Reworking EVCC Boards With LIN for Vehicle-to-Grid Capabilities

• Adam MacNair, Electrical Engineering, University of Delaware

• Willett Kempton, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Delaware
• Rodney McGee, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Delaware
• Garrett Ezjack, College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, University of Delaware

Electric Vehicle Communication Controller (EVCC) boards help enable important communication between electric vehicles (EVs), charging cables, and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), including support for advanced functions such as Vehicle‑to‑Grid (V2G). Currently, older versions of EVCC boards are not in use. These can be reworked with new hardware and software to match the capabilities of the newest board versions. To update these boards, an additional printed circuit board (PCB) is soldered on to add Local Interconnect Network (LIN), along with other small modifications to the hardware on the old boards. The goal is to enable older versions of the board to communicate over LIN, which is critical for V2G. After completing the rework, the boards underwent testing to make sure they were properly functioning. These tests were conducted by exchanging the reworked boards in a test charging station that could be connected to a test box acting like an EV car. Iterative debugging addressed intermittent hardware disruptions, requiring detailed board reviews and corrective modifications. Sometimes there were disruptions in the PCB where certain components were causing the board not to function correctly, ultimately leading to a review of the board and its components before making changes and testing it again. The LIN rework was successful and shows promising results for utilizing older versions of our Vehicle Smart Link (VSL) boards, allowing the project to progress to more rigorous testing and development.