Charge won't start

[Das KONA]

Most of my charging is done at home with a Grizzl-e charger, and generally with a state of charge not below 40%. No issues.

But twice lately the charge wouldn't start. Both times it was somewhat cold out (-2 and -5 C. respectively) but it has charged other times at those temperatures with no problems and in both instances the car had just been driven and was warm. I don't have winter mode turned on, but I'm thinking that because the battery was warm from driving that shouldn't be an issue? There was no snow or ice interfering with the connection.

The only other common factor was low state of charge (30km and 40km remaining, respectively) - lower than I usually go to.

Both times, the light on the Grizzl-e indicated it was waiting for the car to respond when I plugged it in, but no light in the opening on the car. Both times, I got it charging by unplugging, starting the car for a brief time, and then plugging back in. But it took several tries to make it go.

Discuss. Suggestions? Ideas?

Very concerning as this is our only vehicle and to be stranded in the cold with only a few kilometres left is not a good thing.

 

[KiwiME]

You'll need to add what the light around the charge port was indicating when plugged in. What colour and flashing or not. Was the orange timer light flashing?

The protocol is very simple - the charger provides a +/-12V square wave on the CP pin whose duty cycle represents the amps available, 6 to about 80. The EV sees that and loads one half of that signal with a resistor to indicate that it's ready to charge and on seeing that the charger then closes its relays to provide the current. The charger normally doesn't care what current actually flows but the Grizzl-e may have additional proprietary functionality past that.

 

[Das KONA]

No light of any sort around the charge port when plugged in (until I got it working, and then the usual green around the port and the small flashing orange). Except one time it was white around the port (and I can't remember if the orange showed or not), but it wasn't charging. The Grizzl-e has been very reliable and I'm very used to getting the green light around the port and the green or orange little light flashing.

 

[KiwiME]

Sorry, I see you did mention the car light earlier. Either the charger is not outputting the control signal or the Kona is not responding to it.

Have you tried the portable charger? That's the easiest practical way to pin down which side is the problem.

 

[Das KONA]

Sorry, I see you did mention the car light earlier. Either the charger is not outputting the control signal or the Kona is not responding to it.

Have you tried the portable charger? That's the easiest practical way to pin down which side is the problem.

View attachment 19364

View attachment 19365

Good idea. I’ll try that in the morning since it’s charging now and I don’t want to mess that up. It did the same thing again today and my grandson had to do the messing with it for about 5 minutes to get the charge to start.

 

[Das KONA]

Regular charger worked this morning, so I'll have to wait for the next time it fails to try the portable charger. Although I did note that the manual for the Grizzl-e said the flashing light I got said the charger was waiting for the car to respond when it wouldn't start. I'm also going to go out and clean the contacts with contact cleaner in case (hopefully) it's just a bit of crud in there causing this.

 

[Das KONA]

Regular charger wouldn’t start tonight, even after unplugging and re-plugging as the manual suggests. But the car’s portable charger started right away. I’ll be on the phone to Grizzl-e tomorrow.

Relieved that it doesn’t seem to be the car that’s the issue.

 

[ansonchappell]

Regular charger wouldn’t start tonight, even after unplugging and re-plugging as the manual suggests. But the car’s portable charger started right away. I’ll be on the phone to Grizzl-e tomorrow.

Relieved that it doesn’t seem to be the car that’s the issue.

Please report back. Those of us with Grizzl-e units will benefit from whatever you can learn.

 

[Das KONA]

Reporting back, and giving the Grizzl-e folks 9.99 out of 10 for customer service. I phoned, explained my problem and a replacement unit is being shipped. No interrogation, obfuscation or delays. I'll further report back if there are any more problems, but I doubt it. No idea what the issue is with this unit, but I don't really care and recognize that any product runs the risk of a failure now and again.

Only reason for not a full 10 out of 10 is that rather than taking all my info on the phone, they asked me to send in a request online using their form. Super minor issue and I understand them wanting the full details in writing.

 

[insightman]

Reporting back, and giving the Grizzl-e folks 9.99 out of 10 for customer service. I phoned, explained my problem and a replacement unit is being shipped. No interrogation, obfuscation or delays. I'll further report back if there are any more problems, but I doubt it. No idea what the issue is with this unit, but I don't really care and recognize that any product runs the risk of a failure now and again.

Only reason for not a full 10 out of 10 is that rather than taking all my info on the phone, they asked me to send in a request online using their form. Super minor issue and I understand them wanting the full details in writing.

Boss Grizzle: "Hey! Now ship the next rebuilt unit to this address."
Worker Grizzle: "Boss, slow down, that's 15 DOAs in the last half-hour! I'm getting tired! Can't you have them fill out two or three forms instead of just 1? Or make the online form much longer!"
Boss Grizzle: "Just be happy you don't have Joe's job in the rebuild closet."