CCS Rapid Charge issue

[Daveap]

My 70 plate ZS EV with 34K miles on the clock has been trouble free until now. Last three visits to a rapid charger have resulted in a Maximum charging rate of 25KV DC despite state of charge between 20-80%. After 80% charging drops of rapidly below 25K. Charge times now between 20-80 now takes 90 minutes plus.
I have booked into MG to fix a faulty rear washer pump and asked for advice on charging. First answer was - this is normal to protect the cells. I challenged this saying that MG literature advertises a 50K rate. MG dealer said they no means to check this but said they would consult MG China. Has any other ZS Ev first gen had this slow rapid charge issue?

 

[N2STY]

My 70 plate ZS EV with 34K miles on the clock has been trouble free until now. Last three visits to a rapid charger have resulted in a Maximum charging rate of 25KV DC despite state of charge between 20-80%. After 80% charging drops of rapidly below 25K. Charge times now between 20-80 now takes 90 minutes plus.
I have booked into MG to fix a faulty rear washer pump and asked for advice on charging. First answer was - this is normal to protect the cells. I challenged this saying that MG literature advertises a 50K rate. MG dealer said they no means to check this but said they would consult MG China. Has any other ZS Ev first gen had this slow rapid charge issue?

Unbalanced cells charge slower when was the last balance \ equalization charge

 

[Daveap]

Balance almost every day at work when slow charging. Battery efficiency checked on OBD port and shows 100%. The range when driving lightly on eco and little heat nears 170 so assume battery well balanced.

 

[Jomarkh]

I am surprised the SOH is still at 100% after 3 years and 34k.
How long after it reaches 100% does it stop drawing current after a balance?

 

[Daveap]

The OBD measured explanation may be the 100% figure is based on the envelope it sits within the 44K total capacity- so the clever bit is the battery probably has degraded a bit big still had a usable 40K within the 44K. I never had the battery software upgrade either on basis that more problems resulted from upgrade and on the basis of it isn’t broken don’t fix it!

Balance charge I think is about 45 mins but to be honest never really had reason to time it.

 

[Lovemyev]

The OBD measured explanation may be the 100% figure is based on the envelope it sits within the 44K total capacity- so the clever bit is the battery probably has degraded a bit big still had a usable 40K within the 44K. I never had the battery software upgrade either on basis that more problems resulted from upgrade and on the basis of it isn’t broken don’t fix it!

If it goes into the dealer, that will be the first thing they will be told to do.
They will apply all the available updates for sure !.

Balance charge I think is about 45 mins but to be honest never really had reason to time it.

That 45 minutes feels about right for a car running on the original software to me, which could suggest there is not a large imbalance in the pack ?.

 

[Cocijo]

My 70 plate ZS EV with 34K miles on the clock has been trouble free until now. Last three visits to a rapid charger have resulted in a Maximum charging rate of 25KV DC despite state of charge between 20-80%. After 80% charging drops of rapidly below 25K. Charge times now between 20-80 now takes 90 minutes plus.
I have booked into MG to fix a faulty rear washer pump and asked for advice on charging. First answer was - this is normal to protect the cells. I challenged this saying that MG literature advertises a 50K rate. MG dealer said they no means to check this but said they would consult MG China. Has any other ZS Ev first gen had this slow rapid charge issue?

What max charge rate have you been achieving prior to this and when did it reduce? Have you ever achieved 50kw? Have you tried different rapid chargers?

 

[Daveap]

I have been receiving 50K apart from a few occasions when I have assumed it was the charger restrictions- I have noticed this on a few occasions especially old Ecotricity and now Gridserve. I suppose it is first occasion since charging last September/Oct when it was warmer. I would still expected a 50k dc charge at 10-15c temps. I think i shall persevere with MG dealer under warranty.

From a technical sense I would have expected a complete hardware failure to charge DC or I was wondering if the software was affecting the ability for cells to accept the full 50K to be delivered. May be software updates will solve this.

 

[fatboyfat1981]

I have been receiving 50K apart from a few occasions when I have assumed it was the charger restrictions- I have noticed this on a few occasions especially old Ecotricity and now Gridserve. I suppose it is first occasion since charging last September/Oct when it was warmer. I would still expected a 50k dc charge at 10-15c temps. I think i shall persevere with MG dealer under warranty.

