Home Level 2 Charger Issues

[capt_jak_harkness]

The conduit is connected to ground at the panel by virtue of the fitting screwed to the box itself (some special bonding may be required if the connector is installed in a concentric knockout). I don't see how, or why someone would go out of their way to try and make a connection between the conduit and the neutral bus.

Just to confirm this is exactly how mine is set up: there is no special connection between the conduit and neutral bus.

I was just trying to say in my post that the conduit is bonded to neutral at the panel, but like you said just by virtue of being in contact.

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[capt_jak_harkness]

Separate ground wire is not an issue with charging. It is an issue
with safety. Ground wire is so very inexpensive just run the ground.
Let's get off this topic because grounding is cheap to install and
there is no reason to keep explaining this. If you do not want to
install it so be it. In the long run if something happens to family
or friends and children touching that conduit could harm them.

I...I don't think that's true. But, I'm not a licensed electrician so I'm not going to argue.

And I agree, it's not the cause of this charging issue anyway as mine works fine as is. So yes, let's move on.

 

[generaltso]

New to this forum, but experiencing similar charging issues at home with a level 2 charger.

Another member from Illinois. This is so odd.

 

[CHeil402]

Another member from Illinois. This is so odd.

Agreed. I was originally leaning towards high voltages, which it may still be, or at least part of it. But either there is a largely disproportionate number of people from IL on this forum, or there's something going on with them. I'd be interested to see if they're delivering power with a high total harmonic distortion (THD) or if there is some powerline Ethernet in use by the utility (which was already identified as a known issue).

Either way, I would hope that Ford can lighten up their tolerances a little to clear out this issue via software.

Source: https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/submitted-orders-tracking-list-and-stats-enter-yours.924/

 

[janitorjim]

Just returned from running a test with @capt_jak_harkness who has a JuiceBox and smart meter. He's been successful charging and my mobile charger works in his garage as well. But no such luck at my garage with either the mobile charger or new Grizzl-e.

My educated guess is it's in the power delivery to my home as well as some threshold in the vehicle which doesn't tolerate what's coming from either charger. Expect a software update to solve the issue soon (I hope).

can he charge his in your garage?

 

[@kWhpony]

can he charge his in your garage?

He didn’t travel to my garage. I’ve visited another local owner with the same issue and can’t charge on his circuit either that I mentioned in a previous post.

 

[Maquis]

I agree, but that's what was stated in the post I quoted, so I made a point to address it.

Right.
I had to read it a couple of times, but I think what he meant was the the ground connection on the receptacle has a short wire bonding it to the metal box that the receptacle is mounted in. So "box" in this context is the box the receptacle is mounted in, not the (sub?)panel.

 

[capt_jak_harkness]

can he charge his in your garage?

I guess we could try this for science, but I'm fairly certain it wouldn't charge. It doesn't seem to be anything with just the car. It's some interaction between the car and the electric supply.

 

[capt_jak_harkness]

Right.
I had to read it a couple of times, but I think what he meant was the the ground connection on the receptacle has a short wire bonding it to the metal box that the receptacle is mounted in. So "box" in this context is the box the receptacle is mounted in, not the (sub?)panel.

Yes, sorry. That is correct.

 

[rajsaha]

Update on the LinkedIn contact......got the response below:
" Hi. Our team is aware of this and working on a software fix. Hope to have more details soon. "
Will update with more details once they let me know.....

 

[louibluey]

For those with chargepoint flex, most likely set to 40A (50A outlet) or 48A (hardwired). If not working (especially Illinois), using the smartphone chargepoint App, it might be worth re-configuring the chargepoint flex for a 20A circuit breaker just to see if that works (16A charging). The configuration options only show in the App when the charge plug is in the wall station, otherwise they are greyed out.

The 20A chargepoint flex station setting is only a software setting that limits the charge current the MME can ask for to 16A (by the pilot signal from chargepoint flex to MME), and does not need any wiring changes. To see the 20A option, select hardwired. It does no matter if you are using a 50A receptacle for this test.

Also, for those chargepoint flex that work occasionally, or not at all, (especially outside of Illinois) double check that you did not accidentally turn on scheduling on the chargepoint app (unlikely, just another thing to double check).

 

[Edgardk]

For those with chargepoint flex, most likely set to 40A (50A outlet) or 48A (hardwired). If not working (especially Illinois), using the smartphone chargepoint App, it might be worth re-configuring the chargepoint flex for a 20A circuit breaker just to see if that works (16A charging). The configuration options only show in the App when the charge plug is in the wall station, otherwise they are greyed out.

