Newbie with charging questions.

[hhkona]

I have been lurking here since we decided on a Kona EV. Just picked up the limited at MSRP. Got a Maine incentive of $2,000, First Responder incentive of $500, turned down the $500 incentive with 2.5% financing in favor of 0% APR. Also, will get the full $7,500 tax rebate. That put the real cost right around the price of the 2019 Ultimate we looked at with 35,000 miles.

I have no doubt I'll be hitting you more experienced folks with a lot of questions, but I am already having a charging issue.

I got a blink 150, plugged into a welding type outlet I have never used, but confirmed the voltage. It immediately started charging, but then threw the breaker on the 40 amp fuse box. A couple times. Getting an electrician where I live is hard to do, but I am working on it to see if it is the charger or the circuit. Am I missing anything? Could there be some setting that is wrong?

In the mean time, I am charging Level 1 with no problem. But, the bluelink seems kind of worthless. Well after I changed to the level 1, it continued to show the same %, and showed me charging on 240.
Now, with the car at 85%, it continues to show it at 80%.

I appreciate all I have already learned from this group, and would appreciate any thoughts on this.

 

[ayryq]

If my googling is correct, that EVSE is only capable of charging at 32A, which means your 40A circuit should be plenty. But as a test, you could reduce the max current in software to something less, and see if charges. Look for the "Max Amperage" setting in the web interface.

Nice deal with the financing. We turned down the $500 to get 1.9%.

 

[electriceddy]

but then threw the breaker on the 40 amp fuse box. A couple times.

Maximum current Kona EV on board charger is rated for is 30 A (7200 @ 240 V single phase). unless you are in Europe where some issues have been found with the 3 phase on board charger.
If you are in N.A., I suggest you first try to charge at a public EVSE where it (and the car) will tell you what rate kW are being charged into the battery...if it works, than there is an issue with the wiring or the breaker itself protecting the 6-50 receptacle in your garage. Next step, try a different 40A breaker...if it is an old square D without a window for example, this breaker should be changed. Also check the wires are #8 gauge to the 6-50 outlet, as some mig welders (and arc )can have #10s with a 40A breaker. If that is the case , wire should be upgraded or at least set the maximum AC charging current to minimum using the battery management screen. This type of problem is best troubleshooted with a good quality clamp on meter and obviously a decent voltmeter as well.

 

[Ivan Salazar]

It may be the breaker. I had to change the 40amp breakers so the my L2 charger works reliably. As mentioned, lower you L2 to minimum to see how that affects your charging. I use 5.5Kw instead of the 7.5Kw that would be maximum L2.

 

[hhkona]

If my googling is correct, that EVSE is only capable of charging at 32A, which means your 40A circuit should be plenty. But as a test, you could reduce the max current in software to something less, and see if charges. Look for the "Max Amperage" setting in the web interface.

Nice deal with the financing. We turned down the $500 to get 1.9%.

How would I reduce the max current in the software?

 

[electriceddy]

reduce the max current in the software?

Main display... Select EV/ Charge Management/ Charging Current (left side bottom) /AC 240V / select low or medium note:
This video gets you started @ 0.19 to 0.25 seconds
)
Alternatively you can select Battery / Charge Management... (instead of EV)

 

[ayryq]

How would I reduce the max current in the software?

I don't have that EVSE, and mine requires the adjustment of physical DIP switches. But I found the manual to the Blink HQ 150 at HQ 150 EV Charger -Powerful and Sleek Residential Charging : Blink Charging - on PDF page 43 there's a field "Max Amperage FW Setting." If you don't have the "smart" one that can do that, I can't find any way to do it.

 

[hhkona]

Late breaking news- I might have gotten it wrong. Anybody know how many amps this is?

 

[KiwiME]

It's on the toggle.

 

[hhkona]

I have been working with bad information.
Its a 30 amp fuse.

On the bright side, I believe I have the most efficient vehicle ever made.

226 miles on 0% seems pretty good.
Is this app generally accurate?

 

[NRH]

Congrats on the new car! Glad you got the breaker issue sorted. It's odd that you have a receptacle that allows a 32A load with a 30A breaker (and probably 10ga wire). You may want to swap that receptacle to match the wiring and fuse to prevent a problem in the future. In the meantime, just keep the charge rate on the car or in your EVSE limited to 24amps (80% of 30A breaker for continuous loads).

The app has been good for us. Sometimes it shows me old information, but I've always been able to press "refresh" in the app and then it matches reality.