ECOtality Level 2 charger : Blink

[DarkStar]

So, from a high-level, the Blink doesn't "communicate" that charging information to the vehicle since it isn't part of the J1772 specification. From what I understand (I'm waiting for the FCC-ID to do more research), the Blink downloads info from the vehicle over a separate wireless system (Zigbee for all the Googlers) and transmits it to the EV Project. The J1772 charging part will function like any other charging station, it provides a "pilot" signal during the times you've told the Blink to allow charging to the vehicle. You can't tell the Blink to charge the car to 80% because it has no idea what the state-of-charge is of the vehicle. No EVSE on the market currently can tell what the SOC is of a vehicle, except for the DC Quick Charge stations (and that's because they don't use a pilot signal, they use the CAN-bus for communication).

If you want to do 80% charging, you have to use the timer on the LEAF and the timer on the Blink has to be outside of the LEAF timer so it starts charging when you want it to. If you want 100% charging (like I will be doing), programming no timer on the LEAF and setting the timer on the Blink will probably be the way to go.

 

[garygid]

It is not verified that the EV will transmit SOC info to a QC charging station. The BMS and Charge Controller in the EV tell the external QC unit what current to supply, when and how to taper off, and when to stop.

Although the car could send SOC info to the QC for display,
I do not remember a QC user reporting seeing SOC on the QC.

But ... I might have "lost" that particular neuron. :lol:

 

[DarkStar]

http://chademo.com/01_Protocol/01_What_is_CHAdeMO_Protocol.html

The "battery status" provides the SOC to the DC Quick Charger.

Here's an image showing the DC Quick Charger displaying the "remaining capacity":

 

[evnow]

I have found the kWh/month value to be pretty accurate though.

How is the last charge cost estimate ?

I'm planning to set my cost to 10 cents (close enough) and record this last charge cost as a proxy for kwh used to charge everyday, since it doesn't look like Blink gives us a per charge breakdown of kwh used.

This along with miles travelled each day will help me document efficiency stats.

 

[syntaxerror]

If you want to do 80% charging, you have to use the timer on the LEAF and the timer on the Blink has to be outside of the LEAF timer so it starts charging when you want it to. If you want 100% charging (like I will be doing), programming no timer on the LEAF and setting the timer on the Blink will probably be the way to go.

But why? When I say turn on, turn on for gosh sakes, when I say turn off, turn off. I don't understand why there is a timer associated with an on/off functionality. It sounds like the Blink is trying to do more than what they can do.

To this day I do not understand how they will accomplish the following items in their datasheet:
"Smart Phone Applications for status charges and notification of completion or interruption of charge"

Overall I don't see how this can happen from the EVSE.

 

[garygid]

The "Remaining Capacity" on the QC screen MIGHT not be a status from the car, but just an indication of what percent of the QC's maximum power output is being used at the moment.

Anybody know for sure?

 

[garygid]

The Blink's timer feature is likely for EVs that do NOT have a timer, will just ask for power whenever they are plugged in, and will charge whenever they get power.

For these, the Blink will only switch on the power during ITS timed interval.

 

[Jimmydreams]

The Blink's timer feature is likely for EVs that do NOT have a timer, will just ask for power whenever they are plugged in, and will charge whenever they get power.

For these, the Blink will only switch on the power during ITS timed interval.

A good assumption. If that's the case, there should be a set-up screen for the Blink where you input the model of car you're charging (really, how many people will have more than 1 at this point?). If you tell it you're charging a Leaf, it removes the timer display to avoid confusion.

Or something like that.....

 

[syntaxerror]

The Blink's timer feature is likely for EVs that do NOT have a timer, will just ask for power whenever they are plugged in, and will charge whenever they get power.

Is this a solution looking for a problem? Leaf, Volt, have it....Assume the Focus will have it...

 

[DarkStar]

Anybody know for sure?

I know, for sure. I've seen the local one with a LEAF plugged in with my own two eyes.

 

[syntaxerror]

.... But when I look at the Blink Display, it has a screen that says "Now Charging" with a timer. It shouldn't be counting charge seconds when the LEAF is waiting for its timer to start.

So this morning I go out to the garage to look at it at 630. It had been plugged into the car since about 10pm, but the actual charge process on the car went for 2 hours 10 minutes (midnight to 2:10am and I got the email from the car at 2:10am that it stopped charging). But the Blink display says it was still charging before I unplugged it and said it had been charging for 8.5 hours. That just doesn't seem right. If no current is flowing, shouldn't the Blink be smart enough to not count charging time while it is waiting for the LEAF timer to start?

