Stark charger modifications

[DaveAusNor]

Good morning,

There is a MX track less than 15 minutes from where I live. As i'm waiting on my EX to arrive, I'm considering riding it to the track instead of using a trailer.
I think I read somewhere here that someone removed the charging unit from the stark charging stand so they could use a different stand and still charge the bike. I might try and find something similar that could perhaps be semi-portable, or something I could leave at the moto-track so I can get a bit more riding time in before heading home.

I'm looking for some more information on the charger itself.

Edit: Ok, I found the thread where a member was modifying Freeride charger boxes to fit the stock charger, this is a great option but it seems he has a backlog of orders.
Apparently the varg battery could take more than a 3.3kW charger. So that leads me to another question. Has anyone used a different charger than the stock charger?

Dave

 

[DaveAusNor]

I guess not then, everyone's still using the original charger.
On the Stark site they sell a new charger for 800USD. It would be nice if I could get a generic charger that I could leave someone else for a better price.

 

[Zraaap]

I reached out to that same individual who was modifying the freeride chargers. I haven't kept up to see if he's still producing but I asked if he'd be open to selling me the 3D print STL file since I can find the freeride charger parts online and his STL file is effectively a riser and cable holder (from what I can tell so far), plus I'm in the US and he's in Holland. Unfortunately, I never heard back from him.

I plan to get the freeride charger and just reverse engineer it and make a similar riser and 3D print it if I don't hear from him. I don't want to step on that gentleman's toes if he's still producing the modified chargers but if he's cool with it I'd be open to supplying just the parts to modify the freeride and let folks source the freeride charger housing themselves.

This would all have to wait for me to get my EX in April for me to verify my models and all that. But just throwing it out there.

 

[DaveAusNor]

Keep me posted with how you go. Will be interesting to see if the EX's will still ship with the same chargers/stands or of something in their supply chain has changed there.

 

[Satellite]

I have both the Varg and Freeride. The Freeride case is too large to reasonably put in a back pack. You would be better off putting the Varg charger in a Pelican Case. This case is a little over sized I think the next size smaller would work too and be easier to backpack.

 

[DaveAusNor]

Cheers for the info. I might end up doing something like this then. I think I found the charger stark used. as least for the MX. 3.3kw on board charger
The same company sells a 10kW charger which could probably also work. I'm wondering if I buy myself a second charger, maybe even a fast charger for the MX track. Might have to chat with Stark to see where they are with their fast charger, or if using something else would void the warranty.

 

[Fog 25]

Just take the charger out of the stand and put it in a backpack and take it with you. Ask the track if it’s ok to use a plug for power.

 

[Jake]

Keep me posted with how you go. Will be interesting to see if the EX's will still ship with the same chargers/stands or of something in their supply chain has changed there.

Stark says same charger and stand comes with the EX

 

[Philip]

Poll: Are you using the original Stark Varg Stand/Charger as intended?

The design decision to combine the bike stand with the battery charger has received mixed reviews. Some thought it was cool, whereas others outright refused to lug around the clunky contraption that weighs 41 lbs (19 kg) and came up with various alternative solutions that separated the charger...

electricdirtriders.com

 

[DaveAusNor]

Just take the charger out of the stand and put it in a backpack and take it with you. Ask the track if it’s ok to use a plug for power.

Yea that seems the best option to start with. Then i'll consider buying the track a charger if there are a few of us using it. Electricity is cheap in Norway through the summer, sometimes negative prices, so the track might even get paid a small amount for us to charge
Would be good to see Stark come out with some fast chargers that tracks could monetise.

 

[Satellite]

Just take the charger out of the stand and put it in a backpack and take it with you. Ask the track if it’s ok to use a plug for power.

I would be afraid the wires would get damaged if the charger was just loose in a backpack. They aren't the most robust connections.

 

[AL_V]

I would be afraid the wires would get damaged if the charger was just loose in a backpack. They aren't the most robust connections.

I think you can disconnect those connectors, although I have never done it, and there is that other wire attached with a screw.
Separating the cables would help with the bulkiness, but it still wouldn't be fun to carry...

 

[jim1010]

Maybe it could be possible to put two 3.3 kw chargers in parallel in order to charge faster?

EVPT23-32010 3,3 kW CAN, 320 V (200-420 V) - 10 A

Le chargeur EVPT23-32010 de 3,3 kW est conçu pour battery management system LiFePO4/lithium et les véhicules électriques. Il offre un rendement élevé, une grande stabilité, un encombrement réduit et un indice de protection élevé (IP67). Connecteurs inclus.

evshop.eu

You would still be below the 1C limit.
But the charger has CANBUS, so maybe it cannot be as simple as that.
To anyone who has a charger on hand, how many wires are in the connector that goes into the motorcycle?
Only the two high-voltage connectors or also CANBUS data wires?

 

[drehwurm68]

To anyone who has a charger on hand, how many wires are in the connector that goes into the motorcycle?
Only the two high-voltage connectors or also CANBUS data wires?

The charger in the Varg is labeled as a "C1000" configuration which is not listed in the spec sheet of the EVPT23-32010. But since all CAN configurations start with "C" I'd strongly assume it is CAN as well, probably a Stark proprietary protocol.

Michael