EVSE Tester

Name: EVSE Tester
SKU: 2952
Price: 40.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.70 (14 reviews)

(14 Reviews)

J1772 charging station tester - displays pilot frequency, duty cycle and ampacity

Designed by Geppetto Electronics in United States of America

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$40.00

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J1772 charging station tester - displays pilot frequency, duty cycle and ampacity

NEW There is now a second variant of the EVSE Tester! This one trades out the LCD display for a USB-C connection to facilitate automated or remote testing. What is it? This is an EVSE (Electric Vehic…

NEW

There is now a second variant of the EVSE Tester! This one trades out the LCD display for a USB-C connection to facilitate automated or remote testing.

What is it?

This is an EVSE (Electric Vehicle Servicing Equipment - fancy term for a charging station) tester. There are two versions of the tester. The first is a 2x16 LCD module "backpack." You simply connect the 2.1 mm barrel connector to a 7-12 volt center positive DC power source and connect two wires from the screw terminal to the ground and pilot terminals of an EVSE. The 4 position DIP switch allows you to select one of the four different states (A, B, C and D) and simulate a "missing" pilot diode. The display will show the state of the pilot square wave signal frequency and duty cycle, translating the duty cycle into a J1772 amp rating. The second version is a USB connected tester. Connect the USB-C connector to a computer and you will see a virtual serial port. Connect to this serial port at 9600 bps 8N1 and you'll see twice-per-second JSON formatted frames describing the condition of the pilot signal. Send the characters A, B, C, or D and the simulated vehicle will change to any of those states (unfortunately, the "missing diode" test can't be done with this version).

Why did you make it?

In developing the firmware for the J1772 Hydra and OpenEVSE II, having the ability to exercise the various EV states and display the state of the pilot has been invaluable.

What makes it special?

So far as I know, it is completely unique in having the ability to display the frequency and duty cycle and J1772 amp rating.

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Review Breakdown

Average Ratings

Product: (4.86)

Documentation: (4.29)

Shipping: (4.79)

Communication: (4.86)

Joseph | May 5, 2021

An EV emulator that saves you $100s

I'm not saying it does everything pro installer test gear does, but from what I saw, those items cost $250, $700 or even more. This does the basics -- great for determining if an EVSE is working and for troubleshooting and repairing it, even if you don't have an EV onhand. That's what it did for me.

Nick was quick and responsive to questions about usage.

Make sure you look at the mode markings on the board, not the dip switch numbers -- it's too easy to think of 1 as Mode A, when the switch is oriented so 4 is the first switch in succession.

Charles | May 4, 2021

Fantastic little device

I use the device for security testing EVSEs. It allows me to put the EVSE into different states that each have their own security implications.

The device was a breeze to set up and use. The output in JSON format (usb version) is a nice touch - standing up a little Flask app that interacts with it was easy.

If you do any type of testing of EVSEs, pick one of these up and add it to your toolbox.

Harold | April 26, 2019

Great product!

The unit was easy to finish and get running. I was able to exercise and evaluate several different EVSE units with no problem.

It would be great if a Pilot signal test was added!

Thomas | June 2, 2017

Nice features in a compact package

Great device for displaying EVSE info when testing an EVSE unit. Shows important parameters and allows basic safety tests to be done. Well designed and effective.

Gabor | Feb. 8, 2017

Excelent

I received it within few days, even it was an order from Europe. I have built it into a portable EVSE tester case. Works properly.

Matt | June 30, 2016

Really useful tool for EVSE development

Now, you want to talk about a niche product... ;) What crazy hackers are busy building EVSEs?! Heh.

Super useful. Super simple. Some of the implementation is rough around the edges - for example, wish I could simply supply +5V DC to it instead of using a linear regulator ;) 5V supplies are more common than barrel connectors, at least in my world. A Mini or Micro-USB power input would be a godsend. I simply used the ICSP header pins to power it with 5V, so that works.

Also wish there was a better way to apply test options, like changing J1772 states - the DIP switch method is a little tricky to work with. A rotating selector and an "activate/deactivate" switch, perhaps? Each mode is exclusive by nature (picking state B or C), so no need to have two switches turned on at the same time... but that's easy to do accidentally with the DIP switches.

I knocked a star for the documentation as Tindie made it hard to find the link - buried in the side-bar, and only found it after reading over the description first, then Googling for Geppetto Electronics and finding the documentation at http://www.geppettoelectronics.com/2015/04/evse-tester-user-guide.html - then I went back later and found the link in the sidebar here. A link to the docs within the description would be cool. Not that documentation is particularly necessary...

