240V EV-ChargeAmerica EVSE - (likely scam buyer beware)

[z0ner]

Dang that's so cool! I mean I love my super-power ClipperCreek CS-100 but man that multi-color backlit display is the cat's meow! Jealous.

Well done!

Exactly. I almost want to buy a ChargeAmerica EVSE just so Chris can gut it and make it right

 

[chris1howell]

Hmm... I wonder if I could get the enclosures only with custom OpenEVSE graphics, not sure I want to give any buisness to EV-ChargeAmerica though :? .

 

[chris1howell]

Its starting to come together...


Installed the RGB LCD


30A Fuse holders and fuses...


Adafruit i2c RGB LCD "backpack"


OpenEVSE, Advanced Power Supply and 30A relay


AC line wiring and Ground block


Almost Done...

 

[RSH]

It's looking very nice indeed. So glad Chris got a hold of it before it burned my house down! Thanks, Chris!

 

[chris1howell]

It's finished... Here are the rest of the photos.

AC Input, Ground on OpenEVSE AC In




J1772 with CR8420-1000-G CT for GFCI


Ready...


Charging...

 

[chris1howell]

Here is a video...


http://www.youtube.com/embed/cZbfMcIaFDQ

 

[RSH]

It doesn't look quite the same without the frayed wires and all the extra useless stuff. But I can't wait to re-install it and know it will work without putting me in danger. Thanks again, Chris.

 

[financeguy]

Well I am impressed by what has been done here. I'm the guy with two of these units one with a Oily mess inside and one that I drilled a small hole in the side so I could trip the boards reset button. I'm wondering if anyone would be either fixing one up for me and using the second as part payment for the parts and work. I know the 20 foot havey charging cord has some value. I've already disconnected set of cords because I was thinking of selling them on ebay but after seeing how cool this upgrade is, maybe we can work something out. Although I know how heavy these units are the shipping would be a killer one Unit is over 28 pounds with the cords. I also have extra mounting plates.

 

[garygid]

Where are you located?

 

[mwalsh]

Major kudos to Chris for getting it working for RSH. What a nice guy! And a heck of a better design/implementation than from those cowboys at EVCA!

 

[chris1howell]

I have posted a Wiki at the OpenEVSE site with all the info required to perform the the upgrade.

http://code.google.com/p/open-evse/wiki/EVSE_EV_ChargeAmerica_Upgrade

If you have an EVCA EVSE and would like to upgrade send me a PM. I will do whatever I can to help out (provide advice, labor, OpenEVSE parts at cost). If you have already purchased an new EVSE and just want to get rid of your EVCA EVSE, I may have OpenEVSE builders interested in buying some of the parts (J1772 cable and enclosure).

 

[chris1howell]

I am gutting and retrofitting my 2nd and 3rd non-working EVCA EVSEs. The custom board on these units is a lot better than the first. There are still a lot of wires going to an Arduino Mega, I am not sure why they just didn’t include an Atmel microprocessor in their custom board. Would have been a lot cleaner... One of the EVSEs was a sticky nasty mess, some of the metal shavings came from drilling out the 2 rivets but there was metals darker than the Aluminum rivets.

 

[chris1howell]

Here are my ideas for a new front panel graphic...

 

[TNleaf]

Here are my ideas for a new front panel graphic...

Very sleek looking. The right (darker) one is easier on the eyes. (if my opinion matters). The left (lighter) one, is difficult to read the Light Blue on Silver background ("open source hardware" beneath the cog).

Good stuff all around. I just hope someone doesn't come to this thread, skip several pages to the end, and see your nice looking product and assume it is an EVChargeAmerica EVSE... maybe branch to a different thread?

 

[palmermd]

Here are my ideas for a new front panel graphic...

Very sleek looking. The right (darker) one is easier on the eyes. (if my opinion matters). The left (lighter) one, is difficult to read the Light Blue on Silver background ("open source hardware" beneath the cog).

+1 I agree.

 

[TimeHorse]

Here are my ideas for a new front panel graphic...

Very sleek looking. The right (darker) one is easier on the eyes. (if my opinion matters). The left (lighter) one, is difficult to read the Light Blue on Silver background ("open source hardware" beneath the cog).

+1 I agree.

+2 now.

 

[financeguy]

They make a good point make it +3

 

[garygid]

For the darker pattern: +4

 

[smkettner]

+5 on the dark face

It amazes me how much original effort was made by EVCA to essentially produce junk.
Have they called yet to sell you all the unsold enclosures? :lol: :roll:

 

[chris1howell]

I believe if they did not rush to market they could have done a lot better. But unfortunately for those who put money down, they did not get what they paid for assuming they got anything at all...

I did send EVCA an email inquiring about purchasing enclosures. I never received a reply...