Octopus Go + Rolec smart charger

Gomev

Gomev

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As mentioned elsewhere I will be switching to Go shortly and I have a Rolec smart charger at home.

It is not entirely obvious how to set it up for charging just between 12:30 and 04:30 on the app.

Is there anyone else with the same setup that can shed a little light ?

TIA
 
The app on iOS was updated yesterday I noticed but haven't used it since. Dunno if it's added anything extra. You could always contact their support, I've always found them helpful :)
 
I have tried the new app with trickle charge enabled.
Seemed the same as before at about 1kw when plugged in at the normal tariff and 7kw for the 4 hour slot.
Learning is — Plug in as late as you can to avoid effectively running a 1 bar electric fire for several hours.
 
That's annoying, bit like my Sync EV that does the same but they've released a BETA firmware to remove the trickle charge and just do the full power charge during Octopus Go hours.
 
I completed my first overnight charge last night, second day on Octopus Go.
Plugged in at 8pm, with app set to only charge off-peak and car and app recognised that the car was plugged in but no charging occurring. App/the box sent me a text saying smart charge was planned for 00:30 until 04:30.
This morning, car battery percentage has increased form 34% to 77% and app reporting that it had dispensed 28kWh at the appropriate time. With conversion losses that feels about rightish.
I did not see any trickle charge.
The app is ev.energy for my Rolec. and I have been pleasantly surprised - so far - as for some reason I was expecting some sort of problem or 2. Fingers crossed.
 
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Fully supported. Select the correct tariff and off-peak charging remembering to set a threshold price. I set mine at 10p.
 
I have still only done the 1 charge but I am loving, absolutely loving the fact that I can go on my account online and download all my half-hourly readings in spreadsheet (.csv) form.

By using this I have seen that the charger started and ended the charge at the right time.
The next half hour was odd after the charge, 04:30-05:00 where electricity was still being used, 0.312 kWh, which is/was way over the normal background usage a that time of night for me.

I may stop the charge by requesting the car be ready slightly earlier, say by 04:15 and see what happens next time.
 
Can anyone shed any new light on the trickle-charging issue? Rolec aren't interested and tell me to contact ev.energy who in turn tell me to contact my dealer who in turn tells me they've installed all the outstanding updates!

I've only recently had a Rolec home charger fitted because we had no smart meter until a few months ago and hence couldn't get an EV tariff.

I calculated that the trickle charging is costing me about £250 per year if I plug in at 9pm

3.5 hours x 1.43kWh x (22.99p-4.76p) x 280 days = £255

Why does the trickle charge need to be 6A if it's only keeping a data connection open?

I have a Mk1 ZS, purchased Mar 2020

Any advice, info, critique of numbers appreciated
 
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Get all the updates on the car. Trickle charging not required. You’ve got 10 hours between plugging in and the timed charge commences before the computers spool down and go to sleep.
 
DamianB said:
Can anyone shed any new light on the trickle-charging issue? Rolec aren't interested and tell me to contact ev.energy who in turn tell me to contact my dealer who in turn tells me they've installed all the outstanding updates!

I've only recently had a Rolec home charger fitted because we had no smart meter until a few months ago and hence couldn't get an EV tariff.

I calculated that the trickle charging is costing me about £250 per year if I plug in at 9pm

3.5 hours x 1.43kWh x (22.99p-4.76p) x 280 days = £255

Why does the trickle charge need to be 6A if it's only keeping a data connection open?

I have a Mk1 ZS, purchased Mar 2020

Any advice, info, critique of numbers appreciated
Click to expand...
This has nothing to do with the car unfortunately, but more the EVSE (Rolec unit).

Those of us with a Sync EV EVSE had a similar issue until recently when they released a firmware update to stop the trickle charging and just have the vehicle and EVSE sit there and wait patiently until we want it to charge.

I would suggest asking Rolec if they can switch off the trickle charge feature remotely?
 
ev.energy control that part, trickle can be removed via service request or the app.
 
Zoomy said:
Get all the updates on the car. Trickle charging not required. You’ve got 10 hours between plugging in and the timed charge commences before the computers spool down and go to sleep.
Click to expand...
My dealer told me that all updates were installed at the service in March. Can you tell from this?


1652860324548.png
 
Ozzie1989 said:
This has nothing to do with the car unfortunately, but more the EVSE (Rolec unit).

Those of us with a Sync EV EVSE had a similar issue until recently when they released a firmware update to stop the trickle charging and just have the vehicle and EVSE sit there and wait patiently until we want it to charge.

I would suggest asking Rolec if they can switch off the trickle charge feature remotely?
Click to expand...
Rolec not helpful, don't want to know, passed me onto app people.
Trickle charging is switched on/off in app but off = no overnight charge
 
DamianB said:
Rolec not helpful, don't want to know, passed me onto app people.
Trickle charging is switched on/off in app but off = no overnight charge
Click to expand...
I have not experienced your problem, but I see you are in a ZS which did require this trickle charge initially. This was solved with updates to the car.
Rolec did add trickle charging option, which you had to contact them about, to overcome this, but is obviously no longer required.
So two things, the car did need an update to stop it falling asleep and Rolec did add a trickle charge by request to keep it awake.
My ev.energy app does not seem to have the on/off option, where is that on yours ? My app version is 2.11.21 [6765] found at the bottom of the settings page below the log out button.

Just a thought, try changing your vehicle to an MG5 in the app see if the trickle option disappears, everything worth a try.
 
Gomev said:
I have not experienced your problem, but I see you are in a ZS which did require this trickle charge initially. This was solved with updates to the car.
Rolec did add trickle charging option, which you had to contact them about, to overcome this, but is obviously no longer required.
So two things, the car did need an update to stop it falling asleep and Rolec did add a trickle charge by request to keep it awake.
My ev.energy app does not seem to have the on/off option, where is that on yours ? My app version is 2.11.21 [6765] found at the bottom of the settings page below the log out button.

Just a thought, try changing your vehicle to an MG5 in the app see if the trickle option disappears, everything worth a try.
Click to expand...
It's on the Smart tab. I imagine that it's only an option for similarly afflicted cars
1652908029965.png
 
Would a simple uninstall/re-install of the app help? Although I suspect you have tried that already.
 
App v2.11.21 [7004]
I changed the vehicle to an MG5 and the trickle charge on/off disappeared. When I changed it back to a ZS, as suspected, the trickle option re-appeared.

Tbc - I need the trickle option otherwise the car doesn't charge
 
I asked ev.energy this question:
"Could tell me how many MG ZS owners use your app and how many of those use trickle charging when Smart charging?"

Their reply:
"The majority of our users with MGs do use trickle charging. The few that don't tend to have frequent issues with their vehicle falling asleep during a smart charge and failing to charge overnight. MG may eventually release a feature that solves the issue, but I'm afraid we don't know when that may be."
 
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