified from the original USA unit?

The plug and label are EXACTLY identical to those in the 2 pictures I posted in my previous post.

The adapter is a simple passive component as far as I can tell, it looks like it could be this model:

B00512LSRG.02.jpg
 
Rather than posting pictures from the Internet, you might be better off taking and posting a picture of the EVSE you are having the problem with (and the adapter your are using). That's the best way to help us determine if it's been modified.
 
shroud said:
The plug and label are EXACTLY identical to those in the 2 pictures I posted in my previous post.

The adapter is a simple passive component as far as I can tell, it looks like it could be this model:

B00512LSRG.02.jpg

In that case, it sounds like someone just spun the prayer wheel that it wouldn't explode when they tried plugging it into 230v power. Plus, you can now add the adapter as a possible source of the overheating. I'd still check out the outlet to make sure it's ok, but I no longer think you should continue to use this solution at all. Stop using it ASAP, and get a proper charging station.
 
OK you said the plug was big and then show a picture of a standard small 5-15 plug and everything says rated 120 volts.
At this point you can ask the seller what you have or just get a home charging unit.
 
I've discussed with someone from EVSE upgrade and concluded that at least the EVSE wasn't modified by them. They told me that the original (unmodified) Nissan EVSE does in fact work "normally" up to 240V of power supply albeit limited to 12A, but there are at least some surge parts inside not rated for 240V, so there is in fact a danger involved although not immediate (in fact, this EVSE has been used by previous owners for years).

Anyway, I obviously want to be safe, so I'll be buying a new EVSE that is certified to work with our country electricity network. Despite of what the local Nissan dealers told me, I have found different EVSE that don't cost 1000e but they are rather in the totally acceptable 350-500e range, and as they are sold by local shops I have the possibility to just go there and try them out to make sure they actually work with my car.

By the way, I have also found this interesting piece of information related to charging voltages:

https://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/usa/releases/nissan-begins-u-s-assembly-of-2013-leaf-electric-vehicle-and-batteries

The articles at some point says "The 2013 Nissan LEAF boasts innovative features such as 240V charging that is nearly twice as fast as the previous model, as well as a broader range of trim levels starting with the even more affordable S grade, moving up to the SV model and graduating with the top-of-the-line SL."

Can I safely assume that this is also the case for all Leafs manufactured after 2013?
 
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