Zappi charging

[DaveandTeena]

Hi forum members, We recently had the Zappi charge point fitted and have had it set usually on ECO++ but I'm aware that it is constantly stop start with solar charging sun behind clouds etc, is this going to create any problems for the battery or the car or is this more a summer setting and through winter I should maybe use the ECO mode through the day as in 1.4Kw constant plus solar if its generating more.
Your thoughts please Dave. C.

 

[Scriv]

The ECO++ setting is only really practical during the summer months unless you have a very large solar installation. I've found that the 1.4Kw in ECO takes advantage of available solar although of course charging takes a long time! I've found that when charging at this slow rate it appears that balancing at 100% is not required. I don't know if others have also found this?

 

[DaveandTeena]

The ECO++ setting is only really practical during the summer months unless you have a very large solar installation. I've found that the 1.4Kw in ECO takes advantage of available solar although of course charging takes a long time! I've found that when charging at this slow rate it appears that balancing at 100% is not required. I don't know if others have also found this?

Hi, after asking the same question on Myenergi forum people have advised me to alter the time in settings to 240 seconds so it doesn't switch on and of as often and alter the slider under eco++ down to 30% - 50% effectively allowing power use from the grid to balance out the charge a bit like eco but stops when its dark unlike eco setting

 

[Les burrows]

Hi I to have had the same happing with my Zappi on my MG5 SR.
I realised like DaveandTeena that on nice sunny days Zappi in Eco++ mode, if a cloud drifted over, the car would switch off and on again when the cloud had past, that did concern me not for the battery but for the solenoids in car switching on and off lots of times as well, I to spoke to myenergi about this a few months back and was told that they had heard about this on the ZS but not on the 5, and was told it should be Ok but they would look into it and come back if there was a problem but I heard nothing more from them.
I was not happy that the car was going off and on many times on some days depending on solar out put so stopped using Eco++ now only use Eco+ which always draws around 1.4 kw from the grid or a fast charge around 7.3 kw that stops the car going on and off as there is always some charge going to it .
All this you already have covered above so thank you for that.

But I read today what DaveandTeeena have written about changing the timers that’s very interesting and I will look at that when I get back home next week as Im away at the moment.

The other thing in this thread so far is a post that Scriv has placed about battery balancing , well Scriv I have looked at this several times while charging in the Eco+ mode at 1.4kw plus what ever excess solar the Zappi might send to the car from the PV, but when you charge to 100% the Zappi then stops using 1.4kw and this drops to around 300 watts for a time which can be One or more hours this I think is the balancing phase for the battery, this time can vary I surpose depending on how often you charge to the 100% so how often the balancing takes place, this I have noted over the last 4 or so months when I have let it go too the 100% which I don’t do unless I’m doing a long run the next day so maybe 6/7 times over the 4 months a I normally try to keep the battery into the 30-80% range for day today use just short trips shopping etc so don’t charge more than a couple of times a week most of the time.
Les

 

[DaveandTeena]

Hi Les altering the time to 240 seconds has made an improvement, it still drops in and out but nowhere near what it was, the only downside is it takes a little longer to come back on when the sun shines

 

[Les burrows]

Hi Les altering the time to 240 seconds has made an improvement, it still drops in and out but nowhere near what it was, the only downside is it takes a little longer to come back on when the sun shines

That’s what i thought might happen which on my side of the Pennies Lancashire them clouds can be crossing many many times in a day but I do like the going off once it goes dark results. But when I get home I’ll take a look and maybe I will get back on to myenergi again about this issue and see what their opinion is
Thanks les

 

[Scriv]

Les, during the summer months with plenty of solar energy, my Zappi ECO+ did drop to 300watts at 100%, followed by balancing that never took more than about an hour. During the last few weeks however with less solar, at 100% the charger stopped and displayed a message saying "Charge complete".
Thinking about it I have to say that I have never actually been present when the charge was completed, but certainly it would have been less than half an hour, which I suppose could have been a balancing period?
I have only ever used a rapid charger once so I am assuming that my batteries don't require much balancing..........is my assumption wrong?

 

[Les burrows]

Hi Scriv, in answer to your question I don’t know to be honest as I said in #4 some times it’s around an hour some times maybe a bit longer it must depend on the state of the battery I think so no I don’t think your assumption is wrong plus remember they are different cars with different battery’s and different charge rates but I will try to have a chat with someone from myenergi when I get home again next week to seek so information from them.

I can’t be sure but when I have had to use the fast charge it seems to spend more time at 300w before it say charge complete I think need to Monitor it a bit more closely I think to see what is going on.

Just one question what car have you 5, ZS or some other mines the MG5 standard range 52 KW battery.

 

[Kithmo]

Les, during the summer months with plenty of solar energy, my Zappi ECO+ did drop to 300watts at 100%, followed by balancing that never took more than about an hour. During the last few weeks however with less solar, at 100% the charger stopped and displayed a message saying "Charge complete".
Thinking about it I have to say that I have never actually been present when the charge was completed, but certainly it would have been less than half an hour, which I suppose could have been a balancing period?
I have only ever used a rapid charger once so I am assuming that my batteries don't require much balancing..........is my assumption wrong?

"charge complete" (or 100%) means it's still balancing, is the badge not flashing ?
When it's finished balancing it will say "connected but not charging"

 

[Scriv]

Hi Les, it's a ZS and I've been very pleased with it.

Hi Kithmo, using the ECO+ setting during the last few charges when the display says "Charge Complete" there is no charge, the badge is not lit and the lead can be disconnected. Previously when more solar energy has been available, at 100% the ECO+ charge dropped to 300w and balancing started with the badge lit.
I'm not really concerned, but curious.
I will Fast charge next time and watch for the balancing!

 

[Kithmo]

Hi Les, it's a ZS and I've been very pleased with it.

Hi Kithmo, using the ECO+ setting during the last few charges when the display says "Charge Complete" there is no charge, the badge is not lit and the lead can be disconnected. Previously when more solar energy has been available, at 100% the ECO+ charge dropped to 300w and balancing started with the badge lit.
I'm not really concerned, but curious.
I will Fast charge next time and watch for the balancing!

You lost me at ECO+ setting, do you mean the display on the car dash or your charger ?
I'm talking about the car dash.

 

[Scriv]

Hi Kithmo, I had joined in with a discussion about Zappi charging so was referring to the display on the Zappi charger which displays more useful information than the car dash.
As I've got solar panels I try to use as much free energy as possible.........as soon as the sun shines I rush out to start charging.........my neighbours are quite amused!