Topic: Diginow Supercharger 2.5!! (Read 30997 times)

MrDude_1 · « **on:** June 12, 2018, 09:49:55 PM »

First off... wow. Exactly what my nitpicks were, addressed. It now turns the bike on itself and talks via CAN... so it will know if the battery is getting hot, etc...
and then you can throw caution to the wind and get 3C charging if you're into touring.

Heres the facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/digiNowInc/posts/1660500230736662?comment_id=1660528467400505&notif_id=1528818254072291&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif

and since some of you are not on Facebook here it is:

Quote

Introducing the SuperCharger v2.5!
After many months of hard work, and kilobytes of sacrificed code (rest in peace), we have completed our full system integration with Zeroâ€™s BMS. Our new algorithms communicate with both the monolith and power tank to ensure battery longevity, safety, and maximum charging speeds.

Some of the new features included in the SuperCharger v2.5 launch are:

1) Keyless charging. Powers your bike on when you plug in, just like every other EV.

2) Balances Power Tank and Monolith.

3) Properly limits charging speeds based on live feedback from the batteries.

4) Adjusts charging speed on the fly based on voltage.

5) Adjusts charging speed on the fly based on battery temperatures.

6) SCv2.5 units come pre-installed in our custom belly pan for an easier install than ever. Custom colors available.

7) Removes limits from v2.0. At higher voltage stations or plugs you MAY see up to 4kW per unit (up from 3.3kW).

Allows you to increase your battery lifespan dramatically by stopping or holding charge at any percent you like. I.e. stop at 80% every night or 60% when not riding for a month.

9) Current users can upgrade existing SCv2.0 simply with purchase of drop-in v2.5 Control Board.

10) There is no longer a limit to the number of chargers that you can put on your bike other than your own imagination.

Over the past several months we have focused on finding reliable vendors to produce high-quality parts to increase our reliability and reduce our lead times. We have also started working with automotive industry professionals in both chemicals and manufacturing processes which has dramatically improved the success rate during our QC testing. Thank you everyone who has helped us to get to this point. Without your support none of this would be possible.

You made it this far? Well, then. To Infinity and Beyond!...

11) Supports up to 3C charging as per battery designer specifications if desired. Over 1C charging will void your Zero warranty in an awesome way. As such, charging beyond 1C is only for the most elite and advanced users who pass our interview process. And digiNow requires physical access to the bike for the procedure.

heroto · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2018, 10:58:46 PM »

How to buy?
Price?
How complicated is the install?

Rugby4life · « **Reply #2 on:** June 13, 2018, 12:09:15 AM »

Quote from: heroto on June 12, 2018, 10:58:46 PM

How to buy?
Price?
How complicated is the install?

Email morgan@diginow.it to get the ball rolling and get a price quote.
As for the install, I wasn't comfortable doing a self install for fear of turning my new SR into a smoldering pile due to my own inexperience. My dealer had only been a Zero dealer for 6 months and never done one of these installs either. So, I paid for Brandon to fly cross country and do the install. Air fare and hotel cost no more than 4 hours of shop time at the dealer and I had the confidence of an expert installing and testing the finished product. You can read about it here http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=7894.0.

ElectricZen · « **Reply #3 on:** June 13, 2018, 01:07:16 AM »

Good way to do it! I traveled to LA from Vancouver, Canada to get the master's(Brandon and Harlan) to do my install in 2016. Though it doesn't seem as complicated any more. Many have self installed to great success!

Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk

BrianTRice@gmail.com · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2018, 04:50:28 AM »

I'm using 2.5 with a power tank and am grateful that it's now able to coordinate with both BMS's in a way that other chargers have not done as well.

It imbues a good amount of confidence, and I think it will get better.

Congratulations - now please make web pages for this stuff, DigiNow! The unofficial manual can't afford to try making claims for things that it can't reliably cite.

dukecola · « **Reply #5 on:** June 16, 2018, 01:41:55 AM »

From what I'm gathering, the onboard has to be disabled in order to use the 2.5. I've asked if they could fabricate a splitter for us folks who are not pan mounting and who want to keep using the onboard.

