ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: craigunger on March 07, 2018, 01:28:05 AM
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Hi there,
I am about to pick up a 2017 Zero DSR .
I am thinking of adding a power tank for greater range but i still want fast charging :)
It seems the Diginow is the solution to go with but is this still true if my tank is already spoken for with the power tank?
Would the built in Zero charging circuit be removed if i go with diginow or will i end up with both? Or is it my choice?
What capacity should i go with? I understand the 9.9 will still keep the look of the bike if installed externally (from Brandon at Diginow).
If i go with a 9.9 wouldnt i be better off keeping the built in circuit since most charging stations wouldn;t be able to provide enough juice for a 9.9 (or do i have that wrong)
Also just to clarify how will i be plugging in at charging station (J plug for diginow and perhaps a second plug if i retain the built in charging circuit)
Thanks for your patience i am a complete noob.
Thx,
Craig
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You won't lose the onboard (overnight) charger in any case. The power tank and/or Diginow will be an adjunct, not a replacement. As far as size is concerned, keep in mind that the great majority of stations now are limited to a little less than 6kW....of course, that's not going to be true in the future. And as I understand it, Diginow's 9.9kW solution has TWO inputs; if you use only one, you'll get up to 6.6kW, using both will give you the 9.9kW.
I love the Diginow solution, and I recommend it highly. I was one of the first people to install one on my bike, though....well, there's a long story there.
But I don't use it very often. Honestly I've probably only used it a couple dozen times, on maybe half a dozen long(ish) trips now. But my days of wanting to see the entire country on my bike are pretty much past me now.
So I've been thinking that maybe having it (or other high-powered charger) in a case that fits in the top box or a side bag makes more sense, for me. I could then use the power tank for more day-to-day utility, or just remove the extra weight when I don't need it.
I'm on the fence right now. If I was buying a new bike, it would be a tough decision. Might be the best of all worlds -- extra range, faster charging only when you need it.
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Thanks Doug for the valuable insight!
I think Brandon at Digipower said i would replace the built in charger on the bike. Perhaps that is because the Diginow 9.9 does have 2 plugs and you would never have it plugged into thhree outlets at once?
Anyone have experience with the 9.9 diginow?
Thx,
Craig
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I don't have any but the two "plugs" refers to two J1772 plugs not the standard wall outlet plugs.
So you would need a side by side charging station setup and both of them not in use to get your 9.9kws.
Also I'm wondering if we are looking at the same 2017 DSR :)
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I used 2 digiNow superchargers (6.6kW) on my trip from NH to NJ last summer riding a 2016 Zero SR. Now I have 3 Superchargers and plan to mount them for travel this summer. You just use a J1772 plug for 2 Superchargers and another J1772 plug for the other Supercharger. That would give you as much juice as it can take.
Last summer I also used 2 Elcon chargers so my bike could use 2 charging stations at the same time.
Video of using them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR7UL3gBDF0
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> You won't lose the onboard (overnight) charger in any case...
That's what I thought, but then I saw William Morgen's setup. It's diginow's first end-user install in place of the original charger, and it's pretty professional looking. Three bricks in the pan, at the cost of maybe 3/4" of clearance. Also there's the doctorbass replacement plate solution, which closes it up even better. Two or three where the original charger is looks like it works fine.
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Two diginows fit in topcase very nicely. With this you can have powertank, and fast charging.(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd128/dukecola/IMG_2637_zpsvfrrfr5i.jpg) (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/dukecola/media/IMG_2637_zpsvfrrfr5i.jpg.html)
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I haven't been on the site in a few months. Are those Diginows still running about $1500 for the US version?
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That's what I thought, but then I saw William Morgen's setup. It's diginow's first end-user install in place of the original charger, and it's pretty professional looking. Three bricks in the pan, at the cost of maybe 3/4" of clearance. Also there's the doctorbass replacement plate solution, which closes it up even better. Two or three where the original charger is looks like it works fine.
I'm aware of those solutions, and the fact that the Diginow will run on 115VAC. I should have said that you don't HAVE to lose the factory solution if you want to keep it. I did, since it's the one I use 95% of the time, and it keeps me from having to build and use an adapter to run the Diginow on 115VAC.
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Two diginows fit in topcase very nicely. With this you can have powertank, and fast charging.(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd128/dukecola/IMG_2637_zpsvfrrfr5i.jpg) (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/dukecola/media/IMG_2637_zpsvfrrfr5i.jpg.html)
photobucket link broken.
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I contacted Hollywood Electrics and they no longer carry the Diginows. I've tried contacting Diginow directly and have not hear back from them. Anyone else know how to purchase one?
