MG4 balancing/equalisation charge

[JimmyTwotimes]

Hey everyone

Saw a vid on YouTube on battery balancing for the MG4 so wondered how important it is.

I've never done it nor was I advised by the dealer to do it (had the car about 4 months from new). Did a search on here but only found info related to the ZS.

So:

1. Should I do it for my MG4 Trophy?
2. How often?
3. I use intelligent octopus Go and a Zappi charger. The charging will stop when it hits whatever percentage I've set it for, so how do I force the charge to keep going past the set amount for charge, to achieve the balancing?

Any info appreciated or links to a thread if one already exists.

Thank you.

 

[jpk]

You should, it's in the owners manual somewhere and it's been asked quite a few times on here so there'll be plenty of search results

 

[DewiSant]

Hey everyone

Saw a vid on YouTube on battery balancing for the MG4 so wondered how important it is.

I've never done it nor was I advised by the dealer to do it (had the car about 4 months from new). Did a search on here but only found info related to the ZS.

So:

1. Should I do it for my MG4 Trophy?
2. How often?
3. I use intelligent octopus Go and a Zappi charger. The charging will stop when it hits whatever percentage I've set it for, so how do I force the charge to keep going past the set amount for charge, to achieve the balancing?

Any info appreciated or links to a thread if one already exists.

Thank you.

Just leave it plugged into your wall charger at home and it will do it automatically as required. Only really becomes an issue if you do a lot of rapid charging.

 

[JimmyTwotimes]

Just leave it plugged into your wall charger at home and it will do it automatically as required. Only really becomes an issue if you do a lot of rapid charging.

Thanks Dewi - can this be done at 80% or should it be done at 100%?
Also, I was under the impression the Zappi stops charging once it reaches the desired percentage, and would ignore any necessity for balancing or is that wrong?

Thank you

 

[DewiSant]

It will only do it at 100%. I don't have a Zappi so can't comment on that.

 

[Martinonline]

I disagree. I have see balancing at whatever percentage level I've set. However, you should do it at 109% in accordance with the manual so that the battery management system (BMS) knows the latest highest energy levels in each cell.

 

[AndyL61]

It will only do it at 100%. I don't have a Zappi so can't comment on that.

It will balance at whatever limit you have set to charge to. As long as the charge point continues to supply power . So 70%, 80%, 90% it will balance , however it is recommended to balance at 100% once a month or whenever you can.

 

[Spaniard]

Not only is mentioned on the user manual to do it but even threatens (indirectly) to lose your warranty if you don't!

Also a full discharge-charge every 6 months (less than 10% to 100%) is mentioned

 

[Coulomb]

So 70%, 80%, 90% it will balance ,

Are you sure? I have in the back of my head that my ZS EV Mk 1 (NMC chemistry) balances at 93% and above; I forget whether that's display or real SoC percent.

Any LFP models would certainly only balance effectively at high levels of SoC, because of the flat voltage versus SoC curve. The BMS needs to see a measurable cell voltage difference before it can balance.

 

[AndyL61]

Are you sure? I have in the back of my head that my ZS EV Mk 1 (NMC chemistry) balances at 93% and above; I forget whether that's display or real SoC percent.

Any LFP models would certainly only balance effectively at high levels of SoC, because of the flat voltage versus SoC curve. The BMS needs to see a measurable cell voltage difference before it can balance.

I am talking about NMC battteries not LFP. Also relating to MG4.

 

[JimmyTwotimes]

OK thanks all. Will charge the battery to 99% on the Zappi overnight and then try to get that final 1% and the balancing done when I wake I so i can visibly see if the 'battery balancing' message shows on the car's display.

Guess that's the only way of knowing that it is being done and that the Zappi hasn't stopped the moment it's reached 100%.

 

[Ian Key]

OK thanks all. Will charge the battery to 99% on the Zappi overnight and then try to get that final 1% and the balancing done when I wake I so i can visibly see if the 'battery balancing' message shows on the car's display.

Guess that's the only way of knowing that it is being done and that the Zappi hasn't stopped the moment it's reached 100%.

If the battery is being balanced the Zappi app will show the charging rate approximately between 0.7 and 0.2kW and you will be able to see the drop in kW on the charging graph.

 

[AndyL61]

It will show on the app as being at 100% but the charge rate will drop down to less than a kW (varies a bit ) . This can go on for quite some time, it can be over an hour. Balancing is only finished when the rate goes down to zero and you will see it as charge complete on the app, and also charge lights on the car will go off.

 

[JimmyTwotimes]

So the zappi will keep going if the balancing is needed?

 

[GaryMG4]

I made use of yesterday's sunshine and charged mine to 80% using the granny. Once it reached 80%/200 mile it sat there charging for the best part of an hour with the consumption at around 1.9kW for 20 minutes then dropping slowly to 95W, eventually it finished charging still showing 80/200.

 

[davethomasson]

How often should this be done?

 

[JimmyTwotimes]

From the info I've gleaned having asked similar question, about once a month if possible.

 

[AndyL61]

So the zappi will keep going if the balancing is needed?

It would have to be in some kind of dumb mode so it just charges when plugged in.

 

[JimmyTwotimes]

So potentially using intelli octopus go might stop it balancing.

 

[Rolfe]

I merged a couple of newly-started threads about the same topic.