Rivian brand EVSE not compatible with Rivan (error message)

[SwampNut]

Um, what?

This has happened three times now, and I'm on my second wall mount EVSE. This is the new generation model. Just glad it's never happened when I *needed* charging for major driving the next day. Since the Rivian is missing a feature we had on the Tesla; if you park at home and it's not charging, you get a notification in the app. In case you forget to plug in, or something like this happens.

I used to tell people to buy whatever EVSE is cheap, because they are all the same. But it seems I was wrong, the Rivian is more problematic than any of my cheap ones that I had for other EVs. Don't buy the Rivian EVSE. I got mine free, it's the only reason I have it.

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[VSG]

Two chargers that stopped working after a while, and the common denominator is that you installed them both yourself (as you said in a different thread)? While I guess they could possibly really be bad, that's not the first thing I'd suspect.

My Rivian wall charger has worked for 2 years now without a problem.

 

[SwampNut]

It's also the common denominator with other EVSEs and all the electrical work in my house. And all the EVSE installs I've done for friends. It's not magic, basic electrical work is one of the simplest things you can do and almost impossible to get wrong in any invisible way. Either it's right or not. Also, both were assisted and mostly done by my best friend who is a certified commercial electrician. I rarely work alone.

If you understood the electronics involved and the electrical side, you'd understand that an installation failure can't cause this failure mode. And again, the power input is dead damn simple and after the failure, checked by an electrician.

 

[Neuneleven]

Had identical issue a few weeks ago while with a low SOC and nearly threw a fit as i was worried about the battery if it sat around a couple of days or if I needed to drive the truck around. I turned off the breaker for the charger for a couple of minutes, back on again. The system powered up and since then has worked well. That was the first time in over a year of ownership....and no, I did not install it

 

[SwampNut]

Had identical issue a few weeks ago while with a low SOC and nearly threw a fit as i was worried about the battery if it sat around a couple of days or if I needed to drive the truck around. I turned off the breaker for the charger for a couple of minutes, back on again. The system powered up and since then has worked well. That was the first time in over a year of ownership....and no, I did not install it

Yeah, it's a pretty common complaint and resolution. I just wish either the EVSE or car could alert us when it happens. Kind of dumb to have to go look at the app every night.

 

[sac602]

Turn off the main breaker and double check the torque on the wiring to your charger. Heat due to the voltage causes contraction and expansion that can loosen up the wiring connections which will cause a fault and it won't charge. I had this happen once a few months in. after I retightened the connecters no problems for the last year (was installed by electrician originally)

 

[SwampNut]

Turn off the main breaker and double check the torque on the wiring to your charger. Heat due to the voltage causes contraction and expansion that can loosen up the wiring connections which will cause a fault and it won't charge. I had this happen once a few months in. after I retightened the connecters no problems for the last year (was installed by electrician originally)

This is not the issue.

 

[sac602]

it was for me. Worth checking.

 

[SwampNut]

The entire unit was removed and remounted after the first incident. Stranded wire also doesn't loosen like what you saw with what I have to assume is solid wire. And well torqued connections rarely loosen anyway, nor does it happen in a month.

 

[beatle]

The stranded wire in my 14-50R loosened enough to arc and melt the receptacle after charging at 40A, though that was after over 2 years. After I replaced the receptacle, I found the breaker had a loose wire and would trip due to the heat. Tightened back up and all has been fine for 2 1/2 years. Not saying that's for sure what's happening here, but it doesn't cost anything to check the connections.

I wonder what failure is prompting the "incompatible" error message. Maybe something wrong with one of the pilot pins? I wonder how an EVSE is actually "incompatible" in a non-broken way. I guess you could plug into a Tesla HPWC that is configured to only charge Teslas, or certain VINs and that would be incompatible.

 

[SwampNut]

but it doesn't cost anything to check the connections.

I guess I've failed to make it clear how many times they've been checked in just a month or two--a lot. They are crazy tight. As I said, the entire box came off the wall to be looked over.

I wonder what failure is prompting the "incompatible" error message. Maybe something wrong with one of the pilot pins? I wonder how an EVSE is actually "incompatible" in a non-broken way. I guess you could plug into a Tesla HPWC that is configured to only charge Teslas, or certain VINs and that would be incompatible.

Software bug probably. I mostly posted this for the joke that it is; incompatible Rivian charger. Also as a warning not to waste money on the Rivian EVSE.

Once the EVSE decided it wasn't going to work, it also wouldn't work on my other EV, which just saw a failure.

 

[HighVoltOverland]

Hey man, following up on this, after several years of flawless working, I too have this error with my Rivian EVSE.

Definitely looking like a bug with the most recent software update, as I just received it 20 minutes after the new update.

 

[SwampNut]

Hey man, following up on this, after several years of flawless working, I too have this error with my Rivian EVSE.

Definitely looking like a bug with the most recent software update, as I just received it 20 minutes after the new update.

Huh, haven't tried charging since the car update.

But I was thinking a bug in the EVSE software. Since it also failed with my Zero.

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