What are the thoughts of others on the forum who have a Blink? Does your act like this as well?

Thanks, Randy

Yup. I have a similar charge regimen. My Blink does this. And it seems to randomly reset this charge timer during the night so sometimes it reports the time since I plugged in and sometimes it's time since some random event (maybe when charging stopped). I have found the kWh/month value to be pretty accurate though.
I have a weekly email I send to my local Blink rep about any issues (much has been fixed since mine was installed).
This bogus "Charging Time" display is one of things I mentioned with the last email.

I can see how this isn't a big deal for some, but for those of us in the SDG&E area or any area with EV TOU style rates this is a huge deal. I want to charge between midnight and 5. Hopefully they fix this soon.

Personally I would like to not even interact with the blink when I plug in. I just should be able to plug in the J1772 connector and walk away. I really don't even want to interact with it in normal use cases. I would prefer to be comfortable in my house and look at my usage and other stats from a webpage (or equiv.)

 

[DarkStar]

If you tell it you're charging a Leaf, it removes the timer display to avoid confusion.

For me though, the Blink timer will be the way to go since I'm charging to 100%. I want to make sure I don't start charging until 10pm at night so I'm on off-peak billing, however when I'm at a public charging station or at work it will start charging as soon as I'm plugged in.

The LEAF really needs a feature that allows you to configure it to only charge to 80% whenever it's plugged in. Also, using the LEAF timer isn't necessarily compatible with the EV Charge Sharing Protocol...

 

[WWBD]

Yesterday I had my ECOtality Clipper Creek EVSE replaced with a Blink. The Blink is doing something different than what I expected, so I wanted to post the behavior and see if others are seeing the same thing...

With the Clipper Creek, I set the timer on the LEAF to 80%. Every couple of days when I would get home, I would plug in the J connector to the LEAF. It would click and thump and start to charge momentarily, "realize" that the timer was set, turn off the Clipper Creek in a few seconds and display the "rotating blue lights" on the dash, meaning that the timer was set. At the appropriate time (after midnight), the car would start charging because of the timer, go up to 80% and then shut off the charging process. It worked well, and it was simple.

The Blink's charging timer only seems to go to 100%, so I decided right away to keep using the LEAF's 80% timer. The Blink only has two modes, Charge Now and Timer Charge. Since I'm using the timer on the LEAF, I chose the setting on the Blink that says "Charge Now". So when I plug in the Blink, it initially acts like the Clipper Creek, starts charging and then the car takes over and stops the charge after a few seconds to wait for the timer. No problem. But when I look at the Blink Display, it has a screen that says "Now Charging" with a timer. It shouldn't be counting charge seconds when the LEAF is waiting for its timer to start.

So this morning I go out to the garage to look at it at 630. It had been plugged into the car since about 10pm, but the actual charge process on the car went for 2 hours 10 minutes (midnight to 2:10am and I got the email from the car at 2:10am that it stopped charging). But the Blink display says it was still charging before I unplugged it and said it had been charging for 8.5 hours. That just doesn't seem right. If no current is flowing, shouldn't the Blink be smart enough to not count charging time while it is waiting for the LEAF timer to start?

What are the thoughts of others on the forum who have a Blink? Does your act like this as well?

Thanks, Randy

I just plugged my car into the blink for the first time today. I am in the exact situation as you. Is the Blink overriding my 80% timer Leaf charge? The screen is counting past 20 minutes now, I will check my car's mileage in a bit to see if it's been charged up at all. I don't like this. Score one for Clipper Creek.

Edit: Even though the Blink says it's been charging for 2 hours, I'm still stuck at 21 miles (where I was when I plugged it in). Clearly the unit doesn't know bupkus. Is it going to turn on at 2:00a tonight as scheduled by the car? I hope so!

 

[Skywagon]

Yesterday I had my ECOtality Clipper Creek EVSE replaced with a Blink. The Blink is doing something different than what I expected, so I wanted to post the behavior and see if others are seeing the same thing...

With the Clipper Creek, I set the timer on the LEAF to 80%. Every couple of days when I would get home, I would plug in the J connector to the LEAF. It would click and thump and start to charge momentarily, "realize" that the timer was set, turn off the Clipper Creek in a few seconds and display the "rotating blue lights" on the dash, meaning that the timer was set. At the appropriate time (after midnight), the car would start charging because of the timer, go up to 80% and then shut off the charging process. It worked well, and it was simple.

