Rivian wall charger install and issues connecting

[Riviot]

I did my own install and it was stated clearly, "to connect the network plug" before putting the faceplate back on the charger. Also, as a side note, you cannot complete the "linking to your account" during set-up until you have the R1T or until the R1 has been transferred from Rivian Service to you upon delivery.........

Sure am glad I installed mine myself, sorry to hear about other’s problems with the charger, mine has been working great.

FWIW unless you're a licensed electrician, per my guide, this would void your warrantee.

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[MrZardos]

When I went to install my charger yesterday the network plug was not connected, which is easlily fixed, but there was also a metalic shield loose in the unit, picture 1&2 below, anybody got a picture of the inside of their 'working' unit? as looking at the charger manual, picture 3, there apprears to be another circuit board in the charger that is missing from my unit. Rivian support are currently looking into this as well.

 

[Nermal]

I've got a case open that I'm told for the last few days is being reviewed by engineering.

I didn't plug the network board in while finishing the install but I watched the electrician do it. I hope a missed connection isn't the case for me. I'd think Bluetooth is on that board too and I connect via that fine.

Rivian Support did suggest no spaces/special characters, etc. and 2.4GHz-only SSID. Luckily, setting up a dedicated SSID to accommodate those suggestions is relatively easy on my network but still gave no joy. Changing my main SSID for that was a non-starter. As I've mentioned in other threads, even if this is 5 year old technology, those limitations would be pretty ridiculous.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of WiFi experience in support and the Rivian FAQs that reps use don't help. For example, they conflate 5GHz and mesh (heard this from 2 reps) - very confusing for me with experience. That kind of documentation could completely put those just learning this stuff off on the wrong track.

To others responses, the charger is charging the truck fine. So happy to have that. I'm not even sure what features connecting the charger provides since I get a wealth of session info from the app communicating with the truck itself and ability to schedule charging from truck's main screen. Having said that, i do like anything that can be connected to be connected

 

[SANZC02]

FWIW unless you're a licensed electrician, per my guide, this would void your warrantee.

That is not true, they would need to show you caused the failure.

Many locations in this country allow for you to work on your own home including electrical work. You just need to get the proper permits and follow the electrical code for the work being done.

Not getting a permit could be a problem though because any issues and your insurance company could refuse to cover it.

 

[Opa]

Make sure there are no spaces in the wifi name. Instead of renaming your main wifi name, create a separate guest wifi

Thank you! I had this exact problem. I had spaces in my network name. I had tried everything from moving my router closer to changing ports on my network switch to doing my Wi-Fi mesh via wired vs. wireless connections with no luck. I made a guest name with no spaces and it worked!!!! (The box did pair with my phone and charge the truck but no WiFi connection). Sadly I can’t test it right now as the truck is at the service center. It decided to throw up a pile of error codes on Friday. Back on the charger topic, for those interested, you can set the max current draw with dip switches inside. Bottom line for me is that I decided to opt for a 50 amp service since I had 8 gauge wire running to my basement garage (and it was a short jump via surface mount conduit to get the wall box in the upstairs garage where the truck is parked). I would have had to run about 150 feet of new 6 gauge wire from my main panel clear on the other side of the house to get the full 60 amp service. In the end decided the extra $1k-$2k for all that wire and (the extra conduit up the side of my 3 story house) through the attic and back down into the garage wasn’t worth the extra juice. Hope I don’t regret that choice and miss the extra 8 Apms I could have gotten going from a 50 to a 60 Amp breaker.

 

[Mark_AZR1T]

FWIW unless you're a licensed electrician, per my guide, this would void your warrantee.

This is inaccurate. As long as the install is correct they cannot void a warranty. You could have an electrician state the install is correct. All the problems in this thread come from licensed electricians not connecting the network connector which is in the instructions.

 

[Riviot]

This is inaccurate. As long as the install is correct they cannot void a warranty. You could have an electrician state the install is correct. All the problems in this thread come from licensed electricians not connecting the network connector which is in the instructions.

I don't disagree! Just letting you know what guides are saying. I only bring it up because he said it every time I mentioned switching out with my ChargePoint.

 

[JeremyMKE]

So my wall charger would not connect to my unified 2.4/5 ghz mesh network. The install guide alludes to this being a problem for the charger but does not offer a solution.

eventually I split the networks into separate SSIDs and lo and behold it worked on the 2.4. What a pain. I am hoping a firmware update fixes this. If I have to reprogram all of my devices ugh. What a pain. This is basic shit, I do not have a cutting edge configured network!

