ECOtality Level 2 charger : Blink

[Ingineer]

Wow that thing could be half the size it is.

In fact, It could be all put into the small round cord reel. Why they didn't at least make the big-ass square into the cord reel is a mystery.

A few months ago I sat through a presentation at the SFEVA meeting where the Blnk chief engineer and some other engineer of theirs who as supposedly an industrial engineering expert waxed on about how much time they spent on usability and how much research they did on things, only to produce such a bloated POS!

I'd be seriously afraid to connect my car to one of their DC fast chargers! (if they ever actually get it out the door!)

They used Linux for the core OS, and screwed it up so badly that it's not stable. That's hard to do!

If you have an existing CC unit, I'd stall Ecotality on letting them install this thing, at least until maybe they can get the bugs out.

Also: I don't think anyone should bother with an outdoor public charge station that doesn't incorporate some form of cable protection; a cord reel with a locking solenoid, or at least locking door that hides the cord. Around most areas here in the SF bay area an exposed cord won't last a week outside at night! Even if it's for free public use, Add a magstripe card slot and then the solenoid releases with a credit card or driver's license.

Blnk had "EV CHARGE CORD - DO NOT SALVAGE" printed on the cord, like that's going to stop it from being stolen! :lol:

-Phil

 

[TomT]

No, I'd keep the Blink as I've had no issues with it in my specific configuration.

If you all with the Blink had a choice to keep the CC until they fix some of these issues, would you take it?

 

[Bud]

Just wrapped up with the Blink install and it went great, no issues at all! I thought it was interesting that they decided that a separate disconnect next to the EVSE wasn't needed since it was hard-wired and they could put a lock-out on the circuit breaker.

Here are some pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/darkstarpdx/sets/72157626328012010/

I like the "Car In A Box" that ECOtality uses to test the Blink EVSE.

I just got a Blink install too! Prime Electric did a great job. One step closer to being an electric car owner. http://www.flickr.com/photos/60900074@N03/sets/72157626328386634/

 

[Spies]

Why they didn't at least make the big-ass square into the cord reel is a mystery.

I thought the same exact thing after seeing how comically large the unit is compared to how small it could have been. The huge boxes that the main unit and reel come in are gigantic too. They probably could have shipped at least 4 units if not more in the same boxes that the single unit and reel come in if they designed it that way. Not exactly a green design if you ask me.

 

[Glenn]

I just got a Blink install too! Prime Electric did a great job. One step closer to being an electric car owner. http://www.flickr.com/photos/60900074@N03/sets/72157626328386634/

Wow, Bud, I see you liked mwalsh's pink LEAF so much that you got your own!

 

[garygid]

Maybe the cord reel was a place to hide the backup
battery for their e-sucking screen and electronics? :lol:

 

[evnow]

They used Linux for the core OS, and screwed it up so badly that it's not stable. That's hard to do!

Not that hard

 

[evnow]

If you all with the Blink had a choice to keep the CC until they fix some of these issues, would you take it?

Blink gives me the features of TED - without any extra investment. I didn'y have a CC before - but I'd have preferred Blink over CC. Even with all the crashes. I always live in a beta environment, so a few crashes hardly matters to me. Ofcourse I've not had it not charge ... so that helps. So does the fact that if I don't charge at night on one day, I can still do my normal commute.

BTW, for all of those who are saying Blink should have first got their basics right etc etc. Remember they have a contract with the government to deliver the statistics etc - so they had to get the features out by December.

 

[Kelangst]

I actually like the industrial design. It looks cool to me - way nicer aesthetically than the clipper creek. What I wasn't expecting are the issues. Last night the car stopped charging after an hour. I charge just with the car timer and no settings on the blink. Something is clearly wrong with the blink device as this morning I had 5 bars of charge. I started last night with 4 - so 1 bar of charge and it stops. I checked the startup again, and again I got the EV error light, but this time the car also made "a loud noise" on start up that it doesn't usually make. So I am a little concerned.

I love the ability to see how much a charge costs me. Like the one bar of super off peak charging cost me $.27 last night. I am sure I'll be pleased to see 3 bars cost me much more this morning on standard rates. So I can be more miffed about my undercharged vehicle. Have an email in to them - a little too early to call this am still.

