Timer Trouble on 2015 SV

I have contacted Nissan Leaf Specialist vis CHAT, and vis Leaf Tech Support with different answers. Local Dealer doesnt seem to know much more, and Lead book is kinda vague.

My electric plan had ON Peak & OFF Peak rates.
OFF Peak STARTS at 7pm and ENDS at 12:00 noon. M-F. So, ON Peak is 12:noon - 7pm M-F
Sat & Sun is OFF Peak all day

So, here is what I am trying to accomplish with the timers:

Set Timer 1 - START - 7:10pm END - 11:50am. M,T,W,Th,F Sat & Sun NOT Selected
I am assuming that the car will charge immediately any time I plug it in between the hours of 7pm and 12 noon and STOP charging at 12 noon.
And that it will NOT charge if I plug it in between 12noon - 7pm - and will start charging at 7pm automatically

1) I would expect it to start charging immediately when plugged in any time between 7pm - 12noon M-F, and then stop charging at 12 noon
PROBLEM: When I plug in at 10 am (or any other time before 12 noon) the blue lights flash telling me its waiting for a timer (no charge)

2) I would expect it to start charging immediately when plugged in any time on SAT or SUN.
PROBLEM: I plug it in anytime Sat or Sun and the blue lights flash telling me its waiting for a timer (no charge)

Am I not understanding something?

The book says (p CH-22) If OFF is selected for a day of the week, the timer will not operate on that day and will wait for next timer. What does that mean?... It WILL charge because there is no timer set for that day (Sat/Sun) OR, it will NOT charge because there is no timer set for those days (Sat/Sun)

Am I missing something?

BooKittyLeaf said:

1) I would expect it to start charging immediately when plugged in any time between 7pm - 12noon M-F, and then stop charging at 12 noon
PROBLEM: When I plug in at 10 am (or any other time before 12 noon) the blue lights flash telling me its waiting for a timer (no charge)


Am I not understanding something?


Am I missing something?

Click to expand...

Your understanding is incorrect.
If you plug in after the start time has passed it will not start immediately.
Many have misunderstood this.

Only exception is if start and end time are the same it will start charging immediately.

It also won't start charging at all on days NOT selected when a timer is active. You will need to turn the timers off on the weekends. Yes, it's maddening.

LeftieBiker said:

It also won't start charging at all on days NOT selected when a timer is active. You will need to turn the timers off on the weekends. Yes, it's maddening.

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Not that its immediately relevant to me, but I was curious if on SV/SL you can set only the OFF time (with no start time) and let the car figure out when it should start charging to be ready by the off time (i.e. like the S model)?

I've never tried it.

LeftieBiker said:

It also won't start charging at all on days NOT selected when a timer is active. You will need to turn the timers off on the weekends. Yes, it's maddening.

Click to expand...

Maddening YES! - At least I'm not the only one!
After calling Nissan, they suggested taking it to a dealer...
I have no reason to think it isn't working "as designed" because everything else works.
I just cant figure out their counterintuitive reasoning for this timer.

I think I understand the logic of it now... if you have a Timer Event scheduled to charge between certain times (7p -12 noon) it leaves you with the 12-7p (no charge) window to connect the EVSE, then it will start charging at 7pm - the next timed event. Actually, I guess the window to plug in is anytime AFTER 7pm!
If you connect it AFTER the starting time of the event (7pm), say 8pm, Even if it is DURING the schedules Charging Time, it will NOT charge, and wait until the next event - which is 7pm the next day... UNLESS you have day(s) not applied, then it skips the whole day(s) until the next day with a Timer.

My last attempt at using the timers, I had:
TIMER #1 set to START 7p - END 12noon set for M-F
TIMER #2 set for START 12am-END 12am set for Sat/Sun.
That solved the issue of it not charging on weekends when plugged in
But I would have to use the "Immediate Charge" button if I wanted to plug in and start charging any time after 7pm. But then it would probably keep charging past 12noon if had not reached 100%
So why bother with any timers at all?

So now I just gave up & turned off all timers.
It usually takes @3 hours to charge from 30-40% to 100% so If I plug it in anytime before 7am, it will reach 100% & stop charging before 12noon.
If I plug it in after 7am, I just set my iPhone to sound an alarm at 12noon & I walk over & unplug.
Weekends dont matter - OFF Peak all day.

I can not imagine a situation where a timer like that would be helpful. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has actually found a beneficial use for that timer - maybe I just cant wrap my head around that logic.

BooKittyLeaf said:

...
I can not imagine a situation where a timer like that would be helpful. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has actually found a beneficial use for that timer - maybe I just cant wrap my head around that logic.