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Go to the Diginow facebook page and check out my new 9.9kw belly pan charging system. Brandon is the guy you want to contact for your own system.
https://www.facebook.com/digiNowInc/posts/1599883060131713
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I contacted Hollywood Electrics and they no longer carry the Diginows. I've tried contacting Diginow directly and have not hear back from them. Anyone else know how to purchase one?
New contact info: https://www.facebook.com/digiNowInc/posts/1599934206793265?notif_id=1523584025669898¬if_t=notify_me_page&ref=notif
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I got a different product from Diginow about a month ago.
Lets just say Bradon isn't a slave to Email, but he will get to it. :)
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Two diginows fit in topcase very nicely. With this you can have powertank, and fast charging.(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd128/dukecola/IMG_2637_zpsvfrrfr5i.jpg) (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/dukecola/media/IMG_2637_zpsvfrrfr5i.jpg.html)
I was under the impression that to install 2 diginow chargers you will need the charge tank plastic. Is that not correct? Fyi the photobucket link is broken.
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Snow4us, you "can" use the tank option but now they have a setup where you use the space under the bike where the onboard charger is now. It's the same size pan but you take off the Zero onboard charger and replace it with the diginow charger(s).
It lets you keep your storage tank or power tank if you'd like.
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The tank install location is still the default method. They do support Zero's Charge Tank plastics, and Zero has provided a separate tank centerpiece and J1772 inlet support bracket on request.
The onboard charger replacement method is still being refined, although I'm hearing good things about how they're learning to work with Zero's systems better and manage cooling in the confined space within the stock belly pan (while not touching the battery case to avoid unnecessary thermal conduction). There's also the prototype replacement belly pan.
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Snow4us, you "can" use the tank option but now they have a setup where you use the space under the bike where the onboard charger is now. It's the same size pan but you take off the Zero onboard charger and replace it with the diginow charger(s).
It lets you keep your storage tank or power tank if you'd like.
It doesn't quite fit in the same space. You loose a little clearance, but very tolerable for most of us.
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Still not sure of the answer to my question. Is there room to install 2x superchargers in the tank area without having to order the chargetank plastic? I was under the impression that only 1 supercharger would fit under the stock tank.
As for the new solution using the original charger placement/ pan mod, this looks very attractive as it would allow for the addition of the powertank. This option also keeps the additional weight of the superchargers low. Are there any people that have DIY installed the pan mod? Does this install allow you to keep the stock charger for additional charging capacity?
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> Still not sure of the answer to my question. Is there room to install 2x superchargers in the tank area ...
I think terminology is getting in our way. A diginow "supercharger" v2 is a control unit, and 1-2 bricks for a single J-plug, perhaps more if your Zero has extra battery capacity.
Two bricks fit comfortably in the empty tank area under the factory plastics. Brandon's machined aluminum piece with a pair of fans exhausting through the steering is very effective.
Third brick is a trick, but Anton and Brandon have done it successfully. Cooling becomes the issue and perforation might be necessary.
Ordering plastics, hmmm... do you have a storage area in your plastics? Do you mind cutting it away? I think that's why people order plastics. But you wouldn't have to. Personally, my tank plastics are in storage, and I'm using a honda CBR600RR cover I got on ebay. But you may be more finicky about fit and finish than I am. Most people are : - )
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Still not sure of the answer to my question. Is there room to install 2x superchargers in the tank area without having to order the chargetank plastic? I was under the impression that only 1 supercharger would fit under the stock tank.
You don't have to order ChargeTank plastic if you're OK with DIY solution. I went ahead with PowerTank plastic since back then that was the only option; now I believe stock locking plastic makes it a breeze. I managed fit 3x units under stock tank.
(https://i.imgur.com/vkrpMAl.jpg)
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Still not sure of the answer to my question. Is there room to install 2x superchargers in the tank area without having to order the chargetank plastic? I was under the impression that only 1 supercharger would fit under the stock tank.
You don't have to order ChargeTank plastic if you're OK with DIY solution. I went ahead with PowerTank plastic since back then that was the only option; now I believe stock locking plastic makes it a breeze. I managed fit 3x units under stock tank.
(https://i.imgur.com/vkrpMAl.jpg)
Thanks Anton. DO you have any photos you can share of how you were able to squeeze the three chargers in?
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Thanks Anton. DO you have any photos you can share of how you were able to squeeze the three chargers in?
Here you go :)
(https://i.imgur.com/5XdwZTa.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vDiFUuZ.jpg)