Tag Archives: EVSE

Solar EVSE

With the old CitiCar batteries laying about, I decided it was about time to embark on a side project to charge my CitiCar with the power of the sun.

Three years ago, I started a little off-grid solar project. I already had everything tucked away in the garage. I brought everything out and started connecting the batteries in parallel, and then to the inverter.

I did a test and verified I could use the inverter to plug things in and power them on. It was only 1000 watts, but I decided to attempt to charge the CitiCar. The inverter started beeping and stopped supplying power.

I thought there was a chance of that happening. It looks like I’ll need an inverter that can supply a minimum of 1800 watts with 15 amps.

Solar Panel Array

I continued to setup the solar charge controller and the solar panels to start charging the battery bank. I had trouble getting the 8-way splitter to work, and ended up using two 4-way splitters to connect seven of the eight panels.

The last part was to connect the Raspberry Pi to log data. I was able to get it up and running on the network over wifi and view the dashboard.

Dashboard of various measurements that the raspberry pi collected from the solar charge controller.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t see any data since the last time I had the system up and running. I was able to update the date in the charge controller, change the time-zone on the raspberry pi, and confirm that data was being saved into the MySQL database.

It turns out that the code that I had written was in its alpha stage while experimenting with the data being returned. It looks like I was using a separate logger to grab CSV files, and then hard-coding the website to load from them instead of the database.

In summary, I need a more powerful inverter, and I need to wire up the website to a website.

Solar EVSE Charging Station – Part 1

Update

After reviewing a few old videos that I had made demonstrating the solarpi website, I found that I was looking at an older interface. The newer interface is wired up to the database and keeps updating itself to show graphs of the last hour of data for each gauge. In addition, the gauges have colors to indicate ideal areas that the needle should be in. The site still needs plenty of improvement as well as a way to view and compare history.

In other news

The current AiLi battery capacity meter keeps resetting to 0% during my drives. I think it’s due to a loose wire on bumpy roads. As a temporary backup solution, II wired up a previous voltage monitor that gives me a percent and graph based on voltage.

The garage is dark. Both lights have now burnt out.

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Jiggly Lights

Whining Motor

Manual speedometer gear housing for a CitiCar motor

On our lunchbreak, we started to take off in the CitiCar. There was an odor and a whining noise. It suddenly changed its pitch to be a bit more frantic. Since I removed the speedometer cable last night, I had a hunch that it was the speedometer gear housing that was still on the motor. It was probably a combination of spinning the metal shaft, the entire gear housing, or a combination of the two. After removing it, Teddy and I were zipping off to the park without any more whining.

We were followed into the park and asked about the car. A brief conversation ensured before Teddy interrupted with “Nature’s Call”. After our little walk, we then got custard where someone chimed that they had a Tesla, and thought a CitiCar wouldn’t be useful in Miami, Florida. After learning that the cars were manufactured in Florida, they clarified that they couldn’t use it on the highways.

I was able to clock in a new record at 10.3 miles on the trip odometer as we arrived back home.

High Beams

My high beams continue to turn on while driving, and sometimes on their own while parked. One of the C-Car owners shared an image of a turn signal switch that might be compatible. I found an imported after-market turn signal switch for a Triumph Spitfire 1977-1980.

CitiCar stock Lucas UK turn signal switch vs aftermarket Triumph Spitfire 1977-1980 turn signal switch

I was able to take off the steering wheel cap using a wrench. The nut underneath was not tight at all. I suspect I was following in the prior owners footsteps. The steering wheel lifted off without any effort. The turn signal switch had a screw underneath that kept it secure to the steering wheel column. After loosening the screw, the switch lifted up most of the way, but was held back by the wires. I was able to have enough room to slide it off of the steering wheel spline.

A piece of plastic that broke off of the high-beam switch

The switch was missing a piece of plastic that was later found setting inside the steering wheel columns cover. The original CitiCar turn signal switch could not be repaired.

Spade connectors crimped to turn signal switch wires

I cut it free of its wires and matched them up to the new signals wires. The new switch had separate wires for the high beams, and the flash. I was able to join the two wires so that they both operated the high beams.

Once the wires were connected, I discovered that the high beams would no longer work unless the regular lights were on. I’m used to the high beams always coming on regardless if the lights are on, so it feels a little odd.

