Basic charging.

[Kithmo]

Just a couple of questions. I had the Gen1 2020 ZS, now have the MG4.
Can I just unlock the 4, plug my Pod Point in and lock the car to initiate charging like I did with the ZS ?
If I unlock the 4 whilst charging does it stop the charge, as the ZS did ?
Can I just use the Pod Point's schedule to charge by plugging it in without having to set anything up in the 4 ?
The reason I ask is that there's no mention in the manual of having to start a charge in the car infotainment screen.
I'm just trying to keep things as simple as possible for my 70 year old brain.

 

[RichardC]

I had a Mk1 ZS the same as you, whilst I cannot answer all of your questions if I want to charge I just plug my charger cable in, the lights change colour and that is it.

I just unlock the car to release the charger.

 

[Tight Git]

My SE stops AC charging when you unlock but starts again shortly after.

 

[GaryMG4]

I've used Podpoint at local supermarket, just plug in and it starts charging, you need to confirm the charge on the app otherwise it stops after 15 minutes.

 

[Surfdog]

I've found with the car unlocked charging will start automatically. If you lock the car and then start charging I have to authorise charging via the ISmart app and enter my unlock pin.

 

[Grriff]

I'm due to take delivery of our MG4 in August but I'm reading the manual in preparation. The instructions on charging are to connect the vehicle and then lock it. But page 175 states that at the beginning of the charging process information is displayed within the instrument pack message centre. So presumably at this stage you haven't locked the car!
I suspect it's going to be a bit of trial and error.

 

[Diggsy]

I’ve found you can either lock the car to start the charge, or lock the charge port / start charging from either the car or the iSMART app.

 

[MuzGB1970]

Not sure if different on the SE but my Trophy will just start charging as soon as you plug in, no need to lock, you can have all the doors and boot open if you wish, sit in the car, lock or unlock, whatever, it doesn't matter.

 

[KH11]

Not sure if different on the SE but my Trophy will just start charging as soon as you plug in, no need to lock, you can have all the doors and boot open if you wish, sit in the car, lock or unlock, whatever, it doesn't matter.

Called at Birch Services yesterday and there was a few cars charging up with their drivers sat in the car

 

[Rolfe]

My car was charging on the granny charger, when I needed something from the car. Went out to the garage, unlocked the car, got whatever it was, locked it up again and went back into the house. Fortunately realised from the app that it had stopped charging. I had to go back out, unlock the car again, unplug it, and plug it back in. It then condescended to resume charging.

 

[Kithmo]

So from what you guys have said, if the charger is live (not in standby on a schedule) I can simply plug it in, it starts charging (any delay ?) then I can lock it. No further interaction required.
To stop charging I just unlock it and unplug it quicky before it relocks.
If my charger is on a schedule and on standby when I plug it in, can I lock the car, will it still start charging when the charger schedule begins or will I have to initiate a charge when the charger becomes live ?
I don't want to leave the car unlocked when charging overnight.

 

[Ian Key]

Set the charging schedule on either the car or on the charger but not both.
Unlock the car and open the charging flap. If it doesn't open you've taken to long between unlocking and opening the flap so unlock the car again.
Plug the cable into the car then lock the car and walk away.
After the charging has finished unlock the car and remove the cable.

 

[Kithmo]

Set the charging schedule on either the car or on the charger but not both.
Unlock the car and open the charging flap. If it doesn't open you've taken to long between unlocking and opening the flap so unlock the car again.
Plug the cable into the car then lock the car and walk away.
After the charging has finished unlock the car and remove the cable.

So if the charger is scheduled and I plug in and lock the car before it starts, it will start charging ok when the charger comes live ?
What confused me about that is someone said if you lock the car before it starts charging then it doesn't start.

 

[Ian Key]

So if the charger is scheduled and I plug in and lock the car before it starts, it will start charging ok when the charger comes live ?

Yes. It's what I do
If you are still uncertain why not set a short charging schedule of one hour and see if it works tonight? Then if for some reason it doesn't work it gives you a chance to try again before you have to charge the car.

