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[Alan. Yes THAT Alan]

Now I'm 100% certain that my charger has died. I removed the identical charger from a 2016 SR, attached it to my 2014 SR, and suddenly everything works and charges the way it's supposed to. Hope Santa will bring me a new charger tomorrow for Christmas.

Richard,
  Those burns look terrible. I haven't opened mine up to see what's going on inside there yet.

[Richard230]

Now I'm 100% certain that my charger has died. I removed the identical charger from a 2016 SR, attached it to my 2014 SR, and suddenly everything works and charges the way it's supposed to. Hope Santa will bring me a new charger tomorrow for Christmas.

Richard,
  Those burns look terrible. I haven't opened mine up to see what's going on inside there yet.

The case wasn't easy to open and doing so definitely destroyed the OBC, even if it hadn't burned up. When the manufacturer assembled the OBC they didn't spare the potting goo. 

[DonTom]

Those burns look terrible. I haven't opened mine up to see what's going on inside there yet.

Typical for switching power supplies. AFAIK, all EV chargers are such.  The problem is in such a design, if one part shorts, it overloads countless other parts and shorts them out also. A big chain reaction that normally leaves a burnt-up pc board. Usually not worth even trying to repair, just replace the entire thing.


On the plus side, they are extra efficient. Not that much power wasted in heat. Nevertheless, they will most likely last younger on 240 VAC than on 120 VAC because they are even more efficient with 240 VAC which means less heat inside the unit.


I rarely charge any of my Zeros with 120 VAC to the OBC.



-Don-  Auburn,CA

[Richard230]

After having two OBCs fail, I now charge my Zero at home using Zero's Delta Q and only use the OBC when visiting my daughter's home for a get-home recharge using her 120V garage electrical outlet. Maybe one of these days my son-in-law will install a 240V outlet in the garage and that will make it even easier on the OBC, especially during the summer when the ambient temperature can come close to 100 degrees.

[DonTom]

After having two OBCs fail, I now charge my Zero at home using Zero's Delta Q and only use the OBC when visiting my daughter's home for a get-home recharge using her 120V garage electrical outlet. Maybe one of these days my son-in-law will install a 240V outlet in the garage and that will make it even easier on the OBC, especially during the summer when the ambient temperature can come close to 100 degrees.

Having a fan blowing on the OBC while charging should be one way to help it stay cooler.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[TheRan]

I doubt it's actually heat that kills these things, they're rated for operation up to 50°C (122°F) and they only have to dissipate about 120W through the casing.

[DonTom]

I doubt it's actually heat that kills these things, they're rated for operation up to 50°C (122°F) and they only have to dissipate about 120W through the casing.

That 120 watts could be all coming from just a few components. Keeping the case cool could help. Even the 800-watt DeltaQs have large fins for a heat sink. The smaller OBC has almost nothing to cool the guts of the 1,300 watt charger. While a fan blowing on it may or may not help much, it certainly cannot hurt.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[Richard230]

I doubt it's actually heat that kills these things, they're rated for operation up to 50°C (122°F) and they only have to dissipate about 120W through the casing.

That 120 watts could be all coming from just a few components. Keeping the case cool could help. Even the 800-watt DeltaQs have large fins for a heat sink. The smaller OBC has almost nothing to cool the guts of the 1,300 watt charger. While a fan blowing on it may or may not help much, it certainly cannot hurt.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

That Delta Q gets pretty toasty when it is under a full 800 watt head of steam. I continue to be surprised how warm the cooling fins get.

[TheRan]

It all depends on how much surface area of the case the heat producing components are coupled too. The Delta still has to get rid of over 90W of heat and it may only do so via the sides of the case that have fins on, where as the OBC is all potted inside which could help spread the heat to the entirety of the case.

[dannsky]

Where can I buy this Delta-Q?

[DonTom]

Where can I buy this Delta-Q?

It can be ordered anywhere they sell the Zero motorcycles. A few places keep one in stock, such as Elk Grove Power Sports, in Elk Grove, CA.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[dannsky]

Where can I buy this Delta-Q?

It can be ordered anywhere they sell the Zero motorcycles. A few places keep one in stock, such as Elk Grove Power Sports, in Elk Grove, CA.


-Don-  Reno, NV

I bought a homemade charger capable of producing a current of about 34A

[Specter]

That looks sweet dansky.
Setec power is another company that sells a lot of chargers and will even custom make them for you as well if you give them specs.

FWIW,no matter WHAT you are using or doing with a charger, having air blowing across it is always beneficial to any charger to be honest.  Heat is always an enemy to components, and the cooler you can keep any / all of it, the better you will be in the long run.

Aaron.