E-MotorWerks JuiceBox - an open source 15kW EVSE

[valerun]

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.

Thanks Joe - please flash with V8.7.8 that just got released (with a 'being tested' caveat but we did a number of Leaf runs on it already).

 

[DaveEV]

MOD NOTE: I moved all the UL certification and other off-topic banter here since it became quite a flame-fest. I think we can keep the snarkiness down a bit, no?

E-MotorWerks - UL approval and safety

 

[valerun]

Thanks Dave.

Back to business:

V8.7.9 firmware posted at http://emotorwerks.com/JuiceBox_Public/8.7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bug fix in energy calculation logic. Thanks Alan W for catching before we did!

 

[chadwick110]

Thanks Dave.

Back to business:

V8.7.9 firmware posted at http://emotorwerks.com/JuiceBox_Public/8.7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bug fix in energy calculation logic. Thanks Alan W for catching before we did!

Is this intended to fix the timer issues? How do I update my firmware?

 

[chadwick110]

Thanks Dave.

Back to business:

V8.7.9 firmware posted at http://emotorwerks.com/JuiceBox_Public/8.7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bug fix in energy calculation logic. Thanks Alan W for catching before we did!

Is this intended to fix the timer issues? How do I update my firmware?

 

[estrasil]

I just assembled my Juicebox and am running it off the 240V dryer outlet to charge a 2013 Nissan Leaf.

If I plug it in, the relay cycles constantly and the leaf does it's clickity clack startup routine repeatedly.
If I disable the car timer, the car charges perfectly.
But then I left it on overnight, and in the morning it was doing the relay cycling and Leaf clickity clack repeat.

Any ideas? I sure don't want to have to babysit it... just want to plug it in and sleep and not have the car beeping all night keeping the neighbors awake.

thanks
Eric
San Jose, CA

 

[valerun]

I just assembled my Juicebox and am running it off the 240V dryer outlet to charge a 2013 Nissan Leaf.

If I plug it in, the relay cycles constantly and the leaf does it's clickity clack startup routine repeatedly.
If I disable the car timer, the car charges perfectly.
But then I left it on overnight, and in the morning it was doing the relay cycling and Leaf clickity clack repeat.

Any ideas? I sure don't want to have to babysit it... just want to plug it in and sleep and not have the car beeping all night keeping the neighbors awake.

thanks
Eric
San Jose, CA

Hi Eric - can you pls email to JB-support so we can get this sorted? Which firmware version are you running?

Thanks,
valery

 

[chadwick110]

Thanks Dave.

Back to business:

V8.7.9 firmware posted at http://emotorwerks.com/JuiceBox_Public/8.7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bug fix in energy calculation logic. Thanks Alan W for catching before we did!

Is this intended to fix the timer issues? How do I update my firmware?

How do I update my firmware to resolve the charging timer issue? I want to plug the EVSE plug in, and have it not start using electricity from my home until after 11pm.

Please help!

 

[valerun]

How do I update my firmware to resolve the charging timer issue? I want to plug the EVSE plug in, and have it not start using electricity from my home until after 11pm.

Please help!

For your 8.7 boards, please go to http://emotorwerks.com/JuiceBox_Public/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and download latest firmware (8.7.9 at this point). You would need an FTDI cable to upload latest firmware. Let us know at JB-support at emotorwerks.com if you don't have FTDI.

Thanks,
Valery

 

[valerun]

BTW we have confirmed that 8.7.9 does resolve race condition you have observed with Leaf's onboard timer.

 

[GlennD]

I purchased a JuiceBox stuffed PCB to play with. First off the board was longer than any boxes I had on hand. No problem since I just wanted to play with it I mounted it on a hunk of MDF.

I built up a board with a 1W DC to DC 15V converter and a 5V regulator. The heatsink was most likely overkill but I have a drawer full.

I slightly modified the PCB. I changed the +15V input cap to 47MFD since the converter can only handle 100MFD max. I added a clamp doide across the 5V relay and I added some connectors.

I built the unit up with a 50A contactor, 12V power supply and Nick Sayer's EVSIM II less some un-needed parts.

I first tested the unit on 120V. This is a late board and the current can be adjusted. It was set to 16A and that could be a problem. In any event is was easily adjusted to 12A with R25. The GFCI did not trip on a 10K resistor (12Ma). It did trip on a 5K resistor(24Ma).

I then tested it on 240V. It arrived set to 50A. The range was from 24A all the way down to 60A all the way up. The GFCI performed as above.

This unit seems to work as claimed. The GFCI and the stuck relay functions worked. Val is on the forum providing support.

AS a no frills unit it works just fine but I prefer the features of the OpenEVSE boards. I have no interest in Wifi or a remote control.

Thanks for selling me a board to play with.

 

[valerun]

I purchased a JuiceBox stuffed PCB to play with. First off the board was longer than any boxes I had on hand. No problem since I just wanted to play with it I mounted it on a hunk of MDF.

I built up a board with a 1W DC to DC 15V converter and a 5V regulator. The heatsink was most likely overkill but I have a drawer full.

I slightly modified the PCB. I changed the +15V input cap to 47MFD since the converter can only handle 100MFD max. I added a clamp doide across the 5V relay and I added some connectors.

