2018 Leaf charging connector is stuck in the charge port

[LeftieBiker]

If the screw isn't rusted but is hard to move, it may be binding under load. Try to shift the position of the J-1772 handle to take stress off the assembly moved by the screw. That may require trial and error.

[cwerdna]

OP, if change the lock setting to lock and start charging or drawing power, you should hear the mechanism flip the white piece over to the lock position. If you shut the car off then press the unlock button on the key fob, you should hear the mechanism unlatch. If you hear all of that, then the charging lock mechanism isn't stuck and mucking w/the screw probably won't help.

[Baltneu]

OP
It has been a week.
Any resolution on this problem?

[netsmith2012]

Hi -
Thanks for your support and for staying in touch.
I apologize for the delay. I've been dealing with getting the car serviced, getting a loaner, working with AAA to see if I can get it covered.
Plus my job has been very busy ...
Anyway here's the latest.
The local towing company that Nissan uses came out to my house and after trying all the manual manipulations to unlock the charger concluded it was simply stuck. He was a hefty guy and simply pulled it out (with a lot of force, more than I was comfortable with attempting for fear of making things worse).

The charge port and the handle were seriously melted.


Nissan says that the car computer recorded that the charging handle was not properly seated.
So I think that means that the Blink Charger itself turned on charging, but the car did not accept it so the charging voltage did damage.
This is my charger: Blink Level 2 Wall Mount Charger - Model WE-30C


I found this pin in the charge port on about two weeks ago.
I was really swamped at work and because the charge still worked I set it aside and forgot about it.




Now I'm wondering if this pin may have broken out of the Leaf charge port. The hole on the lower left in the charge port looks like it may have had a this object in it and there seems to be damage in the bottom.


This close up suggests the possibility that the pin may have broken out of this spot.


When I examine the charger handle that comes with the leaf (J1772) I don't see any indication of a pin.
I don't see any place on the charger handle where the pin might have come from.


I'm now waiting to hear what my insurance says about covering this.
And I need to contact an EV charger repair person to see about getting a replacement for my charger handle.

[SageBrush]

^^
This is why I cringe when I see people wiggling plugs to get them in or out of sockets, and it goes 30x for an EV.

[WetEV]

Nissan says that the car computer recorded that the charging handle was not properly seated.
So I think that means that the Blink Charger itself turned on charging, but the car did not accept it so the charging voltage did damage.
This is my charger: Blink Level 2 Wall Mount Charger - Model WE-30C

I doubt if the code the car recorded had anything to do with this.

As an EE:
Applying the voltage will not do any damage.

What does damage is current and a bad connection. Which other Blink L2 changers have done before. Blink had a manufacturing problem. The first link DuckDuckGo returned:

https://www.plugincars.com/blink-chargi ... 28028.html

The J1772 connector can overheat, possibly melting of the handle and in some cases, the car being charged has been damaged.

The article seems to be discussing the public chargers, but the home versions had a similar problem.

[cwerdna]

Thanks for getting back to us.

Nissan says that the car computer recorded that the charging handle was not properly seated.
So I think that means that the Blink Charger itself turned on charging, but the car did not accept it so the charging voltage did damage.
This is my charger: Blink Level 2 Wall Mount Charger - Model WE-30C

Doubtful. Voltage is 240 volts coming from your house. That doesn't damage the car nor handle nor inlet. The car charged but the high amount of current while charging caused the connector to overheat and melt due to excessive resistance somewhere.

Glad to hear my guess was right. Another crap Blink EVSE w/crap defective Rema handle strikes again.

Unfortunately, Ecotality that was behind that Blink EVSE went bankrupt. Car Charging Group (CCGI) bought the carcass and later renamed themselves to Blink. Given their horrifying financials the last time I looked (e.g. http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.p ... 20#p514020), they probably won't take responsibility due to the BK earlier.

Just checked again. Their financials are horrible still: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BLNK/financials/. For 2018, they had just under $2.7 million in revenue but their net income applicable to common shares was almost -$27 million.

Whatever vehicle you were charging before using this EVSE probably had a 3.x kW OBC and only drew 15 or 16 amps, which isn't enough to cause enough heating to melt. It was still 240 volts.

And I need to contact an EV charger repair person to see about getting a replacement for my charger handle.

You should replace the whole EVSE. Those old Blink EVSEs are garbage anyway. What you have on the wall is NOT a charger, BTW. For L1 and L2 AC charging, the charger is on-board the car. For all '13 to current Leafs, charger is under the hood.

Please see planet4ever's diagram at https://web.archive.org/web/20150619074 ... p?p=262630.

I'm guessing yours is one of the Blink EVSEs that didn't get its output turned down to mitigate this problem or it was but it still wasn't low enough to mitigate. I remember seeing 24 amps (e.g. viewtopic.php?t=17612) but wonder if that was the final value and whether it is eventually not good enough.

[netsmith2012]

Thank you so much for this report on what almost certainly occurred.
I'm quite disturbed that as a registered user of the Level 2 Blink unit that I was never notified that I was at risk.
Also as Leaf owner starting with my first one in 2012, I should have been notified by Nissan that I there was a safety hazard with regard to certain wall charging units. Perhaps a class action suit against Nissan? I'm kidding, I do not have time to even mildly entertain that thought.

So, looking forward, the right thing to do is to upgrade to a new wall unit that will be safe to use with my 2018 Leaf.
I will do research to determine the best option.
But I would respectfully request your suggestions for the preferred product.

Also, if the wall unit is not a "charger" what is it? What should we call it?
Thanks.

[WetEV]

I'm quite disturbed that as a registered user of the Level 2 Blink unit that I was never notified that I was at risk.

Blink the company the sold you the unit is bankrupt and gone. Assets sold to another company, which now uses the Blink name.

Also, if the wall unit is not a "charger" what is it? What should we call it?

It is an Electronic Vehicle Supply Equipment or "EVSE".

Or a "charging station".

If portable a "charging cord".

Just don't call it a charger... Unless it really is one. Like a DCQC unit.

[netsmith2012]

It is an Electronic Vehicle Supply Equipment or "EVSE".
Or a "charging station".

Excellent. Got it.
And it does have a charging cord and handle.
Thank you.