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[koekiedaf]

It seems this topic is a bit quiet, but thought i can try anyway:

Recently i bought an zero SR 2019 with chargetank. I got an quickcharge-cable (type 2 -> type 1) and a 16A homecharge-cable. The last one is quite large so i saw on this forum that you can build your own with the simple-EVSE board from evracing.

After building the cable according to the specs (https://github.com/kortas87/simple-evse/wiki/SimpleEvseJ1772guide) it seems to be working and the bike accepts charging at 3.6kW, however, when i stop charging (press the microswitch on the type1 connector) it trips the breaker in my house! I really have no idea why, it just sounds like pressing the microswitch disengages the relay, so it should actually not be possible to make a short circuit.

Does anyone have an idea how this can happen?

Regards, David

[DonTom]

it trips the breaker in my house! I really have no idea why, it just sounds like pressing the microswitch disengages the relay, so it should actually not be possible to make a short circuit.

By any chance did you mean it trips the GFI and not the breaker?  If it is really tripping the breaker, it is really something major that is wrong. But tripping the GFI I can make some sense out of.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[koekiedaf]

you are correct, it trips the gfci...

could it have something to do with the fact that there is only a relay in the live wire and not the neutral?

[DonTom]

you are correct, it trips the gfci...

could it have something to do with the fact that there is only a relay in the live wire and not the neutral?

As long as both sides are equally balanced, (one side not less resistance / impedance  to ground than the other) it should not trip. But it seems to me GFI is often too sensitive. A difference of around 5 ma (0.005 amp) will cause the GFI to trip.


Something is unbalanced. Not a short other than leakage to ground from only one line.


A quick fix (that some may not consider safe) is to make sure there is no ground return possible.


For an example, some Zeros trip some GFIs even when they are new, when the stock 120 VAC cord is used on a three pin outlet. A quick fix to stop the GFI from tripping is use a three pin adapter and remove the ground lug from it. IOW, do not pass the ground to the bike from the outlet. That way, the bike cannot become unbalanced to earth round, as then there is no earth ground.


But with your issue, I would simply leave everything as is and just remember to reset the GFI when you're done charging. It is NOT a serious issue to find out why it trips. It is not unsafe just because your GFI trips when you press that button. It simply unbalancing something on one side more than the other, to ground, for a fraction of a second.


I would ignore it and just remember to reset that GFI when you are done charging.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Gary]

Hi David,

We experienced the same issue on the day we read your post, having modified a granny charger!  Up to now, we have built a very small relay into the charging handle.  The relay is connected to the 12Vdc adapter and the normally open contacts connect the resistor between PP and PE.  So, when you unplug the charging handle, you disconnect the resistor.  If you use a manual switch for PP to PE resistor, unplug the handle first.  That way, you won't trip the RCD/GFI.

Have a look at our previous posts for the circuit.

Cheers

Gary

[koekiedaf]

Thanks for the reply's everyone,

I did some troubleshooting, but could not find the exact reason why it trips the GFI. I did not want to keep it this way because my domoticasystem resets everytime the GFI trips, so in the end I opted to change my whole setup. As the simpleEVSE board, relay, wires etc. in the charging handle looked quite flimsy, I also didnt fully trust that setup to last long and endure a lot of abuse before something breaks or short circuits.

Luckily EVracing also send me a EVSE W16 board (not sure why, they labeled it 'spare parts'), which has the evsechip,12vdc adapter and 2x relay all on one small board soldered. I printed a small 3d casing which exactly holds that board and a push-button and put it in the powerline, looks very sturdy and waterproof (not planning on testing that though).

I complete emptied my bike and gave it a full charge with the cable without problems, even tried 20Amps for an hour (you can adjust that with the button) to see how warm everything would get and if it trips the breaker:) it did get warm but nothing serious, and no breaker tripped. also the powerline from schuko into the house held up nicely (2.5mm2)

So, i will keep testing and using this cable, let's see how it holds up longterm. For now it looks like i am able to give my bike a full charge in about 3 hours at home:)

For anyone interested to copy this:
-EVSE W16: http://evracing.cz/products
-3d model in attachment
-cable between plug and 3d-case: ÖLFLEX® FD CLASSIC 810 7 G 1.50 mm²
-cable between 3d-case and schuko: 5m BREMAXX AT-N07V3V3-F 3G1.5

Cheers! David

[WrightWells]

This is a very interesting thread, I was going to comment on the use of a 680 ohm resister between PP and PE but luckily read it all again and realised that the SR/F only has 3kw 13A chargers per phase.

I’ve seen both the onboard 1.3kw charger and the 6kw charge tank for the DSR used together and wonder if they could be joined for 7.3kw 32A charging, obviously with at least a 4mm2 cable and 220 ohm resisters.

Anyone had any experience with the DSR charge tank?

[nrps1]

Any one help me on the way the charging is controlled on the SR/F?

This starts because I'm fed up with the charging cables taking up most of my topbox.  I have a premium with a recently fitted rapid charge option, so I've lost the tank space.

For the UK we have:
2) Most non motorway charging stations are around 22kW, I need a cable and I have a short one from Khons (thanks to this forum) at 1.5m long.  I get 10kW approx due to the fact that the cable is limited to 16A per phase by the PP resistor. (The 32A version they offered was substantially heavier....)

I know this is digging up an old post, but, what Khons charger specifically please? I've searched here with no luck so far.

Great work guys! Looking good. Glad to be of help

Remmie, thank you for all this info! I don't suppose you have a guide or idea on how to make an adapter for a tethered UK type 2 home charger that I could attach to extend the cable and get the full charge from too, rather than an untethered cable which these guides seem to cater for?