Shadow · « **Reply #6 on:** June 16, 2018, 02:43:38 AM »

Quote from: dukecola on June 16, 2018, 01:41:55 AM

From what I'm gathering, the onboard has to be disabled in order to use the 2.5. I've asked if they could fabricate a splitter for us folks who are not pan mounting and who want to keep using the onboard.

I tried a DigiNow pan install and it did not end well: DigiNow could not deliver on what we agreed upon, stole equipment off my bike without my permission, and offered a compromise and release for $4122 promissory note which I have only seen a partial amount in the form of a credit card based Paypal transaction where I can only assume they expect me to eat the fees. That amount was stated to be DigiNow firing me as a customer and forcibly returning all of the electronics I purchased and had installed from them; It does not even begin to cover a return of goods as I have documented and shared to them, but as there is no blood from a stone and DigiNow is not a profitable company I took this option.

As agreeing to this C&R or not agreeing to it I was left stranded as a motorcyclist without any working charging. The other concession I was offered outside of that C&R agreement is Brandon promised on a handshake to personally reimburse my expenses for a U-Haul to get me home and additionally gave me then one of his S/DS OEM onboard charging units modified for an AUX connector and wall plug. There are basic disagreements I have with the DigiNow people but it the crux of it is they are so far over their heads in debt trying to deliver an EV charging product, their ability to function as an honorable business is seriously flawed.

I will now call out Brandon on the forums in public: Brandon, your behavior (Morgan too - DigiNow is *in fact* better off writing software not selling charging electronics!) as a business with DigiNow is reprehensible, but thanks for having some shred of moral compass to offering the GWP onboard unit to get me to the U-Haul location and to reimburse for the U-Haul; You're not a complete and total asshole although...

From the facebook post:
"Thank you everyone who has helped us to get to this point. Without your support none of this would be possible."

...well, my experiences differ greatly from this sentiment.

MVetter · « **Reply #7 on:** June 16, 2018, 05:06:57 AM »

Hi Shadow,
I think we all know this is not even remotely what happened. We can, and will if necessary, post all documents, pictures, and videos of how things went down. To touch on a few of the lighter points:

- There was no theft of anything off your bike.
- Not only did we give you a functioning Calex so you could get home, we paid for a U-Haul truck and gas to return you home safely.
- You were fully reimbursed for all of the chargers and parts that you personally didn't destroy/tamper with against our recommendations and damage.

Where would you like to begin? Again, keep in mind, we documented everything.

Everything.

Rugby4life · « **Reply #8 on:** June 16, 2018, 07:04:31 AM »

Wow, Shadow and I seemed to have had totally opposite experiences with Diginow. I, too, chose a belly pan set up. Brandon and I discussed the options and settled on the customized components to integrate seamlessly with my bike and accessories. I was honest with myself about my technical abilities and comfort level with handling high(ish) voltage components. I also didn't want to turn my $16k bike into a smoldering mess due to a rookie mistake on the install. My local Zero dealer is new to the brand and had never heard of Diginow, much less had experience installing one of their systems. So for the price of 4 hrs of dealership shop time, I flew Brandon cross country to do the install himself (at no extra charge for his time). Before flying out, he asked me if I would be willing to beta test some components they were developing. Now I know they were for the 2.5 version.
After the install, he stayed 2 days testing compatibility with different chargers (including tesla) as we logged several hundred miles of assorted riding. When a major bug arose hours before he was due to fly out, he decided to stay an extra day to get it fixed. BTW, the bug was a conflict with old firmware versions for the BMS and the MBB and had nothing to do with the chargers.
During the next 1200 miles, I had 2 beta components fail. We exchanged many phone calls and texts in the process of diagnosing each of the failures. Brandon probably spent 4-5 hours of direct customer service interaction with me on top of the time researching all the data, screen shots, and videos I sent. As soon as a root cause was determined, He sent new, upgraded parts which have worked flawlessly. He also built a couple of custom adapters for free to give me more flexibility charging on roadtrips.
To be perfectly clear, Brandon asked me ahead of time if I would be willing to beta test, if not, he would bring standard components. I took on the role of beta testing knowing here may be bumps in the road. My confidence that I would be well supported has been validated as I have been dealt with honestly and fairly. It's satisfying to be a small part of bringing a better product to the Zero community and can't wait to receive the parts to bring me up to a full 2.5 version.
Shadow and I had vastly different experiences while using basically the same product from the same company with the same technical advice. The only difference I can see is that did not overestimate my abilities and attempt to modify a sophisticated, integrated product. I remember reading an earlier thread where Shadow was "calling out" Brandon over his self inflicted malfunctions. I couldn't make an informed decision on who was at fault but felt there was more to the situation than was public knowledge. After now having personally dealt with Brandon and Diginow, an old truism keeps coming to mind; "The only constant in all of your bad relationships is you."

