E-MotorWerks JuiceBox - an open source 15kW EVSE

[valerun]

In the latest version of firmware (8.7.4 - to be posted tomorrow), we are implementing a watchdog timer (yes, we should have done it long time ago LOL) which will auto-reset JuiceBox if the MCU gets frozen. We did get 3-4 reports of JuiceBoxes freezing up and requiring unplug-replug reboot so this should help with that.

This would we great... we've run into this issue about once a month so far. Not a huge problem, but it does occasionally mean the car doesn't charge up overnight. Looking forward to the firmware update, but I assume I would need some extra hardware to install it? I only have the base JB.

no extra hardware for the watchdog - the capability was always there in the ATmega processor but we have never activated it...

 

[valerun]

We have just released a video manual of our Premium JuiceBox. Figured that it would take too long to describe all the features in text ;-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRKIpf2Wx_c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks,
Valery

 

[pthack]

In the latest version of firmware (8.7.4 - to be posted tomorrow), we are implementing a watchdog timer (yes, we should have done it long time ago LOL) which will auto-reset JuiceBox if the MCU gets frozen. We did get 3-4 reports of JuiceBoxes freezing up and requiring unplug-replug reboot so this should help with that.

This would we great... we've run into this issue about once a month so far. Not a huge problem, but it does occasionally mean the car doesn't charge up overnight. Looking forward to the firmware update, but I assume I would need some extra hardware to install it? I only have the base JB.

Ok, so when this new code comes out, what do I need to re-flash mine?

I've been having the same problem somewhat intermittently.....if this helps at all, when it happens, (and I notice), if I unplug the J1772, then replug it in, I do NOT hear the relay 'click in' to charge.....but if I don't notice it, and jsut plug when I get home next, it seems to 'click in' and at least charge some (how much varies widely).....

When I don't hear the relay click, I just turn off the breaker for 10 seconds, then turn it on to reset, wait for the relay test to finish, then replug in the J1772 to charge...

Pete.

 

[Levi8than]

Ok, so when this new code comes out, what do I need to re-flash mine?

I haven't tried it yet, but the new firmware is out: http://emotorwerks.com/JuiceBox_Public/8.7//
Click firmware, then download the 8.7.4 zip file.

You'll need to compile that code you just downloaded through the arduino environment and connect to your juicebox over usb via an FTDI cable. EMW sells them, as does sparkfun and you can get one on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0068QKQEA/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Instructions for flashing are in the assembly instructions: http://goo.gl/ImG7f4
Go to Appendix D, page 56 or so.

Good luck.

 

[valerun]

Ok, so when this new code comes out, what do I need to re-flash mine?

I haven't tried it yet, but the new firmware is out: http://emotorwerks.com/JuiceBox_Public/8.7//
Click firmware, then download the 8.7.4 zip file.

You'll need to compile that code you just downloaded through the arduino environment and connect to your juicebox over usb via an FTDI cable. EMW sells them, as does sparkfun and you can get one on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0068QKQEA/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Instructions for flashing are in the assembly instructions: http://goo.gl/ImG7f4
Go to Appendix D, page 56 or so.

Good luck.

Thanks! If you have a firmware-related problem, we will send you a free FTDI to reflash your system. Please contact order at emotorwerks and mention this post & your problem.

Thanks,
Valery

 

[Deleted member 12953]

Hey everybody, new Leaf owner charging with basic Juicebox.
I installed a "dryer outlet" on a 40A breaker right next to my 200A panel, JB is plugged in there, 20' 32A J1772 goes to Leaf.
The car charges at what seems to be 6.6kw i.e. actual charging time reflects estimated time shown on Leaf display.

However, when I tried to use the Leaf's on-board charging timer the car and the JB got into a feedback loop.
The car double beeps and the blue lights on top of the dashboard blink, JB relay clicks on, car double beeps, lights blink, JB relay switches, etc.

I tried resetting the breaker, but same cycle repeated.
If I turn off the Leaf's timer everything charges fine.

Hopefully unrelated but the first time I charged after the feedback loop incident, range at full dropped from 98 miles to 88 miles...

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

 

[EVDRIVER]

Hey everybody, new Leaf owner charging with basic Juicebox.
I installed a "dryer outlet" on a 40A breaker right next to my 200A panel, JB is plugged in there, 20' 32A J1772 goes to Leaf.
The car charges at what seems to be 6.6kw i.e. actual charging time reflects estimated time shown on Leaf display.

