Instavolt

[Jacob93]

Were

So today, I tried for the first time to charge at Instavolt in Kings Lynn, at the Costa. I've only ever charged at home and that works ok.
Followed the instructions, fitted the cable and a countdown on the screen started. So I pressed start charging in the car and......... Nothing. So we tried again with the car doors closed, and the start charging on the app. Nope... Nothing. I've had the car since April and never tried up to now. We got to where we were going with 24% left, but I'm confused where we went wrong.
I'm disabled btw hence not using them before.

only ever used public charging twice so not much experience myself. Did you try with the doors locked?

 

[Rolfe]

I have an SE SR and I've charged twice at Instavolts with no trouble at all. The second time was just a week ago. It was so painless I can't remember it in enough detail to give you proper advice cancel that, it's coming back to me. I do remember that I didn't have to start the charge in the car though. I also didn't have to lock the car.

Is it possible that you confused the charger by trying to start the charge on the app or in the car? I'm sure I did neither, the charger did it all by itself.

The second one was at a farm shop in Cumbria. The CCS cable was short and as thick as my forearm. I showed the charger my debit card and that was OK, then it said I had (I think) 180 seconds to connect the car. That was when I realised the cable wouldn't reach my charging port. I had to reposition the car to the left of the charger (damn I wish the MG4 would go with a door open, sometimes it's really handy). When I got back out the countdown was still going so I thought, maybe this will time out but go for it. I got the damn heavy cable into the car and heard the car lock on to it, and the countdown went on and went on, but I waited. Eventually the car and the charger came to some sort of agreement and the charge started.

So that was it. Tap card on charger screen, then connect car, then just wait and it happened.

Another thing. Chargers have telephone numbers on them and there are real people at the other end (with the reputable companies anyway). Never leave a charger you're having trouble with before you've phoned the helpline. The operator can probably talk you through it, and if there's real trouble they can start the charge remotely.

 

[AdyC]

Should work fine with the app or on the charger . I have used them a few times with no issues. The only charger i have had issues with was one of the ionity chargers which requested the car be powered down which i did through the informant system and it started fine. Most though just plug in and start no issues.

 

[SimonS]

On CCS I’ve only ever used the screen on the charger. No need for the app or the screen in the car.

 

[Tig170]

I used one recently, I think all that i did was to place card on the reader to start, plug in, then placed card on reader to stop, and unplug.

 

[GaryMG4]

I've used the Costa/McDonalds Instavolt at Downham Market without any issues, likewise the ones at Necton.

 

[Deleted member 14300]

Were

only ever used public charging twice so not much experience myself. Did you try with the doors locked?

Yes, tried everything. Then tried genie fast charge at Morrisons. Percentage was at 22 and the car wouldn't again talk.

 

[Deleted member 14300]

Yes, tried everything. Then tried genie fast charge at Morrisons. Percentage was at 22 and the car wouldn't again talk.

It charged at 3.5 kWh today on a diff genie point.

 

[Deleted member 14300]

So the car doesn't have to be at 10%?
It's really screwed this holiday up as partner has had to go home as her dad is poorly and the car felt ruddy useless for me.

 

[Rolfe]

There's something very odd going on. Most people on the forum are having no trouble charging on Instavolts or indeed other public chargers. Have you managed to get the car to charge on any CCS DC charger? My car, an SR, was charging at 86 Kw on the Instavolt at Greenlands Farm Shop. It went from about 16% to 97% while I had lunch. (I had only meant to go to about 80%, but the restaurant service was so slow I stayed longer than I meant to.)

I'm just remembering that a number of people were reporting difficulty connecting to CCS chargers about a month ago, possibly after they had a software update. Another software update cured the problem. I wonder if you have been caught in the same issue.

 

[dsimpkins]

I've used several Instavolts, and the only time I had trouble was by not following the on screen instructions. I'd plugged in the CCS connector, and then fired up the app, but the process is fire up the app, and follow the instructions in the app to start the charge. You initiate the payment first, then plug in the connector.

 

[pmknowles]

Yesterday I tried to charge using Instavolt at the McDonalds on the A43 just before M40. It tried to connect and failed after 30 seconds. Went to the (non-Instavolt) ones at Cherwell Valley Services - worked fine. Instavolt at Copt Oak today did exactly same thing. Guy on phone tried various combinations of locking and unlocking doors. No joy. Plugged into a BP pulse in Enderby and it's fine
Used Instavolt several times so not sure what's changed.