2014ZeroSR · « **Reply #9 on:** June 16, 2018, 12:53:35 PM »

Shadow, I also have had opposite, completely opposite experiences as you. Brandon has been very generous with his time, skill(s), knowledge and product(s). I do feel Brandon does have a minor flaw - He isn't a slave to e-mail. A response is sometimes a bit slow in coming. Morgan is there now, thus a response is now timely.

Your post is disappointing - I think it's very wrong with how you're currently proceeding.

nevetsyad · « **Reply #10 on:** June 17, 2018, 09:55:14 PM »

Shadow, weren't you told to not do certain things with your hardware, and you did it anyways? You and Brandon posted your E-mails a while ago and it appears that you went against his recommendations.

Brandon and the Diginow team have been excellent to me and everyone that I've heard of that followed his instructions. Doing the 2.5 upgrade to my setup and moving it to my 2018 Zeros, probably adding a third charger and a belly pan. I can't wait.

Scotchman · « **Reply #11 on:** June 19, 2018, 04:10:40 AM »

Ok so I'll provide some feedback from the standpoint of a potential buyer and maybe the target market.

I just got a new Zero. I want a fast charge solution. I like the Charge Tank, a lot. It uses J1772 stations, over 6kw, the full package. But its $2300, and I like my storage space. I come on here and everyone loves the Diginow and has all these home brew type projects that look really hard and I don't want to touch that with a 10 foot pole.

I go to Diginow's website. I can't figure out what they offer. I can't figure out how much it costs. I can't figure out how to actually install it or if I'm remotely capable. Seriously, go to their website, https://diginow.it/supercharger.php. It's a big picture of a scary science project, and then a huge table with lots of intimidating numbers. I guess there are four options? Why would I choose one or the other? Can I even use a 13.2kw unit? Does it fit on the bike or go in a backpack? How does any of this work? And what does it cost?

You go to http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/charging/ and they just tell you how much faster you'll charge, and show a nice stock image of a Zero being charged. It makes me want to buy it.

I am playing dumb a little bit here (only a little though), but this is the furthest thing from a clean, polished site, targeted towards potential customers. This site is targeted towards someone who already knows what they want, how to use it, they just want a supplier of good equipment. For someone shopping and comparing to the Charge Tank, there is no contest. I don't even know what their offering IS. What does it look like? Where does it go? How do I use it. I'm getting started again.

So I'm posting this mostly as constructive feedback because it sounds like they have a good product, but as Zero adoption increases, I can tell you it's going to be people like me. All the people who are "really into this," already have them. The remaining market is more casual folks who need a YouTube video showing the installation, and need prices shown on the site.

I am probably going to try and do some research to answer my questions, but it's going to be a project. The Charge Tank is turnkey and very appealing. That's the competition here (at least for me).

nevetsyad · « **Reply #12 on:** June 19, 2018, 04:48:12 AM »

I never thought of it like that, great points. Most of their buyers come from the facebook owners group, or from word of mouth, I'd wager money. They contact Brandon, the Electric Cowboy, and discuss what their goals and budget are, and he and the Vetters hook them up. It is a very cottage industry still. The Zero offering is pre-packaged and easiest to use, like you said, turn key ready. I almost bought it last week, but I want to go further per day.

They also keep evolving faster than their web page, they released the SuperCharger 2.5 just recently. Also, they have an offering to install 1-3 modules in the charge pan space. Yes, you need to be comfortable with a screwdriver, but this install is really a 10 minute job that anyone can do.

