[stevon]

Guy's,

Add insult to injury! an ICE car parked in the reserved and marked charging space so I parked next to them in an open regular parking space. I pulled the charge cord to reach my car and it was looped under their car. When the offending car left, it hooked the charge port cord and ripped the EVSE charge port out of my car! only wires were left hanging in the fender! My Volt charge receptacle was lying on the ground still attached to the city charge cord. There was no damage to the city charge cable, it still works fine. With gas hoses there is a safety disconnect if vehicle pulls the hose while connected to the pump. Why does the EVSE standard not have the same? The design is to destroy the car as their "safety" plan for such an event? Took my Volt to the Chevy dealer and they had the car a month because the EVSE socket is back ordered and not available in Detroit. I decided to pick up the Volt and the car works just fine on gas. Decided to buy my own used OEM socket and to upgrade to an illuminated charge port bezel while I'm at it. I didn't get the license plate of the offending vehicle. I guess public free electric charging has some costs after all!

Stephen

 

[Steverino]

moved to Newcomer, Owner Stories...

 

[stevon]

Steverino,

Thanks!

Stephen

moved to Newcomer, Owner Stories...

 

[Steverino]

The break-away gasoline hose safety feature is based on fluid check valves that close. I think they sense a lack of back pressure to close, but not sure.

I suspect a quick disconnect for a high voltage power line under load might present some engineering challenges. As-is, the charge handle trigger is what stops the current to avoid high voltage arching and possible bodily harm. Maybe something with a strain gauge could serve the same purpose? But how would it know you aren't simply tugging the cord caught on the other car's tire?

 

[stevon]

Steverino,

This is the second time this has happened to me, my Spark, now the Volt. The real problem may be my impatience to charge the car. In both cases I wasn't there to witness the event, only to see the remains of a cars's EVSE broken socket and mangled wires, the charge cable does not get damaged in this type of event. The clip should just let go and release under extreme duress is all I'm saying. The power will automatically disconnect when the signal wire is broken, there is no reason on earth, at least no one has explained to me why this safety issue was just left unanswered or unaddressed. Do I have to modify the design myself to let go under stress? file/notch the cable lock somehow? Seems ridiculous and expensive that's all

Stephen

The break-away gasoline hose safety feature is based on fluid check valves that close. I think they sense a lack of back pressure to close, but not sure.

I suspect a quick disconnect for a high voltage power line under load might present some engineering challenges. As-is, the charge handle trigger is what stops the current to avoid high voltage arching and possible bodily harm. Maybe something with a strain gauge could serve the same purpose? But how would it know you aren't simply tugging the cord caught on the other car's tire?

 

[olivia993]

sorry man

 

[hellsop]

This is the second time this has happened to me, my Spark, now the Volt. The real problem may be my impatience to charge the car. In both cases I wasn't there to witness the event, only to see the remains of a cars's EVSE broken socket and mangled wires, the charge cable does not get damaged in this type of event. The clip should just let go and release under extreme duress is all I'm saying.

It might should if the force is pulling straight out. If the force is up or down, to one side or the other side, the latch isn't even going to come into play.

The power will automatically disconnect when the signal wire is broken, there is no reason on earth, at least no one has explained to me why this safety issue was just left unanswered or unaddressed. Do I have to modify the design myself to let go under stress? file/notch the cable lock somehow? Seems ridiculous and expensive that's all

The safety issue is that the latch is there to provide a secondary signal of intentionality to the removal of the plug. There is, for most of these, a microswitch under the button that ALSO lifts the latch. The microswitch disconnects the pilot pin and that tells the EVSE "turn off the mains voltage". Were it not there, it would depend on the actual pin disconnecting BEFORE the main power pins do, which it's designed to do, but it's not guaranteed that shutting down the mains voltage that way is necessarily fast enough to do what needs to happen: prevent arcing and potential damage to the power pins thereby.

 

[Off Oil]

The design includes the ability for it to be locked in place (with a padlock) to protect the charge cord from theft. Pulling at an angle, cranking on it, etc, will damage the socket either way.
The answer is to not loop the wire under another vehicle, or where it's prone to be damaged. With the Volt, there's no reason to be taking on that kind of risk either. We can just burn gas and charge at home. I'd call it lesson learned and move on.

 

[MikeBCo]

The breakaway of a fuel pump is there to prevent a spill/fire if the nozzle is left in the tank. No need for that in an EVSE/charging station since there is an interlock that prevents the car from moving while the cord is attached. Sorry this happened to you, but it's just not needed and would be an unnecessary addition/expense to the charging station.

