OK, I've been inserting my info into two separate threads that are sort of about my same issue, but not quite. And I keep getting lost as others are discussing different issues from mine. So I'm going to start my own thread about my specific issue.
My issue:
Will not charge on EVSEs that are not made by AeroVironment.
History:
Since new, this Leaf charged on every public and private EVSE that has been encountered - including countless Clipper Creek units.
Two years ago, my wife’s work installed two GE Wattstations (http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/07/dead-leafs-and-ge-chargers/), and after charging on those stations for a while, we began to notice erratic charging behavior that was confined to only those Watt Stations.
About a month ago (two years after beginning to charge on the GE units), the Leaf failed to charge on our Clipper Creek CS-40 (the EVSE’s “Charge Error” LED would immediately illuminate). This is an EVSE that we have been using daily for over two years.
Two weeks after it stopped charging on the CS-40, the Leaf charged 14 times on our HCS-40, and then stopped charging (same Charge Error) on our HCS-40 as well. This is an EVSE that we had been using on and off also for over two years.
Both chargers have been checked by Clipper Creek and are confirmed to conform to the global J1772 standard, and function perfectly. Both of these units will charge our other J1772 cars, and all other Leafs that we’ve tried.
I attempted to charge our Leaf on our many local public CS-40’s (charged fine from these units for the past six years) and those EVSE's now fail to charge our Leaf. In the meantime, all other Leafs in my town charge without problem on those same public CS-40’s. (I have taken the J1772 nozzle out of a happily charging Leaf, and inserted the connector into my car. The EVSE immediately shows "Charge Fault” until I plug it back into the other Leaf, where it continues to happily charge.
The shop foreman of my local Nissan dealer found and cleared DTC B29C1 - EVSE Signal Stuck Low. Full definition here:
(https://www.manualslib.com/manual/563550/Nissan-Electric-Power-Train.html?page=103) on Aug 8, 2017. After the code was cleared, the Leaf could again charge on all HCS-40 units, but still will not charge on any CS-40. I have tried six units at home and in town. Exactly 14 charge cycles later (on an HCS-40), the Leaf will again not charge on the HCS-40 unit either. Same timing as before where the car accepted the HCS after rejecting the CS. 14 charges later, the car also rejects the HCS.
The car continues to charge on the 120V EVSE that came with it, and on any other AeroVironment EVSE that has been tried.
It has been suggested by many, that the diode on my onboard charger (OBC) has been wrecked. Chances are that it happened when connected to the GE Wattstation at some point.
A Nissan engineer (contacted in my behalf by a friend who works for Nissan), had this to say.
(The "friend" in this message is me, of course).
Diode testing advice from user 91040
If good, in one direction it should read low resistance and in the other high resistance.
If fixable by insertion of a diode in the pilot, it will read low resistance in both directions.
If there is unlimited resistance in both directions, the onboard charger will need to be replaced unless you remove it, access a circuit board and replace the surface mount diode.
With a blown diode, you can still do L2 charging with any EVSE that does not do the diode check, i.e. the original Nissan branded AV units or an OpenEVSE with that check disabled. CHAdeMO is not affected (because, of course, the OBC is bypassed with DC charging).
Here is a great vid on the problem, and just where that charger diode is located!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R4dGg8nIUs
The GE Wattstation/Leaf issue:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/07/dead-leafs-and-ge-chargers/
Testing the diode from Ground pin to Pilot pin:
On Aug 27, I found:
65 kohm one way.
87 kohm the other way.
Aug 29, I found:
7.95 kohm
7.5 kohm
Instructions for replacing diode from user 91040
If I remember correctly:
1. Remove the cover over the space between the radiator and the front frame above the charge ports, which is fastened with plastic fasteners.
2. Remove the 4 bolts that hold the Jplug receiver.
3. Detach the plastic connector, which is on the orange wire harness about 8" behind the Jplug receiver. It is held by clips and may take some effort to separate.
3a. Detach black plastic connector on the black harness that connects below the charge ports.
4. Remove the Jplug receiver and wire harness from the car.
5. Remove the orange corrugated plastic cover on the wire harness.
6. Find an accessible location on the pilot wire in the harness, with space for the diode.
7. Cut the pilot wire and solder the diode in line with the band on the diode facing towards the back of the car. (I probably used shrink tubing over the diode and signal wire as well.)
8. A piece of wood alongside the diode and the wire will act as a splint to strengthen it from vibration.
9. Tape over the diode and the splint with electrician's tape, then over it and the rest of the harness.
10. Reverse the directions in #5 through #1.
Be sure to fully reseat the plastic connectors when reconnecting.
From GlennD, I learn
Any diode in the series 1N4xxx is good to use. Except for 1N4007, because it uses multiple diodes. And that's bad for some unknown-to-me reason.
The EVSE output is through a 1K resistor so the max current shorted at 12V is 12MA. That is so low that most any diode will work. You would install the diode with the bar pointing to the charger (back of the car, away from the J1772 connector).
My issue:
Will not charge on EVSEs that are not made by AeroVironment.
History:
Since new, this Leaf charged on every public and private EVSE that has been encountered - including countless Clipper Creek units.
