Vacaville L3 Chargepoint

[hill]

Since they are gaging user acceptance. If you live near Vacaville, please use the charge station as much as possible to show we need this station.

I'd love to. And I *would,* save for the fact that I don't own a car that can take advantage of it.

darell, with the ton of EV charger adapters I've seen on the evnut pages, I'd figure you already had a handle on that.
:mrgreen:

 

[darelldd]

Since they are gaging user acceptance. If you live near Vacaville, please use the charge station as much as possible to show we need this station.

I'd love to. And I *would,* save for the fact that I don't own a car that can take advantage of it.

darell, with the ton of EV charger adapters I've seen on the evnut pages, I'd figure you already had a handle on that.
:mrgreen:

If it were only a case of adapters, I'd be all over it. But being able to accept the high current will require a bit more fiddling under the hood! An interesting note is that the Rav was originally designed for fast charging, and even has a place for the 100A fuse under the hood... just wasn't implemented in the retail version. Hmmm, but now you've got me wondering, certainly!

 

[bytrain]

I spoke with PG&E's Clean Air Transportation manager yesterday about Vacaville's quick charger. He said that the original intent of the project that placed this charger was twofold: (1) to test the impact of a DC fast charger on the distribution grid, and (2) to make the charger available for engineering demonstrations with the long term goal of making it publicly available to PEV drivers.

He confirmed for me that it is operational and available for use by the general public. He also said that PG&E is working to provide a helpline number at the station similar to what they provide at their CNG stations. Consumers would be able to dial this helpline for instructions and assistance. As this charger was placed as part of a demonstration and not necessarily commercial use, it is being evaluated to ensure it's suitable for expected usage. If not, it may be replaced in the near future.

As others have mentioned, I do believe that you have to use the touch screen and possibly be plugged in to bring the charger to life.

 

[hill]

If it were only a case of adapters, I'd be all over it. But being able to accept the high current will require a bit more fiddling under the hood! An interesting note is that the Rav was originally designed for fast charging, and even has a place for the 100A fuse under the hood... just wasn't implemented in the retail version. Hmmm, but now you've got me wondering, certainly!

Someone who could help is pEEf on the priuschat boad (engineer? on this board?) as he's tricked out the 120V EVSE that comes with the car to run on 208V - 240V as well as 120V.

 

[darelldd]

If it were only a case of adapters, I'd be all over it. But being able to accept the high current will require a bit more fiddling under the hood! An interesting note is that the Rav was originally designed for fast charging, and even has a place for the 100A fuse under the hood... just wasn't implemented in the retail version. Hmmm, but now you've got me wondering, certainly!

Someone who could help is pEEf on the priuschat boad (engineer? on this board?) as he's tricked out the 120V EVSE that comes with the car to run on 208V - 240V as well as 120V.

Well, now we're into apples and oranges. the EVSE uses an onboard charger. The DC fast chargers bypass all that - the charger is offboard. In theory it should make the adaption easier... in practice, not so much.

 

[Ingineer]

Well, now we're into apples and oranges. the EVSE uses an onboard charger. The DC fast chargers bypass all that - the charger is offboard. In theory it should make the adaption easier... in practice, not so much.

The CHAdeMO standard is all simple analog signaling with the exception of the charge voltage and amperage setting, this must be done via CAN bus, which wouldn't be difficult for me to implement. We'd need to locate the CHAdeMO inlet connector, and a detailed version of the standard. (I only have the electrical specs, and am lacking the specifics for the CAN protocol implementation.)

The cool thing is, all the hard work is done in the off-board charger, you just have to tell it what you want!

-Phil

 

[DarkStar]

The CHAdeMO standard is all simple analog signaling with the exception of the charge voltage and amperage setting, this must be done via CAN bus, which wouldn't be difficult for me to implement. We'd need to locate the CHAdeMO inlet connector, and a detailed version of the standard. (I only have the electrical specs, and am lacking the specifics for the CAN protocol implementation.)

The cool thing is, all the hard work is done in the off-board charger, you just have to tell it what you want!

