The main principle of sequential charging is to ensure that all buses connected to the charger complete the bulk charge before they leave the depot in the morning. This is based on the “first come, first served” principle. Here’s how the sequential charging process works:
Start Charging:
- Park the electric vehicle with the charge inlet within reach of the connector.
- Turn off the electric vehicle.
- Connect the charger’s connector to the vehicle’s charge inlet.
- If there are no other buses already connected that require bulk charging:
- The charger will automatically start charging the vehicle after the preparation phase, indicating progress through LED states.
- If there is another bus already connected and being charged:
- The LED state will turn green and start blinking until the other charge session(s) are complete.
- After completing the other charge session(s), the charger will automatically start charging the vehicle after the preparation phase, indicating progress through LED states.
Stop Charging: 6. The charge session will automatically stop after completing the bulk charge mode. The standard setting is 95% state of charge (SOC) for this setup, but it can be customized.
- If another bus is connected to the charger and requires bulk charging, the charger will stop the current session and automatically switch to the next bus in line.
- The charge session can also be stopped manually by pushing the stop button on the Depot Charge Box GEN2 or the stop button on the bus (if available).
This sequential charging process ensures efficient utilization of charging resources while prioritizing buses based on their arrival time at the depot, thus optimizing the charging workflow for multiple vehicles.