(Un)Official Mitsubishi (Cypress, CA) L3 Scheduling Thread

[walterbays]

I mean is it truly private-use only now? If so we are officially back to zero L3 chargers in SoCal!

I hope not! That would be zero in California, period. Meanwhile, Tennessee, Oregon, Washington, and Texas continue forward into the 21st century. And on the other side of the ocean, it looks like a race between the UK and Estonia.

http://www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_a/abb_india/20120110_electri_vehicle.html

...the world's first fast-charging infrastructure with full nationwide coverage.... The Estonian government aims to provide fast charging in all urbanised areas with more than 5,000 inhabitants. It aims to install a fast charger every 50 kilometres on main roads, creating the highest concentration of DC chargers in Europe, by far.

 

[Devin]

I'm happy to report that the Mitsubishi L3 charger is indeed up and running and publicly available (as of 11JAN2012). The box where the handle resides was unlocked and the charger was asleep and just needed a wake up tap on the screen to get going. After charging was underway I went inside to use the restroom and the Mitsubishi people were very welcoming and friendly. Also got a chance to see quite a number of "i"s in every spec from pre-pro to J-spec and even a delivery car with the blue-on-white colour scheme. It's a really neat car, I hope they sell well.

 

[Valdemar]

Did you charge to 100%? 55 mins for 10kWh seems a bit slow with a claimed 30min 0-80% charge time.

 

[garygid]

Strange, I do not recognize the Chademo Plug (from my 7 Jan 2012 visit).

Either it changed, ... or ANOTHER brain cloud!!! :lol:

 

[garygid]

Once you see it and use it, the operation is easy to remember,
AND, you are likely to be hooked on QC ... a QCC (Quick-Charge Convert)!

Over 60% or so, the charging slows considerably.
At 80% it seens Slooow, and Glacial at 90%.

 

[GRA]

Once you see it and use it, the operation is easy to remember,
<snip>

That's as may be, but irrelevant - it doesn't mean it's a good design. If nothing else, if they're going to keep the black lever then it should be surrounded by a metal frame (as a gas nozzle is) to protect it. This thing will inevitably get dropped on the ground, stepped on and what not. But the design seems needlessly complicated for what it is supposed to do. There shouldn't need to be more than one lever/button total to control latching and unlatching.

 

[Devin]

Did you charge to 100%? 55 mins for 10kWh seems a bit slow with a claimed 30min 0-80% charge time.

That's correct, I charged to 100% mostly just to see what would happen since we had time to kill. As Gary points out, once it gets over 80% it starts reducing current drastically and for the last 20 minutes or so of charging it was putting no more than 12A/~380V into the pack. The last 10 minutes were around 3-4A/~380V.

 

[Valdemar]

Did you charge to 100%? 55 mins for 10kWh seems a bit slow with a claimed 30min 0-80% charge time.

That's correct, I charged to 100% mostly just to see what would happen since we had time to kill. As Gary points out, once it gets over 80% it starts reducing current drastically and for the last 20 minutes or so of charging it was putting no more than 12A/~380V into the pack. The last 10 minutes were around 3-4A/~380V.

I remember reading somewhere that QC stops automatically at 80% and you have to manually resume the process if you want full charge. Is this right?

 

[Devin]

Did you charge to 100%? 55 mins for 10kWh seems a bit slow with a claimed 30min 0-80% charge time.

That's correct, I charged to 100% mostly just to see what would happen since we had time to kill. As Gary points out, once it gets over 80% it starts reducing current drastically and for the last 20 minutes or so of charging it was putting no more than 12A/~380V into the pack. The last 10 minutes were around 3-4A/~380V.

I remember reading somewhere that QC stops automatically at 80% and you have to manually resume the process if you want full charge. Is this right?

I believe that only happens if you started charging while the battery was under a certain SOC (<50%?) though somebody with more knowledge on the matter can confirm or deny. I arrived with an SOC just over 50% and for me it charged continuously to 100%.

 

[TangoKilo]

It seems the only way to get to sleep these days is to count the DC QCs jumping over a fence in a pasture... :mrgreen:

 

[garygid]

Using "QC" is as addictive as ... some other stuff!

If you have come to love driving your LEAF, you will LOVE using QC.

 

[tbleakne]

I have placed a copy of Gary's wonderful 9-step procedure in my Leaf's glove compartment so I will be ready whenever I get to a L3, which could be quite soon if evoasis delivers.

I have to agree with an earlier comment that perhaps a better standard is needed, as SAE claims (and may or may not deliver). For us early adopters, such complexity is part of the fun, but this sounds like way more than the typical American in a hurry wants to deal with.

I thought everything was closed at Mitsubishi on Saturday.

For charging between 80% and 100%, the charge taper enforced by the Leaf suggests you could switch from L3 to L2 at around 90% without substantially lengthening your total charge time. More efficient use of the L3 machine, but more hassle for the customer who needs 100%. Or you could just stop at 90%, which I do a lot with L2. If the commercial L3 machines bill by the minute, I suspect many of us will avoid going to a full 100% on L3.

