Here in Carinthia/Austria, a mayor regional utility are installing charge columns with the 7-pole "Mennekes" plug (female).
Where can I get the associated 7-pole plug (male) in order to build an adapter cable? I've not yet succeeded in tracking down any part or standard no from Mennekes. This seems to become the new European standard connector for charging of EVs.
Charging will be free until 2011 but later on a roaming contract will be required, authorizing the vehicle via GSM or so it seems.
Thanks
Rgds
Wolfgang
Here in Holland this plug will also become the standard. I would suggest that all european Vectrix owners ask their importer to introduce an adapter to convert the mennekens to whatever is on the end of the cord now.
Once you go EV, Gas is history!
I have two E-mails waiting for Monday: One to Vectrix Germany, the other to Mennekes. I'll post any new info coming this way.
It seems to be mandatory to wire a small resistor in the plug which will then automatically match the trip current of the charger's automatic fuse to the cable's cross section. As the Mennekes plug is rated 63A for our purposes this might be the smallest possible trip point of some 6 or10 amp (thermally) or so. I yet lack any reference table for the trip current-to-resistor coding.
Wolfgang
Can we clarify what we'rew talking about? Mennekes is simply a manufacturer of many plug types and industrial switrchgear. Until I saw this thread, I've never heard of the, In the UK, we have manufacturers like Crabtree, MK and Volex - all of which manufacture a wide range of plugs, so using Mennekes as a description is neither accurate or relevant.
What IS required is the information whether this is a Single Phase or Three Phase connector. If thew latter, how many pins, and finally whether it is to fit within a spalshproof or waterproof socket. Once you know this, then it is easy to identify the plug type (which can be from a variety of brands).
Of course, the Vectrix is only a single phase device, so use of 3-phase sockets it possible, but only one phase is used to rewcharge the Vectrix. As for wiring in 'a resistor' comes across as non standard, and not part of the plug spec.
Is this the plug you refer?
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3205049/3Phase%20plug.jpg
If so, this is the socket it connects to:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3205049/Nokia403_NLT.jpg
Both these products are an international standard, cope with 63amp (on 3-phase) and these ones are made by MK.
My original thread on 3-phase use is here;
http://visforvoltage.org/forum/6894-vectrix-and-3-phase-supply
- Raymond
Hi Raymond,
yes I'm aware that Mennekes is a manufacturer of, amongst other, plugs. No, I have not yet been able to identify an IEC or DIN standard nor any part number, even though presentation http://www.emfm.de/downloads/spezifikation-mennekes-ladesysteme-rev10.pdf lists a number of such IEC standards. I have not been able to find the connector on the Mennekes website.
However, this is what I'm talking about:
Today I received two mails:
Mr Wedemayer of Vectrix Germany left a somewhat disparate impression. As the connectors seem to be in very short supply he is in negotiations with the utility and has so far only been promised two pieces for internal use. He urged me to lobby with the utility as obviously without connectors nobody will be able to draw from their fancy new charging columns.
Mira Hermes of Mennekes was more helpful: She (he?) said in essence that the standard would only allow to sell complete cables but would be very much obliged to offer such a cable if it were only known what needs to be on its other end.
So does anyone know the exact designation or part number of the blue 3-pin connector at the end of the cable with the metal sheath? I'd be happy to contribute in a small way to the development of a Vectrix-to-Mennekes adapter cable.
Rgds
Wolfgang
Thanks for the update.
I've seen this before - it IS a 3-phase hybrid plug, that ONLY works with dedicated switchgear that will interrupt the supply should any fault conditions exist (no amperage draw, water, disconnection etc. I also gather that it is the vehicle that identifies itself to the charging post in order to 'unlock' the juice and provide an ID as to who the user is. This will be ued for centralised charging (billing!) should this be required at a later stage. There has been a number of proprietary systems talked about, and this looks like the Mercedes 'sponsored' version.
From previous experience, I believe they will control these plugs, selling only complete cable sets, to connect with the relevant cars authorised to use it.
For Vectrix users, this unfortunately may be a socket too far - and not appropriate for our use.
- Raymond
Yesterday I received my trunk cable from Mennekes, along with two pages of legalese standardese gibberish.
The cable is 4 m long and has three 2,5 mm² wires (PE, N, L1), as well as a smaller control pilot wire. The plug present contact is not accessible but is bridged internally via 680 Ω to PE. I put a CEE 7/4 type F single phase 230 V plug on the other end. There are no L2 or L3 pins in the connector. The cable is good for 230 V × 16 A = 3,7 kW which is of course quite sufficient for charging a Vectrix.
On the other hand, what few RWE/KELAG charging columns have been installed in Carinthia, they still sport CEE+ plugs. Contrary to the German ADAC no one in Austria not even KELAG carry respective connectors/cables.
So given German/French standards controversy, what are the odds I will ever be able to use those fancy RWE columns?
Rgds
Wolfgang
Hi Wolfgang,
another great research, thanks!
How much did you pay for it?
Greetings Mike
Hi,
Sorry to wake up this old thread but my Dutch e-laad charging card has arrived which means I can now also charge at all the car chargepoints.
However I will need to get the correct cable...
E-laad also uses this mennekens device (type 2 mode 3) so I would appreciate if any experience whether the cable from Wolfgang would work and if so how I could get hold of one :-)
Thanks
Once you go EV, Gas is history!
Well, since my last post KELAG have indeed retrofitted their charging columns with Mennekes plugs. While I believed that a simple cable (with the correct resistor) could be used for up to 16 A charging, this unfortunately is not possible (at least here in Carinthia). Apparently there is always some intricate communication protocol required before the plug in the column is locked and power provided. I have not found enough time to investigate this protocol. It seems to be defined by the ISO/IEC 15118 standard. Maybe I'll once try to build a microprocessor board for it.
To the credit of our local provider KEALG I have to mention that every electric car owner got for free, a lease of a Mennekes cable with integrated electronics box, by which we can now make good use of all the new chargers. The only drawback is that this hefty cable with switchbox occupies a significant portion of my Vectrix' trunk space.
Various types of charing columns are meanwhile so densly spread that it has become quite handy to extend my travels beyond the round-trip limit. If only they were easier to find! Power will be provided for free, through 2013.
Rgds
Wolfgang
Wolfgang, is there a partnumber on the working cable? Maybe I can try to find one to buy.
Thanks
Once you go EV, Gas is history!