Charging door light

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jray3

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 6, 2011
Messages
1,871
Location
Tacoma area, WA
I've been on the lookout for a low profile LED lamp that would provide some light when the charging door is opened. This instructable may be good start- I hadn't seen that 'ribbon tape' LED option before. The parasitic load of having the LED run even at all times wouldn't be much (and you could get a cool blue halo eminating from around the door at night). Of course my first impulse would be to have it on a microswitch so that it only lights up when the charging door is opened...

http://www.instructables.com/files/orig/F51/W5PC/H3NNEYRD/F51W5PCH3NNEYRD.pdf
 
I'm currently working on an Open EVSE and mine will have a bright LED in the center of the J1772 plug which runs off the EVSE

A light in the plug is so easy to do and makes so much sense I can't imagine why it wasn't part of the original J1772 spec

Don
 
Yeah, like the Voltec unit, IIRC. All EVSE should have a flashlight in the handle. Will yours just come on when pressing the latch button? If my door light install gets hairy, I may resort to a penlight zip-tied to the EVSE handle.
I ordered this LED set to stick inside the charging door.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-x-Blue-3528-SMD-3-LED-Strip-Light-12V-Car-Lamp-IP65-Waterproof/110906102336?ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1&ih=001&category=71536&cmd=ViewItem
 
Does anyone have a picture of the charge port lamp? I have a 2012 which does not have it since it was standard on the 2014. Is it possible to install it on to my 2012 imiev? :shock:
 
imiev, as you can see I've moved your post over to this old thread on the same subject and there's probably another discussion here somewhere...

My wife always parks her i-MiEV going forward into the garage against the right wall where I've located the EVSE very close to the charge port. I've installed a carefully-positioned small battery-powered LED closet light on the wall (tap-to-light) which she actually uses! Parks the car in exactly the same spot every time with the wine cork on a string against the square on the windshield wiper. For myself, in the dark I just fumble and use my fingers to locate the tip of the J1772 plug and port to shove it in as there's nothing there to zap us.
 
I received a PM from imiev that what he is looking to do is retrofit his 2012 i-MiEV with an OEM charge port light, and not rig up some sort of kluge.

Would someone with a 2014-2016 i-MiEV be kind enough to take a photo of the light and post it here and perhaps discuss how that light is activated? Is there a visible switch?

I've always been perplexed as to why our 2012 i-MiEVs don't have a "charging port open" indicator/warning. Did that change in subsequent years? That switch/sensor could also provide the signal to turn on the LED port light.
 
My son bought us this battery powered charge port light for our Chevy Bolt but I wonder if it could be used on an I-Miev?

It looks like a homemade 3d printed device that's held in there with double stick tape so I can't really test it on my I-Miev although I'm tempted to buy another just to find out. It works well on the Bolt thought.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/718621301/chevy-bolt-charging-port-light
 
These little $1 OT-50 flashlights at Wal-mar have a bright 50 lumen beam with very high true color rendition, batteries are included. The LED emitter is round vs square die of most lights, so no weird geometric artifacts in the beam (e.g. maglite). Best value for a buck that you will ever spend.

e526f53d-ec38-411f-92a4-bd21ab63ec03.00b43ec28ceef714e7c285af8cfb0310.jpeg
 
ed5000 said:
My son bought us this battery powered charge port light for our Chevy Bolt but I wonder if it could be used on an I-Miev?

It looks like a homemade 3d printed device that's held in there with double stick tape so I can't really test it on my I-Miev although I'm tempted to buy another just to find out. It works well on the Bolt thought.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/718621301/chevy-bolt-charging-port-light

Let us know what it looks like when you get another one - At $32.50 with shipping, someone is probably clearing $20 or $25 on everyone they sell. For that $$$ I think I'll make my own

Don
 
Don said:
ed5000 said:
My son bought us this battery powered charge port light for our Chevy Bolt but I wonder if it could be used on an I-Miev?

It looks like a homemade 3d printed device that's held in there with double stick tape so I can't really test it on my I-Miev although I'm tempted to buy another just to find out. It works well on the Bolt thought.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/718621301/chevy-bolt-charging-port-light

Let us know what it looks like when you get another one - At $32.50 with shipping, someone is probably clearing $20 or $25 on everyone they sell. For that $$$ I think I'll make my own

Don
Sorry I'm just finding this. :oops:

I checked the charge port light when I got home and it was too large to fit in the I-Miev. I'm not sure about the quick charge port but it was a pretty specific fit for the Bolt.

I'm sure someone could make their own light for less $ or find a light like Kiev found. It's a convenience thing. There could be a little computer chip in there that turns the light off since the charge door will be left open for awhile.
 
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