Two years ago, my wife’s work installed two GE Wattstations (http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/07/dead-leafs-and-ge-chargers/), and after charging on those stations for a while, we began to notice erratic charging behavior that was confined to only those Watt Stations.
About a month ago (two years after beginning to charge on the GE units), the Leaf failed to charge on our Clipper Creek CS-40 (the EVSE’s “Charge Error” LED would immediately illuminate). This is an EVSE that we have been using daily for over two years.
Two weeks after it stopped charging on the CS-40, the Leaf charged 14 times on our HCS-40, and then stopped charging (same Charge Error) on our HCS-40 as well. This is an EVSE that we had been using on and off also for over two years.
Both chargers have been checked by Clipper Creek and are confirmed to conform to the global J1772 standard, and function perfectly. Both of these units will charge our other J1772 cars, and all other Leafs that we’ve tried.
I attempted to charge our Leaf on our many local public CS-40’s (charged fine from these units for the past six years) and those EVSE's now fail to charge our Leaf. In the meantime, all other Leafs in my town charge without problem on those same public CS-40’s. (I have taken the J1772 nozzle out of a happily charging Leaf, and inserted the connector into my car. The EVSE immediately shows "Charge Fault” until I plug it back into the other Leaf, where it continues to happily charge.
The shop foreman of my local Nissan dealer found and cleared DTC B29C1 - EVSE Signal Stuck Low. Full definition here:
(https://www.manualslib.com/manual/563550/Nissan-Electric-Power-Train.html?page=103) on Aug 8, 2017. After the code was cleared, the Leaf could again charge on all HCS-40 units, but still will not charge on any CS-40. I have tried six units at home and in town. Exactly 14 charge cycles later (on an HCS-40), the Leaf will again not charge on the HCS-40 unit either. Same timing as before where the car accepted the HCS after rejecting the CS. 14 charges later, the car also rejects the HCS.
The car continues to charge on the 120V EVSE that came with it, and on any other AeroVironment EVSE that has been tried.
It has been suggested by many, that the diode on my onboard charger (OBC) has been wrecked. Chances are that it happened when connected to the GE Wattstation at some point.
A Nissan engineer (contacted in my behalf by a friend who works for Nissan), had this to say.
(The "friend" in this message is me, of course).
Some of the early GE units had an issue that damaged the OBC charging diode. It sounds like this could be what happened to your friends Leaf.
The issue was that the GE Watt Station interrupted the J1772 pilot signal during charging, then the OBC turned on the inrush protection relay and the charging diode was damaged when actual current in-rush occurred.
There was a GE WattStation software change and an OBC software update to correct this, but I’m not sure the quantity of EVSEs/vehicles that were updated.
Some EVSEs detect this damaged diode and prevent charging, others do not and charging will start.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure the best way to fix this concern for customer. It most likely needs an OBC replacement at the dealership.
Diode testing advice from user 91040
If good, in one direction it should read low resistance and in the other high resistance.
If fixable by insertion of a diode in the pilot, it will read low resistance in both directions.
If there is unlimited resistance in both directions, the onboard charger will need to be replaced unless you remove it, access a circuit board and replace the surface mount diode.
With a blown diode, you can still do L2 charging with any EVSE that does not do the diode check, i.e. the original Nissan branded AV units or an OpenEVSE with that check disabled. CHAdeMO is not affected (because, of course, the OBC is bypassed with DC charging).
Here is a great vid on the problem, and just where that charger diode is located!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R4dGg8nIUs
The GE Wattstation/Leaf issue:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/07/dead-leafs-and-ge-chargers/
Testing the diode from Ground pin to Pilot pin:
On Aug 27, I found:
65 kohm one way.
87 kohm the other way.
Aug 29, I found:
7.95 kohm
7.5 kohm
Instructions for replacing diode from user 91040
If I remember correctly:
1. Remove the cover over the space between the radiator and the front frame above the charge ports, which is fastened with plastic fasteners.
2. Remove the 4 bolts that hold the Jplug receiver.
3. Detach the plastic connector, which is on the orange wire harness about 8" behind the Jplug receiver. It is held by clips and may take some effort to separate.
3a. Detach black plastic connector on the black harness that connects below the charge ports.
4. Remove the Jplug receiver and wire harness from the car.
5. Remove the orange corrugated plastic cover on the wire harness.
6. Find an accessible location on the pilot wire in the harness, with space for the diode.
7. Cut the pilot wire and solder the diode in line with the band on the diode facing towards the back of the car. (I probably used shrink tubing over the diode and signal wire as well.)
8. A piece of wood alongside the diode and the wire will act as a splint to strengthen it from vibration.
9. Tape over the diode and the splint with electrician's tape, then over it and the rest of the harness.
10. Reverse the directions in #5 through #1.
Be sure to fully reseat the plastic connectors when reconnecting.
From GlennD, I learn
Any diode in the series 1N4xxx is good to use. Except for 1N4007, because it uses multiple diodes. And that's bad for some unknown-to-me reason.
The EVSE output is through a 1K resistor so the max current shorted at 12V is 12MA. That is so low that most any diode will work. You would install the diode with the bar pointing to the charger (back of the car, away from the J1772 connector).