Kona EV 2019 Possible Charging Port issues

[Keith Smith]

I've now twice encountered an issues on my Kona that do not occur on my Niro using the same plugs/hardware. I've had random issues with various evse units (3 different ones), failing to start charging, only on the Kona. Cleaning the pins on one of my EVSE cables seemed to solve the issue with that unit, but today while charging it was going nuts changing the charge rate very minute or so. I have a current sensor on the feed line, graph below:



This was wreaking havoc with the LED bulbs, I unplugged at 6 as soon as I saw this graph. I'm going to clean the pins on the car side and try again tomorrow. I'm thinking it may be worthwhile to just swap the charge cable (OEM 91683K4011) can be had for under $400, but I though I would ask around before I get happy. The only other thing it could be is the battery charger unit itself.

 

[hobbit]

Could you match any current variation to physically wiggling the connector? Also if your EVSE isn't hardwired,
check its feed connection too.

_H*

 

[Keith Smith]

Could you match any current variation to physically wiggling the connector? Also if your EVSE isn't hardwired,
check its feed connection too.

_H*

Not hardwired, but zero issues with the NiroEV. I'm about 80% sure this is a problem with the pilot line at the J1772 socket, to the point I may replace the harness. Unplugging and re-pluging the cable corrected the problem, but that also causes a reset back at the charger. The little woman plugged it in, and it can be a little goofy if you don't get it perfectly straight. I've had other chargers simply refuse to work with the Kona, one which started working after I took a needle file to the pilot line. I found the harness and socket for under $500, I may just replace it. Too bad I can't swap it with a NACS, kill two birds with one stone !

 

[mtd]

I found the harness and socket for under $500, I may just replace it. Too bad I can't swap it with a NACS, kill two birds with one stone !

We're going to be stuck with external adapters to use NACS. Modification would require a contactor to switch the two big pins between AC and DC, and associated control circuitry, as it is on the Tesla. Likely all that will only come with new EV's.

 

[Keith Smith]

We're going to be stuck with external adapters to use NACS. Modification would require a contactor to switch the two big pins between AC and DC, and associated control circuitry, as it is on the Tesla. Likely all that will only come with new EV's.

I dunno, I hear you, Maybe. From the looks of the wiring harness:

It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to engineer something in that would handle it, if you swapped the on-board charger along with it. We have all kinds of esoteric aftermarket items for ICE engines, that require machining. Swapping out a wiring harness and an OBCHG should not be that tough. They came up with an inline box for the original Nissan Leaf to allow the use of Lithium batteries, instead of the NiMH or NiCads (I can't remember) they originally had. It had to actually fake out the onboard computer as well. It might take a few years, but as CCS fades it might be worth it, and should be much easier than the Nissan mod.