Charging Port Soaked

[Buchanty]

Drove through heavy rain at 50mph for 30 minutes yesterday and was surprised how much water collected behind the plastic charging port cover of my MG5 LR (not the facelift). The rubber bungs were absolutely soaked. Yes, I know the manual tells us not to jet wash the port, but I stupidly forgot to turn off the rain when it started. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this ?

 

[Jomarkh]

How quickly did the water drain away and were the pins dry behind the rubber bungs?

 

[Lovemyev]

Drove through heavy rain at 50mph for 30 minutes yesterday and was surprised how much water collected behind the plastic charging port cover of my MG5 LR (not the facelift). The rubber bungs were absolutely soaked. Yes, I know the manual tells us not to jet wash the port, but I stupidly forgot to turn off the rain when it started. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this ?

I guess it’s a bit unavoidable not to get water ? close to the charge port socket, when you consider that when charging, the socket is exposed to what ever the weather throws at us.
If I need an overnight charge on our ZS EV facelift, then I will plug in the car early evening.
It remains still plugged in, until the following morning.
It is totally exposed to the weather all night.
Yes - If we have received a LOT of heavy rain, there is some rain in the edge of the charging port and the rear of the charging door flap and the gun of the type 2 plug also.
I have a large micro fibre drying cloth that I use to wipe down the plug first, then the water droplets from the back of the door and charge port backing.
My previous VAG PHEV had a similar charging port located at the front of the car.
But on the VAG there was a small drain tube located at the bottom of the charge port, designed to drain away any excess water.
The problem was, it would occasionally get blocked and need poking with a thin piece of wire to unblock it !.
When it was blocked, it would defeat the whole idea of having it there !.

 

[Buchanty]

How quickly did the water drain away and were the pins dry behind the rubber bungs?

The water wasn’t pooled, as such. It just looked as though the area behind the cover had been sprayed (which I guess it had!). All seemed fine beneath the bungs.

 

[Buchanty]

I guess it’s a bit unavoidable not to get water ? close to the charge port socket, when you consider that when charging, the socket is exposed to what ever the weather throws at us.
If I need an overnight charge on our ZS EV facelift, then I will plug in the car early evening.
It remains still plugged in, until the following morning.
It is totally exposed to the weather all night.
Yes - If we have received a LOT of heavy rain, there is some rain in the edge of the charging port and the rear of the charging door flap and the gun of the type 2 plug also.
I have a large micro fibre drying cloth that I use to wipe down the plug first, then the water droplets from the back of the door and charge port backing.
My previous VAG PHEV had a similar charging port located at the front of the car.
But on the VAG there was a small drain tube located at the bottom of the charge port, designed to drain away any excess water.
The problem was, it would occasionally get blocked and need poking with a thin piece of wire to unblock it !.
When it was blocked, it would defeat the whole idea of having it there !.

Thanks so much for that. All very interesting and helpful. Much appreciated.

 

[Deep purple]

When charging if it is likely to rain I have a sheet of polythene which I slide into the gap at the front edge of the bonnet and drape over the charging port etc. This seems to work well for charging but I think it would blow off on the motorway!!!

 

[Buchanty]

When charging if it is likely to rain I have a sheet of polythene which I slide into the gap at the front edge of the bonnet and drape over the charging port etc. This seems to work well for charging but I think it would blow off on the motorway!!!

Yes, I think it might! ?

 

[Lewis49]

Mine got soaked last night while charging, no problems this morning though.

 

[Gomev]

I would be quite a shocker really, pardon the pun if you couldn't drive or charge the car in the rain.

 

[Buchanty]

I would be quite a shocker really, pardon the pun if you couldn't drive or charge the car in the rain.

It would indeed!

 

[5teep]

I've driven 100 miles with the charging door open and the bungs flapping in the rain (forgot to close it ) No harm done.
Safety wise you're fine, the charger and car communicate and test connections before a charge will start and if there's any problem it just won't charge.

 

[Deleted member 7316]

I would be quite a shocker really, pardon the pun if you couldn't drive or charge the car in the rain.

True but I can also remember a number of vehicles that had problems with parking sensors activating in the rain, my Freelander for one. I think there was a similar problem with Fords.

 

[Felixev]

I drove 50 miles with the doors open, all the pins got wet, brand new car (2 days old). Any potential demage in the future?

 

[Coulomb]

I drove 50 miles with the doors open,

I assume you mean you left the charge door open.

I would immediately spray the pins with contact cleaner. NOTE: this is not the same as ordinary WD40* or the like; WD40 is oil based and leaves a residue. Contact cleaner dissolves the gunk then evaporates, leaving no residue.

It might be hard to find contact cleaner to buy yourself, so maybe take your car to a dealer / repairer / auto electrician. They should have the right stuff. You might have to pay for ½ hour of labour, but best not to let the pins corrode. They are the only way to charge your car, and a new socket will be a lot more expensive.

* Edit: I recently bought a can of WD40 contact cleaner; it seems that "WD40" is a brand name for several products, not just the lubricating moisture displacement one.

 

[EVsince2016]

I have had water over the bonnet in a flood then plugged in within half an hour - no issues.

 

[johnd973]

Drove through heavy rain at 50mph for 30 minutes yesterday and was surprised how much water collected behind the plastic charging port cover of my MG5 LR (not the facelift). The rubber bungs were absolutely soaked. Yes, I know the manual tells us not to jet wash the port, but I stupidly forgot to turn off the rain when it started. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this ?

Really don't think it matters, we've had our car 2.5 years now. We live on the North Devon coast in a very exposed position where 50+ mph winds with driving rain are common. The rain here literally comes in sideways! Our car sits out in it with the charger connected with no problems at all. I don't bother covering the charge port or doing anything else to reduce the amount of rain that gets to the front end and there's quite often a bit of a puddle under the charge port.

If the cars couldn't handle heavy rain at motorway speeds we'd hear about it, especially here in the UK where heavy rain is a common thing.