I built the unit up with a 50A contactor, 12V power supply and Nick Sayer's EVSIM II less some un-needed parts.

I first tested the unit on 120V. This is a late board and the current can be adjusted. It was set to 16A and that could be a problem. In any event is was easily adjusted to 12A with R25. The GFCI did not trip on a 10K resistor (12Ma). It did trip on a 5K resistor(24Ma).

I then tested it on 240V. It arrived set to 50A. The range was from 24A all the way down to 60A all the way up. The GFCI performed as above.

This unit seems to work as claimed. The GFCI and the stuck relay functions worked. Val is on the forum providing support.

AS a no frills unit it works just fine but I prefer the features of the OpenEVSE boards. I have no interest in Wifi or a remote control.

Thanks for selling me a board to play with.

Thanks Glenn for your great review.

What features would you like to see in the next version that are missing now? You mentioned some features you liked on OpenEVSE boards?

Valery.

 

[valerun]

Awesome news, guys - you now can get all components for a 60A EVSE for $99 from our store! Many of our [almost 1,000] customers have told us that they are putting our JuiceBoxes into their own enclosures. So we now have a kit without enclosure that you can buy for JUST $99 and it will have absolutely everything you need for your charging station:

1. Fully populated and programmed PCB: $69 at http://emotorwerks.com/products/online-store/product/show/129-fully-populated-juicebox-evse-pcb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
2. 80A 240VAC Relay: $15 at http://emotorwerks.com/products/online-store/product/show/132-replacement-relay-for-juicebox/related_product-129" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
3. Matching power supply: $15 at http://emotorwerks.com/products/online-store/product/show/134-replacement-power-supply-for-juicebox-evse/related_product-129" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bang! Just like that - a $99 60A / 15kW EVSE - ready to plug in (just add enclosure & cables).

How do you like that? ;-)

Valery & Team

 

[camasleaf]

What features would you like to see in the next version that are missing now? Valery.

What I would like is to have the EVSE capability of knowing the SOC of the Leaf and make decisions based on that. I want to charge the car when i get home to 80% (or other setting) and automaticaly go to 100% (or other setting) by morning.

 

[valerun]

What features would you like to see in the next version that are missing now? Valery.

What I would like is to have the EVSE capability of knowing the SOC of the Leaf and make decisions based on that. I want to charge the car when i get home to 80% (or other setting) and automaticaly go to 100% (or other setting) by morning.

Yeah, a few people asked that. Unfortunately, it's impossible for EVSE to read SOC directly. But we are testing some software now that does predictive modeling of your SOC based on previous record of your charging. Of course, by the very nature of this approach, it would make errors when your driving for the day was out of ordinary...

 

[camasleaf]

What features would you like to see in the next version that are missing now? Valery.

What I would like is to have the EVSE capability of knowing the SOC of the Leaf and make decisions based on that. I want to charge the car when i get home to 80% (or other setting) and automaticaly go to 100% (or other setting) by morning.

Yeah, a few people asked that. Unfortunately, it's impossible for EVSE to read SOC directly. But we are testing some software now that does predictive modeling of your SOC based on previous record of your charging. Of course, by the very nature of this approach, it would make errors when your driving for the day was out of ordinary...

What about using the same bluetooth dongle that LeafSpy uses? Can the EVSE communicate via bluetooth with the car?

 

[valerun]

What about using the same bluetooth dongle that LeafSpy uses? Can the EVSE communicate via bluetooth with the car?

Anything can be done ;-) It's just hardware and software, after all.

You could wire in BT dongle to the JuiceBox and you could program it to connect to Bluetooth OBD II adapter that LeafSpy uses. There are a few questions one would need to answer, though - dealing with data protocol, ability to connect while the car is down, managing concurrent connection requests etc.

In short, it's what I would call 'a project' ;-)

V

 

[Deleted member 12953]

Thanks so much for this updated firmware.
Glad to hear it has resolved the Leaf timer issue.

Your instructions on how to update the firmware are in PC, and I'm on a Mac.
Are there instructions anywhere on the web you can point me to that are more Mac / OS X specific?

Thanks very much for all you do!

- David

 

[valerun]

Thanks so much for this updated firmware.
Glad to hear it has resolved the Leaf timer issue.

Your instructions on how to update the firmware are in PC, and I'm on a Mac.
Are there instructions anywhere on the web you can point me to that are more Mac / OS X specific?

Thanks very much for all you do!

- David

Hi David - please check http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software#toc2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for Mac distribution of Arduino software. The JuiceBox-specific instructions would stay the same as PC version.

Let us know if any specific questions.

Thanks!
Valery

 

[gabb]

hey guys,
new leaf owner here and just bought the premium juice box (which works great btw).

The Roving WiFi rn-vx board wasn't in stock when I bought the kit so I am trying to add it now however after following the instructions on how to install it I am having a hard time to program it.

I uploaded EMW_EVSE_WiFi_programmer_Public but then when I connect to the serial port all I see is:

bash-3.2# cu -s 9600 -l /dev/cu.usbserial-A602W9F7
Connected.
Starting
Free memory: 833
Failed to start wifly
Terminal ready

nothing seems to be working from here. The board lights up and I was also able to connect to it over the ad-hoc wifi and enter command mode, type commands, etc.

not sure what to do at this point, can anyone please help ?

thanks !
-g