[MoonUnit]

Hi, I hope someone can help.


I have a TC HK-J 6600W Charger which I tried to hook up for the first time today. I got precisely zero response from it, and am trying to troubleshoot.


I am in the UK (so 240V) and connected to it via a J1772 charge port, which in turn was powered by a UK domestic charge lead - one of those devices which takes a 3 pin UK plug and terminates in a J1772 plug. Delivers 10A max.


The charger does absolutely nothing - no LEDs or anything. I am using an Orion BMS2, which also does not recognise any action. It is a CAN-enabled version, and I *think* CAN is wired correctly.



Any thoughts? How can I verify the charger is actually functional? Should the LEDs light when it gets AC power?


Much obliged.

 

[kennybobby]

i don't know for sure, but i doubt that the TC chargger uses the J1772 protocol.

When you plug in a car from a J1772 device, there is some "communications" that must occur over the proximity and pilot signal lines before the EV SE will close it's contactor to send AC to the chargger. The pilot signal tells OEM on board chargers the maximum available AC current, not sure if your BMS could be configured to perform that function.

i would recommend to always test components on the bench if possible before installation in the car. Work out the bugs and understand how it all functions before integration into the EV system. There is very little just plug and play, everything must be examined in detail to get confidence that it will work.

 

[john61ct]

I am confused by the description of what you are doing.

TC chargers are designed to be powered by a mains outlet.

If you want input from a public EVSE, you will need to engineer a J1772 port interface to control the signals between your unit and the charge station.

You definitely should hire a professional if you can't find such a unit off the shelf.

These voltages and current levels are extremely lethal.

 

[john61ct]

Check out Rush Dougherty's stuff at http://www.TucsonEV.com

 

[MoonUnit]

i don't know for sure, but i doubt that the TC chargger uses the J1772 protocol.

When you plug in a car from a J1772 device, there is some "communications" that must occur over the proximity and pilot signal lines before the EV SE will close it's contactor to send AC to the chargger. The pilot signal tells OEM on board chargers the maximum available AC current, not sure if your BMS could be configured to perform that function.

i would recommend to always test components on the bench if possible before installation in the car. Work out the bugs and understand how it all functions before integration into the EV system. There is very little just plug and play, everything must be examined in detail to get confidence that it will work.

Hi, I am using the Orion BMS2, which does have J1772 protocol control. It takes the Control Pilot and Proximity Pilot lines from the J1772 charge port, which is car-side, and what I call the 'socket', into which connects the charge 'plug' which is coming from the EVSE. In my case, the EVSE is a mains lead with a J1772 shape charge socket. So as I understand it, the CP and PP between them confirm connection to AC and available current. The BMS is the able to instruct the charger via CAN what it can draw.


My trouble is that the charger's not doing anything at all, and I don't know why. I don't know whether it should at the very least light up a LED when it senses AC voltage.


Oh and yes, I am doing all this outside the car!

 

[MoonUnit]

I am confused by the description of what you are doing.

TC chargers are designed to be powered by a mains outlet.

If you want input from a public EVSE, you will need to engineer a J1772 port interface to control the signals between your unit and the charge station.

You definitely should hire a professional if you can't find such a unit off the shelf.

These voltages and current levels are extremely lethal.

Sorry - I was not clear. The Orion BMS2 manages the J1772 protocol and informs the charger via CAN what it's allowed to do. In theory, at least.

 

[Hollie Maea]

Are you sure you have the signal wires hooked up properly to the charger? I've found that the datasheet doesn't really make it clear which wires go where due to the ambiguous labeling of the connector. If it's right you should be able to get the LED working even if you aren't controlling it properly.

 

[john61ct]

Get a CAN bus sniffer and sender going to see if signals are correct and getting through.

But first check the charger is working in manual mode, at whatever its default settings are.

 

[MoonUnit]

Are you sure you have the signal wires hooked up properly to the charger? I've found that the datasheet doesn't really make it clear which wires go where due to the ambiguous labeling of the connector. If it's right you should be able to get the LED working even if you aren't controlling it properly.

I had a lot of angst with this, but I believe I have them correctly wired.

 

[MoonUnit]

So, in case this is useful for anyone else, I have the charger working now.


I am using the Orion BMS2, and the TC HK-J 6600W charger, and am in the UK.


The Orion can manage the J1772 protocol, which, confusingly for me, applies to both type 1 and type 2 charging. Type 1 is a US standard and Type 2 is European. I had tried to select type 2 in the BMS software, whilst the dropdown box looked like the option had been selected, it wouldn't upload the profile to the BMS as my firmware was not in sync with my software version. I had firmware version 3.1, and 3.5 or later was needed to be able to upload this choice.


Using the Type 1 profile with a Type 2 EVSE mains charging lead into a J1772 socket doesn't work, as I now know, because Type 1 has a button on the charging lead that the BMS needs to see pressed (or not pressed, not sure) - either way, my lead has no button. This may well be obvious to smarter people than me, but had me sandbagged for a few days.



So, I contacted Orion who were very helpful and sent me a new firmware file. On uploading this, after a nervous 20 mins, I was now able to select the Type 2 European option.


Now, on connecting the EVSE lead to the J1772 port the charger did come to life albeit with a red-green-red error code which, according to the very poor instruction manual means 'wrong communication'. After checking my wiring for the upteenth time and with some (lots of) help from Zero EV, I changed the baud speed from 250K to 500K which resolved the issue. The manual does say the charger operates at 250K, so I am surprised this change works. Anyway - it now reported a 'bad battery voltage', as I had deliberately not connected the stack. After connecting it, the BMS responds perfectly to the EVSE -> J1772 connection, asks for current, and starts charging the pack.


So there you go, hope that helps someone else.

 

[john61ct]

nit pick

Type 1 is indeed for ~120Vac input.

But Type 2 is widely used for ~240Vac in the US

In a home need that circuit type outlet wired to the garage as well as the aircon, kitchen & laundry, up to 50A but 30A is more common.

3-phase "business / industrial" type electric service is needed for the faster charging "standards"

 

[john61ct]

OP, thanks for the resolution and clarifying, many members just disappear.

 

[MoonUnit]

OP, thanks for the resolution and clarifying, many members just disappear.

Yes, personally I think it's rude - if you can use the forum to ask for help, you can use it to give back (hopefully) useful info. And thanks for the 'nit pick', the details are important.

 

[kennybobby]

Re: J 1772 vs IEC 62196

In Japan and the Americas they use the J1772 standard which has a release trigger button that sends a cutoff signal, but in EU they use the IEC 62196 standard which does not implement a trigger button. China uses a GB standard.

So much for "standard". The plugs for all of these are different, but evidently it is possible to fake out an IEC EVSE to work with a J1772 port or socket.