How to stop AC charging?

[sgt4hed]

Or when your MK2 gets updated, you can just unlock the car, and it will stop charging and unlock the type-2 connector.

If you lock the car again, it will resume charging, and also, if you do not remove the cable it will resume charging after 1 minute as well even if you do not lock the car.

Massively easier in the morning, unlock car, take Type-2 out, close the charge port and lid, and get in the car and drive off.

As far as I am led to believe, that feature isn't available on the MK2 in the UK yet, or at least my dealer has told me there are no outstanding software updates at the moment

 

[sgt4hed]

Not with mine!

Although I have finally figured out a way of stopping my Zappi,but when we're on a PodPoint or Pulse charger, the only way to stop the charging is the emergency release cable.

that can't be good for the car... pulling the plug while still charging is going to arc somewhere and runs the risk of frying something important.

 

[Alb]

I'd imagine that the plug is designed so the pilot connection opens before the power such that power is disconnected or clamped before the physical break occurs?

 

[DuracellBunny]

I'm sorry if I'm being obtuse, but since the 'charging whilst unlocked' update, I cannot find a way of stopping the charge to remove to type 2 connector. I've searched the forum and been through the handbook several times, but short of popping the bonnet and pulling the emergency release, I'm stumped!
Obviously before the update I just unlocked, but now?
Can someone please advise as it's driving me mad!!

Most of the time using the FOB to unlock the car unlocks the cable too.

 

[Coulomb]

I'd imagine that the plug is designed so the pilot connection opens before the power such that power is disconnected or clamped before the physical break occurs?

It is, but that doesn't leave much time for the power to ramp down. I imagine that it's just milliseconds, which is a fraction of one cycle of 50Hz. I doubt that you can totally eliminate arcing, especially if the plug is yanked out quickly.

 

[PVchris]

that can't be good for the car... pulling the plug while still charging is going to arc somewhere and runs the risk of frying something important.

It doesn't do that.... When you pull the release cord, it stops the charging before you pull the plug. But there must be a way of stopping it without popping the bonnet?

 

[Alb]

It is, but that doesn't leave much time for the power to ramp down. I imagine that it's just milliseconds, which is a fraction of one cycle of 50Hz. I doubt that you can totally eliminate arcing, especially if the plug is yanked out quickly.

Indeed, you wouldn't need to eliminate arcing, just reduce it to a tolerable level. If current is controlled by IGBTs using PWM it can be clamped very rapidly. I've seen this technique adopted for variable speed machines rated at tens of MW as a means of protecting upstream VCB in overcurrent scenarios.

 

[Coulomb]

If current is controlled by IGBTs using PWM it can be clamped very rapidly.

Yeah, I've been over-thinking it. The input circuit of the charger will be a boost converter. There is no need to waste time reducing the AC current as a series of ever smaller amplitude sine waves, just open the transistor, and the inductor will simply dump all its energy into the load as fast as possible, ramping its current linearly down to zero. As long as the input isn't disconnected during that time (which will be one or two PWM cycles, not mains cycles, i.e. tends of microseconds), the current will soon be zero, and there will be no arcing.

 

[sgt4hed]

So, I have found out that if the car has already stopped charging (this is a Mk2 btw) i.e. when it is full, pressing the unlock button will release the plug, but it will not stop the charge (at least on a 7kW slow charger, haven't tried a rapid charger yet).

 

[Lovemyev]

So, I have found out that if the car has already stopped charging (this is a Mk2 btw) i.e. when it is full, pressing the unlock button will release the plug,

On the Gen 2 model I can confirm that this is correct.
As I always charge our Trophy LR using the delayed charging facility, to take advantage of our cheap “Off Peak” tariff and usually up to 80% SOC.
The car is set up in two ways, either charge up to 80% and stop, or it is set to complete five minutes before the end of the cheap “ Off - Peak” ends at 6.00am.
Or which ever arrives first !.
After the charging has completed, when I approach the car in the morning and press the unlock button on the fob, it will unlock the cable from the car instantly.
Worth noting here, that at this point the wall box has already returned to the “Standby” state ( blue LED light on the front panel ) hours ago, which may have some link to why you are able to unlock the cable from the charge lead ?.
Because I never charged on the day time rate ( far too expensive ) I have never tried unlocking the car with it still charging, to see if it will release the cable.
My guess will be NOT !.
The Gen 1 version would stop the charge when you press the unlock button on the fob though.

 

[hmadsen]

As far as I am led to believe, that feature isn't available on the MK2 in the UK yet, or at least my dealer has told me there are no outstanding software updates at the moment

I did not know it was here, maybe the feature has only been released for the 3 phase charger cars. (I dont know why they would not make it for all models, but this is the only difference i can think of)

Offcourse this is also when using a 1 phase charger.

Tried a 11 KW destination charger last week, and it is also stopped when i unlock, which is a bit silly because this is a charging session i pay for, that is suddenly interrupted. Did not try a relock to see if the session could be continued, but atleast the boot can be opened without stopping the charging.

 

[Elec Car Aust]

I'm sorry if I'm being obtuse, but since the 'charging whilst unlocked' update, I cannot find a way of stopping the charge to remove to type 2 connector. I've searched the forum and been through the handbook several times, but short of popping the bonnet and pulling the emergency release, I'm stumped!
Obviously before the update I just unlocked, but now?
Can someone please advise as it's driving me mad!!

Hi PV, I would just hit the lock or unlock button on the key fob and it should unlock the charge lead lock. We cover similar stuff from my experience being an MG ZS EV owner in my videos on the Aussie EV YouTube channel Electric Car Australia. Enjoy the new MG