Charging from type 2

I usually charge at home (UK), where I have a 24kW solar array. I also charge successfully in Spain using the 3 pin 'brick' and an adapter. I have however never managed to charge from a public type 2 outlet - either in the UK or in France.
I've bought type 2 adapter cables from EV onestop (Rolec), one to adapt a tethered type 2 cable and the other to connect the smaller of the sockets on the car direct to a type 2 socket. In every case charging only appears to take place, according to the red indicator, when the 'ignition' button is pressed (but without pressing the brake pedal). The red indicator briefly shows continuously but then, presumably after the software has had a bit of a think about it, starts flashing.
Clearly it's not practicable to leave the car in an activated state.

I'm sure I saw a thread on here (or maybe the Facebook group) about using adapter cables on tethered Type 2 cables and the data pins not connecting so limiting the charge control ability.

If you use a Type 2 socket with a Type 2 to Type 1 cable, that should (and does for most people) work. However it's not unheard of for cables to be faulty, so it might be worth seeing if you can find someone with a Type 1 car to try your cable on to narrow it down to being a car thing or a cable thing.

Thanks richr.

I've eliminated the cable and the car as the source(s) of the problem (by going to Rolec in Boston and testing it with their charging point) and am wondering if there is something in the software or the wiring of the commercial charging points which is not compatible with the Outlander. Three of the points (2 in France, 1 in the UK) were side-by-side Tesla points which had been installed by the owners of the hotels where we were staying, with one point reserved (or perhaps programmed) exclusively for Teslas and its neighbour for any EV. I've heard that Tesla points in mainland Europe which are nominally open to all are sometimes programmed to exclude type 1 connections using adapters. Any ideas?

Howard

If it charges properly on the "brick", it is rather certain that the problem lies with the cable. Possibly the microswitch in the car-side plug that establishes the connection to the charger doesn't function properly.
The interior light in the charging flap will flash three times once a proper connection is established.
The large connector is for a CHAdeMO charger. The frequent use of those is not recommended.
In general, you cannot charge from a dedicated Tesla charger.

Thanks jaapv

I think I've eliminated all the things you suggest. The charging flap light flashes correctly and in general the smaller socket on the car works both with the 'brick' and with my wall charger, which is connected to my solar panels. The problem only appears with public chargers. Could it be that the charge rate (usually 32A) is too high? I thought that the car was clever enough to manage the input, which I think is 16A max in the smaller socket, but maybe not.

Howard

Hi, it isn’t the evse that chooses the power required to charge it’s the charger in the car, the EVSE simply tells the charger in the car the maximum available current available (6, 10, or 32 I think). If the car can only use a maximum of 16A AC then that’s the maximum it will draw.
I was just going to look to see where the resistive load in the cable is and what it should read, is it perhaps this which is not working/ not connecting?
I assume the Rolec you tested it on was a 16A unit? What is your cable rated at?

This shows the resistor values that tell the charging controller what the current capacity of the connected cable is.

Regulo said:

This shows the resistor values that tell the charging controller what the current capacity of the connected cable is.

Click to expand...

Thanks Regulo, exactly what I was looking for.

This should be s fairly easy thing to test, check with a multimeter set to ohms between PP and PE and it should read as the above table. I would assume a “16A cable” will actually be capable of 20A for this use.

Another easy test would be to borrow both a 16A cable and a 32A cable from someone and test them both with your car on a charger you’re having issues with, this could bring us closer to a solution.


Also a little confused by the 2 adapters you have? Do you have a normal type 2 to 1 cable to use with destination chargers? I’m not entirely convinced by the use of adapters, certainly 16A ones, does the resistance check mentioned above work with this?

I've now charged successfully from a tethered type 2 (installed for my son's BMW) using an adaptor and at Asda via a type 2 to type 1 cable. I have however failed at a Tesla destination charger which claims to be available to any EV. The common factor in all my failures is Tesla - even though all the charge points claim to be open to all. My Mitsu dealer knows nothing! Any ideas?

Howard said:

I've now charged successfully from a tethered type 2 (installed for my son's BMW) using an adaptor and at Asda via a type 2 to type 1 cable. I have however failed at a Tesla destination charger which claims to be available to any EV. The common factor in all my failures is Tesla - even though all the charge points claim to be open to all. My Mitsu dealer knows nothing! Any ideas?

Click to expand...

Don't you have to pay to use the Tesla chargers? They installed a couple at the marina where we used to keep our boat and I tried to plug in, but no dice. I checked with the marina office and they told me that I could pay for access - but the prices that they quoted did not make economic sense.

All four Tesla points were destination chargers which were supplied by Tesla but installed by the hotel owners. They were free for hotel clients. Thanks for your interest.

Howard

This comes at no surprise. Tesla installed chargers in a hotel I regularly stay in, one for (the owner's) Tesla, one for "other makes". There was no way I could charge from it, nor the Leaf belonging to a fellow guest. In the end I used the Brick in a normal wall socket.
I believe Tesla does this deliberately.

maby said:

Howard said:

I've now charged successfully from a tethered type 2 (installed for my son's BMW) using an adaptor and at Asda via a type 2 to type 1 cable. I have however failed at a Tesla destination charger which claims to be available to any EV. The common factor in all my failures is Tesla - even though all the charge points claim to be open to all. My Mitsu dealer knows nothing! Any ideas?

Click to expand...

Don't you have to pay to use the Tesla chargers? They installed a couple at the marina where we used to keep our boat and I tried to plug in, but no dice. I checked with the marina office and they told me that I could pay for access - but the prices that they quoted did not make economic sense.

Click to expand...

Free (and closest parking to terminal ) at Luton Airport, when I last checked, but you need an adaptor which I haven't found yet. :|

OK - but is it s Tesla 'destination' charger? This type seems to be the root of the problem. I have the adaptor, which works fine with other charge points, but no luck with Tesla. The electrical connection is ok and I suspect that there is a mis-match in the data protocols.

Howard

Howard said:

OK - but is it s Tesla 'destination' charger? This type seems to be the root of the problem. I have the adaptor, which works fine with other charge points, but no luck with Tesla. The electrical connection is ok and I suspect that there is a mis-match in the data protocols.

Howard

Click to expand...

Hi Howard,

I have heard this adaptor works well with Tesla HPWC destination charger, at least over here in Australia.

https://evolutionaustralia.com.au/product-page/teslanything-adaptor-to-bmw-i3-nissan-leaf-ioniq-phev/

Regards Trex.