Help ..... charging problem

[janeyb]

Hi - I'm a new poster so apologies if I inadvertently get something wrong. I've had my MG4 for about 6 weeks now and love it. I have a Zappi to charge it and and am on the Octopus Intelligent Go tariff. All has gone well save for today .... we had a power cut last night and also the night before and the MyEnergi app this morning wasn't working, with yellow triangles telling me that there was data missing. Further research by me online indicated that the power cut(s) may have caused this but it would all catch up with itself. I rebooted the Zappi and the broadband just in case it helped. This evening, the MyEnergi app still isn't working and I'm struggling to set up the car for charging. Octopus seems not to have registered the fact I've plugged in and the app won't give me a charging schedule. In fairness I can go a night without charging (particularly as I have covid and can't go anywhere!) but this does worry me - is this all linked to the power cut and if I really needed to charge what would you recommend? Bump charge? Setting the car to charge via the app overnight rather than by Intelligent Octopus? If the latter, where in the app do I set the 80% maximum charge? The one in the car doesn't seem to move off 100% but it wasn't a problem with Intelligent Octopus as you just say what percentage you want anyhow. Sorry about all this but anyone who can advise would be doing a huge favour!

 

[Rolfe]

OK, two things here. First, you have your car as "MG4 Standard" in your profile, but that isn't a model designation available in Britain. Do you mean the SE SR? With the LFP battery? Because if that's the car you have you will not be able to limit the charge to 80%, because that's not necessary with the LFP battery. It's an NMC thing. Just charge to 100% and let the pack balance every time you need to.

Second, I don't know what's wrong with your Zappi, or between your Zappi and Octopus, but you should be able to set a scheduled charge on the MyEnergi app for 11.30 pm to 5.30 am and that will get you plenty charge without needing a schedule from Octopus, while keeping you within the off-peak rate.

If the Zappi won't charge the car at all you can use the three pin plug charger you got with the car, if you have a suitable 13A socket. This will only get you about 20% into the battery in the six-hour off-peak period, but it's better than nothing.

You may need to talk to both MyEnergi and Octopus to find out what's actually wrong.

 

[janeyb]

Thank you so much - really kind of you and I will do as you suggest! It is indeed the MG4 SE.

 

[Rolfe]

Yes, but is it the SR or the LR? If it's the latter you ought to follow the 80% rule as that has an NMC battery, but if it's the former, forget the whole thing and charge to 100% routinely.

Also, can you change your profile to put the right model designation in?

By the way, I also have the SE SR and love my car to bits. I also have a Zappi and I'm on the OIG tariff, so although I'm no sort of expert I'll try to help if I can.

 

[Bam Bam]

Hi - I'm a new poster so apologies if I inadvertently get something wrong. I've had my MG4 for about 6 weeks now and love it. I have a Zappi to charge it and and am on the Octopus Intelligent Go tariff. All has gone well save for today .... we had a power cut last night and also the night before and the MyEnergi app this morning wasn't working, with yellow triangles telling me that there was data missing. Further research by me online indicated that the power cut(s) may have caused this but it would all catch up with itself. I rebooted the Zappi and the broadband just in case it helped. This evening, the MyEnergi app still isn't working and I'm struggling to set up the car for charging. Octopus seems not to have registered the fact I've plugged in and the app won't give me a charging schedule. In fairness I can go a night without charging (particularly as I have covid and can't go anywhere!) but this does worry me - is this all linked to the power cut and if I really needed to charge what would you recommend? Bump charge? Setting the car to charge via the app overnight rather than by Intelligent Octopus? If the latter, where in the app do I set the 80% maximum charge? The one in the car doesn't seem to move off 100% but it wasn't a problem with Intelligent Octopus as you just say what percentage you want anyhow. Sorry about all this but anyone who can advise would be doing a huge favour!

Were your devices logged out during all this commotion?

Perhaps that would explain the lack of communication.

 

[janeyb]

The MyEnergi setup was running but the car wasn't plugged in.

Yes, but is it the SR or the LR? If it's the latter you ought to follow the 80% rule as that has an NMC battery, but if it's the former, forget the whole thing and charge to 100% routinely.

Also, can you change your profile to put the right model designation in?

By the way, I also have the SE SR and love my car to bits. I also have a Zappi and I'm on the OIG tariff, so although I'm no sort of expert I'll try to help if I can.

Thank you! It is the standard range. I will try to edit my profile. I really appreciate the help.

 

[Rolfe]

Well, congratulations on your choice of car! Do you know which infotainment software version it's running? Because if the number doesn't end in R33 you need to have a word with your dealer.

If the MyEnergi app is really throwing nothing but error messages you may not be able to get the Zappi to charge the car, I think it would depend on what setting the Zappi was on when the problem occurred. However if you can't get any sense out of the app you could at least try starting it from its own screen at 11.30. You can always stop it from the MG iSmart app without going outside, though you may have to set your alarm clock.

