Charger cable dying...anyone pull one of these apart?

Presumably you've checked the most obvious place, the wall attachment plug. The thing is really rugged: My cable has worked perfectly for over two years, despite my leaving it outdoors in NY winters and rainstorms (I plug into an extension cord at home -- I know, I know...) and plugging into a lamp-post outlet at work across an adjacent parking space with an SUV that drives over it when it leaves before me.

 

Maybe Peef (sp) could be some help again? I'm assuming you had it done through him as well, like myself. As quick as he can turn around the upgrade, I would imagine he'd be a good source for repair as well.

 

I agree with the previous posting, and based on your description, a bad connection seems the most likely cause. It could be a broken wire, caused by over-flexing, but I think burnt contacts are more likely. Dampness can work on the metal, making it less conductive, and arcing can scorch the surface, making the connection less and less conductive over time. This creates more heat due to increased resistance, and the problems makes itself worse over time.

Another problem is the heavy-weight surge protector that puts strain on the wall-plug, if you don't have something to rest it on. I've also found that if you pull the plug out of the charging socket on the car too fast, it can arc before the system has time to shut off the power.

 

Obvious question is do you think it is the EVSE or the outlet? If this only happens at home for example, then it is a good probability that the cheap electrical outlet has been through its lifetime of mating cycles.

If it is the EVSE, then most likely it is the connector. I haven't opened up the Toyota EVSE personally, but peef/ingineer has (he does the 240v upgrades) and this is a pic from his site: http://ingineerix.com/pic/?panasonic-evse



It looks like the termination of the connectors is a screw, which would seem to be rugged in flexing over time. As long as that screw remains tight. Wiggling a plug in a socket, should have no effect on that.

So it would appear to me that the problem is on the NEMA 5-15 plug side from aircharm debug. These plugs are generally not rated for that many insertions. This is why I try to plug into a 1ft extension cord then plug that cord into whatever. When the $2 1ft extension cord wears out from plugging and unplugging, the EVSE only goes through 1 more mating cycle. So it could increase the cycle life by 1000 times or so.

 

i also use mine on the road everyday. i try to be careful with it, but, it is what it is. if you can't see an obvious loose connection, i agree with sending it back to peef. perhaps their work is the cause of the problem.

 

I think a close inspection of the connectors should reveal whether they are damaged or not.

 

Corkscrewing? Sounds like you have been improperly coiling your cable. Wires twisted tight inside the sheath until one of then broke. The pilot signal wire is the smallest and most likely failure. I'm looking at 3 similar intermittent open/shorted cables in use on my desk. Molded on cable ends are a pain to repair and be weather sealed. Our AV engineering friends had a thread on the topic of coiling cables and video's of the proper methods.

 

I agree and think you probably have either loose connections or twsited up wires ready to break or short out.
Are you still twisting the wires around to make the connection?

 

What about the gasket? Could it be causing a bad or loose connection?

PIP charging cable won't click into the car | PriusChat

SCH-I535

 

why do you not suspect the upgrade yet?

Did they tell you they will charge you for a repair?

There is always openevse OpenEV Store - OpenEV Store
but it takes more then basic electical knowledge to assemble or repair the units correctly.

I couldn't assemble or repair one by myself currently.

 

they should definitely last the 'life of the car'. yours is the first fail afaik. i don't think they will warranty an evse that's been altered. someone was selling one here fairly cheap.

 

I had a short in my brick right at the plug from the wall into the brick. Sent it back to EVSE upgrades and they repaired free of charge. I only paid shipping. This was about 10 months after the upgrade.

Now I only leave the 220 at home and have an extra 120 I bought off eBay in the car to use at work.


iPad ? HD

 

ah, proxy the same thing, thanks!

 

can you post a pic of the inside of the pigtail cap so I can see how to remove it.

 

Mine has slots for a special tool in the caps.
I'll see if I can figure out a way to get it off and take a pic of the connections