Charging update

[Cliff Mitchell]

Several weeks ago I posted an issue with my 2021 ZS EV. Briefly, the car refused to charge on my 7kw home charger and my granny charger. Took the car to the dealer for assistance and to get my second annual service. The dealer serviced the car and updated the BMS and OBC (on board charger). All good, no problems. Took the vehicle home and guess what? The vehicle still refused to charge. Took the car and the chargers back to the dealer who tested the car and the chargers. No problem both worked well. Took the vehicle home and, you guessed it, not charging.

Plugged my granny charger into my neighbors power point and it started charging. To cut a long and frustrating story short, some time back I organised a new internet provider with a new modem. It didn't work particularly well so I purchased a wi-fi extender. It appears that this powerline device uses the power circuit to communicate with a second device, thus creating 'noise' on the power circuit. Even though the chargers were on a different circuit to the wifi extender, apparently the 'noise' is distributed to a number of power circuits. In the end, I disconnected the wifi extender and the car charged happily on both the granny charger and the 7kw charger.

The moral of the story is that 20-21 ZS EV's are sensitive to this type of 'noise', be aware and avoid the frustration of blaming the car when it was the house that was causing the problem.

 

[pollenface]

That's an interesting observation, glad it's sorted now

 

[Kithmo]

Is you home charger on it's own circuit from the meter or on the main consumer unit ?
Mine is on it's own circuit, I've had no problems at all and I have powerline extenders and a WiFi extender in my mains circuits.
I suspected it may be the way the charger is wired but having said that, my granny charger works fine as well from the my garage circuit (could be the noise is less due to the distance ?).

 

[Alb]

Powerline adapters are a well known source of interference and have been widely discussed in these forums. You may get lucky and find you don't have a problem but many people do.

 

[Cliff Mitchell]

Is you home charger on it's own circuit from the meter or on the main consumer unit ?
Mine is on it's own circuit, I've had no problems at all and I have powerline extenders and a WiFi extender in my mains circuits.
I suspected it may be the way the charger is wired but having said that, my granny charger works fine as well from the my garage circuit (could be the noise is less due to the distance ?).

My 32amp circuit (7kw) is seperate to my granny circuit, but it was explained to me that they both attach to the buss. Although I have three phase on my home, all of the circuits in use are attached to a single phase.

 

[Kithmo]

I guess I must just be lucky.

 

[Bazzer44]

Me too

 

[google1901]

HI, just caught sight of this, so a little late. Since 2020 (1st gen ZS EV) & now MG5, both trickle chargers, work fine. This is with 'multiple' (across power circuit) broadband extenders. Yes, I use several (home worker) extenders, although my trickle chargers are on seperate consumer unit(old style/fuses) & never an issue. As to the problems you've experienced I can only guess you've other 'noise' contributing to the WiFi/broadband extender signals. Eliminating one set of noise sounds good, but is there another?

NB.
Apologies, have to correct myself! All extenders (on seperate consumer board) communicate with my main broadband extender on the same circuit as the trickle charger!

 

[Tim Green]

Noise on power lines is very unpredictable and depends very much on local wiring and the impedance of the local mains source. Hence some people get problems whilst others don't.

 

[Cliff Mitchell]

Fortunately for me, the resolution is simple. I disconnect my wifi extender while I charge and reconnect when charged. A permanent solution is being devised as we speak.

 

[Tim Green]

Try to connect the wifi extender and/or the car granny charger as close to the incoming mains supply as you can- this should give the lowest impedance source. ie. probably the mains socket closest to the consumer unit, even if you have to use an extension lead.

 

[Cliff Mitchell]

Solution: Threw the Powerline extender into the bin and bought eero extenders. Works perfectly with no interference with the charging of the car.

Another mystery solved.