Glitch while charging with level 2 charger?

[dianaprentice]

I bought my 2019 SEL this summer. Since then I have been using the ChargePoint network at work and other public places. Every time I use the Level 2 chargers, the car starts off drawing power as normal (about 3 kW), but at some random point the car stops drawing power for a brief period of time, and then returns to normal. Usually the glitch is so short that charging resumes as if nothing happened. But recently the glitch is longer, so the charger thinks the car has already been fully charged. If I leave the car plugged in, eventually it starts drawing power again. The problem is some chargers charge a parking fee once charging is deemed complete, so I have to move my car, or, unplug and plug in again, to avoid the fee. Is a glitch normal for the Outlander?

 

[jaapv]

Yes, the charge will be interrupted several times halfway charging, presumably to balance the battery.

 

[Bloggsy]

Yes, the charge will be interrupted several times halfway charging, presumably to balance the battery.

Thanks jaapv - I noticed my energy monitor, displaying my current electricity use, had dropped and I was concerned that my car had stopped charging so I checked it with the Remote App and it said it was still charging! I returned to my energy monitor and it had increased and was now showing about 2.7KW, so that makes sense.

Cheers

Bloggsy

 

[jalle]

I have the same problem, this is my charge curve from this morning. the SOC was approximately 85% before charging started, I have a MY2014

View attachment Screenshot 2019-11-27 at 07.59.11.png

During the glitch it goes down to 144W

2019-11-27 03:50:00 1 391
2019-11-27 03:51:00 1 396
2019-11-27 03:52:00 1 369
2019-11-27 03:53:00 1 323
2019-11-27 03:54:00 342
2019-11-27 03:55:00 144
2019-11-27 03:56:00 146
2019-11-27 03:57:00 146
2019-11-27 03:58:00 147
2019-11-27 03:59:00 144
2019-11-27 04:00:00 145
2019-11-27 04:01:00 146
2019-11-27 04:02:00 933
2019-11-27 04:03:00 2 370
2019-11-27 04:04:00 1 914
2019-11-27 04:05:00 1 663
2019-11-27 04:06:00 1 525
2019-11-27 04:07:00 1 437
2019-11-27 04:08:00 1 360

 

[jaapv]

Problem? That is just the way it works. I suspect that the charger is involved as well. Instead of one dip, mine produces a series of switch-offs and switch-ons for about ten minutes halfway the charger,whereas the "brick" only switches off once.

 

[Craigy]

I’m assuming that the BMI stops charging the battery to measure the voltage without the charge. It has to wait a short while for the cells in the pack to equalise to get a decent reading?

 

[jalle]

Problem? That is just the way it works. I suspect that the charger is involved as well. Instead of one dip, mine produces a series of switch-offs and switch-ons for about ten minutes halfway the charger,whereas the "brick" only switches off once.

The Problem dianaprentice and I have experienced is that public chargers stop the charging session when the car drops the charge rate during the "glitch", and charging does not resume 10 minutes later when the car wants to continue to charge at full speed. So we end up with a car that is not fully charged.

This is a problem from a consumer standpoint, it might be the public charger that should behave differently, I have no knowledge of what is normal in this scenario. I only know that our Renault ZOE don't behave like this.

I don't use the standard cable with "brick" i have a Type1 to Type2 ev-charge cable connected to to a Charge-ampa AURA, the charge graph is extracted from the AURA.

 

[jaapv]

Well, public chargers over here appear to be less finicky. I fully charged it at Ikea yesterday. I only use free chargers anyway, paid ones make no economic sense, unless they come with free parking.

 

[Craigy]

Likewise, never been a problem for me either. In the UK if that helps.

 

[KWh]

The Problem dianaprentice and I have experienced is that public chargers stop the charging session when the car drops the charge rate during the "glitch", and charging does not resume 10 minutes later when the car wants to continue to charge at full speed. So we end up with a car that is not fully charged

That would explain my battery only being partly charged after being parked at a public charger from 4pm till 10pm last week

 

[dianaprentice]

Ok thanks. I know the Chevy Volt and Honda Clarity don’t have glitches like this. For example, the other day the charging is like this.

 

[dianaprentice]

The charger actually kicked me out and told me to move my car because others were waiting to charge.

 

[jaapv]

19 cent for 1 mile worth of fuel? Better drive on the ICE...

 

[dianaprentice]

The Chargepoint charger's mileage estimates are completely off. It grossly under-estimates the miles charged, but I just ignore it. I thought that's normal also.

 

[jaapv]

Disregarding the estimate, I find public charging not worth it in general.

 

[Bloggsy]

Disregarding the estimate, I find public charging not worth it in general.

When I first got my car, I found a charger in Ikea where I would use the Chademo to charge from 'zero' to 80% which took around 40 minutes and cost me £2.

It wasn't bad (obviously slightly more expensive than at home), but then I found public chargers in Scotland are actually subsidised by the Scottish Government and are free!

I now go to the nearest 'Park and Ride' where a lot of public chargers are, and top up for nothing!

Cheers

Bloggsy

 

[jaapv]

Yes-free charging is something else. Ikea is free over here too