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Mennekes Type 2 IEC 62196 connections
OpenEVSE Support
OpenEVSE is fully compliant with IEC and SAE EV charging standards. There are not any vehicles that are known to be incompatible in any country.
If you wish to use the Mennekes Proximity pilot you can load an EU specific firmware build. Otherwise connect CP, Earth, L1 and L2 and use the pushbutton to set the correct current.
EU OpenEVSE releases
https://github.com/openenergymonitor/open_evse/releases
I have connected an OpenEVSE to a type 2 connector in Sweden, so it would be nice to make use of the PP. Are there still EU builds at openenergymonitor? The builds at the link above has not been updated for 3 years.
OpenEVSE Support
@Patrik - PP is only needed if you have a socket and have multiple cables coming and going with lower current capability than the station. If you have installed a tethered cable, you should set the station to the maximum capability of the hardware. Auto detecting the cable is not necessary if it never changes.
There is no longer an EU specific build of firmware.
Yeah so the station is untethered. The circuit is only 16A so it's unlikely someone would bring a cable with lower current capacity but it would be nice to be compliant just in case.
So if there's no EU build, how does one enable the PP?
OpenEVSE Support
The main firmware now has all the customizations that were part of the EU firmware. I believe PP is enabled by default. If not it would be enabled by compiling custom firmware.
The IEC PP current levels are:
13A
20A
32A
70A
With a 16A Circuit, you would be at 13A continuously for all cables anyway, assuming your local regulations require running at 80% of the circuits peak rating.
Circuits in Sweden are rated at continuous load, so 16A is permissible. But this brings up an interesting question because all the cables and outlets etc that I've been able to find here are rated at either 16 or 32A. I guess I should measure the PP resistance of my "16A" cable.
OpenEVSE Support
Here are the resistance values.
| Current capability of the cable assembly | Rc (±3%) | Recommended interpretation range by the EVSE |
|---|---|---|
| 13 A | 1.5 kΩ / 0.5 W | 1–2.7 kΩ |
| 20 A | 680 Ω / 0.5 W | 330 Ω – 1 kΩ |
| 32 A | 220 Ω / 1 W | 150–330 Ω |
| 70 A single phase / 63 A three phase | 100 Ω / 1 W | 50–150 Ω |
Ok looks like my "16A" cable advertises itself as a 20A.
Glanced at the firmware code and it seems one needs to uncomment "// #define PP_AUTO_AMPACITY" in open_evse.h.
So I attempted to update the controller with a new firmware by building "openevse_eu" and also setting PP_AUTO_AMPACITY, but this did not work. The firmware appeared to flash ok (using a usbtiny), and in the web firmware menu it does say "8.2.3_EU", but when I plug in the car nothing happened.
I then tried reverting to both the "openevse" and "openevse_1-8-3" configs but the same thing happens, the controller is alive (it cycles the relay on boot, version shows up in the firmware menu, and I can see stuff happening in the openevse debug log, but when I plug in the car nothing happens. It is not registered in the log as a "car connected" event and the relay does not close.
Any idea what I might have broken? Just to double-check, the controller board says "openevse v5.6", the correct firmware is https://github.com/OpenEVSE/open_evse and 8.2.3 (which is the current master) should work?
OpenEVSE Support
Is CP control pilot connected correctly?
Chris Beath
I have a Kia Niro PHEV in New Zealand. Charging is 240 VAC (single phase) at a max of 16 amps via a Mennekes type 2 charging cable.
This isn't listed in the vehicles compatibility list, but I assume from the number of European models listed that the Niro PHEV would be compatible - very grateful if somebody could confirm this.
Also I'm wondering how the Mennekes pilot signal cables should be connected.
My understanding - which is a bit limited!, is that the charging cable has a resistor in the charging cable plug between PP and earth to define the current capacity of the charging cable. Therefore for a single phase charger, no connection is required from PP to the controller?
For CP (control pilot) I believe the signal protocol is identical to the J1772 protocol and that CP is connected to the controller in the same way as for a J1772 charging cable.
Very grateful if someone can confirm the above before I go ahead and order to kit.
Chris