One reason a charger won't work...

Discussion in 'General' started by hobbit, Nov 23, 2021.

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  1. hobbit

    hobbit Well-Known Member

    I had a collection of misadventures with Electrify America over the weekend, at one of their sites in
    NJ where I'd traveled to [for a real live in-person conference/convention, yet! A bit of normalcy amid
    the continuing madness!]
    I hooked up at head #1, and the card-reader refused to work. Head 2 [out
    of 3] had a guy in a Taycan at it, who was getting a pitiful 40 kW or so trickle from his session, and said
    that when the chargers had been installed, they'd been nice and fast, and recently were severely limited
    for no clear reason. [Cable/connector coolant all leaked out, or what?] Head #3 looked like its card
    reader might have been functional but the entire thing was saying "unavailable".

    So I called EA, and after several tries to reset the reader on #1 and/or the whole thing [embedded Windows,
    poor choice] the gal on the phone said the people who could take payment deets over the phone [which
    apparently *is* an option normallly] simply started a session gratis. Because of all the difficulties I was
    describing to her, or something.

    So then my car was only getting a 41 kW trickle too. Should have been substantially more, in the morning's
    nice 50+ degree temps. While waiting, I wandered around the backend boxes of the installation where the
    actual power supplies are, and found this:

    01eadoor.jpg

    which would not properly latch closed again no matter what I tried. I would have had to open the locked
    front of the box and work the side-door latch handle, so had to give up trying to fix it. By numeric ID
    correspondence, this was pretty clearly the box for #3.

    I called in again and got the same person; I guess the callcenter is slow on a Sunday morning. I asked her
    about the slow charge on me and the Taycan [had no idea], and I told her I'd likely found the problem with
    head 3. While talking to her, I held in the button switch at the top of the door to simulate it closed, and she
    could actually see that charger come back online after a while. So then I said "okay, I'm gonna let go of it
    now!" and after another while she saw it go "unavailable" again.

    The one or two locals I talked to in the meantime of all this confirmed that this site was *not* being
    maintained properly, so maybe as the EA person submitted all of this into her ticket, they'll pay more
    attention and start getting a clue about what "critical infrastructure" means. And I of course threw in
    my usual complaint about app availability and lack of any alternatives to establish an actual account.

    In all I was there for an hour, which should have been about half that if their shiny new sh*t actually
    worked as it should.

    _H*
     
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  3. Pathetic if leaving the door open by the last "service tech" is what occurred. No sign of vandalism I assume.
    Extreme safety issue, to say the least.
    I would have billed EA for my trouble shooting time, and sent the local electrical inspection regulation a picture.;)
     
  4. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web Well-Known Member Subscriber

    I am not a fan of EA but there is a threshold between:
    • reporting the problem
    • reporting the problem and contacting local property owner to have power turned off
    If I see exposed, power wiring, I would (and have) contacted the property owner. But in this case, I don't see serious power lines but what appears to be cooling fan wiring.

    Knowing @hobbit background, I would feel comfortable if he sent an application to EA as an 'on call technician.' He might need an electrician's license but he would be an excellent candidate.

    Bob Wilson
     
  5. hobbit

    hobbit Well-Known Member

    The latch assembly wasn't damaged, the token slope just wouldn't ride up over the retention pins on the door,
    and I didn't want to slam the crap out of it and potentially *cause* damage.

    The wiring inside was only for the fans as far as I could tell, and largely covered on the terminal
    blocks. But it was probably 120VAC wiring, didn't look like 12V gear. The 480 3-phase was much
    deeper inside...

    _H*
     
  6. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web Well-Known Member Subscriber

    You've reminded me I need to include some heavy duty, long tie-wraps in my 'field' kit. In this case, not so much for security as to minimize wind swinging the door.

    Bob Wilson
     
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  8. gooki

    gooki Well-Known Member

    Man that sucks. They really gotta get their **** together. I wonder if VW ever found the buyer/investor they were looking for.
     
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  9. ericy

    ericy Well-Known Member

    I have heard anecdotal reports that EA applied a software update that effectively nerfed some of the chargers. In fact, if you look closely in the EA app at the chargers, some of them have been derated to 50Kw. Look at Springfield IL - *ALL* of the chargers at that site have been derated to 50kW. I have only seen such things occur in the Midwest - nothing on either coast (so far).

    I once encountered a service tech working on a broken charger - he worked for ABB, and not EA. Not that this explains all *that* much - I would note that initially EA rolled out chargers using 4 different vendors, but I think they are down to 3 now. But if EA contracts out with the manufacturers for field service, having multiple vendors complicates things quite a bit. Where I am, the 350kW units tend to be ABB, and the 150kW units tend to be Signet. The 3rd is BTC Power - I don't think I have ever encountered one of those.

    It is easy to look back and say that they should have gone with a single vendor, but when they first started, there was no one vendor that could supply all of what they needed. So they spread themselves out a bit.

    EA has said nothing - they are consistently bad about communications about the issues they are working on. Is this a workaround for a known problem? Is it a step in a planned upgrade? Something else? Nobody knows - they aren't saying.
     
  10. Richardd962

    Richardd962 New Member

    The real problem with EA is the fact that they receive a subventions for the installation , but nothing for the operation and maintenance, and they don’t really care.



    Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
     
  11. marshall

    marshall Well-Known Member

    I thought the EA installs where paid excursively by VW. Tell me more about the subventions that EA is suppose to have received.
     
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  13. hobbit

    hobbit Well-Known Member

    They hire out local contracting companies for maintenance. I talked to one of the guys at another stop.
    There was nothing about EA on his truck.

