Replacing NissanConnectEV with OVMS in a Gen1 Leaf

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Here it is installed on my 2013 SL. I'll eventually move it to behind the glove box. But it works for now under the steering column. I mainly need to make sure I have enough OBDII cable to route behind the HVAC to move it behind the glove box.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TbENqPm5KLhn92Pq6
 
Has anyone succeeded at using the original TCU GSM antenna for the OVMS?

There's a thread on OVMS.

https://www.openvehicles.com/node/2435

They used to make this cable in Japan.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Antenna-Extension-GT16-Conversion-Connector-Small-–/dp/B00WYTNT44/

Probably the only off the shelf no solder solution would be two connector cables, GT16 male on one end of one and SMA male on the other end of the other with some sort of common male/female in between.
 
Olsonist said:
Has anyone succeeded at using the original TCU GSM antenna for the OVMS?

There's a thread on OVMS.

https://www.openvehicles.com/node/2435

They used to make this cable in Japan.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Antenna-Extension-GT16-Conversion-Connector-Small-–/dp/B00WYTNT44/

Probably the only off the shelf no solder solution would be two connector cables, GT16 male on one end of one and SMA male on the other end of the other with some sort of common male/female in between.
I tried...but was unsuccessful in making the adapter cable (I wish you could buy the one in the Amazon link provided).
Bottom line: it is absolutely possible...if you can make/acquire the adapter cable you described. Until then, I am using a separate GSM antenna.
 
I don't solder but what problems did you have constructing this cable?

In any case, I found someone in Shenzhen on Alibaba who makes these cables. She didn't have the male GT16 part because seriously, this is about the ONLY cable that uses the male GT16 part. Otherwise she would have made one for me.

But we could do a group buy so that she could order the male GT16 parts from a Hirose distributor. I'd be willing to front this. There may be other cars on the OVMS list who could use this.

How long should such a cable be? For LHD cars, if you put the OVMS behind the glove box it could be short. But that would require running CAN back to the glove box, no? Or it could be closer to a meter if you zip tie it on the other side. Dunno about RHD. Could you coil up a meter cable if you still wanted it in the glove box?

62fc1d18551e0d07f66b12f15b2b6042.png


Search for 28212-3NA0A on EBay to see what the part looks like. BTW, the GPS antenna is a separate antenna, also behind the instrument panel. Look for 25975-3NA0A on EBay to see what it looks like.

5dd0b27e17dd1a6b0f45e61e3672f769.png
 
Olsonist said:
I don't solder but what problems did you have constructing this cable?

In any case, I found someone in Shenzhen on Alibaba who makes these cables. She didn't have the male GT16 part because seriously, this is about the ONLY cable that uses the male GT16 part. Otherwise she would have made one for me.
No soldering required (I can do that); the problem is the crimping tool/parts that are required. I started with an SMA cable (on one end); I have a parts list (from Mouser Electronics). These are (relatively) cheap parts, so money isn't the problem.
I'm open to further discussion.
 
Stanton said:
smooveride said:
Just to make sure before I pull the trigger on the hardware... I've got a Sept 2013 build date, SV. If I get the modem and disconnect the TCU (and make the mods) I'll be able to run the climate control remotely without being plugged in?
Correct...except you shouldn't have to make any "mods" if you have a AZE0 model.
The OVMS docs for the Leaf have been updated here https://docs.openvehicles.com/en/latest/components/vehicle_nissanleaf/docs/index.html. Also make sure you read through the "notes" (like #4).

Just trying to make sure that I understand...I would be fine without the modem and SIM. I have a 2015 S that should be in easy WiFi range at home, so I would need only:

1) The Japanese base kit ($180) and
2) Leaf cable ($12),

correct?

And I wouldn't need any connection to any antenna if I limit myself to WiFi?
 
Joaozinho said:
Just trying to make sure that I understand...I would be fine without the modem and SIM. I have a 2015 S that should be in easy WiFi range at home, so I would need only:

1) The Japanese base kit ($180) and
2) Leaf cable ($12),

correct?

And I wouldn't need any connection to any antenna if I limit myself to WiFi?
Everything you said is correct...if you can do it with an "S" trim. For some reason I thought you could only do this if the car originally had a TCU (which the "S" did not). I initially used mine exclusively on WiFi while waiting for the 4G modem to come out.
 
Stanton said:
Everything you said is correct...if you can do it with an "S" trim. For some reason I thought you could only do this if the car originally had a TCU (which the "S" did not). I initially used mine exclusively on WiFi while waiting for the 4G modem to come out.

I'm back to being puzzled. The Leaf page at openvehicles.com simply says: "OVMS currently supports 2011-2017 Nissan LEAF..."

The only mentions I see for S trim are the benefits of having no TCU to disconnect. Am I missing something?
 
Stanton said:
Can't answer that question unless/until someone verifies they have installed OVMS in an "S" trim Leaf.

Got it. Dala@Dala's EV Repair claims to have done so in the middle of this Reddit thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/leaf/comments/e9sawr/just_installed_ovms_into_my_15_leaf_loving_it/

But that's the only one I have found.
 