When assembling the steering wheel, I paid close attention to the self-canceling signals. This has been a problem that I’ve had in the past where the signals don’t seem cancel – or at least, not always. Now they do. I believe the prior owner didn’t pay attention to the correct orientation when putting the wheel back on the steering column. When placed upside down, you would have to turn further left/right before the signal could be canceled. Merging into lanes without much turning of the wheel would have no chance of being canceled.

The CitiCar steering wheel with an after-market turn signal switch

In one sense, it almost feels like I have a new car. The turn signal was a constant problem where I would have to actively check often if the high beams came on, and verify that the signals switched off. I would previously go for a walk in the park and come back to see that my high beams came on, draining the battery.

Original steering wheel stalk vs after-market stalk with symbols

I really wish I could have fixed the original switch, or at least use its stalk on the new signal switch.

In Other News

The Tucson EV J1772 to Zero adapter arrived. It had the correct plug for my charger and my EVSE was able to communicate and supply power through it.

I got a phone call this morning that the part for my SUV didn’t arrive at the dealership. Saturday will be very busy, so it may not be repaired until Monday.

CitiCar Turn Switch Replacement

Public Charging

CitiCar at an EV charging station parked next to a Tesla

Teddy and I hopped into the CitiCar and left town for the first time. We took a little lunch break just outside of the city at Riverton Commons shopping mall. An EV charging station is located there with four Tesla destination chargers, and one J1772 charger. I pulled up and parked the CitiCar next to a Tesla.

I fumbled a little, connecting the EVSE to the converter, but I was able to get it. The Kill A Watt meter showed that I was getting voltage. I proceeded to hook up the chargers to the batteries and saw the usual 333 watts being drawn by the five 12 volt lead acid battery chargers.

Teddy and I grabbed a bite close to the station at Checkers. When I got back to the car, I saw that the chargers were no longer getting any power. One of the C-Car owners on the forums mentioned that some charging stations required at least a kilowatt of power to continue operating. Looking back at some video footage, I saw that the power strip was upside down. I believe I may have turned it off when I started spreading out the chargers so they weren’t all setting next to each other. I’ll have to make another attempt to verify.

While I was there, the owner of the Tesla came out and talked about a Comuta-Car he had owned for awhile. He ad a few questions and we chatted a bit before I left.

The whole trip was 6.0 miles. It was shorter than I had thought given that I always looked up directions to the Walmart in the same shopping center, but would have added an extra mile to the round trip. This trip was mostly going up a gradual hill in a 45 mile zone on the way up. I held the throttle down for most of the trek.

As the efficiency of the car improves, more locations become accessible. I now know that I can make it to the two plazas across from each other with the newer big-box stores out of town. I can visit a grocery, hardware, coffee, pet, and craft store as well as a bank ATM.

Access to more locations is fairly important at the moment because my other two vehicles are disabled. The SUV was fixed two weeks ago, but had broken down on Sunday with the same problem. The hybrid car simply needs a new battery and an inspection. I also need to reattach a plastic rock/air-drag guard that is dragging along the road under it.

Trip Log

WAYPOINTODOMETERDISTANCE
Home1,214.0
EV Charging Station1,217.03.0
Home1,220.03.0
Total6.0
RECHARGEENERGYCOSTDURATION
RatekWh9.85¢0.78 mph
Total1.53 kWh15.5¢07:39
Per Mile254 Wh2.6¢01:16

In other news

I haven’t received the Zero to J1772 adapter needed for the lithium battery charger that I purchased in July. I hadn’t heard a reply from three weeks ago when I inquired about the status of the order. From other C-Car owners I’ve talked to, this person is very responsive, but another C-Car owner was going through the same issue as I am. I decided to contact Tucson EV via PayPal communications.

Tucson EV got back to me the next day and stated that they thought it was already shipped, and that the adapter will be shipped tomorrow morning with a tracking number.

J1772 AVC2 Module by Modular EV Power LLC

I suspect the mixup was due a shortage of the J1772 active vehicle control modules (AVC) available at the time . These are small PCB boards (AVC1) enclosed in a plastic box (AVC2) that do all of the communications for you if you want to wire up your own custom made adapter. Everywhere I looked, these things were out of stock. I found EV West had them and ordered one at the end of July. They quickly notified me that it was out of stock. It was later shipped on September 1st.

