MG4 efficiency - impossible to run fan without heater on

[BugEyed]

The original Gen 1 Mark 1 Nissan LEAF had a PTC heater rather than the heat pump of most later models. A "feature" of the set up was that it wasn't possible to run the fan without the PTC heater running, regardless of the temperature set on the climate control or outside. So even in say 30C outside temperatures the heater ran if you wanted to have the fan circulate some air. In more UK normal temperatures turning the fan off meant the car misted up.
Fast forward a decade, my MG4 appears to be similar. There's a physical switch that allows me to turn the fan off/on, but once on the PTC heater seems to have a minimum setting of 18C - anything less seems to set the fans on full. So at current seasonal temperatures below 18C I seem to have the options of fan off and misting up or running the PTC heater with associated loss of range.
Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[Stageshoot]

Yep it’s really annoying

Our EV6 with PTC heater had a heat switch as well as an ac switch so with heat switch off fans fan with just outside air no heating

Helped a lot with range the MG4 mists up so quick if you try running with fan off. Would be great to get a heater disconnect to take away this heat load that’s not needed and just use ambient air

 

[BugEyed]

Interesting, I didn't know that the EV6 "only" had a PTC. Interesting that it has a switch - software only I presume?

 

[Stageshoot]

Interesting, I didn't know that the EV6 "only" had a PTC. Interesting that it has a switch - software only I presume?

All Kia and Hyundai EVs (Heatpump or PTC) have both a Heat switch and a AC Switch, you need the Heat switch on or it olny blows ambient, Confuses the hell out of a lot of new owners coming from ICE who are not used to it and expect heat on demand

As for Heat pump on the EV6, its standard on the GTLineS - but optional on the Air and GTLine

 

[MoDolph]

This can't be right. Don't you just turn off heat and AC but leave the fans on? I spend at least a 3rd of the year on only fans

 

[Stageshoot]

This can't be right. Don't you just turn off heat and AC but leave the fans on? I spend at least a 3rd of the year on only fans

You CANT just turn off heat. There is no off switch, you can only lower the temp to reduce the PTC Load, but below 18c and it goes crazy and just sets the blowers on full thinking you want repid cooling

 

[Stageshoot]

There is plenty of spare space in the Dropdown Menu Screen, They could easily add an ambient air button in there to disable PTC Heater, as the Climate Screen is a bit clogged up already

 

[BugEyed]

This can't be right. Don't you just turn off heat and AC but leave the fans on? I spend at least a 3rd of the year on only fans

It isn't "right" but it is how it currently works. I'm like you - I run for a large part of the year on ambient only.

For me I'm interested as to how much this contributes to the poor overall economy - certainly the first few miles while the cabin heats to 18C are very poor economy (~2 miles/kWh) which then drags down the rest of any shortish trip.

 

[BugEyed]

There is plenty of spare space in the Dropdown Menu Screen, They could easily add an ambient air button in there to disable PTC Heater, as the Climate Screen is a bit clogged up already

View attachment 12718

Interesting that the EV6 has a physical switch.

Back in the day the bodge for the Gen 1 LEAF was a switch to add in a resistor to falsify the cabin temperature such that the PTC switched off. Obviously I hope that MG come up with a software solution along the lines that you suggest but ......

 

[MoDolph]

Where are you getting 70% from? Is it the minimum state of health per the MG warranty? (I've not looked. Highly unlikely for the SR version with the LFP battery to be as low as 70% after 7 years - more like 90%+) 120 miles round trip should be easily achieved in the SR version, all year round.

And in a few years time the charging infrastructure will be much improved - in fact you may even have charging facilities at your place of work by then.

You CANT just turn off heat. There is no off switch, you can only lower the temp to reduce the PTC Load, but below 18c and it goes crazy and just sets the blowers on full thinking you want repid cooling

Ok. So what if you set the temp to "min" or whatever it's called and then turn down the fans after it goes full speed?

 

[BugEyed]

Anything below 18C results in the fans going crazy and the fan control no longer has any effect. As far as I can tell the only way to control them is either to turn the power off to the HVAC on the physical button risking misting up or increase the temperature back to 18C or more hence turning the PTC on.

Any help gratefully received.

 

[NickHeynes]

There is plenty of spare space in the Dropdown Menu Screen, They could easily add an ambient air button in there to disable PTC Heater, as the Climate Screen is a bit clogged up already

View attachment 12718

Is that a trophy screen cos it looks different to my SR

 

[NickHeynes]

You CANT just turn off heat. There is no off switch, you can only lower the temp to reduce the PTC Load, but below 18c and it goes crazy and just sets the blowers on full thinking you want repid cooling

Sorry what is ptc?

 

[siteguru]

A type of heating element.

Skyworks | Automotive - Electric Vehicle PTC Heaters

Positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heaters bring efficiency and safety to EV heating systems. The heating element inside a PTC heater has a positive temperature coefficient and its resistance increases with temperature. When power is first applied to the cold PTC heating element, it has a...

www.skyworksinc.com

 

[Stageshoot]

Is that a trophy screen cos it looks different to my SR

Swipe down from the top on either the left or right hand side brings down this screen

 

[BugEyed]

Is that a trophy screen cos it looks different to my SR

As above to access it, but that's the Trophy version which isn't as bare as the one on the SE.

 

[NickHeynes]

As above to access it, but that's the Trophy version which isn't as bare as the one on the SE.

Thanks I knew how to access it but like you day the SE screen is a bit bare.I thought it might have been an update

 

[Spannermann]

Does it stop heating element activating if running mode is changed for max ECO or something ?
other EVs I've had have shut off the heater unless in normal or sport...

 

[Stageshoot]

Does it stop heating element activating if running mode is changed for max ECO or something ?
other EVs I've had have shut off the heater unless in normal or sport...

No The Eco Toggle Reduces Heating but does not shut it off.

 

[BugEyed]

Taking the car back today I discovered that running the fan at 1 for a while allows you to set the temperature to Lo without the fans going mad. I'm sure I tried this previously without success and no longer have the car to reproduce it on.