Charging won't start. Help!

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Joshteacher
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Charging won't start. Help!

My scooter's charger started too early this afternoon, so I stopped it and set a timer to let it begin 15 min later. When I showed up to go home, it wasn't charging. I tried different outlets, but it didn't start, I stopped at two friendly businesses on the way home to top off, and nothing happened when I plugged in. I made it home with 123 V left, plugged in, and nothing.

What happened? What should I do? One thought I had was to ride to the battery light, and maybe that would do the trick, but I don't know.

ofx210p
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

First thoughts are to look under the front of the bike fairing (left front looking from the front) and check both square plugs that go into the bottom of the charger are plugged in.

Second thoughts are that your charger is not well at all

Other more learn'd friends here will have probably better words of wisdom than I.

ofx210p
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

Weirdly my reply has disappeared.

But basically check the square plugs under the front fairing that goes to the charger.

If they aren't loose, undo them anyhow and re-plug them back in as this will have the effect of rebooting the charger.

If that doesn't work, unless others have any better ideas, it doesn't sound good.

Otherwise I personally have no idea. Anyone else ?

Frolle
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

On my bike I realized it is a fuse in the AC plug.

At least in the US-style one I got, until reasently when the US --> EU adaptor almost caught fire.

I mounted a standard 240V EU-style (schuko) directly.

So it might be the fuse?

kingcharles
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

Did you notice strange behaviour of the fuel gauge while driving?
If you noticed it going up and down when accellerating or braking than your charger is broken

Once you go EV, Gas is history!

myvectrix2008
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

Do US plugs have replaceable fuses like the UK 3 pin plugs?

I have a pic of mine without the screen attached or black plastic cover beneath it, if you need an advanced preview of what you may need to look for and disconnect.

ofx210p
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

Any news ?

Joshteacher
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

The bummer is that I'm out of town and won't be able to check until Saturday. I'll update on Sunday. I'm really hoping it's the fuse in the plug...

MEroller
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

I'm really hoping it's the fuse in the plug...

I don't want to overly worry you, but even if it IS the fuse in the plug, there usually is REASON for such a fuse to blow. So just replacing a blown fuse is pretty likely to produce a second blown fuse whithin a rather short period of time. If you have a kill-a-watt or similar device to monitor what amount of power goes into that plug when you first reconnect it to the grid it might give you a better idea of what is going on...

My rides:
2017 Zero S ZF6.5 11kW, erider Thunder 5kW

Frolle
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

I can confirm that I have fixed a lot of stuff by replaceing a fuse.
Just a few weeks ago a MIG/MAG welding machine, with a 3 amp fuse for the control electronincs.
Works perfectly since then.
Fast fuses can blow because of a quick transient/peak on the grid.

My Vectrix plug could have been a UK model as well. Two flat and one round brass-rods... or what ever it might be called in English.
If I remember corectly, the fuse was 13Amp, and here in Sweden with about 230V, 7,5Amp are pulled from the outlet.
So if it is the same hardware configuration in countries with lower voltage like 120V, I assume twice the current will be drawn from the outlet, and this together with a transient at the right moment, a blown fuse, I would say is not unlikely.

Let's hope for the best!

http://www.uppladdning.nu

Joshteacher
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

I checked the plug, and there doesn't seem to be a fuse. This is close to what I have:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_353293-1571-PS515PCLBCCV4_4294722553__?productId=3402780&Ns=p_product_rating%7C1&pl=1&currentURL=%3Fpage...

As far as checking the charger plugs under the faring, how would I go about doing that? My hopes are dwindling at this point..

Frolle
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

My plug was similar as well, and a screwdriver was needed to open up to reach the fuse.

ofx210p
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

For the charger plugs for a 'hard reset' of the charger

Look here

http://visforvoltage.org/forum/11655-are-these-connectors-unplug-hard-reset

Joshteacher
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

I unplugged and replugged the charger plugs- no change. I took apart the 12A plug, and I still don't see a fuse. I doubt replacing the plug would do any good. My last thought is to run the scooter to a red battery light. Right now the battery is showing 123V, so it wouldn't take much.

The fuel gauge didn't show any odd behavior leading up to this problem, everything seemed to be fine.

Any other thoughts?

LCJUTILA
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

I wonder if the bike needs to be on or the charger needs to be plugged in when you unplug and replug in those connections.

I don't know, does anybody out there?