CitiCar at EV charging station

Two aught

I reached out for help regarding battery cables with other d-car owners and enthusiasts. Along with the advice that I got, one of the locals that I met in the CitiCars maiden voyage was willing to help out with supplies and tools leftover from his EV conversion project. Teddy and I hopped into our little car and zipped downtown to the town square.

We met up and with more understanding of the parts of an EV, I was able to have a more knowledgeable conversation this time and had a lot of questions to ask regarding his setup. learning a bit more about how the guy upgraded his pickup truck. I paid more attention to his setup and had my eye on his use of project boxes to keep things segregated, organized and protected. He had quite a bit of advice when I asked about wiring harnesses and thoughts regarding a themed car that could be easily reverted without damaging the body. His thoughts were to look into Plasti Dip and a brand for “Painless wiring” for quality cables/connections where cables are labeled and easy to install.

He had a large box of thick battery cables and two bags of battery lugs. The box was heavier than I had thought and caught me off guard for a moment. Along with the box of cables, I was able to borrow some wire cutters and a gigantic crimping tool. I opened the CitiCars back window and we stuck everything in with plenty of room to spare. Unfortunately, I forgot to grab the wire cutters…

Teddy grows some wings

Teddy and I enjoyed the park and took a stroll down main street. We went through Inklings, posed in front of a mural, and grabbed some ice cream from C & C Frozen Treats. Teddy had some mango while I ordered a quart of brownie ice cream.

Teddy, Lewie, and The Chez CitiCar

By time we left, it looked like a bunch of antique cars were arriving into the town square for a little car show. I had to bail before the rain came. I didn’t make it home in time, and the rain was coming down pretty hard. I kept the wiper on the lowest setting and didn’t run into any problems blowing a fuse this time.

Running 120 volt AC via J1772

The replacement Level 1 & 2 electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) arrived today. I verified that it was operational and setup the CitiCar to charge it’s batteries through a J1772 port. I don’t know if the folks at Sebring-Vanguard had ever imagined such a thing, but I am now able to recharge the car at a public charger. Here is the setup in order from the wall to my cars batteries in my little experiment:

  • 120 volt (5-15) outlet in wall
  • Level 1 & 2 EVSE (5-15 & 6-20)
  • EV Charger Power Converter (from J1772 to 120v & 240v)
  • Power strip
  • Five 12 volt battery chargers
  • Four deep cycle batteries for the motor and one small accessory battery
Displaying how I’m charging lead acid batteries with power supplied via J1772

I was loosing a tenth of an amp with the EVSE and power converter. To add more fun to the experiment, I decided to let the car charge to full capacity through the J1772 setup and see how much the total energy is affected.

Cable Inventory

Battery cables

Later in the night I started going through the battery cables I received to get an idea of what I had. The cables can be called either 00, double zero, 2/0 and pronounced as “two aught”.

I started taking inventory, measuring inches from the center hole of each lug.

LengthQuantityLengthQuantity
11
6710¾1
413¼1
213½1
7113¾4
1142
114¼4
114¾1
Cables with flat lugs at each end

Some cables also had a 90 degree lug at one end, but the shorter ones didn’t have a lug at all on the opposite end.

Missing LugTwo Lugs
5
4
312
12¾
13½
Cables where one end has a 90 degree lug

Two long cables were included that were 13 feet, eight inches, and another at fourteen feet, 11 inches. The longer cable didn’t have a lug on one of the ends.

There are quite a few good cables that I can use. The longer cables alone may be enough on their own. Many of the smaller pieces can be used for jumps between switches, fuses, controllers, and such.

Battery cable connected to two Chevy Volt battery modules

I found that I could barely use the 10¾” cable to connect two Chevy Volt battery modules next to each other. I have four cables that are 13¾, and four more at 14¼ that I could use with more slack between the batteries. It’s preferable to have a shorter length to reduce voltage drops. Although with the length of this circuit, the drop would already be fairly minimal.

Corroded lug
Wire brushed lug

I spent some time cleaning up one of the most corrosive lugs. I first tried to do it by hand with a wire brush with some progress. I then grabbed my angle grinder with a wire brush attachment and cleaned it up fast. I was finding that I was chasing some of the corrosion down under the heat shrink around the lug.

