[fishhawk]

The charge cord is what? $160? So reusing a dead SPX saves that at a minimum. Pics of a dead SPX converted (by fishhawk?) into working OpenEVSE (below)...

Yup, that's mine. Chris Howell posted some of my pictures.

 

[Steverino]

Yup, that's mine. Chris Howell posted some of my pictures.

Nice job! Could you post your parts list?

 

[an_outsider]

Deleted by author.

 

[maestro77]

Reading 120v on the load side does not mean the fuse is good. You could be reading voltage from the other leg.

If both fuses are good, you will read 240v between fuses on the feed (circuit breaker) side and 240v between fuses on the load side.

If any of the 240v load is not center-tapped/grounded (possibly a transformer winding), then if one fuse is blown, you will read 240v across that fuse and 0v across the good fuse, but you will still read 120v to ground on the load side of the bad fuse.

Thanks, appreciate the input - was rushed yesterday and so only checked for 120V at each fuse to GND. But on my list today to measure continuity through each fuse (or 240 between the paired fuses on the circuit side).

 

[maestro77]

Thanks, appreciate the input - was rushed yesterday and so only checked for 120V at each fuse to GND. But on my list today to measure continuity through each fuse (or 240 between the paired fuses on the circuit side).

Sadly....I've double checked and there's continuity through the fuses and 240V on the circuit side of the fuses. Bummer. Fuses I could have fixed, but without a schematic....I guess I'm at the end of my trouble shooting. $600 down the crapper. I'd certainly have expected this to last longer than 14 months.....will see Monday if SPX is interested in doing anything more for me than just sell me another for $600......

 

[fishhawk]

Nice job! Could you post your parts list?

I don't have a list handy, but here's some info I have emailed to some folks.

I just ordered Combo #1 from Chris at OpenEVSE, so it cost about $190 for the kit, relay, current transformer, fuse holders, plus a few bucks for a mounting plate and resistors. I had to wait two weeks for the kit to be in stock. Chris Howell took really good care of me, and was really responsive. I used this example to get the parts list I needed:
http://code.google.com/p/open-evse/w...merica_Upgrade

Below are some additional bits of information.

I made an aluminum plate (1/8" thick) that matched the size and screw hole pattern of the Voltec board. Then I mounted everything on the plate, tested it, installed it in the Voltec housing, and hooked up the wires to the terminal strips on the housing. Once the plate was assembled, it didn't take long at all to install it.

The only special thing I did is soldered two 1/2 watt 680Ohm resistors (from RadioShack) to the OpenEVSE's +12v pin pad. I connected the other end of one resistor to the coiled cord wire that fed the cord's flashlight.

The other resistor was used to feed the green LEDs on the Voltec cover, to let you know if power was on. I suspect a smaller value resistor might work better, say a 470ohm. I was planning to see if I could fit the AdaFruit LCD in the Voltec front panel, and thus get a nice charging status display, but I haven't done that yet.

 

[Steverino]

I don't have a list handy, but here's some info I have emailed to some folks.

Thanks, FishHawk! Other than removing the power from the Voltec before working on it, did you need to discharge any built up voltage before disconnecting the old circuit board?

Also, I wonder if the closed case simply makes a potentially "too hot" environment for the electronics, potentially lessening their lifespan. Is that why you used the aluminum, as a combo mounting plate/heat sink? Or was it simply handy?

 

[Curb71]

Sadly....I've double checked and there's continuity through the fuses and 240V on the circuit side of the fuses. Bummer. Fuses I could have fixed, but without a schematic....I guess I'm at the end of my trouble shooting. $600 down the crapper. I'd certainly have expected this to last longer than 14 months.....will see Monday if SPX is interested in doing anything more for me than just sell me another for $600......

I know its already been mentioned but hopefully your credit card will help you with the warranty. My card offers double the warranty so I would get 2 years instead of just one. If not, I'd sell the broken EVSE on eBay. The Voltec charger is $490+tax with free shipping for this month.

 

[fishhawk]

Thanks, FishHawk! Other than removing the power from the Voltec before working on it, did you need to discharge any built up voltage before disconnecting the old circuit board?

Also, I wonder if the closed case simply makes a potentially "too hot" environment for the electronics, potentially lessening their lifespan. Is that why you used the aluminum, as a combo mounting plate/heat sink? Or was it simply handy?

I didn't have to do anything to discharge built-up voltage. As far as I can tell, the capacitors on board won't hold much charge. I simply shut off the breaker, checked with a meter to make sure power had been removed, disconnected the wires, and unscrewed the old board.

I chose aluminum primarily because it would be strong enough for the job, yet reasonable enough for me to shape using the few metalworking-capable tools I have. It did cross my mind that the aluminum might help as a heatsink, but I mainly mounted everything on the aluminum plate because it was easy to shape the way I wanted it, and made removing the old board and installing the new plate with everything already mounted a trivial task. It also made it possible for me to test everything before installing it in the Voltec enclosure.

 

[Steverino]

View attachment Voltec EVSE Mounting Plate v1.pdf


Dead Voltec to Live EVSE (thanks to fishhawk for pictures, deciphering, and being a pioneer)
About $225 (plus one dead Voltec)

OpenEVSE Plus
http://code.google.com/p/open-evse/wiki/OpenEVSE_Plus_spec
EV Simulator
http://code.google.com/p/open-evse/wiki/Ordering

Other parts from Digikey*:
http://code.google.com/p/open-evse/wiki/EVSE_EV_ChargeAmerica_Upgrade

*Quantity | Part Number | Description | Unit Price | Extended Price
1 | PB486-ND | RELAY GEN PURPOSE DPST 30A 12V | $13.03 | $13.03
1 | 582-1018-ND | TRANSFORMER GROUND FAULT WIRE LD | $10.65 | $10.65
2 | 283-2850-ND | FUSEHOLDER 1/4" 30A 250V PNL MNT | $3.51 | $7.02
4 | F1779-ND | FUSE 250V SLO-BLO 3AB 30A | $1.68 | $6.72
6 | 726308-1-ND | CONN ADAPTER DOUBLE TAB .250 | $0.94 | $5.64
1 | OF471JE-ND | RESISTOR 470 OHM .5W CARB COMP | $0.52 | $0.52
1 | OF561JE-ND | RESISTOR 560 OHM .5W CARB COMP | $0.52 | $0.52
1 | CF12JT680RCT-ND | RES 680 OHM 1/2W 5% CARBON FILM | $0.14 | $0.14

Home Depot
Ground Bar kit PK4GTA (4 set screws)

Radio Shack (if not ordered via Digi-Key above)
680ohm resistor (Handle LED).
560ohm or 470ohm resistor (Front Cover LEDs)

 

[stilcrazee]

Have you tried swearing a it?