Advice on home charger configuration

[Deleted member 2439]

I'm no expert but I believe that when you plug in your wall charger it does communicate with the vehicle, perhaps applies a small test charge (or at least some voltage) before going into standby waiting for the timed charge to start. This was causing issues on earlier vehicles that couldn't take more than one charge (or contact from the charger) without the cable being reseated.

The granny charger on the other hand, being dumb, is only turned on once per charge cycle. You could, in theory, test this by turning the granny on for a few minutes then off and back on a few minutes later, without removing the car plug to see what happens but I think most vehicles don't have this issue now?

The “communication” you refer to is pretty straightforward. It’s a simple on/off waveform, the speed of which determines the charge rate. Think of it as a “faster/slower please”, signal. It obviously starts off fast & then slows right down at the end until it stops completely. With an intelligent fast charger, i.e Zappi, the charger can determine the maximum rate which can be given to the car, with the car then throttling back to zero when it’s full.

Theres a more complex communication between a DC rapid charger and a vehicle - which is what allows the battery % to be displayed on the charger, but again, the car determines the charge rate - essentially advising the charger to “back off” to the point that the battery is happy. This mechanism will become visible to many people for the first time when the temp drops as batteries don’t like charging fast in the cold. Don’t be at all surprised to see rapid charge rates of c 20kW in really cold weather - it’s normal and the battery protecting itself. All EVs do it.

 

[JodyS21]

I've initiated a bit of a test today, using my granny charger, at 16:58.
Had it switched off at the socket, plugged granny into the car, car says "Connected but not charging", locked the car - it locked the plug in the car.
If we don't need to use the car tomorrow, I will wait until it's been over 24hours & then switch on the socket with granny in it; otherwise I'll just leave it as long as possible.
Will see if it starts a charge ok.......
Need to try the same with a rapid (that does a bit of comms when initially connected).

 

[Dave53]

Hi,

Just had a Sync EV charger fitted. Does anyone know if I need to configure the keep awake function with the ZS?

I have the choice of pulse every few minutes or continuous trickle charge until the cheap rate start time which then starts charging at 7kw.

Currently set to pulse, every few minutes I hear a short buzz and the mg light glows white before it stops again.

Thanks in advance.

For the winter months is it not better to use something like the Octopus Go tariff for cheap overnight charging around 5p Kw and let the solar do the house?

 

[Dave53]

For the winter months is it not better to use something like the Octopus Go tariff for cheap overnight charging around 5p Kw and let the solar do the house?

Ignore wrong thread

 

[Dave53]

Depends on it you have one of the first/original cars that hasn't had the software updated, if so then yes need the trickle to keep the car awake, otherwise no you don't & it will wake up to be charged when it's given the "signal" (although I think it only waits for something like 12 hours still so the charge must be started within that window)
Best thing to do is just try it without trickle and see if it works!

I've never heard of this pulse thing before your mention.

What happened originally was that with a charger it started a charge then stopped, the MG thought the charge had ended and shut the charging system down, the cars with the new software doesn't my Zappi2 initiates a small amount of charge then goes to sleep the car screen showed the charge starting then when the small charge stopped it showed connected but not charging there's when the Zappi woke up the charge started, the car has never failed to charge on the Zappi eco ++ setting on the overnight 5p Kw cheap rate

 

[Dave53]

I was thinking of getting an ohme. What do you call a bodge? Also what would you recommend instead? Thanks

If you are prepared to pay a bit extra a Zappi charger is great for a lot of reasons, do a bit of research on them.

 

[Dave53]

That's exactly what I'd heard said.
@DaveandTeena are right though, if they've used the granny and it's been switched off at the socket until hours (>10) later when it's been switched on, if it does charge then the car must be waking up?
I think a proper test is needed......

The car no longer goes to sleep it simply realises now there is a plug in the socket and it waits for the charge, chargers like the Zappi do an initial test charge to make sure the car will take it then stop the charge, I have plugged my car in at 9 a.m. for a charge at 1- 30 a.m. (cheap rate) next day and has worked without an issue. ( so far)

 

[JodyS21]

I've initiated a bit of a test today, using my granny charger, at 16:58.
Had it switched off at the socket, plugged granny into the car, car says "Connected but not charging", locked the car - it locked the plug in the car.
If we don't need to use the car tomorrow, I will wait until it's been over 24hours & then switch on the socket with granny in it; otherwise I'll just leave it as long as possible.
Will see if it starts a charge ok.......
Need to try the same with a rapid (that does a bit of comms when initially connected).

FYI. I just switched on my granny charger at the socket, it was 28 hours since I connected it, it started charging happily.

If I get a chance some day (not very likely soon), I'll do the same with my Ohme 7kW fast charger.

 

[Gomev]

FYI. I just switched on my granny charger at the socket, it was 28 hours since I connected it, it started charging happily.

If I get a chance some day (not very likely soon), I'll do the same with my Ohme 7kW fast charger.

As you never switched it on when you first connected, presumably it hadn't done the handshake at that time, or did it ? Did it lock when you first connected it ?

 

[JodyS21]

As you never switched it on when you first connected, presumably it hadn't done the handshake at that time, or did it ? Did it lock when you first connected it ?

Yeah, It couldn't have done any handshake etc as it wasn't powered on.

Nothing happened regarding locking when I plugged it in. But when I locked the car it locked the plug in place.
Before I switched on the socket I pressed the door lock button (without fob) to see what the dash said, it still said "connected but not charging" like it did when I first plugged it in.
I wanted to give the plug a tug before I switched it on at the socket/did anything, to check it was still locked, but didn't incase it wasn't as it would've ruined the test!

I guess this is interesting in that it shows that it doesn't require any communication to lock the plug in place, the car can/does just decide to lock it on it's own when the car is locked....

 

[Ozzie1989]

I think this shows that because the granny doesn't do a handshake (it can't because it's turned off) it wouldn't simulate the real issue.

Could someone either try it with a smart charger or turn the granny on for 5, wait more than 12 hours then try starting the granny again?

Just a thought

 

[DaveandTeena]

I think this shows that because the granny doesn't do a handshake (it can't because it's turned off) it wouldn't simulate the real issue.

Could someone either try it with a smart charger or turn the granny on for 5, wait more than 12 hours then try starting the granny again?

Just a thought

Just a thought you could actually read what I said last Friday when I said I had it charging until tea time I then unplugged it taking advantage of solar and plugged it back in the following morning taking advantage of solar and it woke up and started charging on the granny charger and maybe try it yourself who knows it might be it only works for the MG ZS EV just a thought

 

[Ozzie1989]

Just a thought you could actually read what I said last Friday when I said I had it charging until tea time I then unplugged it taking advantage of solar and plugged it back in the following morning taking advantage of solar and it woke up and started charging on the granny charger and maybe try it yourself who knows it might be it only works for the MG ZS EV just a thought

Apologies, misinterpreted your message. So you have a ZS? It could be different between the two yes.

I'd love to try it myself but my vehicle is still on a ship somewhere (hopefully)