Things are coming along great. I have many cables that I can clean up and use once the motor arrives. I have the supplies necessary to make my own custom length of cables as well.

Tiny Radio

One of my tiny car radio modules came in the mail today. I actually ordered three different kinds because it was difficult to judge how big they were. This three dollar radio was originally just for a side project to stick on a repurposed 8-track tape. The idea was to give my 8-Track radio some modern features to play music from a blue tooth device as well as micro SD cards.

Bluetooth MP3/WMA decoder USB/Micro SD/Aux FM radio module

I was originally set on installing an 8-Track radio and an Android media entertainment center for navigation in the CitiCar. I’m having a difficult time determining where I should put them. I don’t have much space available on the dashboard to mount things, or the support to mount anything with some weight. I’m considering using one of the little radio modules instead.

I was able to wire the little radio up to work with both five and 12 volts, as advertised. The radio works, Bluetooth hooked up without a problem, and I was able to get MP3 files playing from a micro SD card. One thing of note is that I definitely need an amp. The little radio can put out a signal, but any speaker I try is so low, it is difficult to hear. The voltage supplied to the radio does not make a difference.

WAYPOINTODOMETERDISTANCE
Home1,134.1
Town Square1,138.03.9
Home1,141.93.9
Total7.8
RECHARGEENERGYCOSTDURATION
RatekWh9.85¢0.46 mph
Total2.21 kWh22.4¢17:00
Per Mile283 Wh2.9¢02:10

Popular Science Mechanics

Popular Mechanics July 1974 cover

Today I received a Popular Mechanics magazine from July 1974 with a five page article for the CitiCar. I did a bit more research and found another magazine in the archives. I found a used copy of Popular Science for June 1975 (page 61-63) and made a purchase.

An adjustable angle antenna arrived for the car. I’ve already been successful installing another, so it’s not needed now.

Lots of critical components to replacing the power train are about to arrive by the end of next week.

  • Chevy Volt Battery Module Charger – Monday
  • Two Chevy Volt Batteries 48 volts, 50 amp hours – Monday
  • Two Bluetooth BMS – Monday (same package as batteries)
  • Replacement Portable EVSE – Saturday

Things to be shipped soon

  • ZERO J1772 adapter from Tucsan EV – pinged for a status update
  • New motor from D & D Motor Systems – any day ready to be shipped
  • Forward & Reverse switch – tracking label created…

After two months of researching and gathering parts, I’m getting a bit excited that I’ll be able to start testing things soon.

I think the main parts left for research are battery cables (make my own or purchase?), wiring harness, and a good set of tools for crimping.

Custard package drop off

Teddy and I had a destination with custard on our minds. It was going to be a long trip – perhaps the longest. We took the quickest route without stop-and-go traffic. Along the way someone started asking about the car while we were at a stop light.

Teddy patiently waits to eat his custard on an outing with the CitiCar

I had previously purchased a portable EVSE that turned out to be faulty. A return was accepted for a replacement. I dropped it off at the UPS store.

We arrived at B & L’s Custard, just a few feet from the UPS store. Teddy and I grabbed a quick lunch snack. I went with a small cup, and Teddy got his usual “pup cup”.

Teddy is always happy to get a cool treat when we go out. He was fairly distracted with a dog behind a fence barking at us. While we were there, a gentleman asked about the CitiCar while he was waiting for his order.

The ride home was pretty good. I had a little range anxiety, as I kept thinking the car might be starting to lose some power. It felt like the longest trip we’ve ever been on, pushing the car to its limit.

As I arrived home, I saw a USB charger for a cars 12 volt socket setting in front of my driveway. I had forgotten to clear off the roof before I left. Taking a quick look at the odometer, it registered our trip at 9.5 miles. It certainly was the furthest on one charge.

Contact

Curtis Albright SW180-93 contact switch

The contact switch arrived from D & D Motor Systems today. I wired it up to my regulated power supply and a multi-meter for a continuity test. When 12 volts was applied, I could hear something, but nothing was moving and contact wasn’t being made. Bumping up to 22 volts, the contact started to move half way. At 32 volts it was almost instant. Unfortunately, it appears that the coil is meant for 48 volts rather than 12. I’ll have to rethink how I’m going to set things up – potentially using relays, or purchasing a new switch.

