CHAdeMO Adapter Firmware Update Available

[mbp11]

Update on my Chademo adaptor that had a firmware upgrade.

I tried the adapter at the local Safeway charging station last week, it is the Electrify America station with 3-4 CCS chargers and one Chademo and no success. If anything, the charging status ring in my charging port flashes red faster. I tried three times with three different permutations: inserting the adapter into the Chademo port and activating it and plugging it into the Tesla, and inserting the adapter into the Tesla first, and then activating my credit card and then plugging into the adaptor, and just hooking all of the damn things together and then submitting the credit card.

The charging station errors our so quickly, you really need to hook all of the components together before activating the charger. Red flashing error light, will not charge!

Anyway, will try later this week at the EVGo Chademo station at Trader Joes and see how that goes.

Mike P

 

[im.thatoneguy]

It seems EA does not maintain their ChaDeMo connectors very well as many will sit broken for months. Be sure to look up the station on PlugShare and see what other users are reporting

That assumes they ever worked. I tried a brand new EA station near me that just opened a week earlier. Charged at <2kw.

• Figured whatever, I'll go to the nearest city owned station. Which... was blocked by construction vehicles.
• Fine I thought. I don't need you anyway, I'll use the one that has free parking. Plugshare said it was out of order.
• Screw you chargers, I'll go to the one at whole foods. Plugshare said also out of order.
• I gave up and decided to charge on my way out of town the next day at a supercharger.

Thank god I have options. But living/dying off of non-Tesla chargers is a nightmare.

 

[mbp11]

OK, I stopped by to get a few kW at the charger at the Dublin, California service center and on a lark, took my Chademo adaptor inside (they usually ignore me). I had an appointment in two days from then but I was going to cancel because of conflicts, and I wanted to know if I could just drop of the adaptor and have them flash the new firmware. They were not too busy, so I talked to one of the service advisors who had never heard of such a thing. So.... he took the adaptor and walked into the back and disappeared for 10 minutes. He came back smiling without the adaptor and told me they DID have the tool and the techs were flashing the adaptor as we spoke. 5 more minutes and the tech came out with the adaptor and told me "done!" Apparently they have a tool that plugs into the handle somewhere and dives deep inside, and attaches to a USB port on one of their laptops and it does the job.

Now I have to go out to some of the local Chademo chargers to try it out one of these days! Soon, I hope.

Update on my Chademo adaptor problems- I tried them at several places and only got the red ring of failure on the charge port. I even went so far as to schedule a service visit, but then I had to cancel because of a conflict.

Recently I went out to the Electrify America charger at Safeway (Santa Rita and Valley in Pleasanton, CA) and when I was plugging the adaptor to the Chademo, I noticed that there was almost, but not complete connection between the two- There was a sliver of separation between the Chademo end and the end of the adaptor. So I slammed them together again a few times, pushed the Chademo handle button down and finally got a complete connection, so no more gap between them. So I plugged in, started the charger with my stupid credit card, and what to you know? It worked. The charge port turned green, the EA charger started ramping up and roaring like a jet engine, I got one KW (up to 80%) and then it turned off. I tried it a few weeks later and I got 5 KW! (80 to 85%). I guess that they charge up to 80 or 85% and then turn off…. Regardless of what I tell the Model X to accept. So I guess it will work if you are low on charge.

More experiments pending but in my case, it seems to be user error.

 

[Rocky_H]

I got one KW (up to 80%) and then it turned off. I tried it a few weeks later and I got 5 KW! (80 to 85%).

It's a little confusing if you are talking about power level or about energy amount you got. The unit says power, but your wording suggests energy, and I think you've got the wrong unit.
kW is power--like how fast it is charging.
kWh is energy--like how much amount was added to your battery.

There was a sliver of separation between the Chademo end and the end of the adaptor. So I slammed them together again a few times, pushed the Chademo handle button down and finally got a complete connection, so no more gap between them.

What I think you may have been seeing there is something that is a little counterintuitive about CHAdeMO handles. Most other charging handle interfaces, like with the Tesla or J1772, the button on the handle is a RELEASE button. On some of those CHAdeMOs, where they have a pretty long metal lever on them, it's the opposite. You plug it most of the way together, and there is that gap, and then you squeeze the lever, because it is a "latch IN" kind of thing that snaps it together into the latch. That confused me the first time I was trying to figure that out too.

 

[mbp11]

Thanks, Rocky, you are correct, I had the units wrong- I am sloppy. I have a 100D, so if I charge from 79% to 80%, that is one kWh.

Just thought my user error may help someone else when they walk down this road.

 

[frank2371001@g]

I used my Chademo on EVgo and it works. Not sure about any firmware requirement.

 

[frank2371001@g]

On EVgo...I get 40+ KW at most of the stations in California

 

[mbp11]

My Chademo is not working, I have an appointment to troubleshoot it next week.

 

[tps5352]

I have reviewed posts in this Thread with interest. The opportunities for free charging at various CHAdeMO sites is certainly alluring. But apparent mechanical and/or software problems and incompatibilities among 3rd-party CHAdeMO charging stations, adapters, and cars?--not so much.

Like other new owners I'm sure, I purchased a Tesla CHAdeMO adapter to help alleviate (imagined) range-anxiety. I was not thinking about electricity cost savings. After a year, with rumors of an approaching Tesla CCS North American adapter in mind and declines in CHAdeMO fortunes being reported, I sold my unused CHAdeMO adapter (recovering my original expenditure). Were my actions premature?

Probably not. I haven't lost anything (except maybe the opportunity to gouge somebody with an outrageous asking price). And, unlike Randy, I am not driving the distances that would make searching out free charging stations worthwhile. But on behalf of everyone, where, Oh where is the promised Tesla CCS1 adapter that will make thoughts of the CHAdeMO adapter moot? My sympathies are with Tesla drivers in less traveled areas that really need CHAdeMO and CCS1 adapters, now and still unavailable from Tesla, respectively.

 

[Padelford]

I just had my CHAdeMO adapter firmware updated today according to the Seattle service center. They didn't provide details of the firmware update. I've yet to try it out - I haven't used it in quite a while. I'll post results of testing it.

 

[tps5352]

...where, Oh where is the promised Tesla CCS1 adapter...

STOP whining, you baby!

 

[mbp11]

I bought a CHAdeMO with my 2018 MX and could never get it to work. Finally had the firmware updated at the service center, just walked in and they did it... and it still did not work. Finally put in a new service request and the ranger came out at gave me a new one and took the old one away and now it works... at least on the Electrify America networks. Have to try it on EV Go and other networks I have a subscription to.

 

[mbp11]

STOP whining, you baby!

take a look at this thread:

Teslas are being delivered too fast for Supercharger Growth

Import the adapter from South Korea. Plenty of users has done that. That only works for the most recent cars that have the CCS board... There's prob more Teslas on the road in the US today that can't use their adapter than can.

teslamotorsclub.com