MVetter · « **Reply #13 on:** June 19, 2018, 07:02:07 AM »

Quote from: Scotchman on June 19, 2018, 04:10:40 AM

feedback

Your points are absolutely right on. I agree with you; the website needs help. We're actually working with a very skilled member of the community who is helping re-write it and make it everything that you and other customers want. Right now digiNow is a 2 man operation, and I still have a morning job. So yeah there's a lot of 'being pulled in every direction' going on. Some of the very wise people whose advice we seek have stressed the importance of a clean, usable website full of information so people can get excited about the product. We want that, too. Well I do, at least. Brandon busy thinking about new improvements he can make to the product while neck-deep in a sea of crimps and soldering.

In case you aren't just making a hypothetical argument and don't know how our stuff works/where it goes, it all goes under the bike. We have a custom belly pan we manufacture that fits 1, 2, or 3 of our 3.3kW units for up to 9.9kW of charging. This all takes up roughly the same physical space as the 1.3kW stock charging unit from Zero.

We offer pretty much whatever inlet option your heart desires. Most US customers will opt for J1772 (J Plug) inlets as they're the most common. We also offer Tesla Destination inlets, Nema 14-50 (RV Park plug), Nema TT-30, etc. Most European customers will opt for the amazing Mennekes Type 2 plug on their phenomenal 240V 3 phase grid. So good.

Quote

The Charge Tank is turnkey and very appealing. That's the competition here (at least for me).

Ironically the Charge Tank isn't as user-friendly as our units. As we now offer full CAN bus communication, our units turn the bike on and commence charging once you plug in; the Charge Tank does not. Also, the newest Charge Tank *only* offers J1772 even for the Euro customers, and everything over there is Mennekes.

There's a host of other features mostly mentioned in the v2.5 release like intelligent charging based on battery cell temperature, adjustable charge rates via Bluetooth, caps on max %, and the major fact that you can install a Power Tank for extra range with our units. Finally, I believe the new Charge Tank is only available as a factory install at the time of purchase of a new 2018. That is to say if you get your 2018 and decide a month later you want a Charge Tank, the answer is no.

But yes we do need to write this up better. It's one of the things on my to-do list. I do very much appreciate your feedback.

Rugby4life · « **Reply #14 on:** June 19, 2018, 07:28:08 AM »

Scotchman, I completely agree with your assessment of the website. It was worthless to me when I was researching my options. I spent a good deal of time on this forum and on the ZMOG Facebook page. When I got ready to pull the trigger, I messaged Brandon with specific questions and followed up with several phone calls to hash out the details,
With due respect to Nevetsyad, it's not exactly a 10 minute job by any stretch of the imagination. Looking at my new, expensive, cutting edge bike, I decided not to turn it into a smoldering pile of ash by making a rookie mistake so I hired a master (Brandon) to do the install for me. After watching him, I probably could have done it myself in about 4x the amount of time. What I did get was 3 days of practice charging at different types of stations and learning the secrets of most efficient use of my new super power. I went for the 9.9kw bellypan setup. The biggest advantage of this location is it frees up the tank space for a power tank in the future. You can read about my install though a link in my previous post on this thread.
Noone can tell you which route is best for you but since I plan on doing long range touring on mine, being limited to a single J-plug just wouldn't cut it for me.

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Author Topic: Diginow Supercharger 2.5!! (Read 30997 times)

MrDude_1

Diginow Supercharger 2.5!!

heroto

Re: Diginow Supercharger 2.5!!

Rugby4life

Re: Diginow Supercharger 2.5!!

ElectricZen

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BrianTRice@gmail.com

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dukecola

Re: Diginow Supercharger 2.5!!

Shadow

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MVetter

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Rugby4life

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2014ZeroSR

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nevetsyad

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Scotchman

Re: Diginow Supercharger 2.5!!

nevetsyad

Re: Diginow Supercharger 2.5!!

MVetter

Re: Diginow Supercharger 2.5!!

Rugby4life

Re: Diginow Supercharger 2.5!!