Connecting to Real PLC Hardware
ChargeLink runs on Windows for all charging communication over Ethernet and IPv6, and for IEC 61851-23/-24 System A (CHAdeMO) over Kvaser CAN interfaces. A real powerline (PLC) link to a vehicle or a charger is different: it needs the DEVlink PLC Relay Unit, a Linux-based transparent bridge for IPv6 placed between the ChargeLink PC and the PLC modem. This page explains why, and how the parts fit together.
Boundary. ChargeLink 0.5.0 has no command or option for a PLC link and does not run SLAC. The DEVlink PLC Relay Unit is not part of ChargeLink 0.5.0. Contact DEVlink for its availability.
What runs on Windows alone
No extra component is needed for these setups:
| Setup | Link | Where it is documented |
|---|---|---|
| ChargeLink as charger or as vehicle with your DUT | Ethernet and link-local IPv6 between the ChargeLink PC and your DUT | ChargeLink as Charger, ChargeLink as Vehicle |
| NI VeriStand HIL rig | Ethernet and link-local IPv6, with the ChargeLink charger coupled to a VeriStand plant model | NI VeriStand Bench |
| IEC 61851-23/-24 System A (CHAdeMO) | Kvaser CAN interfaces | IEC 61851-23/-24 System A (CHAdeMO) Runbook |
| MCS (ISO 15118-20 over 10BASE-T1S) | A USB 10BASE-T1S adapter and link-local IPv6 over the 10BASE-T1S cable | MCS Runbook |
| Self-test without a DUT | Both roles on one PC over the IPv6 loopback stack, or ChargeLink on two PCs | Self-test without a device under test |
The DEVlink PLC Relay Unit
The DEVlink PLC Relay Unit is a Linux-based transparent bridge for IPv6, placed inline between the ChargeLink PC and the PLC modem. It is needed because SLAC frames, which match the vehicle's and the charger's HomePlug Green PHY modems, are raw Ethernet frames that Windows cannot send without a third-party packet driver.
| Traffic | What the unit does |
|---|---|
| ISO 15118 / DIN 70121 IPv6 traffic | Passes through transparently. |
SLAC frames (HomePlug, EtherType 0x88E1) | Go to ChargeLink. |
In this design, SLAC and all protocol logic run in ChargeLink on Windows, and the unit contains no protocol logic. The ChargeLink side has one unit and one PLC modem board; your vehicle or charger (the DUT) connects with its own modem over the charging cable.
PLC modems
The DEVlink PLC Relay Unit is designed for HomePlug Green PHY modems based on the Lumissil IS32CG5317. For other modem chips, contact DEVlink.
Commands
ChargeLink 0.5.0 has no command or option for PLC. Use the setups in What runs on Windows alone.