The Blink's charging timer only seems to go to 100%, so I decided right away to keep using the LEAF's 80% timer. The Blink only has two modes, Charge Now and Timer Charge. Since I'm using the timer on the LEAF, I chose the setting on the Blink that says "Charge Now". So when I plug in the Blink, it initially acts like the Clipper Creek, starts charging and then the car takes over and stops the charge after a few seconds to wait for the timer. No problem. But when I look at the Blink Display, it has a screen that says "Now Charging" with a timer. It shouldn't be counting charge seconds when the LEAF is waiting for its timer to start.

So this morning I go out to the garage to look at it at 630. It had been plugged into the car since about 10pm, but the actual charge process on the car went for 2 hours 10 minutes (midnight to 2:10am and I got the email from the car at 2:10am that it stopped charging). But the Blink display says it was still charging before I unplugged it and said it had been charging for 8.5 hours. That just doesn't seem right. If no current is flowing, shouldn't the Blink be smart enough to not count charging time while it is waiting for the LEAF timer to start?

What are the thoughts of others on the forum who have a Blink? Does your act like this as well?

Thanks, Randy

I just plugged my car into the blink for the first time today. I am in the exact situation as you. Is the Blink overriding my 80% timer Leaf charge? The screen is counting past 20 minutes now, I will check my car's mileage in a bit to see if it's been charged up at all. I don't like this. Score one for Clipper Creek.

The Blink is not overriding your 80% charger, it has no way of doing that. The car requests power when it wants and all the Blink does is supply it. That timer runs whenever an EV is connected and is not directly showing how long the LEAF has been requesting/taking a charge.

 

[WWBD]

Why don't the three charging lights on my Leaf blink in sequence like they used to with the clipper creek to indicate timer charging is set? For all its fanciness, the Blink is getting a lot of the simple stuff wrong.

 

[Skywagon]

Why don't the three charging lights on my Leaf blink in sequence like they used to with the clipper creek to indicate timer charging is set? For all its fanciness, the Blink is getting a lot of the simple stuff wrong.

That is an issue with your car, not the Blink.

 

[evnow]

Why don't the three charging lights on my Leaf blink in sequence like they used to with the clipper creek to indicate timer charging is set? For all its fanciness, the Blink is getting a lot of the simple stuff wrong.

Are you sure you connected it right ? Try seating it again ...

 

[ts31825]

Got the Blink unit installed tonight...I really miss the simplicity of the Clipper Creek unit...and the length of the cord. The cord on my unit is barely 17 feet from the base of the unit to the tip of the plug. If the cord were truly 18 feet my initial impression of the unit would have been better.

Well I will give a couple of days before I start to whine.

Glen

 

[DarkStar]

Why don't the three charging lights on my Leaf blink in sequence like they used to with the clipper creek to indicate timer charging is set? For all its fanciness, the Blink is getting a lot of the simple stuff wrong.

Is a timer set on the Blink or the Leaf? If there is no timer on the Blink and it is "charging" then the timer on the LEAF would take prescient. If you have the timer set on the Blink, then the LEAF won't even know it's plugged in until the Blink reaches the time it is set for.

 

[WWBD]

The timer is set on my car. With the old clipper creek unit I would hear a satisfying (and informative) CLICK sound when the plug was connected. There's nothing of the sort now. I am shoving it in there pretty good, but there's no reassurance that the Blink is attached correctly. Of course, the Blink unit says "Now Charging," so I assume it's drawing power. But again, why am I not getting the blinking lights on my dash? Skywagon, you say (rather curtly) that "it's an issue with my car." Ummm...my car is brand new just like everyone else's. It's been working for a month and a half just splendidly with the clipper creek. How is it an issue with my car?

Edit: I just tested out the instant charge. Changing nothing on the blink, I pushed the timer override button inside the Leaf and connected the plug. It started charging up and one of the dashboard lights came on. So now I'll find out overnight if the timer charge works as usual. I still can't figure out why the three dashboard lights aren't blinking in sequence on plug-in (to indicate timer charging is set). That's a feature of the car (per the user manual) that the Blink is overriding for some reason.

I also find the plug-in/pull-out to be kind of difficult to finagle, especially compared to the Clipper Creek unit. Besides the aforementioned lack of a clicking noise when it's settled in, I have to apply quite a bit of force to both get it into the plug and to pull it out.