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Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: evtricity on August 30, 2016, 06:57:09 AM

Title: Onboard charger wiring for 2014 and 2015+
Post by: evtricity on August 30, 2016, 06:57:09 AM

I'm working on a new charger solution for my 2014 SR and looking to understand the wires used by the onboard charger to chat to the MBB.

On the 2014 model there are only three wires, however in a post by Farfle it shows 7 or 8 wires. Does anyone know how these wires are used by the MBB to manage charging. I'm assuming for the 2015 a more sophisticated CAN control was implemented for the chargers and I'd like to understand that so the charger I create can work for later model bikes too.

Thanks

Title: Re: Onboard charger wiring for 2014 and 2015+
Post by: BrianTRice@gmail.com on August 30, 2016, 07:00:32 AM

For reference, Farfle's best post on this is:
http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=4424 (http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=4424)

I'd like to update the manual based on what's learned:
http://zeromanual.com/index.php/Unofficial_Service_Manual#Charger (http://zeromanual.com/index.php/Unofficial_Service_Manual#Charger)

Title: Re: Onboard charger wiring for 2014 and 2015+
Post by: evtricity on August 30, 2016, 07:06:15 AM

Yes, that's where I saw the 2015 image but there is no discussion of the onboard charger comms cables and using it for the charger he's looking to build.

Title: Re: Onboard charger wiring for 2014 and 2015+
Post by: evtricity on October 23, 2016, 05:13:58 PM

I have done some further investigations and the 2014 onboard charging works as follows:

When the onboard charger is plugged in and powered on the onboard charger pushes:
- 5v and 48mA through the Charger attached pin #11
- 5v and 26mA through the Charger enabled pin #12

The 5v ground reference is Pin #13 which is battery negative

With this knowledge I'm able to use the onboard charger connector to add my own onboard charger solution which functions as follows:

1. Run a separate circuit that when triggered pushes 5v ~50mA through pin#11 (attached charger) with the other end of the 5v circuit connected to the battery negative pin #13.
2. When this is triggered the bike shows the battery state of charge % and charge time remaining, closes the contactor and allows charging - through the fast charge port, the onboard charger port or via the Sevcon battery terminals for high power charging.
3. Upon completion of charging, the 5V can be switched off and the charge level and time remaining switch off and the contactor opens just as with the onboard charger.
4. The bike can be keyed on and ridden away as normal.

Using this method there is no need to leave the bike on when fast charging via the Sevcon cables or if you are using the fast charge port without triggering the auxiliary pin on the fact charge Anderson SBS75X.

Hope this is helpful for 2014 owners who may not have an onboard charger and want to add their own additional charger/s without limitations of the fast charger port (100A fuse and need to physically connect/disconnect chargers when charging/riding respectively).

I believe the 2015 onboard chargers use CAN signals so not sure the same approach can be used.

Title: Re: Onboard charger wiring for 2014 and 2015+
Post by: BrianTRice@gmail.com on October 23, 2016, 10:15:22 PM

Nice info, evtricity! I'll try to preserve this on the wiki.

Title: Re: Onboard charger wiring for 2014 and 2015+
Post by: E-zero on May 03, 2017, 03:07:59 AM

Sorry for my unknowledge but, how do you put the 5V ~50mA from pin #13 to #11? Just a cable or using some kind of resistor?

Thanks!

Title: Re: Onboard charger wiring for 2014 and 2015+
Post by: DanyEarth on March 25, 2021, 12:21:04 AM

I can confirm that this approach works on my Zero SR 2015. I just use an isolated DC-DC converter and put 5 V with a 100 mA fuse in series to avoid issues. Important that the DC-DC is isolated!