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Intermittent "Stuck Relay"

Hi there


I'm not super technically oriented.  A friend is, so he put together my evse for me.

About a year or more ago, I had a short and burnt it up a bit. 

I ordered a replacement Struthers relay.  The same friend installed it.

Unpredictably, it works for awhile, then stops. If I unplug and replug it, it works again, sometimes for a number of charging sessions before it stops again, and I again unplug and replug it.  Sometimes it will stop during the first session after the "reboot".

Attached is a screenshot of the display. 

Any ideas how to fix this?

Thanks 
Brian

 

stuck relay screenshot.jpg
stuck relay ...
(269 KB)
4 CommentsSorted by Oldest First

Brian,


Stuck relay tends to happen when the push button on the handle is not working correctly and the handle is unplugged under load. We would recommend checking that the push button is clicking before unplugging the vehicle and the current drops to 0.


Chris

Thanks for the info, but I don't think that applies here because when a charging session "fails", the handle has not been touched.


I didn't clearly explain the order of events.  A session goes like this:


The EVSE remains plugged into the garage wall (NEMA 14-50) from the last charging session

I plug the J-1772 into the car

It starts charging the car (light blinking)

The handle is left undisturbed. 

Sometimes, when I check back later, the car has stopped charging (light not blinking)

I unplug the J-1772 from the car

I unplug the EVSE from the NEMA 14-50

I wait 10 seconds

I replug the EVSE into the NEMA 14-50

I replug the J-1772 into the car

It starts charging again (car light blinking)

It almost always then charges without further problems until the end of the session


I actually rarely charge at home, so this has gone on for many months, but probably less than 40 charging sessions.  I estimate that "failures" occur on about half of the sessions (I think I'll start charging more often at home so I can get a better handle on how often it happens).


On a recent "fail", I finally thought to look on my phone display and it said "Stuck Relay" (screenshot in original post)


Could it be a defective relay?

When it stops charging do you get an error such as "No Ground"? Maybe this issue to increase relay hold power?

https://openev.freshdesk.com/a/solutions/articles/6000248647

 Just replying since I just had a similar issue and wanted someone else with the same issue to find a solution. In the past, turning off the breaker and turning it back on reset the problem of a stuck relay. The problem would occur sometimes while it was charging or when just idle. This time, cycling power didn't help. I turned off power, opened it up, cleaned off the contacts at all 4 points to the relay. Also I moved the relay around a bit and there are two metal arms, labeled L and R and they are spring loaded to make contact with a metal point. I took a screwdriver and rubbed the contacts lightly on both sides. I think that was it and it works fine now. Hopefully won't have another issue again for  a while. I have had this charger since 2019 and it is 2026 now so overall pretty good results. 

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