Siemens VersiCharge Problem Resolved (Updated Info)

[planet4ever]

BJGuillot: Is there any chance you might change the title of your post? The reason I ask is I was thinking of buying one as my next EVSE...

I'm wondering the same thing - if this works out, are you going to change your title?

BJ: All you have to do to change the title is go back to your first post and edit it. Change the title there. (Moderators could possibly change it for you, but you are the only "mortal" with the power to do it yourself.)

Ray

 

[BJGuillot]

Guys, sorry, haven't checked the forum for a few days. Saw a lot of requests to change the subject of the initial post. Went ahead and made the change due to the updated info I will post in the next paragraph. I'm a bit troubled by all the negative responses from forum members about my original title, though--I was just trying to do you guys a favor and potentially save you from spending $900 on a piece of equipment that seemed [at the time] to have zero customer service. It turns out the people on the weekend shift just didn't know the right procedures. Was I harsh? Yeah, but I think you guys might have been too after that Saturday conversation. Anyway, the guy I've been talking to at Siemens since then have been absolutely fantastic.

Here's the latest update:

I received the replacement VersiCharge this evening. Plugged it in, and everything works just great. Halo turns green, you hear the big loud "thunk" from the relay, and then the Leaf beeps and flashes it's blue lights.

As an experiment, I plugged in the old VersiCharge, and it fails as expected. Halo turns green, but no thunk sound. And no beep or blue lights on the Leaf. Unlike the other gentleman's problem, I did not see any kind of fault light on my old VersiCharge.

While I have both VersiCharge units at my house, I'm going to try to make a video tomorrow that shows how the units behave side by side. I've already sent my contact at Siemens a note to tell them the replacement unit is working fine.

I'll ship the old unit back to Siemens, and hopefully their techs can figure out what's really wrong with it. If I ever hear the resolution of the root cause issue, I'll let the forum know.

 

[Elephanthead]

I have to make sure I lift up on the handle after I plug it in to make sure the retainer clicks in. This is the only problem I have had with the versacharger, but I bought mine used on fleabay.

 

[davewill]

Guys, sorry, haven't checked the forum for a few days. Saw a lot of requests to change the subject of the initial post. Went ahead and made the change due to the updated info I will post in the next paragraph. I'm a bit troubled by all the negative responses from forum members about my original title, though--I was just trying to do you guys a favor and potentially save you from spending $900 on a piece of equipment that seemed [at the time] to have zero customer service. ...

We understood, but threads and posts on this site tend to end up as "stories" on a lot of the EV news sites, so once you started to get proper support, it made sense to change it. I didn't see a lot of negative posts, just requests to change it (or a response from you why you still felt that way).

 

[BJGuillot]

Here's a video I posted that shows the difference in behavior between the malfunctioning charger and the replacement charger Siemens sent me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ikmeoz3I0I

Oh... for whatever brain freeze reason in the video, I called my car a "2002 Leaf", when I obviously should have said "2012 Leaf".

 

[Phatcat73]

Lately my Siemens unit randomly emits a high pitch sound while charging. Yesterday, for the first time the delay buttons didn't work until after I plugged in my car. I'll keep monitoring.

 

[Elephanthead]

Had my early production unit fail same as the OP. Siemens shipped out a new unit with a call in and an email of my receipt. It works fine and the plug fits much better. They are going to send me a label to ship the old unit back. They have awesome customer service. The guy on the phone said that there is a part that pops loose inside, I assume from the relay switching but who knows. I will update if the second unit fails. Replacement unit was brand new in retail box. They offered to help refund my purchase price if I didn't want a replacement. I will just open EVSE the parts if they quit shipping me units.