DigiNow/Super Charger V1

This was DigiNow's initial aftermarket charger product, with a limited release in 2016 and eventually recalled / withdrawn in 2017 with the introduction of the V2.

Product link

DigiNow Super Charger V1 (courtesy of Internet Archive's wayback machine).

Production

This charging product went through an intense development and testing phase in late 2015.

Due to manufacturing quality and contractual issues, this is now discontinued and has been replaced by the DigiNow Super Charger V2 sourced from a different vendor with more reliable technology.

Historical Notes

After an initial private testing phase by Terry Hershner and others, Brian Rice was contracted to document the product and help beta-test in an in-kind compensation deal.

• This documentation effort aimed to help guide Zero dealers and owners through the installation and safe operation of the equipment.
• This documentation also predates this wiki, and the wiki arose from the complications necessary in describing Zero's systems to people without Zero dealership licenses.
• For these reasons, its development is controversial but overall instrumental in community growth.

Features

Monolithic 12kW charging capability.

Power Tank area fitment with forced-air cooling.

WiFi access point serving up a simple JS+HTML web application to monitor and control the unit.

Ordering

Product is discontinued.

Technology

V1 was assembled as a homologated single 12kW high powered switching power supply derived from an existing generic unit to fit in the Zero tank area.

V1 was not a solid state switching power supply, but a full wave bridge rectifier with an embedded controller board, limited circuit protections, and adequate if slightly flawed ingress protection.

eMotorWerks product page for generic/programmable version

Patrick Truchon described some more general information about it

The control board sets up a WiFi access point with a mobile-web application server for adjusting how it operates once it's supplying power.

The control board is powered from the external charging source.

DigiNow has indicated that the V1 situation was difficult for some reason involving the supplier, but specifics are not commented on publicly yet.

Enough V1 units worked reliably for customers in the field to provide a reasonable development platform for understanding the parameters of operation and compatibility issues with various charging station technologies, that fed into the V2 platform.