 

[stevon]

Steverino,

I received my used Volt socket and it was simple to install, just 4 bolts (had to buy separately) and plug it in! The illuminated door kit has not shown up yet so I'm leaving the door off until it arrives. The car has been converted from a temporary hybrid back to a full plugin- hybrid again and it's charging just fine!

Stephen

Steverino,

This is the second time this has happened to me, my Spark, now the Volt. The real problem may be my impatience to charge the car. In both cases I wasn't there to witness the event, only to see the remains of a cars's EVSE broken socket and mangled wires, the charge cable does not get damaged in this type of event. The clip should just let go and release under extreme duress is all I'm saying. The power will automatically disconnect when the signal wire is broken, there is no reason on earth, at least no one has explained to me why this safety issue was just left unanswered or unaddressed. Do I have to modify the design myself to let go under stress? file/notch the cable lock somehow? Seems ridiculous and expensive that's all

Stephen

 

[MikeBCo]

Man, I really think I would put the door back on, especially if there is rain

 

[stevon]

MikeBCo,

The charge door is for cosmetics and is not necessary to charge the car, when the EVSE port was ripped out with the wires bare sticking out of the fender there was no danger or power measured. The car started and drove home fine. The charge port under water or exposed to water and to ground prevents any power transfer with a "ground fault" check before allowing power to flow. I finally got in my illumination cover and will install it today now that the rain has taken a break here in San Diego. I decided not to use the drain hole and drilled another access hole in the housing. You can see the wire and a drill bit sticking through the new hole. The illumination then just magically works! there was no programing or setting of the Volt required. The light only comes on after a drive and the charge door is opened, it does not stay on and drain the 12 volt battery.

Stephen

Man, I really think I would put the door back on, especially if there is rain

 

[MikeBCo]

Based on the number of people I have seen with charging faults due to water wicking into microcracks in the charge port, I stand by my original statement of keeping the port covered.

 

[stevon]

Guy's

Got the illumination kit for the EVSE charging port installed then put the charge port door back in. There were no installation instructions included so I googled online howto. There was some confusion of the body harness plug side pinout according to specific month of manufacture of my Volt, but I worked it out. The Molex plug has many parts to it, just be careful when taking it apart! When clicking it back together make sure the wire loom caps are snaped in flush with the housing before plugging it back into the main harness.

See photos:

Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18

Show Content

 

[Steverino]

Thanks for the pics & tips, Stevon! Lol, your fingers pic is being interpreted as adult content, haha.

 

[dannyV]

I don't want to know where those fingers have been.

 

[dannyV]

where did you get the illuminated door kit? new or used? price? everything just unbolts from the outside? no digging in tight places? when did the changes happen? Do you have wiring diagrams for both?

 

[stevon]

dannyV

Bought it new on eBay for $171.60 with shipping and tax included. You possibly could get a better deal somewhere else.

2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt Genuine GM Illuminated Charge Port 84334825 635650609428 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt Genuine GM Illuminated Charge Port 84334825 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

The kit just snaps in and there are no bolts involved, I did not use the wire routing suggested through the drain hole and drilled my own hole in the door housing to route the wiring. On the connector there was a not obvious plastic "protection" plug in the terminal pin slot that had to be removed first before the supplied wire would insert properly. The locking tab on the terminal of the wire has to face up, there is a faint symbol of the wire terminal position to be inserted on the connector housing. The correct orientation of the terminal fitting insertion is critical for the connector to work. No force of any kind is required, just try to be patient when attempting this project, it requires a certain amount of finesse.

Stephen

where did you get the illuminated door kit? new or used? price? everything just unbolts from the outside? no digging in tight places? when did the changes happen? Do you have wiring diagrams for both?

 

[stevon]

dannyV,

No you don't want to know, lol

Stephen

I don't want to know where those fingers have been.

 

[dannyV]

dannyV

Bought it new on eBay for $171.60 with shipping and tax included. You possibly could get a better deal somewhere else.

2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt Genuine GM Illuminated Charge Port 84334825 635650609428 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt Genuine GM Illuminated Charge Port 84334825 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

The kit just snaps in and there are no bolts involved, I did not use the wire routing suggested through the drain hole and drilled my own hole in the door housing to route the wiring. On the connector there was a not obvious plastic "protection" plug in the terminal pin slot that had to be removed first before the supplied wire would insert properly. The locking tab on the terminal of the wire has to face up, there is a faint symbol of the wire terminal position to be inserted on the connector housing. The correct orientation of the terminal fitting insertion is critical for the connector to work. No force of any kind is required, just try to be patient when attempting this project, it requires a certain amount of finesse.

Stephen

How do you remove the old housing to get to the bolts, pry from a certain side to make it pop out?