ECOtality Level 2 charger : Blink

[evnow]

Perhaps the Shorepower engineer was right in predicting the susceptibility of the J1772 standard to RFI causing the cycle to stop.

Don't know about this - but my Blink disconnects from wi-fi when connected to the car - whether charging or not. This is something Ecotality people said they were trying to fix in the next update.

 

[Azrich]

Here is a link to my Blink installation photos. This is my first time using Flickr, so I hope it works.

There is something I don't think anyone has seen yet, the insides of the Blink.

My garage wall has to be the brightest wall on which any Blink has been installed! We painted the garage last summer after installing cabinets on the opposite wall and ran out of some old "antique white" paint we had. So we had to buy a gallon and decide to brighten up this wall. Won't my Blue Ocean LEAF look great in front of this Santa Fe Gold wall??????

Blink installation photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60752910@N02/sets/72157626300613264/detail/

 

[Spies]

Don't know about this - but my Blink disconnects from wi-fi when connected to the car - whether charging or not. This is something Ecotality people said they were trying to fix in the next update.

I can certainly see this behavior increasing wonkiness of the Blink using WiFi networks.

Sounds like I will be getting out my CAT cable and crimper soon and running a line out to the garage to eliminate at least one variable for Blink usability and stableness

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

I see no reason to have any fixed-mounted appliance on WiFi. I hardwire everything I can, preserving WiFi bandwidth for mobile devices. No matter how you slice it, Cat5 is more reliable and more secure than any form of WiFi.

I will have an ethernet cable dangling at the Blink installation point, and insist that it be connected.

 

[bowthom]

Evnow,
I can log into the Blink when my car is plugged in so the WiFi in my unit has to be working.
I'm with you groundloop - I'm running cat 6 out to the garage this weekend.

 

[Fabio]

I have a detached garage, and can't run cat6 to it. Wifi reception (while ok for my iphone) is not as good with the blink.
I ended up installing a range extender and connecting the blink to it via Ethernet. With this setup the connection is nice and reliable.

Evnow,
I can log into the Blink when my car is plugged in so the WiFi in my unit has to be working.
I'm with you groundloop - I'm running cat 6 out to the garage this weekend.

 

[pksd1]

When programming in the rates has anyone been able to separate Summer and Winter rates? Or do you just create one long list with 12 entries in it !

 

[SilverLeaf]

Apparently goor or OK for 100% no-LEAF-Timer charging, right?

But, still a problem when wanting 80% charging (needing the LEAF's timers), right?

Many seem to report R1.2a firmware in the Blink. One report said R1.8 I believe.

It would be helpful if all Blink users included their Blink's Revision number in their Signature (see Profile in the forum's User Control Panel).

I had reported the R1.8, but that was the version in the User Manual. The physical Blink is R1.2A, same as everyone else.

 

[Jimmydreams]

When programming in the rates has anyone been able to separate Summer and Winter rates? Or do you just create one long list with 12 entries in it !

I have all the winter and summer rates programmed. It's a PITA, but they're all in there. You might try using the intranet interface....some people find it easier to use their mouse to enter all the data.

 

[pksd1]

When programming in the rates has anyone been able to separate Summer and Winter rates? Or do you just create one long list with 12 entries in it !

I have all the winter and summer rates programmed. It's a PITA, but they're all in there. You might try using the intranet interface....some people find it easier to use their mouse to enter all the data.

Jimmy, I am using the web interface, and yes its MUCH better . So basically you do have to create 12 different rates correct ? And you cannot create "Summer" or "Winter" Labels, or am I missing something ?

PK

 

[Jimmydreams]

When programming in the rates has anyone been able to separate Summer and Winter rates? Or do you just create one long list with 12 entries in it !

I have all the winter and summer rates programmed. It's a PITA, but they're all in there. You might try using the intranet interface....some people find it easier to use their mouse to enter all the data.

Jimmy, I am using the web interface, and yes its MUCH better . So basically you do have to create 12 different rates correct ? And you cannot create "Summer" or "Winter" Labels, or am I missing something ?

PK

I didn't see anything where you can create a group....each entry takes you through the time, day, month options. :|

 

[bowthom]

Hello Blinkers
Here is my work around test for tonight.
The leaf is set for a 12:00 AM charge start timer and a 6:00 AM charge end timer @ 80% charge.
The Blink is set for 12:05 AM to 8:00 AM timed charge (end time allows for preconditioning if the Blink is still up).
Leaf pre conditioning is set to 7:45 AM <<< This not done - decided not to conduct 2 test simultaneously.

What seems to be happening now:
The leaf does not know it is plugged in and is not looking at the signals, the blink therefore is not being affected while waiting for the Leaf timer and is also not looking for signals.

I am hoping when the Blink charge period commences the Leaf will begin charging immediately avoiding a Blink crash until after the 80% charge is complete. It may crash after that but at least the car will be charged.

