My EVSE is DEAD! - UPDATE 4: reinstalled

[Jhenson29]

I went out to the garage today to find my 18kW Wall Wattz EVSE powered off. ?

It’s been charging for 6000+ miles prior to this, problem free.

I checked the breakers and everything looked okay.

I checked the voltage on the line wires for the EVSE, and everything looked okay there also.

So, I guess I’ll be contacting Wattzilla about it. My guess is an internal fuse has opened (line wires show an open) but I can’t open the device up without voiding the warranty.

Fortunately, I planned ahead for this and also had a receptacle installed. So, I can still charge with the PMC+ for now.

…it’ll just be at 9.6kW like the peasants. ?

But, PSA for everyone: ??

Have a backup plan for if your EVSE fails.

Especially if it’s hardwired and not as quick to change out as a plug-in. If you are installing a hardwired EVSE, it’s probably a good idea to have a receptacle installed also (if you don’t already have one).

UPDATE 1 - 12/5
The manufacturer got back with me the same day (within a few hours on a Sunday night) and gave me an address to ship it to and said it would be 24 hour turnaround.

UPDATE 2 - 12/17
They’ve had it for a week and I have no information. Haven’t replied to my last email from yesterday asking for an update either.

UPDATE 3 - 12/21
After more requests for info, it’s finally fixed and on its way back. Should be here Friday. “24 hour” turn-around took 11 days.

UPDATE 4 - 12/24
EVSE arrived this afternoon. Installed right away and now back to normal charging. Not happy about how long it took to resolve.

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[Tooney]

Sorry this happened. Is the receptacle you have on the same circuit as the Wall Wattz?

 

[Jhenson29]

Is the receptacle you have on the same circuit as the Wall Wattz?

It’s fed from the same 125A subpanel in my garage, but the 18kW EVSE and the 14-50R are on separate 100A and 50A breakers.

 

[Tooney]

It’s fed from the same 125A subpanel in my garage, but the 18kW EVSE and the 14-50R are on separate 100A and 50A breakers.

Good planning on your part. I looked at Wattzilla EVSEs. Looked really robust. How long has yours been installed?

 

[Jhenson29]

Good planning on your part. I looked at Wattzilla EVSEs. Looked really robust. How long has yours been installed?

Purchased EVSE 3/1/2021.
Installed EVSE 4/7/2021.
Car arrived 5/26/2021.

So, it’s been in service for around 6 months/6000 miles.

I already sent the company a message tonight, although I wouldn’t expect to hear from them until tomorrow.

 

[Tooney]

Your wattzilla will charge up to 18kw, per your post. Did you have it opened up full-throttle, letting the Taycan use what it could, or did you limit/restrict settings on the EVSE to the upper capacity limits of your Taycan's on-board charger?

 

[Jhenson29]

Your wattzilla will charge up to 18kw, per your post. Did you have it opened up full-throttle, letting the Taycan use what it could, or did you limit/restrict settings on the EVSE to the upper capacity limits of your Taycan's on-board charger?

There are no settings on the Wall Wattz. And there are no settings in the car. So, it was full power all of the time.

I have the 19.2kW on-board AC charger, so the car can accept the extra power.

If I didn’t have the 19.2, then the car would limit the charge to the max for the standard charger. There would be no reason to limit the EVSE to the car’s limit as the car controls the charge rate.

 

[Tooney]

There are no settings on the Wall Wattz. And there are no settings in the car. So, it was full power all of the time.

I have the 19.2kW on-board AC charger, so the car can accept the extra power.

If I didn’t have the 19.2, then the car would limit the charge to the max for the standard charger. There would be no reason to limit the EVSE to the car’s limit as the car controls the charge rate.

It will be interesting to find out what EVSE manufacturer says is the cause for the problem. Hope you will share. Good luck. And hope you are soon back out of the company of us 9.6kw peasants.....

 

[Jhenson29]

And hope you are soon back out of the company of us 9.6kw peasants.....

?
Me too…it’s painful watching it charge this slowly. I don’t know how you people live this way…

 

[Jhenson29]

Just look at it…trickling in…

 

[ciaranob]

I went out to the garage today to find my 18kW Wall Wattz EVSE powered off. ?

It’s been charging for 6000+ miles prior to this, problem free.

I checked the breakers and everything looked okay.

I checked the voltage on the line wires for the EVSE, and everything looked okay there also.

So, I guess I’ll be contacting Wattzilla about it. My guess is an internal fuse has opened (line wires show an open) but I can’t open the device up without voiding the warranty.

Fortunately, I planned ahead for this and also had a receptacle installed. So, I can still charge with the PMC+ for now.

…it’ll just be at 9.6kW like the peasants. ?

But, PSA for everyone: ??

Have a backup plan for if your EVSE fails.

Especially if it’s hardwired and not as quick to change out as a plug-in. If you are installing a hardwired EVSE, it’s probably a good idea to have a receptacle installed also (if you don’t already have one).

Have 2 receptacles - double back-up! - bit of a bummer re the unit - interested to hear solution/resolution and yes you're going to have to charge like the rest of us in baggage class for the moment

 

[Tooney]

I have the 19.2kW on-board AC charger, so the car can accept the extra power.

Some owners of Taycans with 19.2kw on-board AC charger seem to have had issues with DC charging, or other problems, that they believed are related to 19.2kw charger. Have you seen any of those issues with your car?

 

[satchurator]

It will be interesting to find out what EVSE manufacturer says is the cause for the problem. Hope you will share. Good luck. And hope you are soon back out of the company of us 9.6kw peasants.....

AFAIK Wattzilla products are based on OpenEVSE. Nothing user serviceable, but it’ll be interesting to hear how they troubleshoot and service your situation @Jhenson29. That’s another downside of a hardwired EVSE, more of an undertaking to service / replace the unit. Maybe you can finagle an upgrade to the Wattzilla Uno for the full 80A…

 

[Jhenson29]

yes you're going to have to charge like the rest of us in baggage class for the moment

“What you got there, the, uh, the 9.6kW? I did you a favor.”

 

[TaycanCook]

AFAIK Wattzilla products are based on OpenESVE. Nothing user serviceable, but it’ll be interesting to hear how they troubleshoot and service your situation @Jhenson29. That’s another downside of a hardwired EVSE, more of an undertaking to service / replace the unit. Maybe you can finagle an upgrade to the Wattzilla Uno for the full 80A…

If it's based on open evse, that's great, he can probably service it after it's gone out of warranty. I got an open evse so I can service it as necessary.

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