Empulse R charging at 7,7 Kw ( not fast but better ) and T2 plug waterproof

[Athlon]

Still waiting for my Empluse R to arrive but i'm already thinking about some modification to do at the bike.

First I'm really afraid abuto the charging plug facing up , It really look dangerous if you think about charging under heavy rain (very common where i live), anyone here already soved in some way this problem ?


Second I would like to change form Yazaky to T2 (VDE-AR-E 2623-2-2 ) charging plug , here is much more common to find T2 , so if I forget my cable at home I can borrow from some friend.
I already checked the IEC 62196 and looks like the SAE J1772 (yazaki) use the same protocol so switching to T2 shudnt be a problem from a software point of view.


The T2 allows me to use more than one phase so I can install a second Eltek on the bike , I need to duplicate the BMS packet for the second charger (I prefer to sniff the bike canbus and duplicate the bms command on a separate canbus just for the add-on charger ).

There are any issue for the battery for charghing at higher speed ( still under 1C charge so is not actualli fast charging but I don't have the cell datasheet so I cannot be sure)

Thanks Simone

[kingcharles]

My bike is always outside and I have charged in the (heavy) rain many, many times.
No problem at all!

If only the indicators and dashboard were just as waterproof...
(yes, even the 2014 dashboard fogs up on the inside after some rain)

I live in the Netherlands which is one of the wetter climates

[MaxTemplar]

Hi Simon,
   I am very interested in this project you, I would have the same idea, I'm Italian and here Type2 is widespread and I have other cars that use the stations in the office so it would be nice to avoid cables, etc ..

My colleague has a BMWi3 with type2, even if it is wet is not a problem. the connector is often wet when using it.

keep us informed about this mod, parts are originial?

Thanks
Max

[Athlon]

the Eltek is the same charger used in the original bike , so the charger is the same , I just want to use two charger instead of one.

the difference are in the plug to allow the 3 phase and use 2 phase ( as Teslas with double charger do) to power 2 charger.

Also I need to duplicate the canbus packet to allow the bike BMS to control both charger ( the Eltek cannot charge if is not controlled by a BMS).

I think my bike will arrive at OMT garage soon and as soon the bike arrive I will start working on the mod.

 

[frodus]

From what I've heard, the Eltek packets are the same, and you can parallel two chargers using the same CAN packet. Double check with Elcon, but I remember them saying something like that.

[Athlon]

first packet required by an Eltek is a "login to charger" and contains the charger serial number and ID. after the logi you can control an Eltek by regular packet but you need to specify the charger Id

[frodus]

Must've been the elcon. I couldn't remember.

Could use a microcontroller to send the can messages. Not too hard. I did so for a controller with an mbed.

[helixpteron]

Hello Simone,

did you end up realising the double charger setup ?

Cheers, Rob.

[Athlon]

the charger is here ... stil waiting for the bike 

also I just ordered a BMS to make a small add-on battery pack , I will try to fit it under the passenger seat , from my measurement even at maximum compression still some room free between the wheel and the bike

[helixpteron]

Wow - you're serious about this. I am just now finding out if there is a bike left for me in Europe. There is one Demo model I could get. I am not educated in electrics, but if you're willing to share how you wired it - I'd be VERY interested in fitting another charger to mine.

How much did the charger cost ?

[Athlon]

Eltek charger are now a little harder to find in the wild because now they try to sell on OEM only , minimum order is 16 charger for about 900 euros each.

[helixpteron]

Woohoo - I find 900 Euro's alone a bit steep, but I surely won't order 16 of them .

Do you plan to commercialise the product / mod, or did you get hold of a single one ?

[Athlon]

while waiting for the bike I did some testing with some spare battery with same layout /chemestry of Empulse Battery.

of course I have to keep current down because battery are much smaller than the bike's batery (5 Ah vs 90Ah )

anyway it worked perfectly

first pictures , the batteries 7 group of 4s cells

second pictures , complete pictures , Eltek 3kw charger , Current clamp meter , Voltage monitor on weakest cells , computer and Canbus interface

[Athlon]

third pictures , some can packet flying in the wires

last pictures , 1,93 Amps charging ( with canbus you can really fine control the charging current)

[helixpteron]

I'm glad to see you're still going ahead. I didn't realise you don't have the bike yet and thought you you are not doing it. I will get my Brammo in about 5 weeks, and I'm looking forward to replicate your results ! My charging will be almost exclusively done with park & charge L2 chargers. Cheers, Rob.