I bought a 2014 Volt 4 months ago with a bout 35k miles. I have needed to use gasoline only once, when it prompted me to do the "preventative maintenance" for 10 minutes at about 2.5 months. My wife drove further twice and used gasoline for some 30 miles total on gasoline. It has charged in my garage using the included level 1 EVSE on a 15 amp circuit with no problem for 3.5 months. (Yes, the warranty ended at 3 months.)
Two weeks ago, it seemed to be charging for about 1 hour and then the horn began beeping. It had tripped the CFCI. I reset it, and it did the same again but in only 10 seconds. All of the outlets in or near the garage are GFCI and all did the same thing. Those are on 3 separate circuits. The console display showed "charging interrupted" or something like that. I began making plans for a dedicated 240V line to the garage and have ordered a level 2 EVSE.
Meanwhile, I began using another circuit, a 20 amp circuit in the mud room, which is close enough that the cord reaches without any extension cord. It has worked for 2 weeks without a problem. Yesterday, we had a brief hard rain on the Volt. When I got home, I connected it, and it appeared to be charging for about 30 minutes, and then the EVSE began making relay clicking sounds. The lights on he EVSE stayed green. The car charge light turned amber, and would then briefly turn green and beep the horn, and then go dark. The entire time the EVSE would click at about once a second. I got ready to unplug it, and the clicking stopped, and the car looked like it was charging...but for only about 10 seconds. I then unplugged everything. The J1772 looks dry, with no obvious corrosion of the pins or sockets. I left the connector door open in case there was any moisture in there that I could not see.
No circuit breaker has been tripped by the EVSE.
This morning, after giving it time to dry, I tried again, but it behaved the same. I let it click only briefly and did not give it another chance before disconnecting it. I took the Volt to a public ChargePoint station, and there it appeared to charge for at least 2 minutes, and then the ChargePoint began clicking, and repeatedly charging, stopping, resuming and beeping, and losing power. I do not see an error on the car's display. I let OnStar expire, so do not get diagnostics any longer. When I still had it, there were no errors reported.
It appears that this is not my level 1 EVSE. The connector pins "look" okay to me. My Chevrolet dealer cannot see it in less than 5 days. He has sold very few Volts, so I am not optimistic of their expertise to provide a quick diagnosis and repair. I have a 240 V line and a level 2 EVSE making their way to my garage, but am now concerned that there will be no EV there when they arrive.
Thoughts?
Two weeks ago, it seemed to be charging for about 1 hour and then the horn began beeping. It had tripped the CFCI. I reset it, and it did the same again but in only 10 seconds. All of the outlets in or near the garage are GFCI and all did the same thing. Those are on 3 separate circuits. The console display showed "charging interrupted" or something like that. I began making plans for a dedicated 240V line to the garage and have ordered a level 2 EVSE.
Meanwhile, I began using another circuit, a 20 amp circuit in the mud room, which is close enough that the cord reaches without any extension cord. It has worked for 2 weeks without a problem. Yesterday, we had a brief hard rain on the Volt. When I got home, I connected it, and it appeared to be charging for about 30 minutes, and then the EVSE began making relay clicking sounds. The lights on he EVSE stayed green. The car charge light turned amber, and would then briefly turn green and beep the horn, and then go dark. The entire time the EVSE would click at about once a second. I got ready to unplug it, and the clicking stopped, and the car looked like it was charging...but for only about 10 seconds. I then unplugged everything. The J1772 looks dry, with no obvious corrosion of the pins or sockets. I left the connector door open in case there was any moisture in there that I could not see.
No circuit breaker has been tripped by the EVSE.
This morning, after giving it time to dry, I tried again, but it behaved the same. I let it click only briefly and did not give it another chance before disconnecting it. I took the Volt to a public ChargePoint station, and there it appeared to charge for at least 2 minutes, and then the ChargePoint began clicking, and repeatedly charging, stopping, resuming and beeping, and losing power. I do not see an error on the car's display. I let OnStar expire, so do not get diagnostics any longer. When I still had it, there were no errors reported.
It appears that this is not my level 1 EVSE. The connector pins "look" okay to me. My Chevrolet dealer cannot see it in less than 5 days. He has sold very few Volts, so I am not optimistic of their expertise to provide a quick diagnosis and repair. I have a 240 V line and a level 2 EVSE making their way to my garage, but am now concerned that there will be no EV there when they arrive.
Thoughts?