Click to expand...

The LEAF timers are very literal, like the old VCR timers.
They are not set up to attempt to use involved logic to attempt to "read your mind" like some DVR timers.

Nissan was thinking along the lines of a user starting charging at a specific off peak time, and stopping during the off peak time.
Such as a very short off pesk time that might start at 12:30 AM and end at 4:30 AM.

You just want to not be charging in the Peak period.
For Mon to Fri leave start time blank, and set end time to noon.

But probably better for impact on the utility to set the end time earlier in the day so the three hours or so of charging is at night and car is ready earlier in the day if you need it.

That is what most people do.

The LEAF is very cautious though and starts usually an hour or two sooner than needed to be fully charged by the end time.

jpadc said:

Not that its immediately relevant to me, but I was curious if on SV/SL you can set only the OFF time (with no start time) and let the car figure out when it should start charging to be ready by the off time (i.e. like the S model)?

Click to expand...

Yes. Just don't set the start time.

RegGuheert said:

Yes. Just don't set the start time.

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Then it sounds like this is what the OP should do in his situation

TimLee said:

Your understanding is incorrect.
If you plug in after the start time has passed it will not start immediately.
Many have misunderstood this...

Click to expand...

That's not true, or at least not entirely. I routinely plug-in during a charge timer window and it starts immediately. My typical timer setting is 11:10 AM to 1:30 PM (or 2, 3, 4 PM if I want more charge that day). I can plug-in anytime during that window and the car will start charging and continue until the end time. (I just tested this and it does work that way, as expected.)

I think that the problem with the OP's timer settings is that they cross into a new day. After midnight a car then plugged-in won't start charging until that day's start time is reached (7:10 PM). Since I don't do start+end times that cross days, I've never tried this. As with others here, I use end-time-only when I want the car charged for an early morning departure.

BooKittyLeaf,

Try these timer settings:
ON 7:10 pm; OFF 11:50 am for all 7 days (Timer 1)
Then just override the timer when you want to charge during the day on weekends. When I first got the Leaf, I tried every combination I could think of to automate the all day weekend charging without messing up Monday through Friday and finally gave up.

If it works like my 2011, it will start charging immediately if you plug in after the scheduled start time. It will briefly come on to check the EVSE when you plug in before the start time. It will then turn off, wait for scheduled start time, and then charge until either it gets to full charge or it hits the stop time.

Gerry

GerryAZ said:

BooKittyLeaf,

Try these timer settings:
ON 7:10 pm; OFF 11:50 am for all 7 days (Timer 1)
Then just override the timer when you want to charge during the day on weekends. When I first got the Leaf, I tried every combination I could think of to automate the all day weekend charging without messing up Monday through Friday and finally gave up.

Click to expand...

I actually was able to make the restricted M-F and All Day Sat Sun work as follows:
Set Timer 1 to the 7p - 12noon M-F
Set Timer 2 to 12am-12am (same Start & Stop Time) & applied that to Sat & Sun

That fixed the charge anytime on the weekend.
But maybe that messed with my weekDAY timer???

Regarding the weekday issue of not starting to charge if I plug in BEFORE the End Time, I think "dgpcolorado" is on to something regarding my times covering two days - Ill have to play with that & see what I can figure out.

BooKittyLeaf said:

GerryAZ said:

BooKittyLeaf,

Try these timer settings:
ON 7:10 pm; OFF 11:50 am for all 7 days (Timer 1)
Then just override the timer when you want to charge during the day on weekends. When I first got the Leaf, I tried every combination I could think of to automate the all day weekend charging without messing up Monday through Friday and finally gave up.

Click to expand...

I actually was able to make the restricted M-F and All Day Sat Sun work as follows:
Set Timer 1 to the 7p - 12noon M-F
Set Timer 2 to 12am-12am (same Start & Stop Time) & applied that to Sat & Sun

That fixed the charge anytime on the weekend.
But maybe that messed with my weekDAY timer???

Regarding the weekday issue of not starting to charge if I plug in BEFORE the End Time, I think "dgpcolorado" is on to something regarding my times covering two days - Ill have to play with that & see what I can figure out.

Click to expand...

I think dgpcolorado is correct.
The settings you have will probably start charging if you plug in after 7 PM on Monday through Thursday.
But Friday probably will not.

GerryAZ is correct.
For the weekend just use the timer over ride button.