This would be really awesome. I keep imagining using a PFC-50 to DC Quick Charge my LEAF in about 2.5 hours!

 

[darelldd]

The CHAdeMO standard is all simple analog signaling with the exception of the charge voltage and amperage setting, this must be done via CAN bus, which wouldn't be difficult for me to implement. We'd need to locate the CHAdeMO inlet connector, and a detailed version of the standard. (I only have the electrical specs, and am lacking the specifics for the CAN protocol implementation.)

The cool thing is, all the hard work is done in the off-board charger, you just have to tell it what you want!

-Phil

Heck, locating the inlet is easy. I'd likely just stuff it under the hood and lift the hood when I needed it. Let me see if I can turn up the "standard."

 

[Ingineer]

Heck, locating the inlet is easy. I'd likely just stuff it under the hood and lift the hood when I needed it. Let me see if I can turn up the "standard."

Get me one too! While you're at it, I need a few low-cost J1772 inlets if you know of any.

-Phil

 

[darelldd]

Heck, locating the inlet is easy. I'd likely just stuff it under the hood and lift the hood when I needed it. Let me see if I can turn up the "standard."

Get me one too! While you're at it, I need a few low-cost J1772 inlets if you know of any.

-Phil

We only really need three things here to make this work:

A smart guy to figure it all out
An inlet
The standard

So we stand at one out of three.

 

[palmermd]

Join CHAdeMO. It's only 500,000 yen or about $6200, and you can get all the documents that you like regarding the standard. If your trying to form a business around building DC chargers, its a small price to pay to get all the documentation you need.

http://www.chademo.com/

Association Admissions Guide & Procedures

regular
supporting


Bylaws

The Association shall have four classes of membership designated as "Executive Members", "Regular Members", "Supporting Members" and "Observers".

(1) Executive Members are the five founding firms of the Association and conduct business activities at the Executive Board and Workshop levels.
Toyota Motor Corporation
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.
Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated

(2) Regular Members carry out business activities at the Workshop level but not at the Executive Board level. Those of you planning to manufacturer and sell quick chargers are advised to register themselves as Regular Members. Engineering information about the charging protocol is disclosed to Regular Members and Regular Members also have access to updates to the standard specifications as they are compiled at the Technology and Standard Workshop.

(3) Supporting Members are those members who work to refurbish and promote the charging infrastructures and have access to various reviews and relevant information evolving from the Infrastructure Workshop. However, supporting members should be advised that the operations of the Infrastructure Workshop of the Association will be operating in Japan for the time being. Plans are underway to expand the work of refurbishing the charging infrastructures overseas to keep pace with the status of EV sales worldwide.

(4) Administrative, Non-profit and other bodies approved by the Executive Board can join the Association as observers.

- Membership Invitation Documents
CHAdeMO Association Bylaws
Application for Regular Membership
Application for Supporting Membership

- Membership Dues
Annual membership duties shall be ¥900,000 for Executive Members, ¥500,000 for Regular Members and ¥100,000 for Supporting Members; provided, however, that, among the Supporting Members, those corporations and bodies who provide charging services for the general public and Observers are exempt from payment of dues.

(1) Annual membership dues shall be paid within one (1) month after the printed invoice date.

(2) New members joining the Association at times other than the beginning of a business year shall pay one half of the annual membership dues if less than six months have expired since the month of their admission to the Association up until the end of the term or pay the annual membership duties in full if six or more months have expired.

- Completing and Mailing the Application Forms
Membership application forms shall be completed in the form attached hereto and mailed to us in the name of the representative of the corporation or organization, with a corporate seal or the representative’s seal affixed thereto. The forms shall be addressed to the following:

Forms Destination:
CHAdeMO Association Secretariat
Mobility Technology Group, R&D Center
Tokyo Electric Power Company
4-1, Egasaki-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-8510 Japan
TEL +81-45-633-4532
E-mail: [email protected]

After membership applications are received by the Secretariat, they will be submitted to the Executive Board for review pursuant to the Bylaws. If the applicant is approved, he/she will be admitted as a member of the Association retrospective from the filing date of the application. Upon approval of the membership, an invoice will be sent to the applicant requesting remittance of the admission fee and the membership dues for the first year of membership. Annual membership dues, once paid, will not be returned to the applicant as a rule even if the applicant subsequently declines to join the Association.

