Author Topic: I let the smoke out of my charger. Now what?  (Read 1248 times)

trox_355

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I let the smoke out of my charger. Now what?
« on: June 04, 2016, 11:19:27 AM »
This has been a long time coming.  Figure I'd take advantage of everyone here first before attempting to contact my friendly, neighborhood chopper shop.

I had my bike plugged into an outlet in my friend's garage a month or so ago.  When we got back, she attempted to open the garage door.  It wouldn't open.

Found out that the GFCI protecting the garage circuit had tripped.  This same circuit went to the garage door opener and the outlet that I had the bike plugged into.

Once power was back on the circuit, I heard the contactor on the Clipper Creek EVSE click on but I saw the dash display indicate there was no current being drawn.

The four hours or so that the bike was plugged in was commensurate with the SoC on the pack once the garage door attempted to open.  Obviously, I have no way to confirm that the garage door opener caused the GFCI to trip once it attempted to open or if something else in the bike had gone awry shortly before that.  A mystery, still.

All I know is I had enough charge to get the bike back to my house and begin investigations.  I first checked the blade-type fuses on the HV fuse box to find they were all good.  I looked around a bit further and saw a fuse holder with a 20A Bussmann MDA fuse on the L1 line of the J1772 connector.  Ohmmed it out and saw it was blown.  Success!

I got a replacement fuse a few days later, installed it and plugged the bike back in.  The EVSE contactor closed, I waited for the typical sound of the charger to start pumping electrons in the battery pack but instead heard silence again as the dash display indicated no current.

After having the bike plugged in for about seven seconds, I saw a jet of smoke come out of one of the cable glands on the charger.  Needless to say, I expedited the removal of the charge cord from the bike.

Right now, the line running out the d.c. side of the charger (with the Anderson connector) shows 104 V and the motor controller still functions fine.  I.e., the bike will drive with the remaining ~54 % SoC.

If I had to posit, I'd say that either:

(1) the charger CAN bus caused some weird condition with the Eltek charger that resulted in some massive overcurrent spike that fried the electronics (unlikely)

-or that-

(2) when the bike was plugged into the garage outlet, the GFCI tripped due to the opener's inrush but before the rotor of the garage motor had a chance to spin, causing a massive inductive spike on the circuit that blew a hole into the charger's rectifiers (more believable).

So, with all that, I've found that Eltek doesn't make the charger that looks like originally went with the bike:

P/N 241121.110 EV Power Charger 110/3000 HE IP67 G2

I also don't know that even if I managed to get my hands on a replacement charger if it requires some initial configuration prior to use or if the CAN communications is entirely application-dependent.  Basically, if every charger is the same and I could just slap on some new heatsink paste and wire the sucker in and be golden.

Any ideas?  Thoughts on parts?  Is there some sort of available drop-in replacement?  Should I just capitulate and take the bike to the local Victory dealership and expect a three-month wait on parts and troubleshooting coupled with (what I'm sure will be) a multi-thousand dollar bill?

Sincerely,
Resigned in Raleigh

Richard230

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Re: I let the smoke out of my charger. Now what?
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2016, 05:01:11 PM »
The 2015/16 Zeros have been suffering a similar problem recently. Their on-board chargers have been tripping GFCI systems and shutting down the charger, leading to no battery charging.  The solution seems to be to break off the grounding prong on the charger's extension cord and that will keep the charger from shutting down.  :o
current bikes: 2018 16.6 kWh Zero S, 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Classic, 2009 BMW F650GS, 2007 BMW R1200R, 2005 Triumph T-100 Bonneville, 2002 Yamaha FZ1 and a 1978 Honda Kick 'N Go Senior.

kingcharles

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Re: I let the smoke out of my charger. Now what?
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2016, 09:19:23 AM »
The 2015/16 Zeros have been suffering a similar problem recently. Their on-board chargers have been tripping GFCI systems and shutting down the charger, leading to no battery charging.  The solution seems to be to break off the grounding prong on the charger's extension cord and that will keep the charger from shutting down.  :o
I doubt that this is a solution to this problem. Smoke means damage so something needs to be fixed.

