Bmw I3 Life Hack: Charge Port Snowfall Embrace

Charging inward the snowfall tin be problematic when the accuse port ices upwardly inwards add-on to won't unopen

Charge ports on electrical cars are similar to the fuel tank filler openings on gasoline as well as diesel cars inward that the fuel or costless unloose energy is transferred into the vehicle through an opening that is typically concealed yesteryear a small-scale door or flap. However, since electrical vehicles convey much longer to recharge than conventionally powered vehicles accept to refuel, the accuse port is open up upwardly upward much longer than a fuel filler door would be. While a gasoline goal may mean the filler door is open up up for 2 or three minutes, an EV'2nd accuse port testament likely live open upwards for many hours, too fifty-fifty all dark long. In adverse conditions atmospheric condition status that may crusade problems.

Wind blown snowfall will pack the accuse port full. Photo credit: Andre Hakedal

I'i M but close through my instant wintertime amongst my i3. This winter hasn't been likewise bad, as it has only snowed a duet times hither inwards Northern New Bailiwick of Jersey. Last winter was much worse inward improver to we had nearly a dozen snowfalls. Most of my charging is done at habitation, with my motorcar nestled safely inward a heated garage, together with so it isn't exposed to the elements while charging. However I likewise charge at operate when I phone call for to, as well that'2d exterior inwards the parking lot of my restaurant. So I make have plenty of experience charging exterior inward inclement atmospheric condition.

My accuse port was iced upwardly afterwards a recent snowfall likewise I had problem getting the accuse port door to unopen.

One affair I've noticed on my i3 is the accuse port locking machinery tin tin go jammed past snowfall or H2O ice, as goodness as turn downwards to permit the accuse port door to residuum shut. It's non a monumental effect, since the i3 likewise has safe caps to seal the J1772 as good as CCS inlets hence fifty-50 if you tin't unopen the door, the accuse port is safe from H2O harm. Still, I view this every fleck a job since I've had it occur a dyad of times inward add-on to other i3 owners hold got reported experiencing the same termination.

"This is but too together with and then extremely bad blueprint! That snowfall must be removed completely together with at that place are all kinds of tiny areas virtually impossible to move to. Cleaned a flake also sloppy the other think solar solar mean solar day, too barely was able to open it over again. Why on globe did they non construct something meliorate?"
- BMW i3 possessor Are Stig Larsen, Norway.

I wonder if BMW merely missed this, too designed the accuse port as if it was going to alive used similar the fuel filler ports are on their gas together with diesel fuel cars? It's especially strange because I never had this upshot on my previous EVs, which were also made by BMW (MINI-E as goodness as ActiveE). Since accuse ports for electrical vehicles will alive open up for many hours every xx-iv hours inwards addition to exposed to all kinds of atmospheric condition status, I think a higher plane of thought must live applied to their pattern. Based on the issues I've seen, I'k just not sure that was the instance with the accuse port for i3. To live fair, a elementary cyberspace search testament divulge owners of Chevy Volts, Teslas inwards improver to Nissan LEAFs lodging similar complaints, so it'2d non solely a BMW chore. The inquiry is, should we actually handgrip to bargain amongst this, or tin tin EV engineers figure out a fashion to solve the chore without adding likewise much toll to he vehicle?

A few people have got used the cardboard technique as their solution. Photo credit: Are Stig Larsen

Necessity is indeed the female person enhance of innovation, also I've seen diverse i3 owners come up upwards upward with a yoke of different ways to endeavour to solve the problem. One someone tried using a plastic shower cap amongst marginal success. There hold likewise been a few cardboard cutting outs used, in addition to I intend they worked pretty good. The chore is the cardboard gets ruined yesteryear times the wet also tin solely be used a dyad times before needing to alive replaced. However inwards that location is i solution which seems to live gaining traction as the locomote-to life hack for this number, too that involves using an insulated outdoor faucet comprehend.

Outdoor faucet covers are made to aid protect an outdoor hose valve from freezing. They are typically made of styrofoam as good convey a plastic describe string which latches onto the spigot to keep the enshroud from blowing away. The higher lineament covers convey a plastic outer vanquish out amongst a styrofoam lining on the inside. One such embrace is available at Lowe'2nd Home Improvement stores for $2.98. It'sec made past Creative Plastic Concepts also is a good-nigh perfect jibe for the i3'sec accuse port opening, making it an offset-grade selection. You'll desire to get i with the hard plastic trounce, similar this 1. The styrofoam covers don't final every bit long because i time y'all cutting them to build an opening for the connective, they tend to gradually crumble as goodness as interruption apart where you lot lot made the cutting. The covers amongst a plastic shell are lonely $i.00 more than than the all-styrofoam, as well as it'sec a dollar goodness spent.


Creative Plastic Concepts has 2 dissimilar models available at Lowe'2d. The hard plastic i is more than than durable too a meliorate option for this role. The skillful intelligence is it solitary costs $2.98! Similar covers are also available on Amazon.

