No timer on charger

[AndyC]

Hello everyone,

I have an MG5 Excite 2021 and I’d like to charge overnight on my low tariff. Unfortunately, the app doesn’t seem to have a scheduled charging option, and my home charger is quite basic so it can’t be set to start at a specific time.

Has anyone found a reliable way to make overnight charging work on this model? Would a software update help, or is the only practical solution to use a smart charger with scheduling (which would be an additional expense and cancel out any cost savings from charging overnight).

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Alb]

There's no intelligence in the car so it has to be in the EVSE (Charger) or not at all I'm afraid.

 

[Jomarkh]

I have the same model and charge using a Zappi EVSE. If you do a lot off milage it could eventually pay for itself plus the house is at the lower rate so plug in WM DW and immersion heater etc.

 

[Pete G]

Andy it depends on what charger you are using. If you are just using a small granny charger then you could just use a timer to turn it on and off.
If the charger just plugs into a household power point then a timer should be fine
pete

 

[Lovemyev]

Hello everyone,

I have an MG5 Excite 2021 and I’d like to charge overnight on my low tariff. Unfortunately, the app doesn’t seem to have a scheduled charging option, and my home charger is quite basic so it can’t be set to start at a specific time.

Has anyone found a reliable way to make overnight charging work on this model? Would a software update help, or is the only practical solution to use a smart charger with scheduling (which would be an additional expense and cancel out any cost savings from charging overnight).

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Can I assume that you have one of the older type “dumb” chargers units then ?.
If so, it is possible to install a WI-Fi switching relay inside of the wall box.
These things usually have a fee to download App.
The App allows you to set a delayed charge and at the correct time, it will trigger the relay to switch and then the wall box to commence / finish the charge at your required off peak times.
I had this type of set up for our Gen1 ZS EV because the car itself, does not have the built in ability, to set a delayed charge schedule.
Updating the perfectly working dumb unit for a smart box, could have been the answer I guess, but the Wi-Fi relay was a much less expensive option at around £20 back then.
It worked perfectly fine for about 2 years, then we upgraded to the Gen2 ZS EV which did have a built in timer delay feature.
So I just disconnected the Wi-Fi relay.
It’s still inside the box and I can still operate it from my phone, but it’s not activating anything now of course.

 

[Gomev]

Can I assume that you have one of the older type “dumb” chargers units then ?.
If so, it is possible to install a WI-Fi switching relay inside of the wall box.
These things usually have a fee to download App.
The App allows you to set a delayed charge and at the correct time, it will trigger the relay to switch and then the wall box to commence / finish the charge at your required off peak times.
I had this type of set up for our Gen1 ZS EV because the car itself, does not have the built in ability, to set a delayed charge schedule.
Updating the perfectly working dumb unit for a smart box, could have been the answer I guess, but the Wi-Fi relay was a much less expensive option at around £20 back then.
It worked perfectly fine for about 2 years, then we upgraded to the Gen2 ZS EV which did have a built in timer delay feature.
So I just disconnected the Wi-Fi relay.
It’s still inside the box and I can still operate it from my phone, but it’s not activating anything now of course.

Perhaps you could pass on the details of how you did it and what you used for @AndyC in case they return. (only the 1 post as of now)

 

[Lovemyev]

Perhaps you could pass on the details of how you did it and what you used for @AndyC in case they return. (only the 1 post as of now)

The links to the detailed video on how this is done, is on the ZS EV section of the forum.
But if the OP has problems trying to find it, then I will certainly do anything I can to help.
I have asked if he is using a dumb wall box and the brand.
Awaiting a reply for the type and brand of his wall box.