The largest problem in below freezing weather is a frozen pack. Ternary chemistries cannot charge at any normal rates when frozen, or else they will irreversibly self-destruct. (Plating of the lithium anode) People with no home charging in freezing weather absolutely need to get their charge after a decent drive before they go home overnight. If they try it in the morning, after the pack has had a cold soak in feeding temps, the car will not be able to charge until the pack heating system can bring it above freezing, and given the mass of most packs, this can literally take hours in bad conditions!
This means a person coming out in the morning after a cold soak could sit at a DCFC hours not actually charging, just stuck there using 3-7kW while their pack heater does its best to get the pack unfrozen. Sadly many people don't understand this! You often see rideshare EV owners at DCFC in the morning who don't have home charging, and they will use up all spaces with people in line. With freezing overnight temps and no garages to park in this will quickly spiral out of control as has been often reported in the media. On Wed, Jan 22, 2025 at 5:46 AM Jay Summet via EV <ev@lists.evdl.org> wrote: > Also, Level 2 (AC charging) and Level 3 (DCFC) use different bits of > electronics (e.g. DCFC skips your onboard AC->DC charger) so it is > possible you have a problem with AC charging that does not affect DC > charging. > > Jay > > On 1/22/25 05:09, Cor van de Water via EV wrote: > > Seth, > > One problem that I know about regarding charging in cold weather is > > that the rubber seal in charging plugs takes more force to compress. > > So, it is possible that you were unable to insert the J1772 charging > > handle deep enough to engage the latch of the "pistol" using your > > usual way of inserting, which causes the Proximity signal to indicate > > that the plug is not correctly inserted and disable charging. > > See if you can confirm that the latch on top of the charging handle > > "clicks" in place when inserting the handle, pushing it in with more > > than usual force, and that the latch moves freely and far enough for > > the microswitch inside to click closed. With the handle out of the > > charging inlet you can depress and release the latch to see how it is > > supposed to move and often you can even hear the switch click. > > Good luck. > > Cor. > > > > On Tue, Jan 21, 2025 at 10:23 PM Seth Rothenberg via EV > > <ev@lists.evdl.org> wrote: > >> > >> Thanks David for your comments. > >> > >> Chapter 2 - I went back to Target close to closing time and the queue > depth > >> was the same: > >> (6 on charge and) 3 waiting. I asked the last guy in line and he had > been > >> there 40 minutes!. > >> Incidentally, he complained, maligned EVs. He forgot what it's like to > >> start an old gas car > >> with an old carburetor and old battery in cold weather :-) > >> > >> So I checked PlugShare again and decided 6 miles round trip was worth > the > >> risk > >> to see if the fast charger on the Garden State Parkway was working. > >> Connie Chung Service Area > >> They renovated this location in the past 2 years and it was my first > time > >> there. > >> > >> Ironically, PlugShare on my desktop computer did NOT show it as active > and > >> usable, > >> and it still doesn't, (I need to check various filters) > >> but the Plugshare app on my phone showed it working. > >> 2 stations. One was in use, one open. > >> > >> I plugged it in and waved my credit card, went inside. > >> I read a couple of books from my book list, > >> charged for an hour, added about 150 miles. > >> Periodically I checked on it, noted the changing charge rate: > >> 18.5 kW, 19 kW > >> 22.5 kW > >> 44.5 kW, then 24.1 kW at the end, probably after the 80% mark. > >> 38 kWh / $22.48 = $.59/kWh - More expensive > >> than home at .15/kwh, but cheaper than a tow :-) > >> > >> Enjoy the weather. We'll be above freezing on Friday > >> > >> On Tue, Jan 21, 2025 at 10:27 PM Seth Rothenberg <s...@pachai.net> > wrote: > >> > >>> Hello friends. > >>> Life is so interesting. > >>> My wife was considering taking my Kona EV for a mini-vacation... > >>> 97 miles each way, which would leave about 80 miles in-town range, > >>> which is not a lot with winter heating..... > >>> > >>> She had second thoughts because she doesn't have much experience > >>> with Self-Service at pay "pumps". Level 2 at home is no issue. > >>> It was on my mind to reassure her > >>> Level 1 might have been possible on the trip, BUT... > >>> today, it would not charge. > >>> > >>> I tried the Level 2 OpenEVSE, I tried the Hyundai level 1 charger. > >>> Both are outdoors. They don't report an error, but the charge port > does > >>> turn red. > >>> The cold may be a factor, it is 16 degrees Fahrenheit, and dropping to > 12 > >>> tonight. > >>> I may bundle up and try to find a code for the red charge port. > >>> > >>> My teen wanted to shop, so we went to Target... > >>> There were 6 Hyper-Fast CCS, 350 kW > >>> ALL in use, and 3 cars waiting to charge. > >>> It was the same when I came out. > >>> I have not seen that before. > >>> I am guessing they are Ubers :-) > >>> > >>> I may go back out. > >>> All the nearby DC Fast Chargers that PlugShare found are in use. > >>> There are other options in the neighborhood, > >>> (including scounging from neighbors I know and one I don't yet know :-) > >>> > >>> It's a good thing my wife spoke to her sister about using > >>> her gas car for this trip :-) > >>> > >>> I have a second Level 1 charger and I have a second Level 2 charger > that > >>> has not been tested before. > >>> > >>> I have a feeling this may just need to wait for a few degrees warmer > >>> weather. > >>> That is scary. > >>> > >>> The other small possibility is that the charge port was not installed > >>> correctly following recent repair work. > >>> Replacing the front "bumper" means removing and reinstalling the > charger. > >>> It has been 3 weeks of good charging, so that's an unlikely suspect > though > >>> possible. > >>> > >>> I'm wondering if anyone has had this experience.... > >>> I will try to share the outcome. > >>> > >>> Thanks > >>> Seth in Northern NJ > >>> > >>> > >> -------------- next part -------------- > >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > >> URL: < > http://lists.evdl.org/private.cgi/ev-evdl.org/attachments/20250122/5fb9cb1a/attachment.htm > > > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Address messages to ev@lists.evdl.org > >> No other addresses in TO and CC fields > >> HELP: http://www.evdl.org/help/ > >> > > _______________________________________________ > > Address messages to ev@lists.evdl.org > > No other addresses in TO and CC fields > > HELP: http://www.evdl.org/help/ > > > > _______________________________________________ > Address messages to ev@lists.evdl.org > No other addresses in TO and CC fields > HELP: http://www.evdl.org/help/ > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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