Other news

I ordered a PlastiFix kit and Super Clean to prepare for repairing cracks in the CitiCar’s body.

WAYPOINTODOMETERDISTANCE
Home1,124.6
The UPS Store1,129.34.7
B & L’s Custard1,129.30.0
Home1,134.14.8
Total9.5
RECHARGEENERGYCOSTDURATION
RatekWh9.85¢0.97 mph
Total2.46 kWh25.0¢09:50
Per Mile259 Wh2.6¢01:02

Tapping The Nut

It seems like I’ve been constantly getting nowhere with replacing the battery terminal nut. Everything I’ve purchased for battery terminals has been too small. I have a variety of nuts on order, but they won’t be here for a few days.

Tapping a nut

While cleaning up the garage over the weekend, I came across a little 24 piece tap and die set. I considered that maybe I had stripped the threading in the nut, and decided to try tapping it. I could get the CitiCar back on the road quicker, and the nut was already useless at this point.

I grabbed a little table vice to hold the nut in place, and opened up the tap and die set. I rolled my eyes as soon as I realized the set was in metric. I probably got this when I was building the Tricolour RepRapPro 3D printer based on plans from the UK. I may eventually end up buying a larger set that also includes both metric and SAE.

I first tried a 9 milometer tap. I could feel the bite as I slowly bit through the metal. Once I was able to freely spin the tap, I tried putting the bolt on the terminal.

Unfortunately, I came up with the same results as every other attempt over the past few days. Too small. I went ahead and tried the 10 millimetre tap. It was much harder, but … success! The bolt slid on the battery terminal just fine. I was able to connect all of the battery cables.

I went ahead and charged all the batteries for our next adventure in the CitiCar. In the meantime, I started looking at how to hook up the EVSE with a transformer that could connect to a public charger and convert the power to 120 volts. From here, the plan was to connect my five individual battery chargers.

EVSE fault

I was quickly blocked as soon as I plugged the EVSE into an outlet. The charger was blinking to indicate that it was protecting from a low/high voltage. I checked that the circuit was wired correctly. I also verified the voltage was in range at 124 volts. I tried outlets around the house on other circuits. I even plugged it into the back of my computers APS power supply to ensure a clean cycle of power.

Chevy Volt battery module cut on side

I cut the bottom edge off of another Chevy volt battery module. Although I had a hiccup with the EVSE, a few things are progressing fairly well today.

I think Teddy and I will be able to visit the park and grab some Ice Cream tomorrow.

Video

EVSE Problems

Other News

Some button cell batteries arrived. I was able to fix Teddy’s talking ball. I replaced the battery in my calipers, but the digital readout wouldn’t turn on. I took a closer look and found that one of the contacts looked as if it would touch both the positive and negative parts of the battery. It looked like it was bent down and curved a little. I thought it was a spring when I first saw it. I flipped it up on its side. It matched the curve of the battery and… it broke off.

I remember it was only a few bucks. It still works manually. Perhaps I should invest in something with more quality the next time I go looking for one.

Products

Irwin Industrial Tools 26313 Metric Tap and Hex Die Set, 24-Piece
Megear Level 1-2 EV Charger(100-240V,16A) Portable EVSE Home Electric Vehicle Charging Station Compatible with Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, Fiat, Ford Fusion (NEMA6-20 with Adapter for NEMA5-15)
EV Charger Power Converter
4A Fully Automatic Microprocessor Controlled Battery Charger/Maintainer
NEW Lithium Ion Chevy Volt 48vdc 2kwh 50ah battery Golf Cart Off Grid Solar EV
DEAL INDUSTRIES INC. 61-501 Receptacle Tester with GFCI, Black
WEN 423DPV 3-Inch Cast Iron Drill Press Vise
Winkeyes 0-6 Inch Digital Vernier Caliper with Inch/MM Conversion Large LCD Screen and Stainless Steel Body Vernier Caliper Tool for Small DIY and Homework, Coin Battery included, 150mm
Pet Qwerks Talking Babble Ball Interactive Pet Toy – Wisecracks & Makes Funny Sounds, Electronic Ball that Talks & Makes Noises – Avoids Boredom & Keeps Your Dog Active
LOOPACELL AG13 LR44 L1154 357 76A A76 Button Cell Battery 10 Pack
RepRapPro Tricolour
Things I’ve purchased, or very close to it.

