Charger errors Clipper Creek (Delphi) level 1

[rjnerd]

So the factory supplied charger is occasionally getting into an error state. It lights up the bottom two red LED's, which the chart on the back says "internal error". So far, mostly content free.

Like many things, they blink them to give more detail. In this case it does three sets of two blinks. Anyone know what this means? My suspicion is something related to condensation and leakage currents. It clears up if I bring it indoors, and let it warm/dry.

I opened it up, and was surprised to see fairly minimal gasketing, and no conformal coating on the circuit board.

 

[dlaituri]

I'm in the Boston area as well, crazy cold at 0° at the moment. Went through the usual charging routine with the factory charger - tried everything, could NOT get the green light to come on.

Brought the charger inside for 30 minutes to warm up by the wood stove and now it works fine.

 

[rjnerd]

If it isn't showing a red light, the problem is the rubber seal gets so stiff that the plug doesn't fully seat. So yet another way the charger might be afraid of the cold.

I know that all the fairenheights are hiding right now, it hit negative numbers before midnight. Don't know what that is doing to charge rate, car-net's web site has crashed.

 

[dlaituri]

I've also noticed that it doesn't take much accidentally scoupped-up snow/ice inside the handle end of the connector to prevent it from making full contact; even a couple mm thick around the base of one contact is enough to prevent it from 'connecting' and not charging.

It's definitely a charger optimized for CA/AZ/FL....

 

[rjnerd]

They don't understand snow. The angled socket and side opening door are too slavish a copy of the ICE models. It doesn't occur to them that the door will be open for hours, and having other than a vertical, flush faced socket, means collecting snow is inevitable.

Then there is the issue of the port at the rear of the car means the average charger cord is too short unless you back in. This may relate to European practice, there public chargers don't include a cable, instead the driver has a cable with a plug at both ends. Just make it 2 meters longer and they don't see it.