Add EVSE to Conversion

[Leigh van der Merwe]

Hi,

I am currently researching charging possiblities for my Converted ford focus.  It has a 5.4kW 240VAC charger built in, which takes either single phase or 3 phase input, via standard plugs. This is in Australia.  I want to add support for the OpenEVSE to the car, so that there is a communication device in the car which can replicate the correct comms protocol to allow safe connections and disconnections, as well as any other functions it provides.  I also want to be able to connect to charge point devices around the city.

so i will be doing something like the following:

4 or 5 core J1772 cable and connector plugs into the car, the Active, Neutral and Earth go to the Charger.  Pilot and (Perhaps?) Proximity go to a seperate board (i have called the J1772 Injector)

The J1772 injector will create the necessary signals to tell the state and current to OpenEVSE - typically states A, B and C (could have State E from the charger, but not necessary)

The J1772 Injector will also read the state of the Proximity wire and enable/disable the charger (via external input).

Is there anything available to do this?  or will i have to build something (arduino esque) to do what i need to do?

thanks!

[Leigh van der Merwe]

ok,

so i have gotten my head around it a little bit better. I need a board which can receive the proximity signal.  It will then determine the state it needs to be in (9V or 6V) so that the handle can be safely inserted and removed, and signal the EVSE to start/stop charging.

PLUGGING IN:

1. J1772 handle inserted (button pressed), set to 9V (EV connected and waiting - do not charge)
   
2. button released, wait a couple of second and set to 6V (start the charge)

CAR IS CHARGING:

UNPLUGGING:

1. button pressed on J1772 handle, set to back 9V to stop current to allow safe disconnect
2. remove handle from EV.

Does this seem about right?

thanks

[Nicholas Sayer]

It sounds like what you want is a J1772 charge controller.

Modular EV Power has one called the AVC2. It connects up to the non-hot lines of the J1772 inlet and has relay control lines to switch the battery charger on and off the hot lines.

The one thing I am not particularly keen about with theirs is that it doesn't attempt to discern the duty cycle of the pilot and prevent charging when the pilot isn't high enough.

I've considered trying to design a charge controller that does add that feature, but I don't have a use for one myself, and I have enough trouble getting people to build Hydras much less trying to get connected to the EV conversion community. :)