I have been trying a few things and may have discovered my issue, and if I am correct, the timmer will work just like I was hopping it would

It appears that there is some "logic" within the the timer that will not start charging if the car is plugged in within a certain timeframe from the END timer setting. Something like this (using my timer settings):
If the END time is set to 11:50am, and the car is plugged in X minutes before the END Time, the car will not charge and will blink 1-2-3 indicating it is waiting for the next START time. Now the question becomes, what is the "X" time?

Here is how I came to the this conclusion:

My first use ever of the timer (to test it to make sure it will turn off at 11:50am) was when I plugged in the car at 11:40am. Thats only 10 min prior to the END time. The car did not charge, and the blue charge lights blinked 1-2-3 indicating waiting for a timed event.

Next day (same Timer settings) I plugged in at:
10pm - Started Charging
6 am - Started Charging
9:30 am - Started Charging

I will keep trying different plug in times, closer & closer to the END time of 11:50am until I find that "X" time where the car wont charge. I believe it to be a pre-set time (10, 15, 20, ... min) rather than the car using its estimated time to complete a charge to 100% restricting the charge, because my most recent plug in at 9:30am started charging.
The car indicated a charge time of 3:30 to 100%. But 9:30a to 11:50a is only 2:20, so it would not complete a charge to 100%, but it started charging when plugged in.

Anyway, thats my latest idea on how the timer works - but I could still be wrong. I wish the Leaf User book would list any parameters like this that would apply to features of the car as it would make things easier, instead of having to figure out what was programmed to happen - Obviously someone or some team wrote the program /parameters - I doubt the car came just came up with these settings by itself (iRobot?) But this is usually the case with most computer software I have used - specially APPLE stuff - you are forced to "Reverse-Engineer" a feature to see how it really works - so you can make it work better for your own needs.

I would equate the Leaf to a giant rolling iphone rather than a car in most respects :lol:

BooKittyLeaf said:

...Now the question becomes, what is the "X" time?
...

Click to expand...

The timer does have some deadband value.
I had timer set to start at 11:40 AM.
When I plugged in at 11:32 AM LEAF started charging immediately.

TimLee said:

BooKittyLeaf said:

...Now the question becomes, what is the "X" time?
...

Click to expand...

The timer does have some deadband value.
I had timer set to start at 11:40 AM.
When I plugged in at 11:32 AM LEAF started charging immediately.

Click to expand...

OK, its called DeadBand Value? nice to know, thanks.

Just confirmed - I went to the garage to watch the car at 11:47am. At 11:50am it stopped charging & the EVSE clicked off. - SUCCESS!

However, the car is at 100% (93 miles) sooooo.... now Im curious if it stopped charging because it hit 100%, or because of the Timer set to END at 11:50? or just a coincidence that it hit 100% at 11:50am? Ill start charging closer to the end time tomorrow & see what happens.

This is all good news though!

BooKittyLeaf said:

..
OK, its called DeadBand Value? nice to know, thanks.
...

Click to expand...

I have no idea what Nissan calls it.

But in many devices there is a tolerance or deadband value on inputs, rather than the requirement for exactly a specific precise value.

BooKittyLeaf said:

LeftieBiker said:

I can not imagine a situation where a timer like that would be helpful. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has actually found a beneficial use for that timer - maybe I just cant wrap my head around that logic.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

I've struggled with the timer, and am similarly about to give up. I guess I just have to go out at 9pm each day and plug in
(my peak hour rates are 1pm-9pm).

Keywords: Nissan Leaf timer peak hour time of use electric rates.

brycenesbitt said:

BooKittyLeaf said:

LeftieBiker said:

I can not imagine a situation where a timer like that would be helpful. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has actually found a beneficial use for that timer - maybe I just cant wrap my head around that logic.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

I've struggled with the timer, and am similarly about to give up. I guess I just have to go out at 9pm each day and plug in
(my peak hour rates are 1pm-9pm).

Keywords: Nissan Leaf timer peak hour time of use electric rates.

Click to expand...

Brycenesbitt,

Please reply with your off peak times for all 7 days so we can give you some suggestions to make your timers function the way you want.

Gerry

GerryAZ said:

Please reply with your off peak times for all 7 days so we can give you some suggestions to make your timers function the way you want. Gerry

Click to expand...

This is Pacific Gas and Electric, so:
http://www.pge.com/en/myhome/saveenergymoney/plans/tou/index.page

Hours to avoid are:
Summer Weekdays: 10am-9pm
Summer Weekends: 5pm-8pm
Winter Weekdays: 5pm-8pm

The main complexity I want to sidestep is the worry I'll come home at say 9:45pm, plug in, and the car won't charge overnight.
With some timer setups, it would be fine if I arrive at 8:45 (the car will start charging at 9pm), but arriving after nine would result in no charging.