From a technical sense I would have expected a complete hardware failure to charge DC or I was wondering if the software was affecting the ability for cells to accept the full 50K to be delivered. May be software updates will solve this.

I’ve seen everything from 49.8kW on a 50kW charger to 20kW on a 350kW ionity. Other than broad-brush “cold or hot” and “low SoC or high SoC”, irritatingly there are too many factors involved to accurately predict what rate one’s actually going to get from a DC charger.

YMMV, however I am fortunately never in a rush when I need to fast charge, so I decide how many coffees I need or whether to get a book out once I’ve worked out what my charge rate is.

 

[macd2401]

I don't think I've ever seen a charge rate higher than around 35, with the normal being around 25. My pack is out of whack since the multiple trips back to Longbridge.

 

[Lovemyev]

I don't think I've ever seen a charge rate higher than around 35, with the normal being around 25. My pack is out of whack since the multiple trips back to Longbridge.

@Alb regarding the question you asked last week on another thread, when I referred to cars being shipped to the Longbridge site, well it gets a mention here in this post.
Maybe @macd2401 can briefly expand on what services Longbridge still has to offer in regards to providing help for EV’s with complicated problems ?.
I know they still have an engineering team down there for sure, so this suggests they have senior EV tech support as well then ?.
Any info you can provide @macd2401 will be brilliant - thanks

 

[macd2401]

@Alb regarding the question you asked last week on another thread, when I referred to cars being shipped to the Longbridge site, well it gets a mention here in this post.
Maybe @macd2401 can briefly expand on what services Longbridge still has to offer in regards to providing help for EV’s with complicated problems ?.
I know they still have an engineering team down there for sure, so this suggests they have senior EV tech support as well then ?.
Any info you can provide @macd2401 will be brilliant - thanks

I wish I could expand on what they have down there, but I'm totally in the dark about anything and everything about Longbridge. I've had no info about any of the work they've done whilst the car's been down there, and when I've asked the tech at the dealer, he's been told about the same. I think they've got the facilities to open the battery pack (since I'm fairly certain they've replaced a cell), but anything other than that

 

[Malcolm]

I'm pretty happy to find a public rapid charger that works & I can use. In my short experience I have found most don't even show the charge rate & the ones that do I have never seen at more than 35kW on my ZS even the Ionity chargers near me that advertise 350KW. As someone said 6x350kW is enough to power a village of houses. Long range means bigger battery so able to take more charge. 20-80% usually takes just over 1/2hr
Also I've recently had my OBC changed due to AC charge failure & I find no difference to the rapid charge rate.
To 'keep it simple' KIS I work on stopping with about 50mls (30%) & charging to about 90% (150mls) which is 60% of my ZS's 44kWh battery = 26.4kWh so anything less than 1hr is more than that rate so 35kWh will do that in about 40mins. I've used quite a few rapids & never found anything much different so whether or not that's controlled by the OBC or the charger or both I don't know but I think its the OBC. I should mention that I also charge at home most days so the battery is being balanced regularly.

 

[dragon2611]

It’s better to only charge to 80% on a rapid as anything above that is usually sloooow (does depend on the car some have a fast charge rate to 90 or 95)

onboard charger has no effect on dc charging the charger connects directly to the battery, the car tells the charger what it’s happy to receive and the charger communicates what it can provide.

 

[Gadget Geek]

Used a 150kW today at 50% and got 60kW. Traveled 12 miles to the charger, so battery not that warm.

 

[Malcolm]

Sorry Dragon but I think you are wrong on both counts. My ZS charges to at least 90% at the same rate.
The OBC unit contains more that just the AC charger & yes rapid charge is DC the same as battery however I don't think the connection is direct as in 'uncontrolled' otherwise accidental 350kW could adversely affect the relatively small ZS battery. If you think 12v battery chargers then most have a controlled DC output.

 

[Mikey1321]

Ive managed 72kW on Ionity in my LR. That was in cold wet weather, but had just driven 170 miles.