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[DonTom]

Are there other fuses hidden somewhere in my 2023 Zero DSR/X?   If so, I cannot locate them. I did find the two HV fuses on the left side of the battery pack which test okay.


I need a starting point to troubleshoot, I just now discovered my bike will not charge up after it has been sitting for a few months.


It is well charged at 67% SOC. SOC limit set to off (100%). It starts the "charge" at 0.0 KW and after a couple of minutes of that, the bike just turns totally off.


The same charging setup works perfectly on my Energicas and other EVs, so it has to be the the bike, not my EVSE.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[princec]

Sounds more like software to me. Storage mode snafu?

Cas

[DonTom]

Sounds more like software to me. Storage mode snafu?

Cas

I think you're correct. Is there a way for me to deal with it?


See my screen below, before and when it gives up.


BTW, the kill switch is NOT on when it shows on when it gives up with the charge.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

I have to see what "automatic updates" does which was on.


I just discovered my bike is several updates behind on the MBB as well as for BMS stuff. So it has not been "automatic" at all.


Hopefully one of the updates will fix the charge problem.


I am doing the updates now, with the app, as I type this.


When it is done, I will post the results here, of course.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

Sounds more like software to me. Storage mode snafu?

Cas

SW update are now done. Here is what I now have:


MBB=44
BMS:20
FW=8V33


It still will not charge, but now it shows an error that can perhaps be helpful. It showed no errors before the updates, Now it show:


Error Code=31    It still will not charge, but it says wait two minutes and try again. I will wait a few minutes before I post this just to be sure.




Okay, the three minutes are up:


No difference.


But I have not yet checked the low voltage fuses. The owner's manual says I must remove the 12V battery to get to the fuses, so I will check those next.


At least I learn a little about the bike this way. I would rather have all this happen here at home than on the road!


-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

I could not find anything interesting today, the low voltage fuses are difficult to get to, but they all check okay. There are four different fuse current ratings, but only a spot for three spares, The 10 amp spare fuse was in the fuse holder not connected to anything, not in a slot, just loose, and it can move around in there but is unlikely to cause a problem. But I decided to leave it out and put it with my other junk that is always with the bike.


See the photo for the location of the low voltage fuses. The "tank" cover in that area must be unscrewed and lifted up to get to any of the low voltage fuses and is a hassle for just getting to fuses.  The two HV fuses on the left side of the battery are the opposite, very easy to get to.



Next, I will check the BMU (Battery Management Unit) area. But that will be tomorrow or some other day.


I expect the problem is in that area, if not the BMU itself. Perhaps it crapped out when I tried to charge the bike the first time after the bike has been sitting for a couple of month. Or perhaps a flakey connection--or something got wet. I will soon find out. I hope to find something I can fix, of course.


I do not think it is a SW issue now that the bike has been updated to the latest versions and made no difference.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[princec]

Did you hear the contactor click?

Cas

[DonTom]

Did you hear the contactor click?

Cas

Yes, the contactor clicks even when I try my unsuccessful charge. And clicks again when it gives up. So that is NOT the issue.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

I just now removed the BMU. It shows a flashing red light, even with the HV and 13V battery disconnected.


I tried to charge again after reseating all the connectors and putting the bike back to normal. No obvious problems seen inside.


Still will NOT charge.


I have no idea what the flashing red light means. A flash red flash.


See photos.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Richard230]

Why not contact Zero's customer service and ask them about the problem?

[Curt]

Could it be the 10A charging fuse holder in the wiring harness? A similar thing happened on my bike and several others as described in this thread:

https://www.electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=11400.msg117610#msg117610

You can first clean the fuse holder contacts and see if that fixes it. If it does, then replace the whole fuse holder, as it's not the fuse but the fuse holder itself, and the problem will otherwise return. If it does not, then this is probably not the problem.

[DonTom]

Why not contact Zero's customer service and ask them about the problem?

That is not my style until I give up and get desperate.


I am not quite that far YET, but perhaps soon will be.


I just like to figure out such things for myself, when possible.


At least by the time I give up, I will know what I am talking about if there are any questions as well as understand what I need to do.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

Could it be the 10A charging fuse holder in the wiring harness? A similar thing happened on my bike and several others as described in this thread:

https://www.electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=11400.msg117610#msg117610

You can first clean the fuse holder contacts and see if that fixes it. If it does, then replace the whole fuse holder, as it's not the fuse but the fuse holder itself, and the problem will otherwise return. If it does not, then this is probably not the problem.

Are you referring to a 2023 Zero DSR/X ?  Is there a fuse in a harness somewhere that I have not yet found?  A photo of the area of the bike would be helpful.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

I discovered the BMU LED is green until AFTER the rejected charge is completed and it stops trying to charge at the 0 watts. The Zero APP also shows "normal" until after the charge fails and then I get the BMU error 31.


While I expect the problem is either in the BMU or from the things it senses. I know a large cell imbalance can cause problem to the BMU, but I am not getting any such errors. Unlike earleir Zero models, the Cell balance true MV numbers are not shown with the DSR/X, only an error message if cells are too far out of balance and I am not getting any errors other than the Code 31 which ONLY shows after a failed charge.


Until the code 31, all seems normal except it "charges" at 0 watts. After the failure in 30 seconds or so, I get a fast red blinking light at the BMU as well as the screen showing my kill switch is activated when it is not.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

I decided to count the red light blinks on the BMU before it returns to green after the charging failure. So I put the electrical stuff back to normal for to see a failed charge again.


I wanted to count the red blinks, but . . .  .





I never got that far, because the bike started to charge. But seemed a bit abnormal as it only charged at 3.3 KW for two minutes or so and then it started to look perfectly normal at 6.6 KW after those two minutes.  This make me wonder if the 6.6KW comes from two 3.3 KW chargers in there. I will check the service manual  for that later.  For now I am letting it charge. I am trying to decide if I want to let it charge to 100% SOC or if I should stop it before then.




I do NOT think of this as good news, because I found no problem. That means I cannot trust it to always charge.


Or perhaps this problem is only after the bike sits long enough to go into storage mode. I really do not know what to think.


My gut feeling is after it charges up to full, it will continue to be okay until it sits for more than a month again. Which means there is still something wrong, but if that is the case, it will make the bike rideable again but I will not ride it far enough to need a charge for quote a while because I cannot trust anything with just guesswork, not knowing what happened.


-Don-  Reno, NV