However, when I tried to use the Leaf's on-board charging timer the car and the JB got into a feedback loop.
The car double beeps and the blue lights on top of the dashboard blink, JB relay clicks on, car double beeps, lights blink, JB relay switches, etc.

I tried resetting the breaker, but same cycle repeated.
If I turn off the Leaf's timer everything charges fine.

Hopefully unrelated but the first time I charged after the feedback loop incident, range at full dropped from 98 miles to 88 miles...

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

Yes- You have a charge timer set. No unit works with an active charge timer on. Put your timer back on, if it does not charge and then you use the timer disable button and it charges then it is normal.

 

[Levi8than]

Hey everybody, new Leaf owner charging with basic Juicebox.
I installed a "dryer outlet" on a 40A breaker right next to my 200A panel, JB is plugged in there, 20' 32A J1772 goes to Leaf.
The car charges at what seems to be 6.6kw i.e. actual charging time reflects estimated time shown on Leaf display.

However, when I tried to use the Leaf's on-board charging timer the car and the JB got into a feedback loop.
The car double beeps and the blue lights on top of the dashboard blink, JB relay clicks on, car double beeps, lights blink, JB relay switches, etc.

I tried resetting the breaker, but same cycle repeated.
If I turn off the Leaf's timer everything charges fine.

Hopefully unrelated but the first time I charged after the feedback loop incident, range at full dropped from 98 miles to 88 miles...

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

Yes- You have a charge timer set. No unit works with an active charge timer on. Put your timer back on, if it does not charge and then you use the timer disable button and it charges then it is normal.

No. Even with the timer on, while waiting to charge, it shouldn't cycles through clicking the relay multiple times. relay should open and close once, then the car should beep and flash some lights then nothing should happen until time to charge rolls around.

How new is your JB? If it's brand new, you probably have the new firmware and are hitting the watchdog timer. Email EMW directly and let Val know.

 

[valerun]

Hey everybody, new Leaf owner charging with basic Juicebox.
I installed a "dryer outlet" on a 40A breaker right next to my 200A panel, JB is plugged in there, 20' 32A J1772 goes to Leaf.
The car charges at what seems to be 6.6kw i.e. actual charging time reflects estimated time shown on Leaf display.

However, when I tried to use the Leaf's on-board charging timer the car and the JB got into a feedback loop.
The car double beeps and the blue lights on top of the dashboard blink, JB relay clicks on, car double beeps, lights blink, JB relay switches, etc.

I tried resetting the breaker, but same cycle repeated.
If I turn off the Leaf's timer everything charges fine.

Hopefully unrelated but the first time I charged after the feedback loop incident, range at full dropped from 98 miles to 88 miles...

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

Yes- You have a charge timer set. No unit works with an active charge timer on. Put your timer back on, if it does not charge and then you use the timer disable button and it charges then it is normal.

No. Even with the timer on, while waiting to charge, it shouldn't cycles through clicking the relay multiple times. relay should open and close once, then the car should beep and flash some lights then nothing should happen until time to charge rolls around.

How new is your JB? If it's brand new, you probably have the new firmware and are hitting the watchdog timer. Email EMW directly and let Val know.

just an update - we are attempting to replicate now on our Leaf here. will post results in the next few hours.

thanks,
Val

 

[Deleted member 12953]

Thanks Val.
Yes, received JB last week, latest firmware.

- David

 

[LeftieBiker]

This problem is identical to the one I had with a third party-refurbished Clipper Creek L-1 EVSE, when I first tried it with my Leaf SV. Clipper Creek fixed it for me, saying that the output cable had been mis-wired when the plug was replaced. I seem to remember reading about a few other people having it, possibly with the same altered units sold on Ebay.

 

[valerun]

Thanks Val.
Yes, received JB last week, latest firmware.

- David

making some tweaks to firmware tomorrow - 8.7.7 coming

 

[hawkeye1824]

Mine's on the way!! Excited!

 

[chadwick110]

I'm having the same issue with my newly delivered JuiceBox Basic. I ordered mine already built as I don't trust myself with the internals. I have it plugged into a 50A breaker and hanging on a do it yourself bracket that looks great in my garage!

Any help would be appreciated as my power company offers a steal on electricity if I charge after 11pm.

Thanks for the great forum and quick support.

"Hey everybody, new Leaf owner charging with basic Juicebox.
I installed a "dryer outlet" on a 40A breaker right next to my 200A panel, JB is plugged in there, 20' 32A J1772 goes to Leaf.
The car charges at what seems to be 6.6kw i.e. actual charging time reflects estimated time shown on Leaf display.

