[rhodomel]

I have been using what came with my 2017 Volt. At home, I plugged it into a 240V outlet (with an adapter), and at work, I plugged it into a 120V outlet at 8A. No problem for 20 months.

Now, when I plug the EVSE into the 120V outlet at work, and even at home, the green light on the EVSE shows that all is cool, but after I plug the other end to the Volt, no green light showing and the Volt isn't charging when I open the door to check the dash. I inspect the outlets, they're normal as I can power my leaf blower from the outlet.

But if I plug in the EVSE into my 240V outlet at home, it charges my Volt. My Volt also charges if I plug it into a Level 2 public charging station.

Has anyone experienced this? What could be wrong?

 

[lagagnon]

Your EVSE is faulty at 120VAC. I'm not really sure why it would work on 240VAC though, but it appears to need either repair or replacement.

 

[Barry]

the EVSE should be covered under the new car warranty

 

[jcanoe]

I would not mention that you have been using the OE EVSE at 240V with an adapter.

 

[obermd]

What is the charge rate the car is reporting when plugged into 240V? I bet it's 120V. It sounds to me like the input to the 120V Hot has failed in your EVSE. The reason it's charging on 240V is because both prongs are "hot". Definitely a failed EVSE, but as jcanoe said don't tell the dealership you've been using an adapter.

 

[rhodomel]

What is the charge rate the car is reporting when plugged into 240V? I bet it's 120V. It sounds to me like the input to the 120V Hot has failed in your EVSE. The reason it's charging on 240V is because both prongs are "hot". Definitely a failed EVSE, but as jcanoe said don't tell the dealership you've been using an adapter.

On the app it says it is charging from a charging station when plugged in to 240V outlet at home. Charging is done after 4 1/2 hours.

 

[Don M]

It sounds to me like the input to the 120V Hot has failed in your EVSE. The reason it's charging on 240V is because both prongs are "hot". Definitely a failed EVSE . . . .

What you describe is not electrically possible. If the 'hot' leg of 120 has failed within the EVSE, it wouldn't work on 120 when plugged into 240 either, as it needs that leg to be connected to neutral for the other 'hot' 240 leg to allow it to operate on 120. That's NOT the answer

Is it a failed EVSE? Maybe . . . . but not definitely. Since it works OK on 240, I think it would be unusual that the 120 problem is within the EVSE itself

Don

 

[jcanoe]

It might be an intermittent open condition in the EVSE plug. When you attempt to use the plug with a 120V outlet there is not enough pressure applied to the prongs of the power plug to make a good connection. When you use the adapter plug then different force/pressure is being applied to the plug, perhaps just enough to make a usable but not solid connection.

 

[llninja]

This might be way out in left field, but I had an intermittent plug caused by a kamikaze moth that went towards the EVSE light just as I was plugging it in. So inspect the J1772 plug and receptacle. I had to scrape bug guts out with a thin screwdriver (don't worry, the EVSE shouldn't kill you as it won't let power flow unless it has negotiated the appropriate voltage/amperage via signaling.)

 

[rhodomel]

Thank you all! Will bring the OEM EVSE to the dealer! I'll keep my mouth shut on the 240V adapter.

 

[rhodomel]

Thank you all! Will bring the OEM EVSE to the dealer! I'll keep my mouth shut on the 240V adapter.

Alas the dealer didn't change the OEM EVSE because along a portion of the cable, there are chewed off parts of the rubber insulation while the wires weren't exposed. They told me that it isn't a manufacturing defect, as it is rodent damage on the cable. GM would find every excuse not to replace the charger, they told me.

I think that the problem really is the circuitry, it can't negotiate a handshake with the Volt. I tested the cable for connectivity, using a multi-tester, and all the cables are fine going in and out of the circuit. I have to buy a special screw bit just to open the dang thing!

Can you recommend a place where they can repair EVSE? A friend of mine told me that his Nissan Leaf charger went bad and they repaired it for $50. He could not get a replacement because he bought a used Leaf, so he had the EVSE repaired at Nissan Dealer for $50. He told me that they only service Nissan Leaf EVSE.

 

[lagagnon]

"Special screws", usually some version of Torx, are used now on most electronic devices.

EVSE's usually contain the following components:

1) a relay (contactor) able to switch over at least the min. amount of amps drawn by the EV's charging system
2) an integrated small power conversion module to convert 110-240VAC to 12VDC (for the square wave pilot signal) and 5VDC (for the small controller circuit board)
3) a small controller circuit board that creates the 12V square wave pilot signal, activates the relay when required and checks ground states and controller states to feed LED signal lights or an LED panel.

Given your problem description I would say the power conversion module may need to be replaced. It seems to work at 240VAC and not at 120VAC. Those modules are easy to replace and readily available.

However the cost of a repair and the replacement module may well be not much less than full replacement of the entire EVSE. But I could be wrong there (unless you do the work yourself).

I cannot help with repair shops in your area for EVSE's, although any competent electronic technician should be able to do the job.

 

[jcanoe]

If you search on ~bay you will find a seller who offers to repair EVSE for one fixed price. Since your dealer is not willing to replace the OE EVSE under warranty this may be your least expensive option (it will probably end up costing you half as much to repair the EVSE as purchasing an off-shore brand EVSE.) An off-shore brand replacement EVSE is another option.

 

[CatsAreGods]

Alas the dealer didn't change the OEM EVSE because along a portion of the cable, there are chewed off parts of the rubber insulation while the wires weren't exposed. They told me that it isn't a manufacturing defect, as it is rodent damage on the cable.

Could be worse, rats ate my CV boots and $3K worth of other stuff. Luckily State Farm didn't even blink and covered it past my deductible.

 

[Cord]

it is only in Movies where color coded wires can't be spliced back together ;-)