Maybe the solution is to remove the Eltek completely (assuming that it's destroyed) and see if the emotorwerks guys can help you fit their latest project: the supercharger for motorcycles in that space.
http://insideevs.com/zero-motorcycles-gets-supercharger/
Once you go EV, gas is history!

willss01

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Re: I let the smoke out of my charger. Now what?
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2016, 02:45:19 AM »
If you believe the on-board charger (Eltek Valere) call them up, go to the website eltek.com and start a RMS (some kind of remanufacture claim wether it is under warranty or not). If you mail it back, they will repair any of their equipment whether they still make it or not! I just found this out after having my empulse in shop for 3 months.
"I'ts not me, it's the world that's crazy!" -Scott Pilgrim

trox_355

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Re: I let the smoke out of my charger. Now what?
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2016, 08:25:46 AM »
An update.

I contacted Eltek a few weeks ago and they returned a few days later with some bad news:  They neither supply nor service this charger, anymore.

If you believe the on-board charger (Eltek Valere) call them up, go to the website eltek.com and start a RMS (some kind of remanufacture claim wether it is under warranty or not). If you mail it back, they will repair any of their equipment whether they still make it or not! I just found this out after having my empulse in shop for 3 months.

Willss01, I'd be curious who you talked to out there.  I phoned their service department and the person I talked to took a few days to research and verify they can no longer support this charger.

After finding out there was no service option, I cracked open the cast aluminum housing and spotted some fried electronics inside.  Self-repair on that is getting outside of my comfort zone.

Does anybody have access to the Polaris parts fiche and know if they're sourcing this charger from a different manufacturer?  Has Polaris changed the design of the heatsink plate on the Victory Empulse to accept a different form factor of charger?

The only online source I see for a new one is from Evolve Electrics.  Going that route, I'd still need to splice on the J1772 pins and Anderson connectors for the DC output.

willss01

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Re: I let the smoke out of my charger. Now what?
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2016, 12:17:33 AM »
Sorry I've been out ridding, I did finally look at my original charging controller and was incredibly upset to find that the 20 amp ceramic fuse in line was not functioning so I replaced it with one from home Depot (microwave fuse) but I haven't attempted to hook it back up or anything (or look at the innards) *(i do have the cooling plate and controller). I have a feeling with the background any given polaris/victory dealer was given prior to working on the bike, they just assumed the fuse would be good if it's not black.

I did receive the same news after some time from them (or the dealer did when they attempted to send it in) but I was never informed who the new supplier was. I would much prefer sending it in to be tested then risking it on my bike if evolve would test it ...
But as of now I do have a spare possibly functional on board charger. I wish I could be more help. Let me know! (not to say i'd give it away for free but probably half the $1299 price I paid for mine) my personal email is willsadams01 at hotmail.com (I know so original with the names).
« Last Edit: August 31, 2016, 01:16:00 AM by willss01 »
"I'ts not me, it's the world that's crazy!" -Scott Pilgrim

willss01

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Re: I let the smoke out of my charger. Now what?
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2016, 12:20:57 AM »
The new '16 charging controller will not work, Polaris tried that on mine, I may try to crack my old one open and see if I see the same fried parts, but according to the guy I bought it from it just "stopped working" (maybe like it was just a fuse? either way I would with my highest recommendation
--NOT recommend taking it to any sort of victory/polaris dealer--
unless you have deep pockets and plenty of time for them to learn and as I mentioned in my post I'm not sure if they are even taking brammo's on service anymore or if they just didn't want to see me again).
« Last Edit: August 31, 2016, 01:19:08 AM by willss01 »
"I'ts not me, it's the world that's crazy!" -Scott Pilgrim

willss01

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Re: I let the smoke out of my charger. Now what?
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2016, 02:50:28 PM »
I am taking the charging controller to evolve electrics in boulder today to get it tested.
"I'ts not me, it's the world that's crazy!" -Scott Pilgrim