Battery Balance Public Chargers

[Scotsman100]

I am completely at a loss over how to balance the battery on my 2023 MG ZS EV Long Range Trophy. I live in an area where there is no way to charge from home - just no access to run charger lead to car. I trend to rapid charge once a week And use a slower 7/22 kW public charger to try to balance battery, but at every attempt the charge reaches the set level and switches off. The lights on the front charging panel remain solid blue. Is it even possible to balance a battery on a public charger, if not I feel I have been sold a pup!!

 

[Coulomb]

at every attempt the charge reaches the set level and switches off.

Is the set level 100%? You need to charge to at least about 93% before any balancing will happen.

 

[Scotsman100]

Is the set level 100%? You need to charge to at least about 93% before any balancing will happen.

Hi
I set charge to 100%. Started at 85% and it charged for about 2 hours 97% and switched off

 

[MG steve]

I don’t think it can be done with a smart public charger and you need a dumb charger or granny lead at someone’s home if you can’t do it

 

[Scotsman100]

I don’t think it can be done with a smart public charger and you need a dumb charger or granny lead at someone’s home if you can’t do it

Has anyone had success at balancing battery using public charger network? I was completely unaware that I needed access to a home charger or granny charger access to own an EV. Sounds like another nail in coffin for EVs. No where does MG or dealer make this crucial piece of information available before you buy.

 

[Jomarkh]

Hi
I set charge to 100%. Started at 85% and it charged for about 2 hours 97% and switched off

It should balance on any type2 AC EVSE.
Did you try reconnecting at 97% to see if it would carry on charging?

 

[Coulomb]

Started at 85% and it charged for about 2 hours 97% and switched off

I think that means it just needs more balancing. Once it gets more in balance, it should take less time and charge all the way up to 100%. But that's just my guess.

 

[peterseddon]

Had my ZS for 18 months now and charged to 100% on my home charger about 6 times but to my knowledge it has never done a balance yet. I mainly charge at home to 80% unless going on a longish run. I've probably done about 12 rapid charges since I bought it.

 

[Jomarkh]

Had my ZS for 18 months now and charged to 100% on my home charger about 6 times but to my knowledge it has never done a balance yet. I mainly charge at home to 80% unless going on a longish run. I've probably done about 12 rapid charges since I bought it.

Why don't you think it has done a battery balance?

 

[peterseddon]

Why don't you think it has done a battery balance?

Because the display has never said it needed one. It may have just done it as a matter of course when it got to 100% but I've not been awake at that time (00:30 to 04:30) to see if it has done one.

 

[Lovemyev]

Had my ZS for 18 months now and charged to 100% on my home charger about 6 times but to my knowledge it has never done a balance yet. I mainly charge at home to 80% unless going on a longish run. I've probably done about 12 rapid charges since I bought it.

Same !.
Always charge from home ( no rapid chargers used ) always charge to 80% SOC on our LR and only charged to 90% twice and 100% once.
Car is now 18 months old and covered similar mileage.
I preference is to reset both trips and charge to 80% SOC.
This has constantly reported a predicted range of 212 miles after each charge in the default mode, unless the ambient temperature is REALLY low and the prediction is slightly lower.
Just returned from a two week holiday and I left the car parked up with the traction battery at 80% SOC.
On our return, it was still reporting 80% SOC with 212 miles of predicted range.
I found that after owning the Gen 1 model for two years and about 15,000 miles, plus the issues regarding the BMS updates and chasing lost range by constantly charging and balancing etc etc.
The Gen 2 has a much different behaviour.

 

[Scotsman100]

Because the display has never said it needed one. It may have just done it as a matter of course when it got to 100% but I've not been awake at that time (00:30 to 04:30) to see if it has done one.

There seems to be little solid information available about balancing Gen 2 cars. I am sure I read on this forum that the lights in the front charging panel turned green if a successful balance occurred? Sounds like that is not the case?
I still hope someone here will be able to report successful balancing on a public type2 charger

 

[dsimpkins]

I have no charger at home. I charge on 7 and 22 kW chargers where I work. I have successfully balanced charged. I would have had a "run balance charge" warning by now if it hadn't. Only difference is I have an MG4 not a ZS. You should be able to balance charge on an AC public charger.

 

[Lovemyev]

My understanding is that the traction pack does not commence the balance process until it has reached the fully charged state.
It certainly is this way on the Gen 1 ZS EV and I see no firm evidence that suggests it is any difference for the Gen 2 LR model with the NMC battery chemistry.
A problem I see here is that people do not tend to use public A/C charging posts to carry out balance cycles, because doing this will block the post for other people who need to carry out a charge to say 80% and then be on there way.
Pulling a very small current just to balance a pack is not really an economical way of doing things either.
If you have a post at work etc and you are not blocking another person from using the unit, then that is fair enough I guess.
It is recommend that the LR should be charged to 100% when taking on a longer journey, where as charging to 100% consistently is actively encouraged on the standard range with the LFP battery chemistry.
LFP batteries can struggle to predict a true estimate of range when they are charged to a lower SOC figure.
Tesla Bjorn has noted and reported this on EV’s fitted with LFP packs.

 

[Bodgerx]

There seems to be little solid information available about balancing Gen 2 cars. I am sure I read on this forum that the lights in the front charging panel turned green if a successful balance occurred? Sounds like that is not the case?
I still hope someone here will be able to report successful balancing on a public type2 charger

The manual vaguely mentions it.

I wouldn't worry about it and drive the car.

If the car thinks it needs it, it will do it on a AC charger if you leave it plugged it in.

If you think there is a problem with the battery, I would take it to the dealer.

 

[Jto]

I am completely at a loss over how to balance the battery on my 2023 MG ZS EV Long Range Trophy. I live in an area where there is no way to charge from home - just no access to run charger lead to car. I trend to rapid charge once a week And use a slower 7/22 kW public charger to try to balance battery, but at every attempt the charge reaches the set level and switches off. The lights on the front charging panel remain solid blue. Is it even possible to balance a battery on a public charger, if not I feel I have been sold a pup!!

The car will tell you if you need to do a balance but it’s good practice to at least monthly do a balance charge. You say you use a 7kw charger so if you are set to 100% it will do a balance charge if needed even if the car has not indicted it needs doing. The battery management sorts this all out for you so just keep doing what you do and all should be fine.

 

[farmer boy]

I am completely at a loss over how to balance the battery on my 2023 MG ZS EV Long Range Trophy. I live in an area where there is no way to charge from home - just no access to run charger lead to car. I trend to rapid charge once a week And use a slower 7/22 kW public charger to try to balance battery, but at every attempt the charge reaches the set level and switches off. The lights on the front charging panel remain solid blue. Is it even possible to balance a battery on a public charger, if not I feel I have been sold a pup!!

I have a 2022 MG ZS EV Long Range Trophy. It has just had its first service and the dealership said they had never heard of battery balancing?.

I have a 7kw home charger used on scheduled charging so perhaps it's done automatically.

 

[dsimpkins]

If you charge to 100%, it will happen automatically

 

[Rex]

Has anyone had success at balancing battery using public charger network? I was completely unaware that I needed access to a home charger or granny charger access to own an EV. Sounds like another nail in coffin for EVs. No where does MG or dealer make this crucial piece of information available before you buy.

You can charge it up from a public charger , then Surely you can use your granny charger and plug it into your house , even with a extension cord and do the equalisation .
Wouldn't take that long seeing already charged.