 

[Kithmo]

Yes. It's what I do
If you are still uncertain why not set a short charging schedule of one hour and see if it works tonight? Then if for some reason it doesn't work it gives you a chance to try again before you have to charge the car.

I'll try that later in the week. My pod point schedule is all day Saturdays and Sundays to coincide with my off peak rate so I've just charged to 80% using the plug in and lock it method with success.
Had a bit of a moment though, when I got back in to change the charge level to battery saver it stopped charging when I selected battery saver, What I didn't realise is that it defaults to the level it's at before you slide the slider up.

 

[jonginn]

If my charger is on a schedule and on standby when I plug it in, can I lock the car, will it still start charging when the charger schedule begins or will I have to initiate a charge when the charger becomes live ?

In my experience yes.

I do the following:

1. Get out of the car, leave it unlocked
2. Plug in the charger (it doesn't start immediately until the charger reaches its own schedule)
3. Lock the car
4. Walk away

Then my car is fully charged by the morning. I unlock the car to release the charger.

Hope that's helpful!

 

[Plodalong]

I hope this post isn’t too far off topic. I have an MG4 SE LR. The manual is a bit vague about timing of equalisation charging, but I think once a month is okay.
I’ve read that when the SoC reaches 100% the charging rate falls to about 0.2kW for an hour or so to enable the cell balance.
I use a granny charger at home and when the charge reaches 100% the iSMART app shows the charging rate still continues at 2kW. After 30 minutes I stop the charge, in case this might be doing damage.
Any ideas about what is going on and how I can achieve the correct balancing charge. Or is it something to be concerned about or should I raise it as a fault with the main dealer?

 

[Rolfe]

I think you should just leave it to do its thing, unless you really need the car and have to interrupt the charge.

I have an SR so the situation is not the same, but I am seeing something very similar to what you describe. I use a granny charger at home, and the app tells me when it expects the car to finish charging. It draws about 1.8 KW while it's charging, according to the app. Then when the time the app flagged up as finishing time is reached, charging doesn't stop entirely. First of all, it will go on for a bit after reaching 100% on the app, I think because it's only at 99.6% or something like that and will keep charging until a true 100% is reached. But even then it keeps going, in my case drawing about 20 watts (usually, I've occasionally seen it spike as high as 80 watts) for about half an hour. If I refresh the app screen during that time it will always tell me that finishing time is NOW, but that goes on until it's ready, at which point the app changes to showing a blank where the finishing time was, and it's all done. (I have seen exactly the same whenever I have used a type 2 charger.)

The first couple of times I saw this I stopped the charge because I wasn't sure what was happening, but it was explained to me (on the forum) that this was the battery balancing, and just to let it do it. The SR does it every time. It's not big deal to interrupt it once in a while, but normally just let it finish in its own time.

I believe the LR doesn't always decide to balance at the end of a charge, the battery management system decides whether or not it will do it. I also believe it balances at a higher wattage than the SR, when it does it. I don't know what to make of yours going on at as much as 2 KW, maybe it's only at 99.6% and still needs a bit longer, but I'd be inclined to assume the car knows what it needs and not stop the charge. Watch to see what happens, until the app shows no finish time and you're done.

 

[Ian Key]

I hope this post isn’t too far off topic. I have an MG4 SE LR. The manual is a bit vague about timing of equalisation charging, but I think once a month is okay.
I’ve read that when the SoC reaches 100% the charging rate falls to about 0.2kW for an hour or so to enable the cell balance.
I use a granny charger at home and when the charge reaches 100% the iSMART app shows the charging rate still continues at 2kW. After 30 minutes I stop the charge, in case this might be doing damage.
Any ideas about what is going on and how I can achieve the correct balancing charge. Or is it something to be concerned about or should I raise it as a fault with the main dealer?

It won't overcharge so leave it charging. Eventually it will drop down to the 0.2kW balance charge and then stop.

 

[Rolfe]

I guess that's what I said, but very very much more succinct!