 

[bowthom]

Hello Blinkers,

Last night's test:
Blink connected via ethernet
No Blink timers set
Leaf Start timer @ 12:00 AM & stop timer @ 6:00 AM

Again I received 2 "Charging Stopped" emails @ 1:20 AM (10 of 12 bars) & 1:47 AM (10 of 12 bars) so even on ethernet something is not right. Either the Blink is crashing or possibly the Leaf begins charging again after the battery rests. The Blink "system uptime" has not reset in the last 2 nights so it has not crashed and done a full reboot as before when connected via WiFi.

Tonight I'll set it to charge earlier so I can wait up and monitor the activity to figure out what's going on.

kelangst,
Use my work around I posted a couple of pages back. At least your car will be charged in the AM.

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.

 

[DeaneG]

It would be useful to know the proportion of people having trouble getting a full charge with their Blink. I'm seriously wondering if I should buy a Leviton or SPX as a backup, but not if 90% of Blink users are OK.

 

[syntaxerror]

If you all with the Blink had a choice to keep the CC until they fix some of these issues, would you take it?

BTW, for all of those who are saying Blink should have first got their basics right etc etc. Remember they have a contract with the government to deliver the statistics etc - so they had to get the features out by December.

They do indeed have a contact to provide the government the stats, however if you don't get the basics right (i.e. not crashing during charging) you will not be providing accurate stats. I also have this really cool logging mechanism on the side of my house called a 2nd meter from my utility. They can simply forward those stats.

I think its really ironic they're wanting to track your usage and pinch every kWh but they're not tracking the constant 20-30 Watt burn for the inefficient design. I would really like the government to look at how many kWh Ecotality is wasting with how many Blinks are installed.

Think about it, your smartphone has way more capabilities than the Blink. You run for a day or two on a ~1500 mAh battery. Whats the sleep current draw on that? Max 1-2mW. The EVSE burns at least 10,000x more power....

 

[TomT]

As I have said before, I have had absolutely no problem with my Blink, but I have not been using any timers.

Blink, for the moment, for those who use a timer, recommends using the timer in the Blink itself. However, that does you no good if you want to charge to 80 percent...

A few days ago I decided to try an experiment: I don't want or need a timer but I do want to try charging to 80 percent. So, I set a timer in the car to both start and end at 12:00AM and to charge to 80 percent. This seems to work beautifully as it will start charging immediately whenever I plug it in and always stops at 80 percent. And the Blink seems to be perfectly happy with this. YMMV of course!

 

[MythicSeabass]

I don't want or need a timer but I do want to try charging to 80 percent. So, I set a timer in the car to both start and end at 12:00AM and to charge to 80 percent. This seems to work beautifully as it will start charging immediately whenever I plug it in and always stops at 80 percent. And the Blink seems to be perfectly happy with this. YMMV of course!

Excellent. I'll have to give that a try tonight.

 

[bowthom]

Excellent!!
I'm trying it too. My goal here is to make it as simple as possible for my wife.

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

I don't want or need a timer but I do want to try charging to 80 percent. So, I set a timer in the car to both start and end at 12:00AM and to charge to 80 percent. This seems to work beautifully as it will start charging immediately whenever I plug it in and always stops at 80 percent.

That's very clever mogur!

I'm in the opposite camp: I always want to charge to 100% (lease!), but Super-Off-Peak only at home, and no timer anywhere else. It seems like my configuration should be Timer on the Blink, no timer on the Leaf. Anyone doing this with no-glitch success?

 

[DarkStar]

I'm in the opposite camp: I always want to charge to 100% (lease!), but Super-Off-Peak only at home, and no timer anywhere else. It seems like my configuration should be Timer on the Blink, no timer on the Leaf. Anyone doing this with no-glitch success?

This is exactly how I'll be charging once I get my LEAF. Timer on the Blink, no timer on the LEAF.

 

[TomT]

I did try it a couple of times out of curiosity and it worked fine for me.

I'm in the opposite camp: I always want to charge to 100% (lease!), but Super-Off-Peak only at home, and no timer anywhere else. It seems like my configuration should be Timer on the Blink, no timer on the Leaf. Anyone doing this with no-glitch success?

 

[PDXLeafer]

BLINK charger modifications for outdoor install:

Got some outdoor mildew-resistant material at the local Mill End store, put Velcro strip top and bottom, and the glare isn't so bright outside now.

BTW, I have had no problems at all with the install or the use of the BLINK so far. I don't use a timer on the LEAF or the BLINK. I plug in, I charge

 

[evnow]

Here is a poll to check the extent of the problems.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3092