MG4 Charging Cables

[Dan C]

Just to throw this into the mix, I collected my MG4 yesterday and it came with a type 2 cable not a granny lead.

I’m not sure which is the best “secondary” option for charging as my home charger will be used virtually all the time and have a petrol car for longer / remote trips.

 

[MoDolph]

The MG4 has adjustable charging rates from the infotainment system. I'd suggest setting it there rather than relying on the pEVSE to do it for you.

View attachment 11426

FWIW I have an unused "official" MG pEVSE "granny" lead that I don't want in its MG branded case left over from my MG5 that I'll sell on if anyone's interested.

That's great, I didn't know you could do that. In that case, I agree, any old granny charger will do. Although I would prefer a 10A option for when I'm somewhere with a good quality socket.

 

[vini]

is it just me that thinks a grannie cable should come as standard, as these would be used generally as a last resort? type2 type2 cables should be offered as a free sweetener, or maybe vastly discounted. I know it seems like the end of days, but hey, give us a break

 

[BugEyed]

I would prefer a 10A option

That's the default of decent pEVSE, no more than that should be drawn continuously from a BS1363 plug for any period of time. The cheap imported ones that sometimes allow 13, 16 or 32A are frankly dangerous.

 

[BugEyed]

I would prefer a 10A option

That's the default of decent pEVSE, no more than that should be drawn continuously from a BS1363 plug for any period of time

 

[the briggie]

My current EV came with both. Once I got my charger installed the granny has been used zero times. Handy for going on a self catering break in the UK with access to a plug...and extension leads. To me that's about it nowadays...even though you should not use an extension lead I built a higher amp rated one just in case

Alan

 

[D1no]

is it just me that thinks a grannie cable should come as standard, as these would be used generally as a last resort? type2 type2 cables should be offered as a free sweetener, or maybe vastly discounted. I know it seems like the end of days, but hey, give us a break

They do come with the granny as standard, however, supply issues have impacted the first vehicles, hence being given a type 2 as an alternative.

It doesn't really matter, the car comes with one and you'll probably need to buy the other. Personally, I'd prefer the type 2 for use in supermarkets etc, as the granny would only ever be in a real emergency, albeit that's when you'd really need it.

As for a free sweetener, I'm sure they'd be happy to do that once the list price is raised by about £200!

 

[TimB]

In the owners handbook (page 166) it says the car comes supplied with an "emergency home charging kit"
Is this cable not upto day to day use?
Tim

 

[RichardC]

They do come with the granny as standard, however, supply issues have impacted the first vehicles, hence being given a type 2 as an alternative.

It doesn't really matter, the car comes with one and you'll probably need to buy the other. Personally, I'd prefer the type 2 for use in supermarkets etc, as the granny would only ever be in a real emergency, albeit that's when you'd really need it.

As for a free sweetener, I'm sure they'd be happy to do that once the list price is raised by about £200!

That’s good to know that the granny comes as standard, as it did with my ZSEV. From what I had tried to work out it was unclear.

When I bought my EV I also bought a Type 2 as well. The granny has been used, when on holiday, with an extension lead and there have been no issues. The type 2 has been used when I have charged at supermarkets etc.

 

[MoDolph]

That's the default of decent pEVSE, no more than that should be drawn continuously from a BS1363 plug for any period of time. The cheap imported ones that sometimes allow 13, 16 or 32A are frankly dangerous.

I know but some default to 12A or 13A which is dangerous.

*Edited as I just saw you mentioned the 13A ones

 

[BugEyed]

In the owners handbook (page 166) it says the car comes supplied with an "emergency home charging kit"
Is this cable not upto day to day use?
Tim

Moot point. It's against wiring regulations to use a circuit on a "regular" basis to charge an EV without the circuit meeting the requirements for Earthing and over voltage protection. So if you travel between various properties then it's fine legally, and either way the cable itself is safe, but the issue is the safety of the sockets that you use.
Personally I wouldn't use it regularly, and if you bring the safety of a socket up to the required level a proper charge point is hardly a lot more expensive.

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

Just to throw this into the mix, I collected my MG4 yesterday and it came with a type 2 cable not a granny lead.

I’m not sure which is the best “secondary” option for charging as my home charger will be used virtually all the time and have a petrol car for longer / remote trips.

is it just me that thinks a grannie cable should come as standard, as these would be used generally as a last resort? type2 type2 cables should be offered as a free sweetener, or maybe vastly discounted. I know it seems like the end of days, but hey, give us a break

Yes, the car should come with a granny lead, but due to the now perennial "component shortages", MG couldn't get any for the first 1300 cars off the production line.

If you got a type 2, it will come in handy when doing the weekly shop, as certain branches of Tesco and some other supermarkets have free to use AC charging posts.

 

[TimB]

Moot point. It's against wiring regulations to use a circuit on a "regular" basis to charge an EV without the circuit meeting the requirements for Earthing and over voltage protection. So if you travel between various properties then it's fine legally, and either way the cable itself is safe, but the issue is the safety of the sockets that you use.
Personally I wouldn't use it regularly, and if you bring the safety of a socket up to the required level a proper charge point is hardly a lot more expensive.

Sorry,
The car i test drove had a type 2 cable in the boot and I presumed this was standard, I thought the manual was saying the type 2 cable was not for regular use.
I now know different.
Cheers
Tim

 

[marty80]

The Type 2 cable supplied with the initial batch of vehicles (in lieu of a Granny lead) as you might expect, is single-phase. So you're limited to 7kW AC charging using it. To benefit from the faster 11kW AC speeds available on the long range models you need a 3-phase Type 2 cable (or use tethered chargers)

 

[the briggie]

According to yesterday's pod cast some LR models were wrongly fitted with 11kw inverters . So it would seem that future batches would be 6.6kw single phase with no heat pumps....aaarrrggghh

Alan

 

[4ND]

Well, you can tell I'm thick, I thought when you had a home charger installed, it came with the required cable. You got that nice box and the cable.
Idiot question maybe, but if not, that's even more money to spend in the initial outlay

 

[Thorpey]

Well, you can tell I'm thick, I thought when you had a home charger installed, it came with the required cable. You got that nice box and the cable.
Idiot question maybe, but if not, that's even more money to spend in the initial outlay

Yes you are just completely thick!

 

[4ND]

Yes you are just completely thick!

Charming

 

[vini]

there must be a few mg4's on the road now perhaps? I would be interested to know who got what cable wise when they picked their cars up?

1. no cable provided free
2. granny cable at no extra cost
3. type2 type2 cable at no extra cost
4. both granny cable and type2 type2 cable at no extra cost
5. had to pay for a cable

a poll might be nice but I have no idea how to set one up, if anyone fancies putting one in that might be nice? feel free to change the wording or add options

 

[FiferMG4]

there must be a few mg4's on the road now perhaps? I would be interested to know who got what cable wise when they picked their cars up?

1. no cable provided free
2. granny cable at no extra cost
3. type2 type2 cable at no extra cost
4. both granny cable and type2 type2 cable at no extra cost
5. had to pay for a cable

a poll might be nice but I have no idea how to set one up, if anyone fancies putting one in that might be nice? feel free to change the wording or add options

I‘m not sure, but I think it’s only possible to include a poll when you start a new thread, but not within an existing thread.