Could probably eliminate the start timer in the Leaf........... OK that's tomorrow's test.

ON EDIT 1:
At 12:00 AM the Leaf beeped once, the green "plugged in" dash indicator blinked a few times then went out. iPhone app indicates car not plugged in. Blink does not react for 5 min.
At 12:05 AM the Blink commences the charge cycle and the Leaf begins charging.
ON EDIT 2:
At 9:00 AM the battery is at 10 of 12 bars and I received a single "charge stopped" email at 2:45 AM.

Seems like a doable work around to me.

 

[evnow]

The leaf is set for a 12:00 AM charge start timer and a 6:00 AM charge end timer @ 80% charge.
The Blink is set for 12:05 AM to 8:00 AM timed charge (end time allows for preconditioning if the Blink is still up).
Leaf pre conditioning is set to 7:45 AM

Interesting. If this works, this would be my preference as well. Currently my biggest problem is Blink loses wi-fi connection when plugged in.

 

[bowthom]

Evnow,
My leaf does not show it is plugged in and I think it eliminates the interference. Give it a try it couldn't hurt. It would be nice to have the data point. When I called support they asked if I had called before cuz it sounded familiar. I said "you're going to be getting a lot of calls like this when people start getting their Leafs."

 

[ENIAC]

Perhaps the Shorepower engineer was right in predicting the susceptibility of the J1772 standard to RFI causing the cycle to stop.

Don't know about this - but my Blink disconnects from wi-fi when connected to the car - whether charging or not. This is something Ecotality people said they were trying to fix in the next update.

You could try changing the frequency of your Wi-Fi network. This is done at the wireless router in its wireless config setup. There are three non-overlapping frequencies in Wi-Fi channels in 2.4 GHz band. They are 1, 6, and 11. Stay away from 6 because that is the Linksys default frequency and as such is very popular. So I would suggest you try channel 1 and/or 11 and see if the Blink still drops the connection. Also, have you tried using a notebook in your garage near the Blink? If the network strength is low, as seen on the notebook, that could be the issue. Or, if the Blink knocks out the notebook when you connect the Blink to the car, then you are probably looking at an EMI issue.

 

[evnow]

Or, if the Blink knocks out the notebook when you connect the Blink to the car, then you are probably looking at an EMI issue.

Thats what ecotality said.

I've used all kinds of wi-fi devices in the car without problems (smart phones, zune etc).

 

[TomT]

I have a fairly sophisticated WiFi sniffer and I checked around the Leaf and Blink with both off, the Blink on, and the Blink on and charging the vehicle. I could detect no difference in the WiFi signal level, interference or integrity under any of those conditions. I'm on channel 11. My sniffer shows 4 other Wifi points at my location but I'm the only one on 11.

Or, if the Blink knocks out the notebook when you connect the Blink to the car, then you are probably looking at an EMI issue.

Thats what ecotality said.

I've used all kinds of wi-fi devices in the car without problems (smart phones, zune etc).

 

[bowthom]

In my case I think the interference is on the charge cable, made worse when not pushing current. Maybe different levels of noise depending on the vehicle. EVNOW's Leaf may have more noise than most.

There are a few sources of noise from both the Leaf and the Blink, For example the blink uses an off the shelf switch mode power supply known (generically) for lots of hi frequency noise. The Leaf uses same for it's on board can bus and logic systems. Near similar frequencies can cause beat frequency harmonics above and below the fundamental PWM frequency. These can modulate signals and be misread by the logic circuits because it is riding on the power supply to every device in the unit.

 

[evnow]

Let me ask this, how many of you are facing this - "network disconnect on connecting the cable" - problem ? How many of you have no problem ? Ecotality made it sound like a very common problem that I can't try to fix at my end ....

I do have a lot of wi-fi network signals that reach my garage - more than a dozen ...

 

[ENIAC]

Let me ask this, how many of you are facing this - "network disconnect on connecting the cable" - problem ? How many of you have no problem ? Ecotality made it sound like a very common problem that I can't try to fix at my end ....

I do have a lot of wi-fi network signals that reach my garage - more than a dozen ...

A dozen separate unique Wi-Fi networks? Again, I would recommend you check you make sure you are on a frequency away from the clutter. But that doesn't appear to be your issue with the Blink. I suspect your unit is defective. Could be EMI from the cable. That would be a very bad thing and the FCC frowns on those things. If that were a general design flaw it would have never passed FCC Part 15 testing, which Ecotality claims they passed. Could be that when you connect the EVSE to your LEAF, power drops on the bus for some reason and knocks out your Wi-Fi card. It could be a lot of things. But I would insist Ecotality swap your Blink out ASAP, especially if EMI is suspected. There is licensed spectrum close to 2.4GHz.