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[mdjak1]

Chevy Bolt?  When I was in Borrego Desert State Park, an older Bolt tried to use the J-1772 at the library. It would NOT plug in. Look at the top of your charge port on your Bolt. See that metal thingy? That was preventing it from plugging in the J-1772. Do you know what that thingy is and why it would prevent some J-1772's from plugging in?


-Don-  Auburn, CA
[/quote]

Ive got Bolt and this happened with my Bolt about a year ago.   Turns out it was some kind of a programming error or something.   Chevy did a recall or TSB and it was supposed to have resolved the issue.   However, the way to fix it was to disconnect the 12V battery.   I still have a 10mm wrench in my glovebox in case it were to happen again while I was on the road and had to charge.  Considering that in 3 years I think I have only charged once away from home, I should probably put it back in my toolbox.

Writeup I did on Reddit about it: 

from r/BoltEV

[DonTom]

Ive got Bolt and this happened with my Bolt about a year ago.   Turns out it was some kind of a programming error or something.   Chevy did a recall or TSB and it was supposed to have resolved the issue.   However, the way to fix it was to disconnect the 12V battery.   I still have a 10mm wrench in my glovebox in case it were to happen again while I was on the road and had to charge.  Considering that in 3 years I think I have only charged once away from home, I should probably put it back in my toolbox.

Writeup I did on Reddit about it: 

from r/BoltEV

Too bad you were not there when I was. I had no idea what was going on then. Thanks for the info. in case I ever need it.  I never noticed the 12V battery in my 2022 Bolt. I will look for it the next time I am in Auburn, CA at my other house. That will be as soon as the weather gets better over the summit.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Specter]

I find it amusing that an all electric car, they shove a lead acid 12 volt battery under the hood to run 'the stuff' on it.  you couldn't make a conversion pack to take that little power off the main battery?  That's GM for you though, about as intuitive as playing baseball with an aluminum bat and a brick.

Aaron

[DonTom]

I find it amusing that an all electric car, they shove a lead acid 12 volt battery under the hood to run 'the stuff' on it.  you couldn't make a conversion pack to take that little power off the main battery?  That's GM for you though, about as intuitive as playing baseball with an aluminum bat and a brick.

Aaron

Tesla also has a 12V battery. There are advantages and disadvantages to either method. Tesla charges the 12V battery with a DC2DCC. It will run with reduced features even if the 12V battery goes dead. But then it cannot get the OTA updates and such. AFAIK, all electric cars have a 12V battery. What gets me is I hear the Bolt doesn't use a DC2DCC to keep the battery charged. I think I heard it uses an alternator to keep the 12V battery charged. But even that has an advantage. No DC2DCC to drain the main battery when the vehicle sits for months. A Tesla needs to stay plugged in when parked for a long time. They keep the DC2DCC active. AFAIK, it doesn't get turned off ever. My 2022 Chevy Bolt can be left unplugged for months and won't lose any main battery power. I could ruin the Tesla main HV battery if I did that with it, it will drain all the way to zero SOC even though it will turn many features off when it gets below 20% SOC.  The Bolt doesn't get OTA updates.  In many ways, I think the Chevy Bolt is a better design than Tesla's.  I think most of Tesla's updates is just to keep somebody's job at Tesla. Needs a new update about every two weeks or so.  My Chevy Bolt never needed an update since the day I purchased it. It doesn't need any "improvements" IMO.


BTW, Tesla went to a lith 12V battery in their newer cars. I put in a Lith 12v battery in my 2018 Tesla. But that can be a hassle too when it gets very cold because the lith battery will then switch off in my Tesla. No 12V battery heater (which will draw even more current when the car sits in the cold) in mine. When it goes dead, I have to go through a ten-minute procedure to get rid of the "low 12V battery" message on the screen. Lead-Acid batteries work better in the cold.


It seems to me no matter what they do for the 12 volts in EVs there are advantages and disadvantages of either.



-Don-  Auburn, CA

[DonTom]

Now back on topic!


Yesterday, I CCS charged up in Nevada City on a ChargePoint. It was model CPE 250, FW version 7.5.0.18. It worked on the first try with no issues.


Today, I went back to the ChargePoint in Colfax. It is also a CPE 250 version 7.5.0.18.  Same as above. But this one still will not charge my bike. Neither one of the two. But works fine here with other vehicles.


So what is going on? What is the difference between the two ChargePoint locations?


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[joesedroid]

Yesterday I went to a free chargepoint location we have in the Denver area. I have had about a 30% success rate with any CCS charging but I tried something that I thought someone on here said to do and that was not to shut off the bike when I arrive. I pulled up, put the kickstand down, started the charger with my phone, immediately plugged in and it started charging within 20 seconds. In 20 mins I went from 48% to 85% at 18.9kw. Extremely happy.

[DonTom]

Yesterday I went to a free chargepoint location we have in the Denver area. I have had about a 30% success rate with any CCS charging but I tried something that I thought someone on here said to do and that was not to shut off the bike when I arrive. I pulled up, put the kickstand down, started the charger with my phone, immediately plugged in and it started charging within 20 seconds. In 20 mins I went from 48% to 85% at 18.9kw. Extremely happy.

I tried that with the ChargePoint in Colfax, CA. It made no difference, still wouldn't work. The charger will stay on the initiation screen forever.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[ddennis669]

 Had no luck with the DCFC ChargePoint in Twentynine palms, California last night and the ChargePoint at Chiriaco Summit. I’m hooked to the L2. 88 miles
And a climb from the Colorado river before I get to an Electrify America stop.  A little longer day than planned.

