Failed Gridserv/ABB charging in MG4

[Tonych]

Had a day to try a journey in my new MG4 so headed over to Braintree Gridserv to charge and see how fast it would be. Arriving with 30% charge I tried a 90kw charger. It failed to start twice. I tried another and it started then failed within 10 seconds. In the end I tried 5 x 90kw and 2 350kw chargers - some more than once.

I was there so long trying that other cars (Peugeot and 2 BMWs) arrived and connected quickly to chargers that had failed for me.

I spoke to one of the staff who said the Ora Funky Cat refuses to connect with to ABB chargers but she was vague in whether the MG4 had issues.

Anyone managed to charge successfully there? Is it a software issue? Significantly affects my plans for longer journeys as I've always thought Gridserve pretty reliable compared to other providers.

Also wanted to say, I visited a few times in my ZS EV and when Braintree first opened and learned that some chargers are closer to transformers and wouldn't connect. So I found that charging well.away from the building was best.

So this time I tried different banks and positions of charge post - all unsuccessful.

I guess my question is, is it just my car or is it MG 4 software?

 

[adiel]

I had the same with the Utra Rapid Gridserve chargers. To solve the problem I now use the Infotainment System to turn the car off under the Safety tab before starting a charge and I've never had a fail since.

 

[siteguru]

The only Gridserv I've tried is the one at Gretna Green services (before its position was moved). It worked fine, albeit not at a huge rate (about 48kW was the quickest I saw, but that might have been partly to do with the starting SoC).

 

[Rolfe]

The one at Gretna worked for me after the AppleGreen one I tried didn't. I didn't have any trouble with the Gridserve at Southwaite either.

 

[Tonych]

I had the same with the Utra Rapid Gridserve chargers. To solve the problem I now use the Infotainment System to turn the car off under the Safety tab before starting a charge and I've never had a fail since.

Thanks - wish I'd thought of that! I had locked the car as connecting tho and assumed that meant it was "off"

Had a day to try a journey in my new MG4 so headed over to Braintree Gridserv to charge and see how fast it would be. Arriving with 30% charge I tried a 90kw charger. It failed to start twice. I tried another and it started then failed within 10 seconds. In the end I tried 5 x 90kw and 2 350kw chargers - some more than once.

I was there so long trying that other cars (Peugeot and 2 BMWs) arrived and connected quickly to chargers that had failed for me.

I spoke to one of the staff who said the Ora Funky Cat refuses to connect with to ABB chargers but she was vague in whether the MG4 had issues.

Anyone managed to charge successfully there? Is it a software issue? Significantly affects my plans for longer journeys as I've always thought Gridserve pretty reliable compared to other providers.

Also wanted to say, I visited a few times in my ZS EV and when Braintree first opened and learned that some chargers are closer to transformers and wouldn't connect. So I found that charging well.away from the building was best.

So this time I tried different banks and positions of charge post - all unsuccessful.

I guess my question is, is it just my car or is it MG 4 software?

Update - I stopped at MFG that I had charged at successfully once on the way home. First charger failed, second one started then stopped after putting 17% charge in and wouldnt restart and then the third wouldnt start. Each time £35 taken as a deposit! I also stopped at a Shell rapid and that failed to start, so I am thinking this is definitely a car issue.

 

[adiel]

Update - I stopped at MFG that I had charged at successfully once on the way home. First charger failed, second one started then stopped after putting 17% charge in and wouldnt restart and then the third wouldnt start. Each time £35 taken as a deposit! I also stopped at a Shell rapid and that failed to start, so I am thinking this is definitely a car issue.

I have found the MFG 150kW chargers to be reliable with my MG4 Trophy. I generally experience a quick handshake/connection and speeds of 130kW+. What I have found is if you do get a charger fail to start its then difficult to get another charger to work successfully at the same site unless you turn the car off before the charge starts.

 

[Tonych]

The one at Gretna worked for me after the AppleGreen one I tried didn't. I didn't have any trouble with the Gridserve at Southwaite either.

I have had constant trouble getting my ZS EV connected to the Applegreen charging network

 

[Veryfatbloke]

Interesting. I was in Norfolk the week before last and had 5 successful charges at the Gridserve Norwich Electric Forecourt. Times varied from 6.05am through to 10.45pm.

To be honest it couldn’t have been easier. I have a Trophy.

 

[Tonych]

Interesting. I was in Norfolk the week before last and had 5 successful charges at the Gridserve Norwich Electric Forecourt. Times varied from 6.05am through to 10.45pm.

To be honest it couldn’t have been easier. I have a Trophy.

That's great to hear..I've done the "hard reset" and will try again!

 

[Rolfe]

I have had constant trouble getting my ZS EV connected to the Applegreen charging network

What actually happened? With me, I got "the car did something unexpected" then thrown off the charger. Some people have suggested shutting the car down from the infotainment screen rather than just using the door handle button or the key to lock it.

 

[PeteC]

What actually happened? With me, I got "the car did something unexpected" then thrown off the charger. Some people have suggested shutting the car down from the infotainment screen rather than just using the door handle button or the key to lock it.

When I had trouble with the Applegreen chargers at Gretna I did shut the car down from the main screen for every attempt, so I'm not sure that does it! I tried 3 different chargers until one of them finally decided to connect. I did nothing different with any of the attempts as far as I know so no idea what was going on. It charged fine once it had connected.

