Multiple Instances Of Charging Issues At Instavolt

[Jon Farmer]

I have an MG LR and on more than one occasion I have an issue with Instavolt chargers.

The latest today is the charge starts and then immediately stops. I was at McDonalds Burntwood and I got the same issue on both the chargers there. Didn't matter if I used a card or the app the exact same thing happened. Even when I rang the customer services and they tried to start a charge the same thing happened.

As anyone else had such issues at Instavolt?

 

[smokie]

I might have done, can't be sure who it was but may well have been Instavolt. The annoying thing was that for each attempted charge they blocked £30 on my credit card. I think I gave up at 6 attempts.

But I have also had success with them. I've no idea why some work and some don't.

 

[Buchanty]

I have an MG LR and on more than one occasion I have an issue with Instavolt chargers.

The latest today is the charge starts and then immediately stops. I was at McDonalds Burntwood and I got the same issue on both the chargers there. Didn't matter if I used a card or the app the exact same thing happened. Even when I rang the customer services and they tried to start a charge the same thing happened.

As anyone else had such issues at Instavolt?

Yes, at three consecutive chargers in Dumfries, Scotland. And to think it wasn’t so long ago that Instavolt was the Go To always reliable charging experience.

 

[aread2]

LR here. Tried two out of four brand new Instavolt chargers at Athlone (ROI), three attempts each. No luck. Comms failure between chargers and the car. ESB ecar chargers have been the most reliable so far on this trip.

 

[CuriousIslander]

I have an MG LR and on more than one occasion I have an issue with Instavolt chargers.

The latest today is the charge starts and then immediately stops. I was at McDonalds Burntwood and I got the same issue on both the chargers there. Didn't matter if I used a card or the app the exact same thing happened. Even when I rang the customer services and they tried to start a charge the same thing happened.

As anyone else had such issues at Instavolt?

Yes. I tried the Instavolts at Crediton in July when I was visiting there, and neither worked. That was the first time I had attempted to use an Instavolt so, I decided to test whether it was something to do with the car. Accordingly, having returned home (to the Isle of Wight) I have since used the Instavolts at Ryde McDonalds, just once as I usually charge at home, and that one worked perfectly, and there was a MG5 taxi using the other charger at the same time. So 50% success rate so far. I am due to visit the "North Island" again shortly, so will see what happens then.
Incidentally mine is a SR version, whether this is a factor I would not know.

 

[Lewis49]

I had this problem today at McDonalds at Apex corner in Hanworth. Couldn't try the other unit as it was in use. I've only had the car 2 weeks, a LR ex demo.This was my first rapid charge with it so I was a little concerned. Never had a problem with my previous ZS at Instavolt chargers. I found a Shell charger that worked so felt glad to get home without troubling the AA.

 

[vertigo]

First experience with a public charger yesterday and was a bit worried having read the above about Instavolt! But I had a successful charge at the Instavolt chargers at The Hive in Ely, Cambs with no issue.

 

[jackois]

Did any of you report your problems to the operator?

I've found that they aren't very good at noticing they have faults and so on...

 

[Buchanty]

Did any of you report your problems to the operator?

I've found that they aren't very good at noticing they have faults and so on...

Yes, I did. They tried to get me going remotely. No luck.

 

[jackois]

Well done... if everyone keeps badgering them, something might get done.

Looking on Zap-Map it's amazing how many chargers some operators have that have been problems reported for over a year... without a fix.

 

[smokie]

I don't public charge much but when I've hit problems I've always called them, maybe 50% of the time they reboot and it fixes it. I'm only talking about a small handful of times though.

I'd always call them, if only to inconvenience them a little too

 

[Nev]

These probs surprise me as I have always found Instavolt to be extremely reliable and when travelling away are my go to chargers as I usually find they just work, and without a fuss. I have also met their engineers out on maintenance, not a broken charger just testing and checking to make sure all was well. There aren't any near to home so I only use when away, usually at Services, McDonald's, or Banatynes. Maybe I have been lucky, it just goes to show how hit and miss the charging network still is and how important it is that companies keep on top of work. I'll still look for them as I like to be able to just tap a credit card rather than the usual apps, phone calls, incantations, and appeals to the gods that are needed to get some chargers going.

 

[Madgermusso]

Used one for the first time this week as we're having building work done, stopping access to my charger. Connected first time, impressed until I saw the charge cost climbing faster than Edmund Hillary ascending Everest on steroids! Cheaper to run my diesel Zafira this week!

 

[FormerOctavia]

These probs surprise me as I have always found Instavolt to be extremely reliable and when travelling away are my go to chargers as I usually find they just work, and without a fuss. I have also met their engineers out on maintenance, not a broken charger just testing and checking to make sure all was well. There aren't any near to home so I only use when away, usually at Services, McDonald's, or Banatynes. Maybe I have been lucky, it just goes to show how hit and miss the charging network still is and how important it is that companies keep on top of work. I'll still look for them as I like to be able to just tap a credit card rather than the usual apps, phone calls, incantations, and appeals to the gods that are needed to get some chargers going.

That's a worry. I always go to InstaVolt, Corley services is a favourite oasis (bet I am the first person ever to use that phrase) between London and Liverpool. I have used IV about 10 times, never had a problem. Keep us posted.

 

[Caramaddy]

Used one for the first time this week as we're having building work done, stopping access to my charger. Connected first time, impressed until I saw the charge cost climbing faster than Edmund Hillary ascending Everest on steroids! Cheaper to run my diesel Zafira this week!

Love it! That made me smile!

 

[Nev]

That's a worry. I always go to InstaVolt, Corley services is a favourite oasis (bet I am the first person ever to use that phrase) between London and Liverpool. I have used IV about 10 times, never had a problem. Keep us posted.

That's my usual stopping point on journey south from Liverpool too. The presence of 7 chargers is reassuring, I am likely to get a charge even if busy (there are a couple of Gridserve ones as well). It is where I met the Instavolt engineers. Moto Rugby a little further on have 12 Gridserves but never stopped there, my Mk1 ZS EV could not quite get that far without a charge.

 

[FormerOctavia]

Fyi Lymm services is open to the general public, I thought it was trucks only, but I contacted Moto, and they say it is open to all.

 

[Rookery]

I have an MG LR and on more than one occasion I have an issue with Instavolt chargers.

The latest today is the charge starts and then immediately stops. I was at McDonalds Burntwood and I got the same issue on both the chargers there. Didn't matter if I used a card or the app the exact same thing happened. Even when I rang the customer services and they tried to start a charge the same thing happened.

As anyone else had such issues at Instavolt?

I have an MG5 LR and have used Instavolt about 6 times at various locations and fortunately haven't experienced any problems. On one occasion an ID3 was leaving as I got there and he told me he couldn't get it to work so I tried anyway And it worked straight away.
Is it an individual car issue?

 

[smokie]

Or user error? When I was a newbie at public charging I think I caused some problems by expecting stuff to happened immediately rather than being patient - not always, but sometimes. The point being that the process is not the same with each charger.

 

[Deleted member 9152]

I have an MG LR and on more than one occasion I have an issue with Instavolt chargers.

The latest today is the charge starts and then immediately stops. I was at McDonalds Burntwood and I got the same issue on both the chargers there. Didn't matter if I used a card or the app the exact same thing happened. Even when I rang the customer services and they tried to start a charge the same thing happened.

As anyone else had such issues at Instavolt?

Returning from Barnsley to Manchester we stopped at InstaVolt outside kfc. The chicken was fowl. Returning to the car at 56% charging, unlocked the door and the charger cut off. Connected again which then automatically stopped at 95%. Maybe this happened.