I used the Mitsubishi QC on Saturday, 7 Jan 2012. It worked well.

Note that this connector is designed by Japanese, for Japanese.
Please read below, and be GENTLE.

1. See if the cable-door is unlocked.
2. Wake up the QC machine.
3. Insert the Chademo Plug into the car's mating socket.
CHECK that both connectors are clean, and free if debris.
>>>>
7. Remove the Plug.
NOTE: This is the NON-OBVIOUS sequence.
Make SURE the light is Green. Press the
>>>>
9. Secure your car, and vacate the space to allow others to see (from a distance) that the QC is available.

Thanks for your Consideration.

 

[z0ner]

I visited the Mitsu facility Sunday night, and was pleased to find out it was powered on. Just like was mentioned earlier, a simple tap on the LCD woke it up.

I don't understand why some are outlining a manual on how to use the damn thing. It's simple, and intuitive - plus the LCD guides you through it if you're still lost. Just be CAREFUL about it and don't force anything.

Thanks again to our friends for this grand gesture. If they deployed refreshment/vending machines they would make a killing.

 

[garygid]

The "big deal" with instructions is because it has been broken twice,
and then unavailable for about (over?) a month (or two?) each time.

Inconvenient, AND expensive to fix.

 

[tbleakne]

The "big deal" with instructions is because it has been broken twice,
and then unavailable for about (over?) a month (or two?) each time.

Inconvenient, AND expensive to fix.

After viewing the Eaton DC QC at SB 7-Eleven, I found an Eaton video on how to operate their DC QC with Chademo port. I found the video quite helpful, but Gary's instructions add important details of how to handle the Chademo gently to avoid damaging either it or (possibly) your Leaf's QC port. The Eaton unit at SB 7-11 looked like it has the same touch-screen interface, but the printed illustration shown in the video was not present.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KDgIKOE56o

Eaton has a basic spec sheet on the unit:
http://www.eaton.com/ecm/idcplg?Idc...veAs=0&Rendition=Primary&dDocName=PA0EV00002E

It operates on 3-phase 208V (not 480) at 156A AC (200A breaker). 208*156 = 32.4 kW, which means a lower demand charge than other units might draw. Efficiency is 90% minimum => a maximum of 32.4*.9 = 29 kW delivered to your QC port.

 

[GRA]

The "big deal" with instructions is because it has been broken twice,
and then unavailable for about (over?) a month (or two?) each time.

Inconvenient, AND expensive to fix.

After viewing the Eaton DC QC at SB 7-Eleven, I found an Eaton video on how to operate their DC QC with Chademo port. I found the video quite helpful, but Gary's instructions add important details of how to handle the Chademo gently to avoid damaging either it or (possibly) your Leaf's QC port. The Eaton unit at SB 7-11 looked like it has the same touch-screen interface, but the printed illustration shown in the video was not present.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KDgIKOE56o

Eaton has a basic spec sheet on the unit:
http://www.eaton.com/ecm/idcplg?Idc...veAs=0&Rendition=Primary&dDocName=PA0EV00002E

It operates on 3-phase 208V (not 480) at 156A AC (200A breaker). 208*156 = 32.4 kW, which means a lower demand charge than other units might draw. Efficiency is 90% minimum => a maximum of 32.4*.9 = 29 kW delivered to your QC port.

If it has to be handled 'gently', it's never going to survive real-world use.

 

[abasile]

If it has to be handled 'gently', it's never going to survive real-world use.

This is a very valid point, as it would be better if it were more idiot-proof. However, at this stage of the game, we'll take whatever we can get, and do our part to keep it working.

 

[GRA]

If it has to be handled 'gently', it's never going to survive real-world use.

This is a very valid point, as it would be better if it were more idiot-proof. However, at this stage of the game, we'll take whatever we can get, and do our part to keep it working.

Judging by the statement upthread that it has already been broken twice, it seems there are some people who are incapable of doing their part to keep it working in its current form. Bad design engineer, bad bad!

Clearly, they need to subject an improved version to a monkey cage (better yet, a gorilla cage) test before releasing it as suitable for public use.

 

[hill]

If it has to be handled 'gently', it's never going to survive real-world use.

This is a very valid point, as it would be better if it were more idiot-proof. However, at this stage of the game, we'll take whatever we can get, and do our part to keep it working.

Judging by the statement upthread that it has already been broken twice, it seems there are some people who are incapable of doing their part to keep it working in its current form. Bad design engineer, bad bad! . . . . . . . . . snip

wow . . . that's pretty presumptuous. Anyone that's ever been in manufacturing knows beyond any certainty, that one thing is an absolute. You can NOT build any thing that is idiot proof. People will always find a way to misuse things.
Yes folks, believe it or not ... there are people out there that will use the chademo head as a hammer.

 

[garygid]

But, they are not Japanese!