Joaozinho said:
Stanton said:
Can't answer that question unless/until someone verifies they have installed OVMS in an "S" trim Leaf.

Got it. Dala@Dala's EV Repair claims to have done so in the middle of this Reddit thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/leaf/comments/e9sawr/just_installed_ovms_into_my_15_leaf_loving_it/

But that's the only one I have found.
Dala is a trusted source (I use his Can bridge), and the post looks legit. If you give it a try, please report back to this thread.
 
First off I'd like to thank Stanton for his OVMS posts.

I didn't even know this item existed until I came across his threads.

Thanks again!!!
_______________________________________________________

So I purchased, set up, and tested out OVMS before finalizing exactly where I was going to hide it.

I wanted it working, out of sight, not hogging my precious OBD2 port (Leafspy needs love too :p ), and able to be easily disconnected.

I have a Leafbox tucked up under the steering wheel, so it would just be too cramped with OVMS in there also.

I had planned from the start to put the GPS antenna above the glovebox and under the dash where I already knew there would be no metal in the way of the satellite picture.

I thought I'd give that area a shot for the entire install.

And I thought if I could put the whole thing in the factory TCU location... that would be awesome!

So that's exactly what I set out to do.

I started with a bbfly splitter extension that has the factory style clips on the two ends so one of the two actually stays in the factory location.

Under the steering wheel everything looks stock and I still have a working OBD2 port for Leafspy use.

I plugged a 5 foot extension into the other port and ran it behind the dash and under the radio over towards the passenger seat.

That was pretty easy.

It just required pulling the large radio bezel off.

My TCU was the original 2G unit that had been burning 12V power for absolutely no reason for quite some time.

I pulled the board out of the TCU shell and there is actually a little area where the OVMS box sits nicely.

There's just a little plastic in the way.

(That and the OVMS box is fat... too fat for the TCU shell to close completely with it in there.)

I Dremeled some of the plastic away in the area I wanted the OVMS to sit.

I completely removed the posts and nubs in red; cut the sides out in blue; and trimmed back the posts in green.

k73Twlwh_o.jpg


After Dremeling, the OVMS looks like this in the TCU shell.

mO2CKg9f_o.jpg


Like I said earlier, the OVMS is fat and the TCU shell won't completely close around it.

So I had to flip the shell over to get it to screw to the factory TCU bracket.

And since it wouldn't close all the way, the factory screws were too short too.

I picked up some #4 x 3/4 inch pan head phillips screws from Lowe's and they tightened up enough to close the shell and hold the OVMS inside.

There is still a small gap between the two halves, but I was OK with that.

If nothing else it allows a little air movement around the OVMS box.

I stuck the GSM antenna on the side and ran a few zip ties around the antenna, OVMS, and TCU shell.

The OVMS fits pretty tightly and the antenna adhesive seemed like it would hold it just fine, but I figured a little extra securing wouldn't be a bad thing.

O1u6L4Hh_o.jpg


All the extra wiring from both antennas is zip tied behind the TCU/OVMS box.

When put back in the Leaf it looks like this.

u8FO06kr_o.jpg


Here's a pic of the completed install prior to glovebox replacement.

sMRvpkh3_o.jpg


The GPS antenna is up above that yellow arrow.

My GPS antenna has a magnet in it (I didn't know that at first), so I stuck it on top of a metal bracket above the glovebox.

I had it up there for two weeks during testing and it didn't budge.

But as with the rest of the install I figured a little extra securing couldn't hurt.

I used 3 strips of double sided Tesa under it and a zip tie around it.

It's on top of the metal frame where that green arrow is pointing.

H9NRRFfm_o.jpg


Like I said at the beginning, I wanted the ability to shut off OVMS.

I don't need it running for 1-2 weeks when I'm on vacation and messing around under the steering wheel with the bbfly splitter is not quick or easy to do.

So I left the OBD2 extension / OVMS cable junction in a fairly accessible and slightly hidden spot.

There's some large factory flexloom under the glovebox in the passenger footwell.

I have that cable junction tucked up behind the flexloom.

KrFpK1Cx_o.jpg


There is a few inches of slack in those cables so I can pull them down and disconnect them if needed.

It's also easy to tuck back up out of the way when reconnected.

And don't mind those Anderson Powerpole connectors in the bottom right hand corner of that pic.

That's a different project.

I just needed access to the firewall grommet behind the TCU and this was the perfect time to get to it.

Perfect time to swap out the cabin air filter too.

It was full of leaves! :shock:
 
schnitzeraffe said:
So I purchased, set up, and tested out OVMS before finalizing exactly where I was going to hide it.
Ok: you win the award for the best OVMS install!

Since I still use the (built-in) car Nav, I left my GPS antenna connected to the car, but I would like to use the existing GSM antenna instead of the aftermarket one I bought with the module. The problem is, I can't get the adapter connector/cable to work (I can't get a good 'crimp' on the connector ferrule); I still have an extra set of connector parts (and the extension cable is routed in the footwell), so I need to work on it again some day.
 
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