[DonTom]

Had no luck with the DCFC ChargePoint in Twentynine palms, California last night and the ChargePoint at Chiriaco Summit. I’m hooked to the L2. 88 miles
And a climb from the Colorado river before I get to an Electrify America stop.  A little longer day than planned.

One thing nice about Chargepoint is they have a J-1772 at most of their CCS locations. I wish all fast charge locations would include a J-1772 or two. While slow, at least it works every time with every EV made. And I can charge my Zeros with them.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[bbribelle]

FWIW - On 7 April I rode my bike to the dealer to see about the extended batter warranty and to get the software updated.  I charged at a ChargePoint charger on the way.  The software had not been updated since the bike was delivered a year ago.  Two software updates were installed at the dealership.  The bike is now running FW 0.42, BDY 8.0.1, and DSB 251.  On the way home I tried charging on the exact same charger I had used earlier that day and could not initiate a charge after multiple attempts.  Fortunately there were level 2 chargers at that site so I was able to make it to some EA charges about 30 miles away.  The EA charger worked the first time.  I hope that someone at Energica and ChargePoint is working on this incompatibility issue.  Most of the CCS chargers in my area are ChargePoint.

[DonTom]

FWIW - On 7 April I rode my bike to the dealer to see about the extended batter warranty and to get the software updated.  I charged at a ChargePoint charger on the way.  The software had not been updated since the bike was delivered a year ago.  Two software updates were installed at the dealership.  The bike is now running FW 0.42, BDY 8.0.1, and DSB 251.  On the way home I tried charging on the exact same charger I had used earlier that day and could not initiate a charge after multiple attempts.  Fortunately there were level 2 chargers at that site so I was able to make it to some EA charges about 30 miles away.  The EA charger worked the first time.  I hope that someone at Energica and ChargePoint is working on this incompatibility issue.  Most of the CCS chargers in my area are ChargePoint.

I recently discovered this issue is inconsistent with the exact same hardware and FW versions between ChargePoint CCS stations.


For an example, the CCS  ChargePoint behind the Dash & Dine Restaurant in Colfax, CA will charge my 2020 Esse Esse 9 on the first try every time. But David (a rider from Stockton CA on his Ribelle) and me with my Experia tried to charge there yesterday and it stays stuck in the initiation and never starts the charge.


But the CCS ChargePoint in NV City works on the first try with my Experia. It is the EXACT same hardware and FW as the one in Colfax. I checked all that very carefully and I could find NO difference other than this one worked but the one in Colfax did not work with my Experia.


So I have no idea what the issue is.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[smithy]

FWIW - On 7 April I rode my bike to the dealer to see about the extended batter warranty and to get the software updated.  I charged at a ChargePoint charger on the way.  The software had not been updated since the bike was delivered a year ago.  Two software updates were installed at the dealership.  The bike is now running FW 0.42, BDY 8.0.1, and DSB 251.  On the way home I tried charging on the exact same charger I had used earlier that day and could not initiate a charge after multiple attempts.  Fortunately there were level 2 chargers at that site so I was able to make it to some EA charges about 30 miles away.  The EA charger worked the first time.  I hope that someone at Energica and ChargePoint is working on this incompatibility issue.  Most of the CCS chargers in my area are ChargePoint.

I recently discovered this issue is inconsistent with the exact same hardware and FW versions between ChargePoint CCS stations.


For an example, the CCS  ChargePoint behind the Dash & Dine Restaurant in Colfax, CA will charge my 2020 Esse Esse 9 on the first try every time. But David (a rider from Stockton CA on his Ribelle) and me with my Experia tried to charge there yesterday and it stays stuck in the initiation and never starts the charge.


But the CCS ChargePoint in NV City works on the first try with my Experia. It is the EXACT same hardware and FW as the one in Colfax. I checked all that very carefully and I could find NO difference other than this one worked but the one in Colfax did not work with my Experia.


So I have no idea what the issue is.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

I tried one of my local "Evie" CCS chargers on my Experia over the weekend, wouldn't work, like yours it just stayed in the "initializing" screen. There's a group of 4 charge points at this particular venue, two were occupied by Tesla cars, the other was occupied by a Nissan EV, all were happily charging away. I didn't take note of the hardware or software version of the charge point though.

Smithy. 

[DonTom]

I just thought about something. Perhaps the ChargePoint issue is something else. Try using a Chargepoint when your charge is above 75% SOC. Mine was when I was in NV City. Perhaps the CPs want to see a higher voltage than our batteries put out by the time they need a charge.


However, that still won't explain why they work on my SS9 but not my Experia.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[ddennis669]

I was at 76% and tried to use the Chargepoint DCFCs in Santa Maria, CA today (CPE250 software 7.5.0.18). 

Failed as expected, so I called tech support and they did the reboot, remote start, switch to the other charger, reboot, remote start again. No luck. They claimed this will be reported to Chargepoint, the station owner, and Energica. I hope so.

I was only 2 miles from home but wanted to test it and make sure Chargepoint logs the problem. Anytime I have a charger problem I have decided to call the support line to be sure they know about the issue and I log the failure on Plugshare.

[DonTom]

I was at 76% and tried to use the Chargepoint DCFCs in Santa Maria, CA today (CPE250 software 7.5.0.18). 

Failed as expected, so I called tech support and they did the reboot, remote start, switch to the other charger, reboot, remote start again. No luck. They claimed this will be reported to Chargepoint, the station owner, and Energica. I hope so.

I was only 2 miles from home but wanted to test it and make sure Chargepoint logs the problem. Anytime I have a charger problem I have decided to call the support line to be sure they know about the issue and I log the failure on Plugshare.

Thanks for the info. I see your Plugshare log-in here, at the  Winn Hyundai of Santa Maria.


BTW, did you see my message number 34 here?


-Don-  Gila Bend, AZ