JuiceBox (Enel X Way USA, LLC) shuts down business in North America

[awp0]

This is exactly what I’ve been using, works flawlessly.

So for me this integration is working great for everything except changing the max charging current (amperage), which is the feature I really need. I think I'm on incompatible firmware. I can see that there's active development happening again so maybe it just needs a little more time.

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[ericNdfw]

Sorry if already discussed in the thread (TL;DR) but this kind of think is the main reason I have only bought "dumb" EVSEs (I've owned 2 over the past ~10 years) If I need to change the settings on my Grizzl-e Classic, I open it up and set dip switches. Granted, I've never had to do that in the 3 years I've had it (aside from at initial install), but it's an option should I need to.

My condolences for all those impacted by this. It really sucks to have something lose a capability overnight like that.

 

[valeriol]

Enel X is a subsidiary of Enel, Italy's main energy company.
As someone born and raised in Italy and who has a home there that gets it's energy from Enel, I'm not sure I would ever trust their software (try to deal with their extremely confusing website).

 

[jeffMachE]

Disappointing, but not really shocking. I have one of the original JuiceBox Pro 40's (with the non-painted, square aluminum case). Purchased it directly from JuiceBox when they were a very small, independent company in 2015. Had a couple of interactions with the owners/founders early on (they replaced the charging cable for me free of charge with a much lighter, more flexible cable) and generally they were right on top of things. My unit lost connectivity to the servers about 18 months ago, right around the time many of us reported that our home charging rates dropped from 9.6 kW to 6-ish kW. I had that issue and tuned my JB down to 32 amps to "fix" it, but soon after lost connectivity and despite months of back and forth with EnelX Customer Support, could never re-establish connectivity. While my JB still works as a dumb EVSE, I opted to replace it with an Emporia unit earlier this year. I figure I got 9 years out of the JB, so ultimately a good value. I think I paid $650 or so in 2015 for the unit. The new Emporia cost $400.

RIP Juicebox (sadness for Juicebox, not EnelX).

 

[yngwenli]

I have the Emporia and use their app to adjust charge rate.

Does anyone know if you can flip anything inside the Emporia if this were to happen to their software stack? They do have a lot of energy monitoring things so this seems less likely.

I don't think the Mach-E can control the charge rate still from looking at the App/car screen.

At least when I bought it, the cost was similar to dumb chargers, but I wouldn't want to be stuck at a low Amp charge setting if this were to happen suddently (I adjust charge speed based on car usage/solar/energy needs in the house).

 

[RickMachE]

I have the Emporia and use their app to adjust charge rate.

Does anyone know if you can flip anything inside the Emporia if this were to happen to their software stack? They do have a lot of energy monitoring things so this seems less likely.

I don't think the Mach-E can control the charge rate still from looking at the App/car screen.

At least when I bought it, the cost was similar to dumb chargers, but I wouldn't want to be stuck at a low Amp charge setting if this were to happen suddently (I adjust charge speed based on car usage/solar/energy needs in the house).

No Ford EV can control (lower) the charge rate, no.

 

[yngwenli]

No Ford EV can control (lower) the charge rate, no.

Thanks, that's too bad. We have friends with the i4 and they can from the car. Eliminates this whole app thing (since that's all I really use it for).

 

[awp0]

Thanks, that's too bad. We have friends with the i4 and they can from the car. Eliminates this whole app thing (since that's all I really use it for).

I agree that this is a frustrating limitation of the MME. I wish I didn't have to think about managing amperage using the EVSE.

 

[available_username2]

Me too. I just changed mine. I imagine the iOS app will continue to work until it is no longer compatible with latest iOS released. Not sure what their connection to their servers provide now other than location and history of charge sessions?

That's incorrect. The boxes are totally dumb and take all instructions from the server. Once they can't reach the server they just default to dumb charger. After next Friday it is just a dumb 40amp charger.

 

[awp0]

In case anyone's desperate enough, I found a thread where one of the original Juicebox devs indicates that a knob can be used to adjust amperage. He also cautioned that it's delicate and the end-stops can break easily. This is a photo of the inside of my Juicebox 40, and I've highlighted the knob that I believe he described. I haven't tried it yet, as I'm pretty optimistic for a software solution.

 

[phil]

They didn't even bother sending me the email. Since 2022, they don't call, they don't write...

I tried the JuiceBox Pro 40 software back in 2017, but it never seemed worth the significant hassle since my car controlled charging ok. I hope/expect I will not notice the Company's disappearance.

 

[Jtbuster]

Hope the class action lawsuits are already being drafted

“Hope the class action lawsuits are already being drafted”
To do what?

 

[awp0]

“Hope the class action lawsuits are already being drafted”
To do what?

Well, I guess that depends on the answer to these questions: If you have a Juicebox that's still under warranty and they remove features that were advertised at the time of purchase, should they refund you? Will they?

 

[phil]

Hope the class action lawsuits are already being drafted.

I will eagerly look forward to my $3.47 settlement, net of attorney fees. I hope the check arrives by 2029.

 

[YeOldeTraveller]

I will eagerly look forward to my $3.47 settlement, net of attorney fees. I hope the check arrives by 2029.

I think you are being optimistic that it will be that much or that soon.

On second tought, it looks like they are shutting down the regional entity. Since they are otherwise a foreign company, there is noone left to sue.

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