LCJUTILA

ofx210p
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

On the occasions i have had to do it. The bike was technically off and NOT charging at the time.
* technically off i.e. i'd switched the power off by the key but the bike wouldn't turn off. Hence the need to use the "hard reset" method.

Joshteacher
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

I'll try on and unplugged tomorrow for another shot at a hard reset.

sparker
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

Think long & hard before running down to the red light - you'll be taking the batteries very low with no definite way to charge them. Personally, I'd leave whatever charge there is in the batteries until you can get the charging fixed as you do not want the batteries to drop below the level that the charger will recognise.

kingcharles
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

Just to clarify the above post, even if you switch off the bike it will continue to use a little amount of power for its internal systems. When the batteries are low the constant power usage will cause the already low batteries to drop their voltage too far below the threshold where the bike will start charging. The batteries will also sustain damage at this point.

Also I doubt that riding to the red light will solve this particular issue. something else is wrong.

Have you tested the power cable? Maybe it has a break in it.

Once you go EV, Gas is history!

R
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

I agree, riding to red light will not trigger anything that may help the charger.
If the charger is working (displaying gauge bars correctly), I guess it is not receiving energy at all when you plug. Check the ac plug and the two square plugs below the charger.

Joshteacher
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

I have unplugged and replugged the two square plugs. However, they are not flush: the lower/right-side plug seems further in than the upper/left-side plug. Is that ok, or should they both be plugged in equally?

How would I test the AC cord? I replaced the AC plug and that didn't help.

ofx210p
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

The two square plugs have latches on them - if the latches are over then the plugs are in... !?

Joshteacher
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

Yup, both latches are over.

Ok, so here is what I've done:
-tried a different AC plug
-unplugged then replugged the square plugs on the charger (with scooter on and off)

So far, charger doesn't respond. Nothing. Does anyone know where I can find a charger? Are they costly?

It's getting to the point where I'm going to have to sell this thing for parts unless I can figure this out. :(

R
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

You can buy a charger to vectrix. BUt it won't be cheap.

kingcharles
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

I just tried measuring the internal resistance of my AC cable/charger by putting an Ohm measurement tool on the 2 poles of the AC plug. I noticed that it reads infinite but when you reverse the poles it shortly reads lower resistance which quickly rises to infinite. I guess that this is a capacitor inside tbe charger.
So if you could repeat this quick test you can prove if the AC cable is faulty or not and if the first circuit inside the charger is OK.

Once you go EV, Gas is history!

Drew
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

Just a thought - you haven't stated (or I've missed it!) that you've tried plugging in to a number of different outlets - it may be the mains wiring/socket you use, not the bike? Try a different one.
I would certainly council against riding to the red light - it will not help you at all (see above for my echo of my thoughts)

Drew

Drew

Joshteacher
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

Yes, I first noticed the problem when I noticed it hadn't started charging before my ride home. I tried 2 places on the way home to see if I could charge. No luck. When I got home, I tried two different sockets, but they haven't worked either.

Kingcharles- I tested the AC plug with an ohmmeter. Both times, it started low, then quickly climbed to infinity. Does this mean my power cord is functioning correctly?

kingcharles
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

Yes, it seems like your AC cable is ok.
This leads me to believe that the Charger is not functioning correctly. But the fact that it still drives the dashboard OK also indicates that it is not toasted.
There are some threads on this forum discussing the insides of the charger. It could be that there is a fuse inside which has blown.
I cannot remember if there is a fuse inside but there is a good chance. It is a tough job opening it up though...
Do a forum search or check the handbook for it.

Once you go EV, Gas is history!

antiscab
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

The charger power stage can fail but leave the CAN module and micro intact (so drives the fuel gauge but is otherwise dead)

Since the charger is dead - open the bike up and disconnect the blue anderson connectors

that will stop the batteries from discharging all the way to 0v

Matt

Daily Ride:
2007 Vectrix, modified with 42 x Thundersky 60Ah in July 2010. Done 194'000km

Joshteacher
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

Am I opening up from the front or from the back under the seat? If you could post a picture that would help. Thanks Matt!

On a positive note, it seems like I may be able to get a replacement charger.

Joshteacher
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Re: Charging won't start. Help!

I would also add that it was at 123V on Nov. 7, when I rode it last. Today it's showing 121V. Hopefully I'll get the replacement charger before it falls below 120V.

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