Dead plugs!?!

Twice in the last few weeks I've attempted to charge my Leaf using the 120V EVSE at my destination when I had a long drive. In both cases, the lights would not light up on the EVSE, such as the READY light. Literally nothing, not even a FAULT light. Last night it happened again at a pistol range I drove to on the other side of town. I asked the workers if they had somewhere I could plug in and they showed me an outdoor plug and said it worked. Same problem. No lights on the EVSE. What made this situation more odd is that it was a GFCI outlet and there was a little light shining on the outlet itself. So obviously the outlet itself had power. I tried the test and reset buttons, but that didn't seem to help the situation.

However, each time I come home, I try plugging the EVSE in at my outlet at home and it lights right up. What is likely different about these other sockets I'm trying to use?

I know.. I need to buy one of those little outlet testers at Home Depot and put it in the bag with my EVSE. I just can't remember to get one when I'm up there.

You are plugging the EVSE into the wall first, before
plugging the J1772 cable into the car, right?

Most likely your EVSE is immediately blowing the GFI on the socket
(or circuit) when you plug it in. Normally a GFI socket makes a "click"
when the GFI trips.

Try using an indoor socket that does not have GFI.

However, it is possible that the two prongs on your EVSE's plug
are bent, or the sockets are old and corroded inside.

It should not be too difficult to test, even with just a plug-in light.

garygid said:

You are plugging the EVSE into the wall first, before
plugging the J1772 cable into the car, right?

Click to expand...

Correct.

Most likely your EVSE is immediately blowing the GFI on the socket
(or circuit) when you plug it in. Normally a GFI socket makes a "click"
when the GFI trips.

Click to expand...

I actually listened for that, and heard no click. Plus there was no change of the state of the test/reset buttons on the outlet.

Try using an indoor socket that does not have GFI.

Click to expand...

The socket in my garage is GFI and no problems there.

However, it is possible that the two prongs on your EVSE's plug
are bent, or the sockets are old and corroded inside.

Click to expand...

Definitely not bent prongs. In the case of one building I tried, it is possible for corrosion because the building was very old and the plug exposed to the weather. The socket was quite dirty too. In the case of the place I tried last night the building is only a year old and the plug has a cover that must be pulled back to use the socket.

All GFI sockets are not the same, they can have different
"trip" sensitivities. You might have a "more tolerant"
socket in your garage.

Plug in a light before trying the EVSE, and again after the
EVSE fails to work. If this works...

Possibly these "strange" sockets have their Hot and Neutral
wires swapped, rather than wired correctly?
Or, maybe they are not grounded properly?

Then, the EVSE would not detect any voltage between
the presumed "Hot" and the Ground, and possibly fail to start.

Use an inexpensive Volt Meter or AC Socket Tester to test for
these conditions.

garygid said:

Use an inexpensive Volt Meter or AC Socket Tester to test for
these conditions.

Click to expand...

Agree. Here

adric22 said:

Twice in the last few weeks I've attempted to charge my Leaf using the 120V EVSE at my destination when I had a long drive. In both cases, the lights would not light up on the EVSE, such as the READY light. Literally nothing, not even a FAULT light.

Click to expand...

Is your EVSE one of my upgraded units? Either way, if there is power, you will get a Ready light, even if there is no ground, and even if the polarity of hot/neutral is swapped. If there is no ground, ready will be flashing and will inhibit charging. You will still have at least a light though! There is no modes in the EVSE that will "play dead" except for failure.

adric22 said:

Last night it happened again at a pistol range I drove to on the other side of town. I asked the workers if they had somewhere I could plug in and they showed me an outdoor plug and said it worked. Same problem. No lights on the EVSE. What made this situation more odd is that it was a GFCI outlet and there was a little light shining on the outlet itself. So obviously the outlet itself had power. I tried the test and reset buttons, but that didn't seem to help the situation.

Click to expand...

On some GFCI's, the light indicates trip rather than power. A faulty GFCI may well refuse to reset. I have seen many die this way after being exposed to damp weather. The ones in my bathrooms here at the shop light up a red LED when tripped, and have no lights showing once reset.

adric22 said:

However, each time I come home, I try plugging the EVSE in at my outlet at home and it lights right up. What is likely different about these other sockets I'm trying to use?

Click to expand...

Sounds like you simply have a dead outlet. I cannot imagine and have not seen any EVSE failures that will cause these symptoms.

adric22 said:

I know.. I need to buy one of those little outlet testers at Home Depot and put it in the bag with my EVSE. I just can't remember to get one when I'm up there.

Click to expand...

Be warned, these usually use neon indicators, and can still light up with leakage current. I've seen tripped GFCI's still light up the tester, but when a real load is attempted the voltage falls to zero. The EVSE is a reliable indicator of power present, but if you are still not sure you can trust it, then get the outlet tester. If the EVSE doesn't work, and the tester does, even while both the EVSE and the tester are connected, then you have a faulty EVSE. I'll be happy to have a look at it.

-Phil

I've only tripped a GFCI once with the Panasonic unit, and that was because I was using a wimpy extension cord. My portable OpenEVSE, however, has tripped every GFCI I've plugged it into as soon as the car starts charging. I need to fix that but never got around to it.