 

[Rolfe]

I tried the same charger three times, but then rather than move to another Applegreen one, I moved to a Gridserve I saw vacant. I had vaguely wondered how fast the SR would charge on the ultra-rapid Applegreen, but the answer was, not that fast if it's going to take forever to connect! I saw other people on the Applegreen connectors though, and nobody was actually spitting carpet tacks.

 

[seibegee]

I may have missed something, my first time with CCS (having used chademo faultlessly for 4 years). Alone I park at a rapid charger bay, power off using the infotainment safety screen power off button. get out and close the car door, count to 10, open the charge door, insert the ccs plug, the charger screen says 'communicating' then says 'success use app or rfid or app to commence charging', (although worryingly I don't hear the car latch and lock the CCS plug in like the chademo used to. Start charge using app, green tick on charger screen then long pause nothing until screen says 'communication failed please return the plug'. I don't hear the car latch and lock the CCS plug in.
I hear it lock the plug when charging on Type2 AC at home. Tried 5 different rapid charges all relatively new in my area same communication problem, not one worked. R16 software on SE long Range delivered in May. Dab and FM radio failed warning screen pops up saying 'usb not recognised'. Took 3 days unanswered emails and phone calls to MG Poole earliest booking date 7 September ! They recommend I call RAC breakdown ! Can anyone help, Done hard reset on infotainment screen Tried all the advise on the forum lock don't lock power off count to 10. I've even stood on one leg whilst plugging in.

 

[Rolfe]

I have an odd thing with the rapid charger that's 400 yards from my house. Every time, first time I try, it aborts the process before connecting to the car and says put the connector back in the holster. Then follows a wait of up to two minutes while the charger does some sort of meditation process, then I start again and everything works.

 

[Tonych]

What actually happened? With me, I got "the car did something unexpected" then thrown off the charger. Some people have suggested shutting the car down from the infotainment screen rather than just using the door handle button or the key to lock it.

It.just fails connect 90% of the time with Apple green - no idea why. I just don't bother trying now.

I may have missed something, my first time with CCS (having used chademo faultlessly for 4 years). Alone I park at a rapid charger bay, power off using the infotainment safety screen power off button. get out and close the car door, count to 10, open the charge door, insert the ccs plug, the charger screen says 'communicating' then says 'success use app or rfid or app to commence charging', (although worryingly I don't hear the car latch and lock the CCS plug in like the chademo used to. Start charge using app, green tick on charger screen then long pause nothing until screen says 'communication failed please return the plug'. I don't hear the car latch and lock the CCS plug in.
I hear it lock the plug when charging on Type2 AC at home. Tried 5 different rapid charges all relatively new in my area same communication problem, not one worked. R16 software on SE long Range delivered in May. Dab and FM radio failed warning screen pops up saying 'usb not recognised'. Took 3 days unanswered emails and phone calls to MG Poole earliest booking date 7 September ! They recommend I call RAC breakdown ! Can anyone help, Done hard reset on infotainment screen Tried all the advise on the forum lock don't lock power off count to 10. I've even stood on one leg whilst plugging in.

The "communication failed, please return the plug" is precisely what I got at Gridserv a dozen times. Sorry, don't know what to advise as I tried all I could think of

Thanks - wish I'd thought of that! I had locked the car as connecting tho and assumed that meant it was "off"


Update - I stopped at MFG that I had charged at successfully once on the way home. First charger failed, second one started then stopped after putting 17% charge in and wouldnt restart and then the third wouldnt start. Each time £35 taken as a deposit! I also stopped at a Shell rapid and that failed to start, so I am thinking this is definitely a car issue.

Further update - tried a different MFG site today and charged without issue. Started with 40% charge and rate was 101kw, dropping to 56kw at 80%. Happy with that!

 

[Tight Git]

The "communication failed, please return the plug" is precisely what I got at Gridserv a dozen times. Sorry, don't know what to advise as I tried all I could think of

I've had that a couple of times at Shell chargers - it appears to be a fault with the charger, not the car. Can't comment on Gridserve but your issue was probably the charger.

Glad you got one going!

 

[Rolfe]

That's roughly what I get every time at my local ChargePlace Scotland charger. Then it goes away and thinks to itself, with some red lights coming on, then it lets me try again, and all is well.

 

[Daniel Brown]

I had the same with the Utra Rapid Gridserve chargers. To solve the problem I now use the Infotainment System to turn the car off under the Safety tab before starting a charge and I've never had a fail since.

It's recommended in the manual to do this anyway

 

[dawson2099]

Have been on holiday in Wroxham this week and used the Gridserve Norwich Forecourt on 5 separate occasions. On each occasion I hit 137Kw during the charging process. I did a couple of long journeys during the week, including one back home to Kent (with a slow BP Pulse charge to get me back to Gridserve) and a trip to Ipswich which required a 35 mile diversion on the way back, not all charges were to 80% but I had no issues whatsoever.

Norwich gridserve is a template for future charging stations. Great location and facilities. Hit 140Kw at 20% SOC.

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

Norwich gridserve is a template for future charging stations. Great location and facilities. Hit 140Kw at 20% SOC.

If only Gridserve would build, say, 20-30 more (or indeed any of the ones they already have planning permission for!).