Mailbag

A few packages arrived over the weekend for modernizing the CitiCar. The majority of items that arrived support the 12 volt accessory power supply using the batteries that drive the motor, instead of a separate battery.

Fuse Block

The majority of fuse blocks look the same to me. It all comes down to choosing between having a standard number of six fuses or twelve. The car has seven fuses, so I went with the larger size.

Some of the features I like are that the LED’s will turn on to indicate that a fuse has blown. Another thing I like is that the negative terminals are all at the top. It came with a variety of 24 blade fuses, stickers, and a cover.

12-Way Fuse Block With ground, 12 Circuit ATC/ATO Fuse Box Holder with negative bus, Protection Cover & LED Light Indication, Bolt Terminals, 70 pcs Stick Label, For Auto Marine, Boat,With 24 pcs Fuse

Voltage Reducer

I previously purchased a Buck Transformer that could supply up to 5 amps at 12 volts. It worked, but the amps were lacking in what I needed.

I found a DC-to-DC power converter that could step voltage down anywhere from 48 to 120 volts, and bring it down to 12 volts. The output current is rated at 30 amps.

Besides the amps, I like the ability to disconnect the power easily with the connectors that the provided, and the added feature of having a key switch turning it on so that it doesn’t drain the battery while the car is not being used.

Pro Chaser DC-DC 120V 108V 96V 84V 72V 60V 48V Volt Voltage to 12V Step Down Voltage Reducer Regulator 180W 15A for Scooters & Bicycles Golf cart (30A 360W)

Power Switch

I wasn’t too happy when I saw sparks in my previous experiment with converting a high voltage to 12v using the buck converter. In turn, I found this power switch that I can press to toggle it on and off.

I’m going to see if I can run two different voltages through it if the LED terminals are separate from the switch terminals. I’ll wire up the LED directly to the Buck 12v output, and let the switch terminals control the 48v feeding it.

I picked out this switch because it came with a wired harness that could be disconnected easily, and the LED lights up. From what I saw, the LED and the switch could be wired up in multiple ways.

Quentacy 19mm 3/4″ Metal Latching Pushbutton Switch 12V Power Symbol LED 1NO1NC SPDT ON/OFF Black Waterproof Toggle Switch with Wire Socket Plug (Blue)

Portable EVSE

I’m setting up the vehicle so that it can recharge and public charging stations that support J1772. This EVSE (Electric Vehicle Service Equipment) takes power from a 120 and 240 volt wall outlet and provides a Level 1/2 power supply to my vehicles onboard charger.

At 240v and 16 amps, I could charge up to 3.84 kW. Using just 120v over 16 amps would be 1.92 kW. My current battery setup takes 12 hours to supply 3 kW. However – they are lead acid. With the new Chevy Volt batteries, I’ll be able to charge much faster, and have a demand for more watts to be supplied.

Being portable, I can put this in the back of the car and charge up at a friends house or a friendly business willing to let me have a few kilowatts.

I got this specific kit because it came with a case, supported 120 & 240 volts, had an adapter to work with both NEMA 5-15 and 6-20, hook to hold the cables, and a holster to hold the end of the plug when not in use.

Megear Level 1-2 EV Charger(100-240V,16A) Portable EVSE Home Electric Vehicle Charging Station Compatible with Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, Fiat, Ford Fusion (NEMA6-20 with Adapter for NEMA5-15)

Dash Cam

This one is a bit of an experiment. I’ve been interested in dash cams for a few years with all of the odd things I see on the road, but never jumped into actually getting one.

This camera was fairly cheap and I figured I’d try it out as a learning exercise. I don’t expect much from it, but for using it with the CitiCar, I think it might be perfect. If anything, I’ll have a few videos to post on YouTube.

Besides the cheap price, it seems to have gotten good reviews on YouTube and the quality appears to be reasonable.

AUKEY Mini Dash Cam 1080p Full HD Dash Camera with 1.5” LCD Screen Car Camera with 170° Wide-Angle Lens, G-Sensor, WDR, Motion Detection, and Clear Night Recording