Defective New Nissan EVSE?

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Academiguy

Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2021
Messages
10
Has anyone else had a defective Nissan-brand EVSE that came with the car?

I picked up a new, 2020 SV Plus about two weeks ago. I’ve been trickle-charging it using a third-party EVSE I got a few years ago with an earlier EV. Today I tried the Nissan EVSE, the one that came with the car, for the first time. It plugged into a NEMA 14-50 outlet and started charging but within a few seconds stopped. The ready (top) and fault (bottom) lights are solid and the charging light (middle) blinks...according to the documentation that came in the bag with the EVSE, that means it’s faulty and I should contact a dealer. The thing is brand new—I literally just unwrapped it and plugged it in for the first time! Has anyone also experienced this?
 
As Flyct said, try the EVSE on a 120-volt circuit using the adapter. Also, check the wiring and voltage level of the 14-50 receptacle. If the 14-50 receptacle is fed from a 208-volt circuit (common in industrial locations) instead of a 240-volt circuit, the Nissan EVSE will stop charging after a few seconds with indicator light combinations you describe.
 
Academiguy said:
Has anyone else had a defective Nissan-brand EVSE that came with the car?
You are jumping to an unwarranted conclusion.

Successful charging is a dance between the car, the EVSE, and the home wiring. You need to narrow down the possibilities. If the step suggested above is successful, then try the EVSE at a 14-50 somewhere else that you know works.

Over the years, I think the common problems I've read about at non-residential sites is low voltage, and at residential sites either a poorly installed receptacle or a ground fault. The likelihood that your issue is a bad EVSE, while possible, is unlikely.
 
Thanks everyone. I’m hoping it’s not a defective EVSE. I’ll try it on 120v with the adapter. It’s possible the 240 outlet is miswired or only getting 208–it’s at my wife’s office building so I don’t have any control over it. But I’m glad to hear that no one else has had a defective unit!
 
Academiguy said:
Has anyone else had a defective Nissan-brand EVSE that came with the car?

I picked up a new, 2020 SV Plus about two weeks ago. I’ve been trickle-charging it using a third-party EVSE I got a few years ago with an earlier EV. Today I tried the Nissan EVSE, the one that came with the car, for the first time. It plugged into a NEMA 14-50 outlet and started charging but within a few seconds stopped. The ready (top) and fault (bottom) lights are solid and the charging light (middle) blinks...according to the documentation that came in the bag with the EVSE, that means it’s faulty and I should contact a dealer. The thing is brand new—I literally just unwrapped it and plugged it in for the first time! Has anyone also experienced this?

low voltage error. Mine does the same thing at 3 of 11 locations I tried.
 
GerryAZ said:
As Flyct said, try the EVSE on a 120-volt circuit using the adapter. Also, check the wiring and voltage level of the 14-50 receptacle. If the 14-50 receptacle is fed from a 208-volt circuit (common in industrial locations) instead of a 240-volt circuit, the Nissan EVSE will stop charging after a few seconds with indicator light combinations you describe.
This.
Commercial power will often be 3-phase and again often 208v between any 2 of the 3 phases, 120v between any phase and ground or neutral.
Residential power is almost always 120v between 1 hot and ground/neutral and 240v between the two hots.
 
Academiguy said:
Thanks everyone. I’m hoping it’s not a defective EVSE. I’ll try it on 120v with the adapter. It’s possible the 240 outlet is miswired or only getting 208–it’s at my wife’s office building so I don’t have any control over it. But I’m glad to hear that no one else has had a defective unit!


At office building so it’s likely a commercial 208v connection rather than a typical residential 240v service. . The Nissan OEM EVSE will not work on 208v.
 
GerryAZ said:
LeftieBiker said:
The good news here is that for about $220 you can get a Chinese-built L-2 charging cable that will work on 208 volts.
Or you can get UL listed units made in North America (Grizzl-E and Clipper Creek are a couple different brands) for about $200 more.
Good on you @GerryAZ !
No need to promote cheap Chinese goods: you get what you pay for.
 
I don't generally "promote" cheap Chinese goods - I usually suggest Clipper Creek. I had thought that the OP had mentioned cost as an issue. Since it turns out they didn't, I'll edit my post.
 
LeftieBiker said:
I don't generally "promote" cheap Chinese goods - I usually suggest Clipper Creek. I had thought that the OP had mentioned cost as an issue. Since it turns out they didn't, I'll edit my post.

Mentioning that a product exists is not 'promoting' it, and fwiw, I can think of multiple posts in the forum of people satisfied with their Chinese made EVSE while I cannot remember a single complaint. I personally would not be inclined to buy the Chinese goods but so far they appear to be holding their own.