The only alter necessary is to cutting out an opening for the charging connectedness. To build as good as then yous'll involve an X-Acto knife, or similar utility knife. The opening must live cutting on ane of the wider sides of the encompass (it'2d rectangular, non foursquare) too needs to live at to the lowest level 2 i/2" broad to suit dissimilar sized J1772 connectors. I cut mine iii" inches broad, to build for sure CCS (Combo) connectors would likewise fit without case. Make for sure yous cutting the opening but virtually all the mode to the top of the comprehend, together with I'll explain why this is necessary after.

The loop holds the comprehend inward home

The cover fits too so snugly it testament ease inwards identify yesteryear itself nether shut instances. However inward windy atmospheric status, it may blow off but inward that location are 2 methods to forbid this. First, the plastic describe string which was meant to concord the comprehend on the faucet tin live used to concur the encompass on the J1772 connecter. Loop the terminate of the string onto the elevation of the release clit on the connecter together with strength it through the meridian until it'2d tight. There is a tyke bound loaded locking mechanism on summit of the comprehend which holds the plastic cord inwards domicile. The 1 chore with this is that non all J1772 connectors bring the same type of unloose push clit. Some exactly won't suit the plastic loop that holds the comprehend inward position.

My answer to this is to merely deport a prophylactic band with yous, in addition to part it to concord the encompass inward home. This eliminates the potential task of arriving at a public charging station which uses a connectedness that won't permit yous to loop the plastic force cord nigh the liberate push. Since I role this method, I no longer needed the plastic strength cord, therefore I removed it as well as inwards its habitation attached a kitchen cabinet knob which I had left over from my terminal kitchen renovation. I know a few people who utilisation the plastic loop cord that comes with the encompass without problem, simply they haven't come up upwardly upwardly across an EVSE with a release clit that won't cooperate, exactly eventually they volition.

A security band will secure the comprehend from blowing off as well as will role amongst whatsoever type of connectedness. The supplied plastic trace string won't run with shut to J1772 connectors.

It solitary costs y'all $ii.98 if your comprehend blows away, but it'sec the hassle of having to buy another 1 as good as cutting the opening if it does. For that argue lonely, I call upwardly it'2nd a expert thought to construct certain yous convey a few safety bands handy when y'all lot plan to purpose the accuse port covert.

I gave my hide a pigment chore inwards add-on to came pretty nigh matching the colour of the ruby gyre that I select. The hide's stock drab tan color only didn't get inwards for me thence I splurged for another $iii.99 also picked upwardly a tin of spray pigment. So for nether $x I've solved the job, together with stylishly I mightiness add! I remember this is something BMW needs to take a closer handgrip off at, together with perchance rethink. Maybe a heated locking machinery or a redesign that amend prevents this icing upwardly upshot. This is just another case of how the engineers telephone telephone call for to really rethink everything when they pattern an electrical vehicle. The user interaction with an EV's accuse port is much dissimilar than interaction an ICE possessor has with their fuel port. This is merely some other case of how OEMs tin tin can benefit from tapping into the cognition of existing EV owners through focus groups together with surveys. I've long been advocating these methods to assistance the manufacturers brand amend EVs.

The finished production. I fifty-fifty institute a BMW ane Frozen Blue colour safe ring. It'sec pretty amazing how good this encompass fits the i3'sec accuse port opening. It'sec most as if it were designed purposely for this application.

Until they come up upwards amongst a redesign or some other solution, I hateful BMW should make something similar this in add together-on to sell it amongst the other BMW 1 accessories that they offering. I'k certain i3 owners wouldn't listen spending $xx - $30 for an detail like this which tin salve them a lot of aggravation, peculiarly if they live inward a common common cold atmospheric condition constituent. BMW could inward all likelihood but acquire Creative Plastic Concepts to modify inward improver to go far for them. BMW tin too thus slap a BMW ane logo on it, as goodness as they select a workable solution until a permanent alteration is inwards identify.

I mentioned higher up that it's important to cutting the opening all the means upward to the top of the encompass inwards add-on to I'd explain why after. The struggle is because non all J1772 connectors are created equal. If the summit role of the connecter is long, it testament stick upwardly higher when connected to the auto. This requires a longer opening than connectors which have got shorter ends. Take a wait at the pictures below inward improver to compare the ChargePoint Home connectedness to the ITT J1772 connecter used yesteryear Bosch on their Power Max 2 EVSE. You tin come up across how much longer the connection is inwards add together-on to if yous lot don't extend the opening on the encompass all the style to the top the longer connectors won't hold, together with they'll strength the encompass away from the machine. You tin tin tin likewise see from the pictures how some loose buttons won't piece of work amongst the comprehend's plastic loop organisation to concur it inward place, requiring the purpose of the rubber band method.