The 20A chargepoint flex station setting is only a software setting that limits the charge current the MME can ask for to 16A (by the pilot signal from chargepoint flex to MME), and does not need any wiring changes. To see the 20A option, select hardwired. It does no matter if you are using a 50A receptacle for this test.

Also, for those chargepoint flex that work occasionally, or not at all, (especially outside of Illinois) double check that you did not accidentally turn on scheduling on the chargepoint app (unlikely, just another thing to double check).

I do have ChargePoint home flex and I tried to lower the amp, didn't work. over the last 6 weeks i did try everything possible, 2 electricians checked the wiring. Finally my car was checked by a Ford engineer last Friday and determined that it is a software issue which Ford is working on fixing through an OTA update hopefully soon.

 

[prius2pony]

Hi All,
New to this forum, but experiencing similar charging issues at home with a level 2 charger. Not been able to charge at hoe on Level 2 at all. My 14-50 NEMA outlet was installed by a licensed electrician last week. Similar setup as others have described where the conduit works as the ground back to the panel. Everything done to code, so I don't believe having a separate dedicated ground wire is the issue.
I'm again in the NW suburban Chicago area. Somewhat pleased to hear that not everyone in the Chicagoland area is experiencing these issues, however there are quite a few of us that are.
FYI - I've opened a case with Ford as well, and waiting to hear back from them. Its frustrating to hear no timeline for the SW update that will take care of this. I've additionally reached out to someone in Ford thru LinkedIn (ran out of options to get some real help), and hopeful I hear back with some direct pointers for a resolution. Will update here as I hear more. If anyone else has found a solution - eager to hear.

The day I got my car home (the day after my HomeFlex was installed), it all worked. Next charge attempt was 10 days later—no luck for several days. I followed one poster’s recommendation: plug the mobille charger in to 120v, then try again with the HomeFlex. Some voodoo, but it worked! 10 days have passed, and I tried to charge today- no luck. Did fine at 3 different public chargers near home, but not working at home, even after multiple changes to schedule & eliminating schedule. Tomorrow, I’m going to try that mobile charger thing again. I do chalk All this up to MME software bug, and look forward to a fix coming- soon, I hope!

 

[Shayne]

Another member from Illinois. This is so odd.

Does Michigan get along with Illinois? Lots of other EV's out there and I am sure some are in Illinois. You can point your finger at a power company but what came first? Thinking this one is in Ford's court; to initiate at least. Possibly the power company can do something but I do not think they will on a whim.

I do have ChargePoint home flex and I tried to lower the amp, didn't work. over the last 6 weeks i did try everything possible, 2 electricians checked the wiring. Finally my car was checked by a Ford engineer last Friday and determined that it is a software issue which Ford is working on fixing through an OTA update hopefully soon.

Word.

Hope you guys (gals) get a fix real soon. Can understand the problem that dysfunctional home charging has. Also noted software fix here? Hoping it is a rollup fix and swashes many bugs. Call me in and install that bugger sheeeeeit. Great car tainted a bit unfortunately.

 

[louibluey]

I do have ChargePoint home flex and I tried to lower the amp, didn't work. over the last 6 weeks i did try everything possible, 2 electricians checked the wiring. Finally my car was checked by a Ford engineer last Friday and determined that it is a software issue which Ford is working on fixing through an OTA update hopefully soon.

Thanks! I guess a lot of us technical types are frustrated and trying to think of any diagnostics that might help, short of rolling into town with a van packed with instrumentation . There are probably more IT/software/coder types here than engineers, electricians, and techs (a lot of both), and it is starting to sound more like Ford MME code gone wrong for sure (so, maybe nothing to measure short of knowing the exact trigger/causal condition).

I wish Ford would shed some light on what they found the cause to be (if they really know, and are not still just guessing).

One of the strangest aspects is that, if I remember correctly, everyone can charge at 120V. Well, at least in most places in the U.S., there are two different 120V bus in the main panel (as has been discussed), and 240V is nothing but the voltage between those two 120V bus. 16A, 240V (Chargepoint 20A setting) seems very close to the 120V 12A, and so it is surprising that 240V / 16A charging does not also work.

I saw some reference to smart meters, Are there any advanced consumer side designs that allow the power company to signal to the end user device itself, when it is okay to charge? Could Ford have built some kind of advanced feature like that into the software, where it thinks the utility is saying, it is not okay to charge now? If that were the case, maybe Illinois is doing some preliminary implementation, but the system is not functional yet (wild guess territory). Or, Illinois is using the system, and Ford coded the feature wrong.

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