Unbeliever
***
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
- Messages
- 84
I need to run a few more experiments, but it appears the delayed charging issue for Clipper Creek EVSEs is now fixed. It involves changing out the charging module on the eGolf.
I've been regularly poking Clipper Creek and VW about the issue with delayed charging for a while, since TSB 2040470 first came out. Right before the battery management safety recall came out, Clipper Creek told me that VW Germany said the issue is now fixed. So when I took it in for the recall, I told the dealer the news. Unfortunately, the only re-applied TSB 2040470 as that's all they knew about. That obviously didn't fix it.
After I expressed my displeasure to Clipper Creek and VW, VW Germany said that the dealer had to call the internal VW help line with the phrase “Vehicle does not charge using delay charge/departure. Clipper Creek chargers.“ I dropped the car off again and the dealer called the help line. Unfortunately, VW USA had no clue about the supposed fix, that TSB 2040470 was the only thing, and there was nothing in the database under the search term, or Clipper Creek in general. VW USA directed the dealer to change out the charging module under warranty, and I agreed and left the car an extra night. Clipper Creek agreed to poke VW Germany again to find out what was up.
After I picked up the car from VW Pasadena, I did a quick immediate charge experiment. There was a period where the car was only charging at 3.6 kW, and the charge light blinking between yellow and green. After triggering CarNet to re-send charging parameters, that glitch cleared itself out. (including 7.2 kW charging)
I set a 7am departure time, charge-only with no climate control, and I plugged in at 60% at 6pm, and it was still 60% when I went to bed. I woke up with a fully charged car! I need to verify when it happened when my electric company posts hourly usage for today in tomorrow's update, but by inference in the CarNet display "last update", it looks like it completed charging at 7am as planned
That lead me to believe that the old charging module wasn't faulty. I thought swapping out the charging module gave me a backdoor firmware update with the latest available. They do behave differently. The most noticeable is at initial plug-in. The old module would close the EVSE relay immediately at plug-in. The new one, there is a full 2 second delay between plug-in and EVSE relay closure. I wondered if this is the update VW Germany was talking about.
After I reported success to Clipper Creek, they reported to me that they got a response from VW Germany. The fix WAS baked into the new charging module, and VW USA stumbled into the correct fix.
I just wonder if in the future there will be a less invasive method for this update. Changing the module involved removing a lot of interior pieces to get to it, and therefore a lot of tech time.
Also, there's no documentation of this anywhere in VW USA. So trying to convey this fix to your dealer might be an interesting proposition.
Edit: I have a 2015 SEL
I've been regularly poking Clipper Creek and VW about the issue with delayed charging for a while, since TSB 2040470 first came out. Right before the battery management safety recall came out, Clipper Creek told me that VW Germany said the issue is now fixed. So when I took it in for the recall, I told the dealer the news. Unfortunately, the only re-applied TSB 2040470 as that's all they knew about. That obviously didn't fix it.
After I expressed my displeasure to Clipper Creek and VW, VW Germany said that the dealer had to call the internal VW help line with the phrase “Vehicle does not charge using delay charge/departure. Clipper Creek chargers.“ I dropped the car off again and the dealer called the help line. Unfortunately, VW USA had no clue about the supposed fix, that TSB 2040470 was the only thing, and there was nothing in the database under the search term, or Clipper Creek in general. VW USA directed the dealer to change out the charging module under warranty, and I agreed and left the car an extra night. Clipper Creek agreed to poke VW Germany again to find out what was up.
After I picked up the car from VW Pasadena, I did a quick immediate charge experiment. There was a period where the car was only charging at 3.6 kW, and the charge light blinking between yellow and green. After triggering CarNet to re-send charging parameters, that glitch cleared itself out. (including 7.2 kW charging)
I set a 7am departure time, charge-only with no climate control, and I plugged in at 60% at 6pm, and it was still 60% when I went to bed. I woke up with a fully charged car! I need to verify when it happened when my electric company posts hourly usage for today in tomorrow's update, but by inference in the CarNet display "last update", it looks like it completed charging at 7am as planned
That lead me to believe that the old charging module wasn't faulty. I thought swapping out the charging module gave me a backdoor firmware update with the latest available. They do behave differently. The most noticeable is at initial plug-in. The old module would close the EVSE relay immediately at plug-in. The new one, there is a full 2 second delay between plug-in and EVSE relay closure. I wondered if this is the update VW Germany was talking about.
After I reported success to Clipper Creek, they reported to me that they got a response from VW Germany. The fix WAS baked into the new charging module, and VW USA stumbled into the correct fix.
I just wonder if in the future there will be a less invasive method for this update. Changing the module involved removing a lot of interior pieces to get to it, and therefore a lot of tech time.
Also, there's no documentation of this anywhere in VW USA. So trying to convey this fix to your dealer might be an interesting proposition.
Edit: I have a 2015 SEL