[Barty]

About a week ago, whilst sat in my 'home office', I heard my Rolec charge point clunk (it is just outside my office window.) Knowing the car was fully charged hours ago and the indicator was giving short green flashes I looked out to see if it was drawing power and noticed the car's indicator was giving two short green flashes. Two quick flashes in about 1 second, then a 2 second gap, then two more flashes etc.

I quickly looked in my manual to see what this means but it is not listed, so looked at the car again, it was still giving two short flashes. I checked the manual again in case I missed something and then when I looked again (thinking I am going mad) it was back to a single short green flash as normal. The total time it did this cannot have been more than a minute or minute and a half.

This happened again today whilst I was out cleaning the car windows. I know it was flashing short green having charged hours ago, I heard the charge point relay clunk so looked at the car's indicator and it was definitely giving TWO short green flashes, two second gap, then two more flashes etc. The charger on the wall was showing a blue indicator, which means charge cord plugged in but not drawing power. It was a cold morning today, about 0c (32f), having been down to about -5c overnight, could the car have just been drawing a bit of power for the 12v battery or to heat the main battery?

Has anyone else had this? I tried looking online but could find no reference to two short green flashes. I presume on both occasions the Rolec must have clunked on earlier when I was not there and I'd heard it clunk off. I did try to record it this time but by the time I had my phone camera running the indicator had returned to it's normal single short flashes. It is something that would be very easy to miss unless looking closely at the right time.

My car is a MY13 UK Ampera.

Steve

 

[canehdian]

It was a cold morning today, about 0c (32f), having been down to about -5c overnight, could the car have just been drawing a bit of power for the 12v battery or to heat the main battery?

99% chance it's just this. Whenever the battery temp drops below 4C it will kick in and heat it up to ~11-15C. It will not make the vehicle light solid, it will continue to flash (but EVSE will indicate power flow).
I don't think the indicator actually changes, but also can't say I've bothered to sit there and count - I only look long enough to see one flash vs solid.

 

[Barty]

This sounds very sad but I did sit here and count today! This morning was cold again, around 0c and when sat in my office I heard the charge point clunk. I immediately looked out at the car's charge indicator, it is sat just 5 feet or so outside the window in clear view and it was doing the two short green flashes in one second, two second gap, two flashes etc. I think I missed one double flash and counted a further nine, then the flashes reverted to the normal single short flash. About 5-10 minutes later the charge point clunked again and the flashes were still the normal single short green when I glanced out.

My conclusion is that it must have been drawing power to heat the battery as you say and this 30 seconds of double green flashes is an indication that it is in the battery heating mode. Strange that this flash sequence is not mentioned in the manual and I can't see any reference to it online.

 

[canehdian]

We're going to have another cold snap tomorrow, I'll watch for the EVSE light on if I remember and see if the flashing changes. But pretty sure I've only ever seen single flash (long or short depending on complete vs delay)

 

[Barty]

It will be cold here tomorrow morning as well so it will be heating the battery on occasions. As my Rolec wall charger makes a distinct clunk when it engages or disengages and I am sometimes in my office it works as an audible alert, what I'd like to do is get a short clip of the double flashing but I need to be very fast to do that and really don't want to become obsessed by it!

 

[2VoltFamily]

It draws grid power for more than just the TMS. It also maintains the 12v battery, gas tank pressure, etc. So any could be any combination of those things. The noises happen even in my heated garage throughout the night.

 

[Barty]

Too frosty to see the other morning and I didn't hear the relay engage or disengage when in my office. But a short while ago I heard it clunk so quickly checked and again saw a series of about 10 double short green flashes, before it reverted to the usual single short flash.

I shall not bother checking again, but do find it interesting to discover something about the car that I can't find documented anywhere!

 

[canehdian]

Mine does not appear to do this - perhaps it's Ampera only?

I just happened to be out to grab something from the car a few mins ago to hear the click and see the EVSE turn on for battery heat (without a doubt that's why it was turning on - was -17 this morning and -10 now!)
Flash on the dash continued at the normal short flash for delayed charging.

 

[Barty]

At the risk of sounding a bit obsessed by this I have discovered another new flashing pattern.

This morning, whilst working in my office, I heard the Rolec clunk just outside the window (as it often does on a cold morning) and this time decided to quickly check the charge indicator light, as the car is about 6 ft away outside the window in good view.

This time the flashing pattern was one short flash / ONE second gap / one short flash / ONE second gap etc., rather than two short flashes with a two second gap. It did this for 10-15 seconds I guess in all, then reverted to the normal one short flash followed by two second gap, indicating fully charged. The Rolec clunked again about 15 minutes later and the flashing pattern was still normal just after that. I didn't think to go out and check the Rolec indicator light but will do next time I see an unusual pattern of flashes.

So I wonder if these two short-lived patterns indicate two different reasons for drawing a little power -
1. 12v battery maintenance.
2. Traction battery heater activated.

 

[oldstuff]

At the risk of sounding a bit obsessed by this I have discovered another new flashing pattern.

This morning, whilst working in my office, I heard the Rolec clunk just outside the window (as it often does on a cold morning) and this time decided to quickly check the charge indicator light, as the car is about 6 ft away outside the window in good view.

This time the flashing pattern was one short flash / ONE second gap / one short flash / ONE second gap etc., rather than two short flashes with a two second gap. It did this for 10-15 seconds I guess in all, then reverted to the normal one short flash followed by two second gap, indicating fully charged. The Rolec clunked again about 15 minutes later and the flashing pattern was still normal just after that. I didn't think to go out and check the Rolec indicator light but will do next time I see an unusual pattern of flashes.

So I wonder if these two short-lived patterns indicate two different reasons for drawing a little power -
1. 12v battery maintenance.
2. Traction battery heater activated.

I think you can rule out the12 volt battery as it charges through the main 360 volt battery via a 360 to 12 volt converter and can't possibly be affected by the charge cord.

 

[TSquare]

I think you can rule out the12 volt battery as it charges through the main 360 volt battery via a 360 to 12 volt converter and can't possibly be affected by the charge cord.

2013 and newer models DO have a 12 volt battery tender module and can check the SOC of the 12 volt battery and keep it topped off while plugged in and not charging the HV traction battery.

 

[oldstuff]

2013 and newer models DO have a 12 volt battery tender module and can check the SOC of the 12 volt battery and keep it topped off while plugged in and not charging the HV traction battery.

I think you will find that even though it maintains the 12 volt battery while plugged in it does so through the same 360 to 12 volt converter. There is no different charger to charge it.