 

[Zoidz]

That is not true, they would need to show you caused the failure.

Many locations in this country allow for you to work on your own home including electrical work. You just need to get the proper permits and follow the electrical code for the work being done.

Not getting a permit could be a problem though because any issues and your insurance company could refuse to cover it.

Agree, some areas in the US, mostly remote, low population areas, do not have a licensing process for electricians. I've run into this on projects my company's electricians do at customer sites. States such as Kansas and others have no state licensing and delegate it to the local municipalities. Some of those municipalities have such a low population (in the few thousand - more cattle than people, lol) that they don't have the resources to manage/enforce professional licenses for electricians, plumbers, etc. Rivian can't realistically enforce this.

 

[blturner]

I have never heard of needing a permit to install an outlet or appliance. But here I am allowed to do my own electrical so it is not like I would notice. However, I did call my electrician to run the line for my Rivian. I will let him deal with the mess that is my breaker box.

 

[crashmtb]

I have never heard of needing a permit to install an outlet or appliance. But here I am allowed to do my own electrical so it is not like I would notice. However, I did call my electrician to run the line for my Rivian. I will let him deal with the mess that is my breaker box.

Not in Kansas, but here until 5 years ago or so the city technically required a permit to do something so simple as changing a light switch!


I don’t plan on connecting the charger to the internet if it isn’t necessary, but if it is I have a separate 2.4ghz only network (called “internet of shit”), on a separate vlan so it doesn’t talk to anything else for IoT crap.

 

[Pixelshot]

Make sure there are no spaces in the wifi name. Instead of renaming your main wifi name, create a separate guest wifi

I'm having the same issue: The charger works just fine (charging) but won't see the Wifi so can't connect. I created a guest network called "Pixelshot" but it can't see it. My phone connects to the guest network (full signal) from the same spot. Any suggestions? I guess I'll have to open a ticket.

 

[LaunchGreen]

I'm having the same issue: The charger works just fine (charging) but won't see the Wifi so can't connect. I created a guest network called "Pixelshot" but it can't see it. My phone connects to the guest network (full signal) from the same spot. Any suggestions? I guess I'll have to open a ticket.

It's probably using a cheap wifi chip - is the guest network 2.4ghz only?

 

[Nermal]

I'm having the same issue: The charger works just fine (charging) but won't see the Wifi so can't connect. I created a guest network called "Pixelshot" but it can't see it. My phone connects to the guest network (full signal) from the same spot. Any suggestions? I guess I'll have to open a ticket.

I just got mine connected this past Thursday after having a ticket open for 3+ weeks. It had gone dark and when I called in for a status they suggested the SSID with no spaces. While a lot of the recommendations make no sense for even a wifi chipset designed 10 years ago with reasonably up-to-date firmware, I figured I'd give it a try and it worked. Things I tried before that may/may not make things happy:
- No spaces in WPA2 Key.
- Turned off 5GHz for that SSID

I think you're saying that the network name doesn't even show up to chose during that portion of setup in the app. For me, at all times charger showed it could see all networks (with spaces, operating on 5 and 2.4GHz). Just would fail to connect. To other's suggestions, make sure its operating on 2.4GHz and any option to hide SSID isn't selected. Also, if it's easy enough to shut off power to charger and take off front/network board, make sure antenna wire wasn't accidentally disconnected - the u.fl connector to the antenna patch is not terribly well protected and, I guess, could get knocked off. If your phone can see network from charger location, poor signal reception due to distance probably isn't the issue.

I will say that, so far, connectivity didn't really get me much. Graphs work and some additional info regarding current and voltage during session.

They have to know that it would be rare for a consumer WiFi device to need what they're asking for. I've got 40+ devices of various eras and levels of sophistication that all are happy on same SSID. Many consumers either won't know how to do what they ask and may no't have network equipment that supports it. If they do get that far, the separate VLAN notion is probably a best practice. Just hope its only the charger WiFI that's this lame in the Rivian ecosystem.

 

[No.92]

I'm having the same issue: The charger works just fine (charging) but won't see the Wifi so can't connect. I created a guest network called "Pixelshot" but it can't see it. My phone connects to the guest network (full signal) from the same spot. Any suggestions? I guess I'll have to open a ticket.

What have you set for security? Is it a 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz network? Try the 2.4Ghz network if you can't connect to 5Ghz. Also, this shouldn't matter, but try making the SSID name all lower case

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