    _H*
     
  14. Richardd962

    Richardd962 New Member

    EA is finance by a fund established whit the 2 billion from the VW settlement, they are looking for partners, to maintain and manage the network, they are trying to grow the network so all the funds are allocated to growth
     
  15. marshall

    marshall Well-Known Member

    I see you stretching the definition of subvention by calling a settlement a subvention.

    I thought maybe you knew of some government grant I was unaware of.
     
  16. app's321

    app's321 Member

    The whole thing about driving into a charger station of just nothing but rectangular boxes and a parking pad is sort of idiotic. Where are the Mini Marts. People need the convenience of the restrooms, hot coffee, power drinks and donuts. Without them they will never be successful. The We want our Mini Marts movement will become radicalized and marches, looting and destruction will prevail. After all We are barbarians when it comes to our mini marts. All this blah-blah about EV is juvenile compared to the expectations of the People (Cattle) out there ! ;) You got to have parks, recreation, dog walking paths, access for power chairs etc. You are talking Trillions in investments for 10.000's of thousands of Charging mini mart parks. Think of the 500's cars parked waiting for a one in 20 chargers available. Think 4-6 hour, waits your turn in them parking lots & along highways of mostly dead batteries "auto Dead call Fred," places waiting for a tow truck to get home to charge it.
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2021
  17. app's321

    app's321 Member



    This may explain the double talk of Promised EV charging, also California is adding Power to the Zoning equation for EV charging from new constructions. So if all Mini Marts in the usa have a couple of fast chargers added that's really gonna solve the really big picture of EV Hell in the Metro areas of 1,000,000's of apartment and Condo's needs. ;)

    One thing to keep in mind is the Mule, Horse, Donkey and Oxen life style of every couple of them had a Stable, barn, building, hay rack, water and feed stable. Millions of them everywhere, in most all home properties and Public spaces. Same applies with Gas and Diesel, same will have to apply for EV charging of the next generation of public conveyance ! This Ain't no 5 year deal or even a plan for the next decade. This is a forever (all knowledgeable foreseeable future on earth) A hell zone ! o_O
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2021
  18. app's321

    app's321 Member

    50 Kvh is the known plan of most all Municipalities for public charging, well thas a Joke, right ! Its like the Hybrid charger at a Public Park, Zoo, Planitarioum 10 years ago. 1. Most likely for the Managers Daughter ! Just maybe you will be able to get back home after you hour on thas system ! ;)
     
  19. :D
    Almost the same words Ford dealership described to me 10 years ago when I entered prepared to purchase an FFE. I immediately went across the road and bought a Leaf instead.
    Now look at them take in all those reservations.

    As far as the 500 cars waiting to charge for one in 20 available spots, follow Norway's example:

    The average domestic electricity price is roughly 13.55 euro cents per kWh versus around €1.85/litre for petrol.

    The state of EV charging infrastructure in Norway
    Since 2010 the number of EVs per charger has dropped from more than 160, to less than 120. There’s now more than 16,000 charging points in the country – which is said to represent more than 9% of the total charging stations in Europe. The country has even ensured there is a fast charging station every 50km on main roads. (source)

    Nobil’s database showed the following breakdown of charging stations available in 2020:

    • Fast chargers: 1,366 (+ 29%)
    • Rapid chargers: 226 (+ 804%)
    • Tesla superchargers: 770 (+ 37%)
     
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  20. app's321

    app's321 Member

    5.5 million live in Norway, sounds like Chicago. 5 million registered vehicles in Norway. 16000 chargers with near 500,000 EV's waiting for a charge ! Sounds like a Scandinavians waw to make Hell in the USA. :D Now thats a really slow day in California !
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2021
  21. app's321

    app's321 Member

    My belief is drive my F150's less & wait for gasoline to drop a $1 a gallon. Meanwhile a tank of gas every couple weeks does not equal the 5X costs of the EV off the lot + charger costs everywhere I have to go. Then I look at the 1200 - 1800 lbs. of battery, moving that 5000 - 7000 lb hulk about of an EV. Forget that.

    An my former post make 25 cars waiting in line for each Charger far less than Norways 120 and that still means at least an hour or 2 of waiting at rush times or Weekends !
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2021
  22. app's321

    app's321 Member

    [​IMG]That transformer really looks Micky Mouse ! An those Stainless bars in that door so close to the phase coils ? Its going to blow up ! :eek: :p
     
  23. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web Well-Known Member Subscriber

    I was confused by this in an earlier post. Perhaps part of flawed operational scenarios:

    Cross Country
    • Stop at a fast food place before going to charger.
      • biology break
      • sack lunch and beverages
    • Plug-in to fast DC charger
      • eat sack lunch
      • stretch
      • leave after 20 minutes to drive ~2 hrs to next charger
    Private Home
    • Install NEMA 14-50 plug and 40 A circuit
    • Plug-in when you arrive
      • Schedule charge intervals per rate and/or temperature
    Work (on site)
    • Negotiate with property owner to use existing 110-120 VAC outlet
    • Negotiate an L2/NEMA 14-50 outlet for charging
    Work (off site)
    • Map free or affordable L2 chargers near eating places
    • Take lunch and a charge
    I suspect the poster @app's321 has limited EV experience and a lot of trepidation.

    Our first EV, a 2014 BMW i3-REx has 72 mi EV and 78 mi gas. This let us learn how to do EV for both around town and cross country. We had a failed experience with a Prius Prime with 25 mi EV and 215 mi gas that showed EV range in a Plug-in hybrid is most important.

    The Prius Prime was traded in for a 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus, 240 mi EV range. Happily we'd already learned EV operations from the BMW i3-REx.

    Good Luck!
    Bob Wilson
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2021

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