ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: 2018DSR on July 04, 2023, 04:41:54 PM
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I have a charge tank that when connected to a single phase of EVSE reports that it has connected but only drawers 0.66 A on 240 V. This is reported from the EVSE but on the zero app it is not showing as charging.
however, when I additionally connect the three pin lead the 1.3 kW on board charger, the charge tank starts charging and shows in the app about 6500 to 7200 W .
Any ideas why my charge tank will not start?
2018 DSR
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I'm guessing that the bike key isn't turned to on when the Charge Tank doesn't work? Early Charge Tanks required this to close the contactor. Plugging in the onboard charger is another way to close the contactor.
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I have a charge tank that when connected to a single phase of EVSE reports that it has connected but only drawers 0.66 A on 240 V. This is reported from the EVSE but on the zero app it is not showing as charging.
however, when I additionally connect the three pin lead the 1.3 kW on board charger, the charge tank starts charging and shows in the app about 6500 to 7200 W .
Any ideas why my charge tank will not start?
2018 DSR
I would think the charge tank would use the OBC to close the contactor and to increase your charging by 1.4 KW. But I do not have the charge tank on my Zeros, so I cannot be sure how it works.
But it seems to me the internal connection to put AC voltage on the OBC is broken somewhere. But if it doesn't work that way, there is a way to turn on the contactor with the key out with a modification. I did such to both my Zeros.
You can find that info. starting here. (https://www.electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=8298.30)
-Don- Reno, NV
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The Charge Tank is a switched accessory. You have to turn the bike on with the key, plug in the J-plug, an then you can turn off the bike and remove the key. It won't turn on if the bike is off.
We have a Juice box at home that has a charge timer set to only charge during Off-Peak times from the power company. When we first got my wife's DSR, we would plug it into the charger in the afternoon expecting it to charge at night when the charger came on.
A google search and a review of the owners manual later, and we knew why we would wake up to a not charged motorcycle in the morning.
As for the .66 amps??? I believe that with the SAE charging standard, the vehicle uses resistance values to communicate with the charger and vice versa. So maybe the small power draw is the resister in the J-plug handle letting the charger know it's plugged into something? (there's a switch in the little latch thinghy that you depress with your thumb to pull the handle out of the vehicle)
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I would think the charge tank would use the OBC to close the contactor and to increase your charging by 1.4 KW. But I do not have the charge tank on my Zeros, so I cannot be sure how it works.
But it seems to me the internal connection to put AC voltage on the OBC is broken somewhere. But if it doesn't work that way, there is a way to turn on the contactor with the key out with a modification. I did such to both my Zeros.
You can find that info. starting here. (https://www.electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=8298.30)
-Don- Reno, NV
Thanks Don,
I wrote this reply earlier when I had some questions but have edited it as I bit the bullet and wired it up.
Success !! my charge tank now charges without a powered plug to the obc.
I have wired in a momentary switch to use while I switch on and off the ignition.
The only issue I have discovered is if the EVSE does not negociate a change , I can set the max Amps from my EVSE and if it is below 30A it leave the bike with the dash battery with 00:00 charge time and I need to pull the Low Power B+ fuse.
I'm going to try it out at a commercial charge point later.
Sof ar so good, thank you for pointing me at that hack.
I have designed and 3d printed a replacement side panel just below the seat to hold the switch.
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Spoke too soon, I was about to go for a ride and noiced the Motor warning light was on.
Looking at the logs I have a
OBD: key cycle pending
but I can see that message in earlier logs, there is nothing else reporting.
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2018DSR: I know it's been over a month. Did you ever sort out your warning lights? Was the momentary switch hack on pins 5 and 11, mentioned by Don, the cause of your latest warning codes? I have a 2020 DSR w/ charge tank that's refusing to charge from J1772 120V or J1772 240V. Just wanted to know if your spliced switch led to any issues. Thanks...
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2018DSR: I know it's been over a month. Did you ever sort out your warning lights? Was the momentary switch hack on pins 5 and 11, mentioned by Don, the cause of your latest warning codes? I have a 2020 DSR w/ charge tank that's refusing to charge from J1772 120V or J1772 240V. Just wanted to know if your spliced switch led to any issues. Thanks...
I have done the mod on my DS as well as on my SR and I never got any error codes or had any other issues. Just works very well when I do not want to activate the OBC. Two reasons could be the OBC adds heat to the battery when charging on a hot day (Zeros will not charge at all if the battery is too hot) and the other is when I need to reduce the power to be in spec with the charge station. Since my system ignores the pilot signal, I have to adjust my draw current (and wattage) manually to be under the max the J-1772 station can handle. I have seen J plugs as low as 3KW, which is still better than nothing.
-Don- Reno, NV
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The warning light wasn’t due to the hack.
I decided to take a long ride 95 miles round trip and the warning light went away not to return. No idea and haven’t looked again at the logs.
I’ve still got to reset my sprocket size and tyre diameter so will be connecting the bike up soon.