Home chargers

[StackH]

I was all ready to place an order to have a Ohme Home Pro charger installed, primarily to be able to take advantage of the Octopus overnight tariff, when I found out that it doesn’t yet work with the MG API. The result would be a “dumb” charger that doesn’t know the current state of charge in the vehicle.

I emailed their tech support and got this reply:

“We don't have a API support for MG at the moment but you will still be able to charge your vehicle with the Ohme charger. You will need to set a schedule that specifies how much you would like to add. For example, if your car regularly has 30% charge left after use and you would like to achieve a 100% charge during your charge session, you should set your target percentage to 70% in your charge schedule.”

Is this a problem? All this EV stuff is new to me so not sure if I’m worrying over nothing, or if I need to choose a different charger?

 

[Jomarkh]

The Ohme would work well with Octopus and I am sure the API will come.
In four hours you 7kW x4 so 28kW or just over half the battery capacity.
I keep my MG5 between 40-80%

 

[grayoo]

I contacted MG with regard to API, as my Ohme is being installed next week, their response:

"Thank you for getting in touch with MG motor!

This is currently something the technical team are looking into adding top the new models.

Thanks again for contacting us."

I would suggest, as many people as possible contact MG about this, it may push them along.

 

[KorteX]

To whoever already own one: when the MG is plugged into a standard outlet, isn't it possible to program the charging start time as well as the percentage to be reached in order to stop?

 

[Deleted member 9692]

I contacted MG with regard to API, as my Ohme is being installed next week, their response:

"Thank you for getting in touch with MG motor!

This is currently something the technical team are looking into adding top the new models.

Thanks again for contacting us."

I would suggest, as many people as possible contact MG about this, it may push them along.

I would not get your hopes up on this. The MG API as I understand it has not been released to Ohme. Even if it is, I have had so much trouble with my Ohme charger talking to the BMW API that I have given up on using it as a smart charger. I now use it as a dumb charger and use the BMW onboard timers to get it to charge when I want it to. The problem with Ohme is that every time a manufacter makes a change to their API (frequently in BMW case) then Ohme smart charging stops working and you have to raise a support ticket which takes many days to get a fix. As I say, it happened so often I gave up and I fully expect the same issues if and when the API is released to MG

 

[StackH]

I would not get your hopes up on this. The MG API as I understand it has not been released to Ohme. Even if it is, I have had so much trouble with my Ohme charger talking to the BMW API that I have given up on using it as a smart charger. I now use it as a dumb charger and use the BMW onboard timers to get it to charge when I want it to. The problem with Ohme is that every time a manufacter makes a change to their API (frequently in BMW case) then Ohme smart charging stops working and you have to raise a support ticket which takes many days to get a fix. As I say, it happened so often I gave up and I fully expect the same issues if and when the API is released to MG

That’s interesting, thanks.

The Ohme Home Pro doesn’t seem to be any more expensive than other chargers, so I assume it won’t be any worse than other dumb chargers? Or should I choose something different?

 

[grayoo]

I would not get your hopes up on this. The MG API as I understand it has not been released to Ohme. Even if it is, I have had so much trouble with my Ohme charger talking to the BMW API that I have given up on using it as a smart charger. I now use it as a dumb charger and use the BMW onboard timers to get it to charge when I want it to. The problem with Ohme is that every time a manufacter makes a change to their API (frequently in BMW case) then Ohme smart charging stops working and you have to raise a support ticket which takes many days to get a fix. As I say, it happened so often I gave up and I fully expect the same issues if and when the API is released to MG

Any recommendations on a charger ? If not Ohme.

 

[SueH]

I've been using an OHME to charge a ZS first on Go and then on Intelligent Octopus and have been using the workaround suggested by Ohme with no problems.

I haven't had the need to charge my new MG4 yet but if I have to use a workaround, and although it's slightly annoying, so be it..

 

[Jomarkh]

Any recommendations on a charger ? If not Ohme.

The Zappi and works great with solar panels and a battery.

 

[grayoo]

I've been using an OHME to charge a ZS first on Go and then on Intelligent Octopus and have been using the workaround suggested by Ohme with no problems.

I haven't had the need to charge my new MG4 yet but if I have to use a workaround, and although it's slightly annoying, so be it..

Thx for that. I pickup my MG4 next Monday/Tuesday, charger install for next Wednesday, not on Octopus(yet). Got a pretty good deal after comparing all the other chargers - Ohme seemed good value, so I'll stick with it.

 

[Deleted member 9692]

Thx for that. I pickup my MG4 next Monday/Tuesday, charger install for next Wednesday, not on Octopus(yet). Got a pretty good deal after comparing all the other chargers - Ohme seemed good value, so I'll stick with it.

I was pleased with the price I paid, got a good deal through Octopus. I think as a smart charger it is flawed as any time the car API is tweaked by the manufacturer I lost the “smart” functionality. Their tech support are very good but they never seemed to be aware the API had changed until I told them. At one point they were even using my BMW login details to fix their app as this was the only way they could get access quickly. Far from ideal IMHO. for me, as a dumb charger it works fine and I got it cheap so not overly bothered.

 

[tsedge]

The Zappi and works great with solar panels and a battery.

I will be getting a Zappi. Mainly because it is UK made, you can coil the cable around it neatly and if I get a home battery it will integrate well. They are certainly not the cheapest.

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

I will be getting a Zappi. Mainly because it is UK made, you can coil the cable around it neatly and if I get a home battery it will integrate well. They are certainly not the cheapest.

Myenergi (the makers of Zappi) are about to launch a matching home battery.

 

[Lovemyev]

Any recommendations on a charger ? If not Ohme.

Have you looked at the Hypervolt wall box ????.

 

[grayoo]

Have you looked at the Hypervolt wall box ????.

Yes, it was £100 more installed that the Ohme pro

 

[AndyM]

You can set a charge schedule and a target battery percentage in the app. So set the schedule for your off peak period and the target as whatever you want (80% in my case) then I assume if it can charge in that time to that percentage and it's connected to a charger active during the same period it will.

 

[the briggie]

Thanks for the pictures. I wonder if battery heating draws off the charger not the battery. If so I assume that means you cannot have the charger on a schedule but rely on the car schedule...assuming battery heating overides that schedule and sends charge request to the charger. Apologies if that was long winded

The reason for the question is I am on Octopus Go which is 00:30 to 04:30...too early for battery heating to be effective.

Alan

 

[Bonny 865]

Has anyone had a quote or had one fitted for wallbox evfastchargers please

 

[the briggie]

By evfastchargers do you mean 3 phase 11kw or above or is this a company name? Fast is a DC direct charge term whereas AC chargers are the norm/slow chargers. There is no point in a "fast" AC if the car is limited to 6.6 kw and nobody has confirmed if LR models have L2 and L3 pins in the car socket which may allow 11kw charging.

Alan

 

[KeithB]

I have decided to go for the Ohme Pro as this is the only way to get on the Intelligent Tariff with the MG as it gives 6 hours at 7.5p per kw from 23.30 to 05.30. The Charger is still intelligent and communicates with Octopus but not the car. See email below from Ohme -

Thank you for reaching out.

We do not currently support the API for MG vehicles. However, you can still use our charger and access our smart features.

Please follow the link below to read more about charging without API support:
Charging without API support