Vectrix with J1772 Charging port

I've ridden motorbikes for over 40 years and spent most of those scoffing at scooters. Now I'd never want to be without a scooter because they're just so convenient! (and electric is even better)

I wish I'd kept my little Oxygen Lepton, and replaced the 10 year old batteries in it, instead of selling it cheap. That scooter was fun! Even with the 25-28MPH limit it was quick in Sprint mode. I prefer mid-sized standard motorcycles for longer rides, but the VX-1 does have its advantages. After I replace the age-cracked rear tire and squealing rear brakes on my Suzuki, I'll see if I can lower the sound level on the Vectrx with plastic foam.

Oh, and I just installed a wind screen on the SR, which hopefully will get me some protection form the wind. And I plan to add top and/or side cases, which would get me some storage. I'll slowly make it into a very fast Vectrix :)

hahahaha....ok...that's fair enough.

As for signaling for power levels to the EVSE. You don't need that. The Vectrix pulls the lowest range, so you're never going to need to adjust the output of the EVSE.

According to the J1772 protocol, the car DOES NOT send any kind of power level signal to the EVSE - the EVSE sends a fixed signal to the car indicating its maximum amperage - and the car adjusts its maximum charging current draw accordingly. Since any EVSE has at least 20 amps capacity and the Scooter/MC's charger is far less than that, there is no worry about overloading the EVSE.

Has anyone done the install mounting the J1772 port on the OUTSIDE of the bike yet? The theory that you don't need a switch means you can get the TucsonEV.com $95 Inlet with 1 meter of cord instead. So drill a hole for the port and mount it outside somewhere, wire the pilot pins to the resister and diode directly, run the other wires to a socket in the trunk and plug the vectrix cord in when you wanna charge via public charge station. Or better yet, the EV Charging Cables $41 port and wire it in.

Edit: Just looked (09/21) and it's no longer $41, but $27

-Randy

I like the idea, just didn't want to hack up the bike and wanted to maintain 110v plug as primary

Boeingpilot,

I have been doing 208/240 volt for charging ever since I got the Vectrix VX-1 and VX-2. Even though the plug is standard NEMA 5-15, it is like your HP computer brick. 100-250 volt AC in the scooter. I just got another J-1772 from AZ just like the one I posted years back. But...... It is designed for the Delta or Qui-Q charger IEC C-13 plug which connects with the input on the Zero scooter, that yellow and black on board charger. The diode and two resistors are in back of the cover. As soon as you swipe your card and plug in J-1772 the speedo will go to 110 MPH for three hours. Well actually 2 hours, for Coulomb in Chelmsford turns off after 2 hours. Some of the stations are 208 but most are 240 volts and if you build your own box with a Hubbell NEMA 6-20/5-20 just wire up the 125 volt side with hot going to 125 volt side and plug in VX-1 and it will be stock bike still.
It is a switched mode charger meaning it takes a wide input and converts it to DC and does it's thing. Just like your Chrome Book computer or laptop computer. The first box I got from Rush in AZ, Tuscon EV had a switch to turn on outlet, the second one just is "ON" because of the wiring of Diode, R1 & R2. from CP to ground for faking out the pilot? Boeing pilot, LOL, Or something.
I also just got in the mail a BSA Level II charger from Brad in AZ also. BSA Electronics. He sent me a color charging chart to view charge cycle. I ordered the 208/240 , 16 Amp NEMA 6-20 backward compatible to 125 volt AC. I also made a NEMA 14-50 adapter to NEMA 6-20 for stopping into Hampstead NH charging on the "PlugShare" site. Most people in NH still use NEMA 14-50 welding outlet in order to charge EV's.
Also there are two chargers built into VX-1 charger. Take apart your bike and you will see two inputs. The main one is 100-250 volt input. The other one is for Italy for some strange reason.
Again the VX-1 is wide range input. 50 or 60 Hz also. KB1UKU

I've also used a Tucson EV J-1772 adapter a few times. Very handy, because it's now much easier to find an EV charging station in most places than a good 120 volt outlet. I've got my bike set to charge at 850 watts, though, to preserve the charger.

Just thought I would update this thread in case anyone is looking for a way to charge their vectrix from public charging stations. I recently purchased a J1772 to C-13 adapter from EVSEadapters.com (https://www.evseadapters.com/collections/other-adapters/products/j1772-to-c-13-adapter-for-electric-motorcycle-scooter) and coupled this with a c-14 to 5-15 adapter from amazon. The setup works great and allows me to charge from the many public chargers in Souther California. This makes my vectrix much more usable.

Thanks for the reference. I kept thinking I would add one of those to my bike, but the task of wiring it in always scared me. Now I just buy it and plug it in. Don't need to know the difference between wiring 220v and 110v. Never understood the difference when hooking up a J1772 to 110v anyway.

Very clever!

The Vectrix VX-1 is 240 volt charging but has a NEMA 5-15 plug on it for the charger is a switched mode battery charger and just like a laptop and Chevrolet Bolt can be plugged into 240 volt or 208 volt outlet. See my earlier post on charging my VX-1 and VX-2 scooter. Get the adapter from TucsonEV.com and order yourself an adapter to charge your scooter. See my earlier post on Monday 03/30/2015 at 20:30 hours and pictures of my adapter using conversion from NEAM 5-15 to NEMA6-20 and then to J-1772. Most EV chargers are of the switched mode type for using a heavy iron core transformer will kill the range of an electric vehicle. All the adapters can fit under seat with your helmet. Get the yellow cord version for all you need is 12 amp wire not 6 AWG that TucsonEV also sells. 10 or 12 AWG is more than enough. It will charge at Level 1 speed though but input current will be less. 2 hour charge time. then cool down mode.

Hi, I had fitted a J1772 socket to a customers Vectrix in Australia many years ago. I fitted a resistor to the pilot pin to tell the EVSE the maximum charging current it should supply. If you look on the internet, there a tables of resistance values and a wiring diagram. We are 230v AC 50 Hz power here. For another customer, I made an adapter that is used with the AC power lead. This is wired the same way. Public charging stations have been replaced with type 2 in Australia. I am still riding my Vectrix that was converted to NMC 8 years ago.

Wiring diagram. Either the ESD or Runke charger will accept 240v AC from the EVSE.

Just thought I would update this thread in case anyone is looking for a way to charge their vectrix from public charging stations. I recently purchased a J1772 to C-13 adapter from EVSEadapters.com (https://www.evseadapters.com/collections/other-adapters/products/j1772-to-c-13-adapter-for-electric-motorcycle-scooter(link is external)) and coupled this with a c-14 to 5-15 adapter from amazon. The setup works great and allows me to charge from the many public chargers in Souther California. This makes my vectrix much more usable.

This one is $5 more and eliminates the need for an adapter: https://www.evseadapters.com/products/j1772-ev-adapter-for-ebike/

Nice, wish I had waited, the adapter I bought is only rated for 1245 watts and I have yet to actually try it.

OK, NOW I have tried it and it worked great. The little adapter I got that goes from the Computer Plug to the Extension Cord end with the 1245 watt rating wasn't even warm, I'll have to try again with more battery to charge and see if it gets warm over a few hours, but it worked like a champ in the 40 minutes I charged today. Wonder if I can goose the software for the bike to have it charge are a higher power when plugged into EV charge stations.

Now I need a TESLA adapter so I can charge with those Destination Chargers all over the map. (don't send me links to the Tesla to J1772 adapter, I want a whole other place to plug in, like this:

https://www.evseadapters.com/products/tesla-to-nema-5-15-ev-charger-adapter-for-e-bike-scooter-one-wheel-etc/