 

[Ingineer]

Join CHAdeMO. It's only 500,000 yen or about $6200, and you can get all the documents that you like regarding the standard. If your trying to form a business around building DC chargers, its a small price to pay to get all the documentation you need.

http://www.chademo.com/

Oh yeah $6200 is a great deal if we just want to add a charge inlet to old EV's that probably have a similar book value... :shock:

I really despise "standards" that require huge sums of money to be paid in order just to understand them!

Back in the "olden days" it made sense to pay a minor publishing fee in order to receive copies on dead trees, but that cost should have dropped, as distribution costs almost nothing. Instead now it's spiraling ever higher!

It's almost as bad as the electrical code, which is enforced "as law", but they won't tell you unless you pay! :roll:

-Phil

 

[darelldd]

Ouch.

 

[garygid]

Join in the last half of their business year, and pay only half price!

If you quit, do you have to return the standards (and all copies), and stop using the included technology?

 

[hill]

ok, so 1/2 year ... divide by the members on the board ... what are we talking ... 75 cents each?

 

[Ingineer]

ok, so 1/2 year ... divide my the members on the board ... what are we talking ... 75 cents each?

Hill, great idea! See if you can organize that for us please! =)

-Phil

 

[Clippy]

I spoke with PG&E's Clean Air Transportation manager yesterday about Vacaville's quick charger. He said that the original intent of the project that placed this charger was twofold: (1) to test the impact of a DC fast charger on the distribution grid, and (2) to make the charger available for engineering demonstrations with the long term goal of making it publicly available to PEV drivers.

He confirmed for me that it is operational and available for use by the general public. He also said that PG&E is working to provide a helpline number at the station similar to what they provide at their CNG stations. Consumers would be able to dial this helpline for instructions and assistance. As this charger was placed as part of a demonstration and not necessarily commercial use, it is being evaluated to ensure it's suitable for expected usage. If not, it may be replaced in the near future.

As others have mentioned, I do believe that you have to use the touch screen and possibly be plugged in to bring the charger to life.

Thank you (and others, [Fernando] and you know who you are [/Fernando]) very, very much (seriously) for one of the few bits of real, useable on-topic information in this 10 page mess of a thread.

I look forward to charging my car and eating tater-tots with chili and cheese within the week.

I am sitting here watching my charger, uh EVSE, uh charger and TOU meter being installed right now. I called it a charger, the electrician called it a charger, the two guys from the local utility called it a charger. Funny, everyone knew what everyone else was talking about. I used EVSE once and everyone went "Huh?"

Ramble on, gentlemen.

 

[Ingineer]

...
I am sitting here watching my charger, uh EVSE, uh charger and TOU meter being installed right now. I called it a charger, the electrician called it a charger, the two guys from the local utility called it a charger. Funny, everyone knew what everyone else was talking about. I used EVSE once and everyone went "Huh?"

You mean your CHARGE PLUG?

I've decided to call them "Charge plugs" for the layman term instead of EVSE. This fits with the "plug it in" colloquialism we often use, and is easy to say, yet causes no confusion. For a step up from "Charge Plug", and to make it sound better, but still avoiding invoking the dreaded acronym; you can call it an "Intelligent Charge Plug" or "Smart Charge Plug".

None of these terms are technically inaccurate like calling it a "charger", and thus help the general public better understand EV's and how they work without needing a geek on retainer.

Now if I can just get people to stop saying "110" and "220" volts! (we haven't had either of these voltages in this country for the better part of a century, and yet it's still in common use among the general public!)

-Phil

 

[palmermd]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX3kxAA2L4Q[/youtube]

 

[Ingineer]

LOL!

Just so you know, We have tested the upgraded EVSE on 221 as well as 241 volts! Now we are ready for anything! =)

-Phil