Electrify America burns a Rivian down

[jjswan33]

My conspiracy theory is that this owner used a CCS>Tesla adapter, plugged into a Lectron Tesla to J1772 adapter which was plugged into the truck - that's why the CCS connector is ok on the ground (Sarcasm font intended) . But you know, there will be that one person that tries that kind of thing......

Driver wanted NACS so bad he was using a CCS to NACS adapter to a NACS to CCS adapter plugged into the EA station makes complete sense.

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[LivingInKaos]

Inquiring minds want to know

THAT'S the Idea ! You know, just to keep your data safe when the truck is talking to the charger....

 

[Dark-Fx]

Driver wanted NACS so bad he was using a CCS to NACS adapter to a NACS to CCS adapter plugged into the EA station makes complete sense.

WELL OF COURSE BECAUSE NACS IS OPEN SOURCE.

 

[LivingInKaos]

Driver wanted NACS so bad he was using a CCS to NACS adapter to a NACS to CCS adapter plugged into the EA station makes complete sense.

I refuse to call the Tesla charger the NACS - they just appropriated the name to try to force the standard issue. I'm not saying it can't be, I just have a problem with someone trying to be a bully like that.

 

[ironpig]

I thought that what we see protruding out on the right hand side of the Rivian IS the CCS connector too. Couldn’t be 100% sure without better resolution.

No that is the charge port door attachment. The thing that makes it swivel.

 

[WSea]

Driver wanted NACS so bad he was using a CCS to NACS adapter to a NACS to CCS adapter plugged into the EA station makes complete sense.

Not enough space between vehicle and charger for that setup

 

[LivingInKaos]

The scenario that someone pulled the cable while it was charging causing an arc flash is the only possibility here for a source outside the truck- but even that I doubt. There is a person I know who upon inspecting his 12v batteries found multiple loose 12v connections between the battery and the bus that had been arcing. He got 12v errors which is why he was inspecting. Something like that could be a possibility here given where it looks like the burn was centered- but then, they might have only popped as a result of another burn.

 

[Belem]

But yet the connector (that started the fire according to you) is undamaged. Brilliant

It appears the fire started at the connector. We don't know if it was caused by the CCS plug or the socket on the Rivian.
I'm sure it will be investigated and hopefully we will have an answer.

I think (hope) you are talking past each other; @docwhiz are calling the charging port the "connector"?

Cuz otherwise Rivian/EA has somehow utilized wireless charging to get from the undamaged connector to the charging port.

 

[docwhiz]

I think (hope) you are talking past each other; @docwhiz are calling the charging port the "connector"?

Cuz otherwise Rivian/EA has somehow utilized wireless charging to get from the undamaged connector to the charging port.

Connector = plug + socket

 

[jjswan33]

The scenario that someone pulled the cable while it was charging causing an arc flash is the only possibility here for a source outside the truck- but even that I doubt. There is a person I know who upon inspecting his 12v batteries found multiple loose 12v connections between the battery and the bus that had been arcing. He got 12v errors which is why he was inspecting. Something like that could be a possibility here given where it looks like the burn was centered- but then, they might have only popped as a result of another burn.

When you press the button on the connector to remove it the charging stops and then the handle releases. This is how I often end my charging sessions.

Unless the connector was malfunctioning I can't see how an arc is possible but then again something here was definitely malfunctioning.

 

[Dark-Fx]

When you press the button on the connector to remove it the charging stops and then the handle releases. This is how I often end my charging sessions.

Unless the connector was malfunctioning I can't see how an arc is possible but then again something here was definitely malfunctioning.

Maybe they didn't stop the charger before removing the locked plug.

 

[docwhiz]

Maybe they didn't stop the charger before removing the locked plug.

I never do this with Tesla home chargers, J1772, or superchargers.
I just press the button on the connector and it stops charging and releases the connector.
Is there a reason you have to do this with CCS/Rivian chargers?

 

[LivingInKaos]

When you press the button on the connector to remove it the charging stops and then the handle releases. This is how I often end my charging sessions.

Unless the connector was malfunctioning I can't see how an arc is possible but then again something here was definitely malfunctioning.

I always stop in the truck first, but I understand that's how it works. I was just saying, there really is very little chance this initiated outside of the vehicle.

I stop in the vehicle, because there have been discussions where just pulling the cable with EA sometimes would not register on the charging head that the session had ended causing issues later trying to charge again on EA plus the head would never cycle out for use by someone else.

 

[azbill]

Therefore, the charger is the likely cause. If I had to guess, I'd say that the liquid cooling system of the charging cable failed, causing the thing to overheat and catch the charging port area of the vehicle on fire. I'm sure that there is a temperature sensor in the charger cable/connector that should alert the charger to an unsafe temperature and shut the charger down.

The connectors do have temperature sensors and that is exactly what causes some stations to throttle charging rates to 30-40kw.

 

[azbill]

The scenario that someone pulled the cable while it was charging causing an arc flash is the only possibility here for a source outside the truck- but even that I doubt. There is a person I know who upon inspecting his 12v batteries found multiple loose 12v connections between the battery and the bus that had been arcing. He got 12v errors which is why he was inspecting. Something like that could be a possibility here given where it looks like the burn was centered- but then, they might have only popped as a result of another burn.

The CCS connector is locked by the vehicle, until the charging is stopped.

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