...like teardrops...in the rain 😥

[DaevM]

Likely to be trying to use DC charging on the public network in the midst of Storm Nelson later on today (I'm going home, I've done my time etc ).
MG manual says don"t charge in rain, don't consider it if it's even mildly wet, don't stand in puddles and dry everything thoroughly if it's even mildly damp, prior to risking your life by attempting to charge in the rain foolish gweilo (ish).
My previous was ChadeMo, never had a problem. I'm assuming this is just SAIC policy of plausible deniability and as this is the UK with associated wet weather patterns it would be fair enough to say we just ignore it?

 

[Ian Key]

Try and find somewhere to charge where the car's charging port is on the sheltered side of the car.

Probably too late for you now but I've got one of these from Amazon to keep the rain out when charging. It attaches to the car with a magnetic strip sewn into the edge.

 

[DaevM]

Thank you for that Ian.
I guess the more serious query would be :
Has anyone ever had a problem with the car caused by rain when charging?

Historically I was an electrician at a certain Cornish docks for a while. Mostly my team provided electricity supplies to ships that were in for work and powered down. Generally 3 phase 128kw down.

We, being trained to UK safety standards, would always work to those standards, ensuring everything was connected before powering up.
However, our eastern european cousins bought in to increase profitability, welding teams etc, worked to different standards and could regularly be seen dragging live 64kw cables (occasionally damaged) across flooded steel decks, with lashing rain coming in from the sea, with their bare hands. Never saw one of them flying across the deck, eye sockets smokin'. It's a strange old thing, electrickery.

 

[Ian Key]

After a quick Google. Yes it's safe to charge in the rain.
Sorry for not replying sooner, I had to take the dogs out

EV charging and driving in the rain? | bp pulse

We can help bust any safety worries about rain and your EV. Let’s dive straight in.

www.bppulse.co.uk

 

[Adam C]

Thank you for that Ian.
I guess the more serious query would be :
Has anyone ever had a problem with the car caused by rain when charging?

It was one of the questions I asked the dealer when I picked up the car.

He said absolutely no problem using public chargers. All he did say to me is he wouldn’t recommend using a granny charger + an extension lead if it was absolutely chucking it down

Only once though since I’ve had the car has it been charging why raining. I left it on a Mer charger (it has no covers) it was lightly raining. I walked into town to grab a few bits & the heavens opened up. Got back to the car, it was still charging & I survived stopping the charge, unplugging etc.

I do carry a cloth in the car so like then if I see some water in & around the charging flap I just give it a wipe. I have read you don’t even need to do this as all the vital parts are properly sealed but I just do it for peace of mind.

 

[KH11]

It was one of the questions I asked the dealer when I picked up the car.

He said absolutely no problem using public chargers. All he did say to me is he wouldn’t recommend using a granny charger + an extension lead if it was absolutely chucking it down

Only once though since I’ve had the car has it been charging why raining. I left it on a Mer charger ( it has no covers ) it was lightly raining. I walked into town to grab a few bits & the heavens opened up. Got back to the car, it was still charging & I survived stopping the charge, unplugging etc

I do carry a cloth in the car so like then if I see some water in & around the charging flap I just give it a wipe. I have read you don’t even need to do this as all the vital parts are properly sealed but I just do it for piece of mind.

I charged a few times in the rain over Christmas. The hotel we stayed at whilst we were there had some 7kw chargers free to use for hotel guests. So we took advantage and kept topping the car up even though it was raining no problem and I am still here to tell the tale lol

 

[Flightengineer]

No problem to charge during heavy rain at all. I do this all the time. As known we have here in Israel pretty heavy rain at winter season. Furthermore I charge my second car (fiat 500E) already more then 2 years old under heavy rain without any issue.

 

[MuzGB1970]

I've not used a public charger in heavy rain as yet but I charge on our work 3-phase when it's chucking it down with no issues. The design of the sockets and plugs was carried out with the natural elements in mind, so providing your MG4 isn't sitting in 4 feet of standing water then I think you'll be fine.

 

[dsr]

I stupidly got myself into a situation where I had to granny charge for a morning in heavy rain. I tied a plastic bag over the charging port area, which seemed to keep things reasonably dry at the sharp end. The car happily survived - and I made it to a public charger!

 

[Martinonline]

I keep a roll of cling film in the car and use that to provide a cover. Works well unless it is blowing a hooligan as well as raining.

 

[dawson2099]

Never had a problem - difficult to actually manage - plug in at night when the weather seems fine - starts raining during the night - get up and do something? I think not. I might get one of the covers mentioned above though, just in case

 

[salty]

Shouldn't have to be messing about tieing plastic bags and putting cling film on or whatever else for that matter over the charging port. I definitely won't be doing that.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

I use an old towel , most of the water is diverted around and not driven onto the plug which still gets wet. As in your first sentence, you could tie it on with a yellow ribbon.

 

[siteguru]

When I'm charging my car on the driveway the charge port is facing the usual prevailing wind (hence rain). I simply plug in and then push the charge port against the plug/cable (to provide a modicum of protection) and then leave it alone to charge. Not had any issues at all.

 

[PeteC]

I've used rapid chargers (Gridserve and Tesla) in pouring rain with no problems. Just plugged in as usual and let it get on with it. Same with AC charging at home.

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

Likely to be trying to use DC charging on the public network in the midst of Storm Nelson later on today ( I'm going home, I've done my time etc ).
MG manual says don"t charge in rain, don't consider it if it's even mildly wet, don't stand in puddles and dry everything thoroughly if it's even mildly damp, prior to risking your life by attempting to charge in the rain foolish gweilo ( ish).
My previous was ChadeMo, never had a problem. I'm assuming this is just SAIC policy of plausible deniability and as this is the UK with associated wet weather patterns it would be fair enough to say we just ignore it ?

I've charged and discharged in torrential down pours .............
Nothing to worry about.
Pretty sure they designed it that way.
I dont recommend trying to charge submerged though m8! but my guess is, you will be otherwise engaged in saving your own life rather than the charging situation!

 

[DaevM]

I've charged and discharged in torrential down pours .............
Nothing to worry about.
Pretty sure they designed it that way.
I dont recommend trying to charge submerged though m8! but my guess is, you will be otherwise engaged in saving your own life rather than the charging situation!

I suspect as much following 4 years of ChadeMo charging but when I saw the instructions in the manual ...

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

I suspect as much following 4 years of ChadeMo charging but when I saw the instructions in the manual ...

As said up above "Muchos Buttock Covering" by SAIC

 

[Rolfe]

That's the same manual that tells you never to use rapid charging, right? Makes you wonder why they even bothered to fit a CCS charging port.

 

[Mitch AC DC]

He said absolutely no problem using public chargers. All he did say to me is he wouldn’t recommend using a granny charger + an extension lead if it was absolutely chucking it down

home charging with granny charger [evolution method], extension lead+granny lead in a plastic bucket with a Lid facing away from rain direction. Tie a plastic bag around input + wedge footwell rubber-mat into bonnet gap [forms an umbrella] 2 years