CCS plug dimensions?

[bwilson4web]

Hi,

I bought the SAE standard for J1772 and it has helped a lot. But the mechanical sketches are not clear about the DC connector. Near as I can tell, our BMW i3 CCS socket has two, insulating buttons on the end of the pins to prevent human contact with conductors. I can see part of conductor showing ~1/4" (~6 mm) after the button. But it isn't clear how much conductor remains until it bottoms out.

I also looked at some Google images, I've never seen a CCS plug in the field, and it looks like a 'cup' of unknown dimensions. Has anyone found or measured the cup depth and diameter?

BTW, after looking through the training material, it is clear there is no relay that would support Level 1 DC, 34 kW, charging using just the J1772 AC pins. They really are AC only and DC need not apply. So even if we served DC on them, the 7.2-7.4 kW charging limit would still probably apply. That is a shame and missed opportunity.

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

 

[jadnashuanh]

The top picture is for the Euro connector which, while similar, is not identical to the USA one. The Euro connector has shutters that shield the current carrying pins from being exposed that retract when you insert the plug into the car. The J1772 protocol relies on the system logic in the EVSE that doesn't apply high voltage until the plug is inserted, the latching thumb switch is closed, and the car closes the interlock (all very hard to do accidentally!). For whatever reason, the Euro commission didn't feel that that was safe enough, and thus, they got the more complex, expensive plug as a requirement. The actual protocols between the two are the same once connected.

If you've read the specs, you'll know that the ACV, L1 and L2 inputs are used as signaling pins for communications between the CCS unit and the car...so, they are configured for either ACV input, or low-level signals, not DCV. The actual capacity of the CCS unit is not tied to the actual plug...just like in the EVSE, the car knows what it can use, and the CCS (and EVSE) tell it how much is available, so then the car only utilizes what it either wants, or up to the maximum of what the system can supply. FWIW, BMW has been pushing a lower powered CCS unit because of the lower purchase and installation costs verses one that can max out the i3's capacity. So, assuming you did the software correctly, a CCS unit could have the range of output of nearly any level up to the maximum for the current standard (that's a lot more than the i3 can handle) and could support that lower level you're referencing. Most homes do not have sufficient power coming in to support a CCS unit, as most of them are multi-phase along with the high current requirements. My home barely had enough to support a 30A EVSE, let alone trying for 100A or more for a CCS unit even if I could have afforded one! A CCS unit is a massive, logic controlled variable DC power supply...and EVSE is simply a smart ACV power switch - much cheaper and easier to install.

Both the US and Euro standard also allows multi-phase inputs, but except in a few countries, it is not well supported and the J1773 interface on the US version does not have the extra pin to allow it. In the USA, 3-phase L2 charging is only available for some commercial vehicles like busses and big trucks, and then, it's generally not a public charging station.

This print shows the overall plug and some dimensions, but not all. Since it is to scale, you can figure out the other bits you might want with a careful measurement. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=sae+j1772&view=detailv2&id=50F49132535FC82F5738CD48E822ADCBB4E4CD8B&selectedindex=106&ccid=05QT%2F0yL&simid=608003216643917639&thid=OIP.Md39413ff4c8b62f6d72ff0f107663fd4o0&mode=overlay&first=1

 

[bwilson4web]

Sorry about the Mennekes connector. I was interested in the DC connector and the J1772 was secondary. Regardless, your 'bing' images helped me find:
http://rema-ev.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/CCS-1-150-Connector-Data-Sheet-201604.pdf

They have an office in Greenville, SC so I'll give them a call.

As for house power, we had 100A, 240VAC, split phase but the service access is on the sun-set side of the house. Over 40 years, the outer wrap had 'rotted away' and the multi-stranded aluminum cable was showing loose. To add a NEMA 14-50 circuit, I had to also get a new service access and decided to upgraded to 200A at the same time.

Bob Wilson