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[TheRan]

Is it possible? And by that I mean in a simple, plug and play way.

Trying to figure out how to carry a Delta charger with me (not tried seeing if it will fit in the storage compartment yet) got me thinking about the stock internal charger as an alternative as it turns out it is also technically small enough to fit inside the compartment, and with the different proportions it may go through the hatch if the Delta won't. I think I remember from watching a video about removing the charger that it connects via an Anderson connector just like the Delta would, then it also has a C14 input like the Delta. One difference it does have is the CANBUS connection (or something like that) which makes sense for a single internal charger, but without that hooked up and just power going into it will it charge the bike just like the Delta would?

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

There's only one plug in the wiring harness for it, IIUC, so I'm not sure where it would fit, and the CAN messages control the charger, so it seems like it'd be tricky. Maybe if you made a kind of splitter and hope that each one responds to CAN messages identically and without conflict. The input would need to be separate but the output uses an Anderson brown SB50 (IIRC) so a joiner is something a competent EE or EV technician could fabricate.

There is at least a kind of logic in the MBB that allows it to address more than one Calex, but it's really more like pinging every time for either the FX half-sized Calex or the full-sized Calex on SDS.

So, the short answer is: no, it'd take a bit of trouble.

The real answer is: no, why would you bother (and where would you put it)? The Calex power/weight ratio is pretty poor, and it's easier to get an accessory charger plugged into the available charging port made for the task.

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

The Zero Quick Charger (Delta Q) is a 1kW unit that fits into a Givi E22 side case pretty easily. I know of at least a few riders that have done that regularly.

[TheRan]

So is it not the same type of Anderson connector as the external charging port? I had a feeling it would need to be connected to the canbus to start charging, was just hoping it might have a "dumb" charging mode as well.

As for why I'd want to do it, I'd prefer a charger that will fit in the lower storage compartment. Panniers are going to end up doubling the cost for something that will probably only ever be used for the charger.

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

It is not the same type of Anderson connector. It's a good thing that I write these things down:
SBS-75X: https://zeromanual.com/wiki/Gen2/Accessory_Charging_Port
SBS-50BRN: https://zeromanual.com/wiki/Gen2/Calex_Charger/Connections

They both handle the same bus voltage. The accessory port includes extra pins but as a result is a physically larger connector.

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

I cannot think of where an additional Calex is going to fit. You can't fit an additional Calex in the belly pan, and there's no way to fasten it.

[TheRan]

Like I said they're both small enough that they'll technically fit in the interior of the lower storage compartment, it's just a matter of whether they'll fit through the hatch opening. I don't know whether anyone else has tried this, I can't imagine I'm the first to have this idea but I couldn't even find anyone else talking about it.

Had a look on AF1 and a replacement storage box is only $73 (probably more like $100 posted) so a lot cheaper than I was expecting. I'll have to see how easy it is to remove the box and then I could consider enlarging the opening and adding a replacement hatch.

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

What "lower storage compartment" and "hatch opening"?

I think you're making up your own terms for things which is unnecessarily confusing.

The "skid plate" which covers the underside of the bike is just barely large enough to enclose the onboard Calex charger, and there's no room for much else in there.

The Calex charger in surface area is about the size of the face of the monolith battery. You cannot fit it into the Zero tank and there's no room underneath the bike.

If you want to put the charger in a tail case, say so, without all this noise about a "lower storage compartment" and "hatch". But I don't think it'd even fit in a Givi Maxia 3.

[TheRan]

I'm talking about the storage compartment that is behind the battery on half battery models. AF1 has it listed as "SINGLE LONGBRICK STORAGE CONTAINER", I call it a lower storage compartment to differentiate it from the tank storage area. The storage compartment is roughly the same size as the battery and both chargers fit within those dimensions (the width might be too tight).

This is the image I posted in another thread, as you can see the opening to the compartment is awkwardly shaped and will be the biggest hindrance to stuffing a charger in there. However, it wouldn't be too hard to cut it into a larger rectangle and then add a sheet of plastic with a hinge and swap the lock over.

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

Okay, for a longbrick S/DS bike, I can see how you'd consider this feasible.

BUT it's not feasible nor is it a good idea. Just for the sake of proving it to you, try taking your onboard charger off of the bottom of the bike. Then measure it and feel how damn heavy it is (because it's filled to the seams with rubbery potting), and then see if you can work out how it would fit in there even if the opening was large enough.

- The charger weighs a lot more than a Quick Charger, and it's larger, for not much benefit.
- The charger width is slightly more than the width of the battery, making this fit probably on the wrong side of impossible.
- The destructive modifications to the entryway are also a risk on their own.

[TheRan]

Those first two points, as well as the cheaper price, are why I'd prefer the Delta charger. The Calex would only be considered if it was easier to fit through the opening without modifying it and it could actually be used as an external charger.

There's not much risk to modifying the opening, just the time and effort required in replacing the box if I mess it up but it would be a fairly easy and simple job.

[KrazyEd]

I got my external chargers ( old school ) before the newer cheaper options were available.
I have a QuiQ 1KW charger that I use when charging at 110V. I also have an Elcon 2500.
When on the road, both will fit into a backpack if I wish. Heavy but if properly adjusted,
the weight is mostly on the seat. This allows me to charge at around 5KW using the two externals
and stock charger when using Level II. Expensive today, but, I already have them so works
for me. I see the newer versions available and could probably be programmed by Harlan
at Hollywood Electrics for a reasonable expenditure on charger and programming.

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

I would not put any charger into a backpack, because in an accident it will damage your body, and jacket armor will not help. Brandon’s spine was damaged when he crashed with a charge pan on his back, which is extreme but a disturbingly real example.

If you put a charger into the compartment behind a long brick battery, try to keep it away from the battery side in front, to avoid adding even more heat to it when charging. Pad it against vibration and movement, and keep the cable runs strain free.

The larger picture around how I comment:

I’m trying to be really careful with what I endorse on threads, because the OP is not the only reader of a thread, and people who read the thread often get unworkable or risky ideas into their heads.

Anything that it seems like I’m endorsing, I’m not supporting except by describing the least risky ways to implement an idea. No one can justifiably tell a Zero dealer or support that “Brian said so so it must be okay”.

[TheRan]

I'd probably end up removing it while charging, makes running the cables easier too. I'll line the battery side of the compartment with thin foam and then use some thicker packing foam to press the charger against the side so it can't move.

I understand your concern with what you say, being the creator of the manual that many people rely on and with the connections you have in the industry. I'm aware that anything I do try and any damage incurred is completely at my own risk.