That said, it's super accurate and easy to understand. And a simply amazing price, too. Thanks for building this thing!

(edit: I, too, would be interested in a significantly-more-expensive full scale EVSE tester, as I was planning on designing and building one myself around plugs/inlets/etc we have at the shop... but simply don't have time to design and implement it. Even buying the parts we already have, for the sake of an assembled product, wouldn't be too terribly horrible. For the moment, we're just hackin' it with these EVSE Tester boards floating around...)

Nikolay | June 16, 2016

Great kit - excellent value!

Great kit!
It was easy to assemble!
I wanted to modify the programming and control, and it was a breeze due to the open source software.
The only thing I missed in the documentation was the adjustment of the contrast - but Nick responded within 1 minute and it works great.

Geoff | June 1, 2016

Great to confirm OpenEVSE Build

I bought the EVSE Tester to do basic confirmation testing of my OpenEVSE kit before taking delivery of my new LEAF. The tester will come in handy for future EVSE builds, and I could see eventually installing it in a project box with a J1772 inlet to make testing even easier with the potential addition of a 240V panel light and a GFCI test button. Even fancier would then be a 240V outlet for a test load such as a shop heater.

The only improvements I'd like to see: either move the DIP switches to the front, or provide a terminal block for adding external switches. Perhaps socketing the DIP switches would be a good compromise. I could then more easily build this into a project box with panel switches.

This is is a must-have if you are building your own OpenEVSE and would like to verify the basic modes before connecting it to your car.

Ole | Sept. 28, 2015

Great product.

Works as intended. Shipped to Denmark with fast handling and in mint condition on arrival.
Any chance we get to see a 3d printable case?

Response from Geppetto Electronics | Nov. 30, 2015

Unfortunately, I don't really have any 3D modeling skills. However, the display is a standard 80x36 mm one that ought to be well understood by this point. The rest should fall out in a pretty straightforward way, I would think.

Grant | Sept. 22, 2015

Does what is says, and worked first time

Why make yourself when this is all done for you. A great product to check your EVSE. Thank you. Recommded!

Ken | Sept. 21, 2015

Excellent product by a great seller.

The original unit ordered arrived damaged in transit - a cracked circuit board. A fast response to my email and the unit was replaced by return of post.

The tester works exactly as advertised and is the perfect accessory for your EV if you have any doubts about a charging station you are using or making.

Recommended without hesitation. A+++

Ken (New Zealand)

Dennis | Aug. 5, 2015

Great value and utility

While most people who buy the EVSE Tester are probably building their own EVSE through OpenESVE, that isn't why I purchased mine. I needed an additional EVSE "charger" to take to work and so I purchased a used one on eBay. After I purchased the used EVSE, I realized that I didn't want to connect it to my plug-in hybrid car (C-Max Energi) without testing it. What if it damaged the charger in the car? I searched the internet for ESVE testers and found 2. The other one was more expensive than the EVSE "charger" that I had just purchased. I was lucky enough to find this EVSE Tester here on Tindie. I ordered it built and used it to test my new/used EVSE. The EVSE tested fine. The EVSE Tester even tests the "ventilation required" function and I found that while my EVSE is portable, it faults (will not deliver power) if the car requires ventilation when charging. This is a great product at a great value.

Christopher | May 13, 2015

EVSim II works great.

EVSim II works great, I used it to build an EV Tester. The kit shippes very quickly are arrived in perfect condition.

Ralph | Feb. 18, 2015

Great product, easy to assemble does exactly what it should.

This has been a great tool while working on my EVSE modifications. I would (and probably will soon) buy a couple more of these because of their functionality and ease of use. My desire would be to also have a J1772 inlet available so I can do demo's of fully assembled EVSEs and a Volt and Amp display. But I know that gets trickier. Great product if you are working on EVSEs you should buy at least one!

Response from Geppetto Electronics | Feb. 21, 2015

I do have a design for a full tester with an inlet and GFI tests and a few other things, but the problem is that a J1772 inlet just by itself costs 2-3 times the price of this unit, so a fully featured tester in a chassis would be on the order of $300. I wanted this tester to fill in a very specific gap (pilot frequency and duty cycle) as inexpensively as possible.

Still, if anyone wants to see that full tester in the store, let me know!

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$40.00