Lastly, Clipper Creek (CC) has a line of EVSE products called Amazing-E that are about the same cost of shipped from China products but are serviced and warrantied by Clipper Creek. I cannot remember if they are UL listed, and the warranty is shorter. If I was looking to save some money on an EVSE, I would buy the Amazing-E. << THAT is a recommendation.

My other recommendation for an EVSE that is cheaper than Clipper Creek or e.g. Juicebox is the Grizzl-E. Their product is priced about 1/2 way between the Chinese and CC with a more standard warranty, and they have a good reputation.

--
<soapbox>
ALL of these companies buy Made in China components. There are only (at best) 3 differences between them:
1. Customer Support
2. Assembly QA/QC
3. Actionable warranty
</soapbox>
 
SageBrush said:
LeftieBiker said:
I don't generally "promote" cheap Chinese goods - I usually suggest Clipper Creek. I had thought that the OP had mentioned cost as an issue. Since it turns out they didn't, I'll edit my post.

Mentioning that a product exists is not 'promoting' it, and fwiw, I can think of multiple posts in the forum of people satisfied with their Chinese made EVSE while I cannot remember a single complaint. I personally would not be inclined to buy the Chinese goods but so far they appear to be holding their own.

Lastly, Clipper Creek (CC) has a line of EVSE products called Amazing-E that are about the same cost of shipped from China products but are serviced and warrantied by Clipper Creek. I cannot remember if they are UL listed, and the warranty is shorter. If I was looking to save some money on an EVSE, I would buy the Amazing-E. << THAT is a recommendation.

My other recommendation for an EVSE that is cheaper than Clipper Creek or e.g. Juicebox is the Grizzl-E. Their product is priced about 1/2 way between the Chinese and CC with a more standard warranty, and they have a good reputation.

--
<soapbox>
ALL of these companies buy Made in China components. There are only (at best) 3 differences between them:
1. Customer Support
2. Assembly QA/QC
3. Actionable warranty
</soapbox>
I have several EVSEs one of them being a cheap Chinese built one and truthfully it's been working just as good as the others for 4 years, in fact I'm currently using it to charge my '12SL that maxes out at 16a as does that EVSE so it's a good fit. I also like how versatile the cheaper EVSEs are, this particular ESVE works on not only 120v @ 16a(12a on my '12SL) but also ~200-240v @ 16a max. I could complain the cord gets a bit stiff in below zero temps and it's a bit short but at the time it was less than half a name brand EVSE and as it was just going to be a spare I thought I'd give it a shot.
 
I am having the same exact problem. 2020 Nissan Leaf picked up at the end of February. The EVSE charge cable works with the trickle adapter for 120V. HOWEVER, when we plug it in to our brand new, licensed-electrician-installed 240V outlet, it does not work. Same steady Green and Red light with the middle Orange light blinking. For this combo of lights, the instructions say "This trouble is caused by a malfunction of the EVSE internal circuits. Stop using the EVSE immediately and contact a Nissan dealer."

Our electrician also says the problem is the EVSE. He says that the trickle can work because the cable probably has no problem carrying the small load, but something in the EVSE's circuit is malfunctioning that is preventing the 240V from going through.

I went to dealership and they will not replace the cable unless they can prove it's not working, BUT they (nor other nearby dealerships) do NOT have a 240V outlet to test it! They told me to call USA Nissan Consumer Affairs and they've told me that a "Regional" Customer Affairs person will contact me on Monday.

I bought a cable through Amazon (Chinese? I don't know or care at this point) and it is currently charging my car perfectly fine. So I am 100% sure that the Nissan EVSE is the problem.

If you have already gotten any further with Nissan about this issue, I would love to know. I will update as more develops as well.

Academiguy said:
Has anyone else had a defective Nissan-brand EVSE that came with the car?

I picked up a new, 2020 SV Plus about two weeks ago. I’ve been trickle-charging it using a third-party EVSE I got a few years ago with an earlier EV. Today I tried the Nissan EVSE, the one that came with the car, for the first time. It plugged into a NEMA 14-50 outlet and started charging but within a few seconds stopped. The ready (top) and fault (bottom) lights are solid and the charging light (middle) blinks...according to the documentation that came in the bag with the EVSE, that means it’s faulty and I should contact a dealer. The thing is brand new—I literally just unwrapped it and plugged it in for the first time! Has anyone also experienced this?
 
lissahenry said:
I am having the same exact problem. 2020 Nissan Leaf picked up at the end of February. The EVSE charge cable works with the trickle adapter for 120V. HOWEVER, when we plug it in to our brand new, licensed-electrician-installed 240V outlet, it does not work. Same steady Green and Red light with the middle Orange light blinking. For this combo of lights, the instructions say "This trouble is caused by a malfunction of the EVSE internal circuits. Stop using the EVSE immediately and contact a Nissan dealer."

Out of curiosity, what voltage did the electrician measure at the outlet?
 
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