However, when I tried to use the Leaf's on-board charging timer the car and the JB got into a feedback loop.
The car double beeps and the blue lights on top of the dashboard blink, JB relay clicks on, car double beeps, lights blink, JB relay switches, etc.

I tried resetting the breaker, but same cycle repeated.
If I turn off the Leaf's timer everything charges fine.

Hopefully unrelated but the first time I charged after the feedback loop incident, range at full dropped from 98 miles to 88 miles...

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance."

 

[valerun]

I'm having the same issue with my newly delivered JuiceBox Basic. I ordered mine already built as I don't trust myself with the internals. I have it plugged into a 50A breaker and hanging on a do it yourself bracket that looks great in my garage!

Any help would be appreciated as my power company offers a steal on electricity if I charge after 11pm.

Thanks for the great forum and quick support.

"However, when I tried to use the Leaf's on-board charging timer the car and the JB got into a feedback loop.
The car double beeps and the blue lights on top of the dashboard blink, JB relay clicks on, car double beeps, lights blink, JB relay switches, etc."

Thanks for your report! We are working on a fix now. Should be any hour now. We have narrowed down the root cause I think - what's left is the exact way to implement it.

Valery.

 

[aries]

Hi Valery -

How is shipping times on the premium assembled units these days?

-J

 

[joewaters]

Also, V8.7.8 is now posted on http://emotorwerks.com/JuiceBox_Public/8.7/50%20-%20Firmware/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. It is still being tested but did check out at least on 2 of our cars.

Thanks,
Val

I knew it! Just as I got 8.7.6 installed last night, my thoughts went to how soon EMW would have the next one up.

Aside, or rather my intended question, Has anyone else had a problem with interruption of the timer process affecting their Leaf?
Background:
JB premium rev 8.3 board with lcd no wifi
I plug in the car, with no car-side timer set, and the start timer on the JB active. I have a change of plans, errand or whatnot, and unplug the car to drive. Keep in mind, the charger HV relay is open, and no charging has taken place. My car, as far as I remember always throws up a charging error when I power it on. This does not happen if I interrupt an actual charge to use the car.
I installed v8.7.6 last night hoping there was a change in the JB to fix this. No luck.
I also have a Schneider Electric that has a timer, but haven't had the error on it.
I should pull the DTC code, but that would mean digging out my ELM and reinstalling LeafSpy Pro again, things that take time when I don't have enough.
Thanks for the update to the code Val, 8.7.6 is so user friendly compared to 8.3.

 

[Levi8than]

I should pull the DTC code, but that would mean digging out my ELM and reinstalling LeafSpy Pro again, things that take time when I don't have enough.

Last time I tried to get a code from the charge error, leafspy didn't report anything.

 

[chris1howell]

Aside, or rather my intended question, Has anyone else had a problem with interruption of the timer process affecting their Leaf?
Background:
JB rev 8.3 board with lcd no wifi
I plug in the car, with no car-side timer set, and the start timer on the JB active. I have a change of plans, errand or whatnot, and unplug the car to drive. Keep in mind, the charger HV relay is open, and no charging has taken place. My car, as far as I remember always throws up a charging error when I power it on. This does not happen if I interrupt an actual charge to use the car.

Timers are tricky. Even some commercial charging stations have trouble. You should not get and vehicle codes no matter what timers are in play or how they are cancleld. During devolopment of OpenEVSE we went through the exact same issues a couple years ago.

I am sure Val and his team will get the firmware sorted out. Feel free to look at the OpenEVSE source for clues. Here are some tips for timer compatibility...

Timing is everything... Watch that the charging station d reacts properly and not too quickly.
-Leaf is sensitive to transition speed.
-Volt is sensitive to protocol each transition has to happen properly according to J1772 or the volt resets to State A and starts over.
-Teslas are sensitive to voltage.

Transition states are poorly defined in J1772 but are VERY important. Understand J1772 fully so you know how and when and why to transition. The state in between A and B is crutial for timers.

 

[joewaters]

Thanks Chris,
The warning light is cleared if I recycle the power on the car, so I don't imagine it to be a critical issue. I haven't had it fail to charge with or without timer, so I won't be worried about that. I didn't make any adjustments to the JuiceBox when I assembled it, as I didn't have easy access to a scope at the time. I did see that the lcd shows the handshake working, and the timer does what it should, and volt/current/kW levels are consistent with expectations. There isn't another Leafer within 40 miles of me AFAIK, so I can't verify with another vehicle and I imagine it's Leaf specific.
Thank you
Joe