 

[janeyb]

Well, congratulations on your choice of car! Do you know which infotainment software version it's running? Because if the number doesn't end in R33 you need to have a word with your dealer.

If the MyEnergi app is really throwing nothing but error messages you may not be able to get the Zappi to charge the car, I think it would depend on what setting the Zappi was on when the problem occurred. However if you can't get any sense out of the app you could at least try starting it from its own screen at 11.30. You can always stop it from the MG iSmart app without going outside, though you may have to set your alarm clock.

Thank you! You have probably worked out that my technical knowledge of all this is somewhat limited . Where would I find the infotainment software number? Anyhow, the Zappi thinks the car is not connected despite me checking. It won't let me set a charging schedule as it thinks it's disconnected. However, the MG app did say 'success' when I tried so I will leave it there and see if that works overnight. Luckily, I don't need to go anywhere tomorrow!

 

[Rolfe]

You'll soon pick it up. I did, after all.

Just got home from a playing day on French baroque music, Lully, Charpentier and Boismortier. Some pretty scrunchy harmonies in there.

If all else fails there's always the 13A plug. But if the car thinks it's plugged into the Zappi it may start a charge.

You can find the software issue number somewhere on the infotainment screen, maybe under "System" or something like that. It's a good idea to sit in the car and tap all the buttons you can see just so you know what's in there. Remember some screens swipe down to reveal more, and some swipe left.

 

[janeyb]

Oh wow - that's such glorious music! What do you play and who with? No joy with charging via the app - put it onto fast charge but it's only charging at 1.4 kW. As you say, I have the granny charger if really needed but otherwise I will have to hope that this data problem sorts itself out tomorrow or, come Monday, ring the support line.

 

[Ian Key]

When you rebooted the Zappi was that from the control panel on the Zappi?
If it was, try switching the Zappi off at the mains before switching it back on again.

 

[janeyb]

When you rebooted the Zappi was that from the control panel on the Zappi?
If it was, try switching the Zappi off at the mains before switching it back on again.

I did try at the control panel so will switch it off at the mains and see if this helps. I'm still getting the dreaded yellow triangles this morning on MyEnergi.

 

[Rolfe]

Oh wow - that's such glorious music! What do you play and who with? No joy with charging via the app - put it onto fast charge but it's only charging at 1.4 kW. As you say, I have the granny charger if really needed but otherwise I will have to hope that this data problem sorts itself out tomorrow or, come Monday, ring the support line.

Flutes of various descriptions. Böhm flute, baroque one-keyed flute, recorders, and a bit of quena and ocarina. I was playing baroque flute yesterday (or traverso, as the organisers insisted on calling it). I play with the Early Music Forum of Scotland.

You are going to have to get MyEnergi on the case first thing on Monday.

 

[janeyb]

Thank you - my husband did find something on a MyEnergi forum which may have helped the charging but made other things worse, but as you say - it's a case of talking to them on Monday to resolve it properly.

Just googled videos of EMF Scotland - looks like fantastic music and fun people. One of the bands I play in has MD called Stephen Watkins who is a recorder composer and goes all over the world performing new stuff he's written.

 

[Rolfe]

It is great fun. And great for your sight-reading. I prefer older music myself, but there is some great modern stuff being written for the recorder. A couple of years ago at the Scottish Recorder Course we premièred a new piece commissioned for the course's fiftieth anniversary, and I'm damned if I can remember the name of the piece or who the composer was, but it was great. (If only my tenor hadn't picked one minute before the downbeat to break, so I ended up playing about three quarters of the notes in my part on my treble!)

What do you play?

 

[janeyb]

I wonder if it was him? I will ask at next rehearsal if this Covid ever goes. I play tenor and alto sax - improvising and reading in jazz ensembles ranging from two 18 piece swing bands down to a duo; but can also in an emergency fill in on classical clarinet in local orchestra. I'm conscious though that the thread is moving from EV problems to music. I can't PM you as I'm a novice but do feel free to PM me and we can chat further music stuff without irritating everyone else!

 

[Rolfe]

It's your thread, you can call it on thread drift! Better get back on topic though.

 

[janeyb]

Well - I rang the helpline at MyEnergi this morning and they were incredibly good! They were able to diagnose the problem remotely - the labelling of the Harvi needed setting. They sent an email with step by step instructions how to do this with the various options on the Zappi and hey presto it all seems working again. Phew! One more entry in the bank of knowledge .....

 

[Rolfe]

Really pleased to hear this.

 

[Rolfe]

Help again! My MyEnergi app seems not to be working at all. I don't think it thinks it's online, although the phone is definitely online. I need to charge tonight and I'm in deep doo-doo if I can't.

Hell's teeth, I just deleted the app and re-installed it and it hasn't fixed it.