MG4 in Australia

[Neptuneman]

I connected up one of these today:
2air CarlinKit 5.0 Wireless CarPlay
View attachment 26474

2air CarlinKit 5.0 &4 Wireless CarPlay Wireless Android Auto Box 2.4G&5.8Ghz WiFi BT Auto Connect Plug&Play For Wired AA CP Cars - AliExpress 34

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

I was surprised at both how compact it was and how easy it was to set up. Pretty much just plug in, connect phone via bluetooth, tap the confirmation on the car's display screen and that was it, CarPlay started up. It comes with a small piece of double sided tape so I stuck it under the centre control shelf out of sight but stuck to the front panel, not the underside of the shelf itself.

I then went into the unit's settings (use a browser on the phone you connect to it's own local IP address) to check for firmware updates (none) and to change the start up delay to 20 seconds to give the car's system time to fire up before it tried to connect. That was also very easy.

CarPlay worked no differently to being wired, nice and fast response. Mine usually has the Waze app running.

I'll see how it goes but it seems to be a good solution for wireless CarPlay in the MG4.

I purchased mine also from AliExpress and it was delivered in 8 days direct from China. ~ $52. I connected it last week and it works without any issues.. I did not disconnect the existing Bluetooth phone to car connection that others have reported needs doing to set it up.. I guess leaving that existing Bluetooth connection intact will allow Bluetooth connection phone to car if needed in the future. Obviously I would have to unplug the wireless adaptor for this to happen.. I did also adjust the connection time to 20 seconds and because I have an android phone I used the app that Carlinkit provided to connect to the unit directly to adjust any parameters.

How’s the delay when using steering wheel controls for forward/back/pause music, and with phone calls? Just curious as those are normally the two areas I see complaints about with a lot of adaptors (and sometimes laggy GPS) when I’ve been looking into getting one.

No delay noticed. GPS & Waze perfect.. No difference for me to using a cable to connect. Android 13 phone.

 

[wattmatters]

I'm getting the occasional blank CarPlay screen but otherwise it's working OK. Still not enough uses to get a sense of the sequence which leads to that (and how I can avoid it). Speed of operation is fine. It's so much nicer than plugging in. I leave my phone on the wireless charging pad.

 

[Neptuneman]

I'm getting the occasional blank CarPlay screen but otherwise it's working OK. Still not enough uses to get a sense of the sequence which leads to that (and how I can avoid it). Speed of operation is fine. It's so much nicer than plugging in. I leave my phone on the wireless charging pad.

I guess you have checked on Carlinkit Support FAQ for solutions? 2air/X2air/CarlinKit 5.0-Carlinkit Official Website | Smart Driving Safe Traveling

 

[Airbag888]

You'll be at 10A whereas it sounds as if Australians are limited to 8A.

I'm not in ANZ but my MG4 is ANZ sourced (or for that market) and the granny charger reads 8A on it... that's 1.8kW which in the end gets me 1.3kW max while charging (37% loss).. That said as someone pointed out just checking the car remotely can wake up crap so if you consider 'crap' to be a flat 0.2kW 1.8kW -> 1.5kW is 17%

Bit baffling though if waking up the car with the app draws 200W

 

[Martinonline]

I believe the 200W is the power drawn if the car is powered on whilst charging not when you just use the app to ask for a status.

 

[wattmatters]

Bit baffling though if waking up the car with the app draws 200W

Check the auxiliary battery voltage. It's likely charging that as well. 10 A at 14 V is 140 W, a pretty typical charging scenario for the 12 V system.

I guess you have checked on Carlinkit Support FAQ for solutions? 2air/X2air/CarlinKit 5.0-Carlinkit Official Website | Smart Driving Safe Traveling

Thanks, yes, I did make the setting changes suggested but it broke the connection completely (no connection at all) and I had to do a complete reset of the device.

I'm yet to see if it reverts to automation connection again. I tested it once and it connected but it's really only after a few dozen times will I call it sorted.

I'm yet to see if it reverts to automation connection again. I tested it once and it connected but it's really only after a few dozen times will I call it sorted.

Nah, these recommended changes to the set up have made it worse. I either get blank screen or no connection at all. Worse is it seems to have stuck with these issues even though I've reverted to previous settings.

Wish I'd never touched it now.

 

[Trooper]

Nah, these recommended changes to the set up have made it worse. I either get blank screen or no connection at all. Worse is it seems to have stuck with these issues even though I've reverted to previous settings.

Wish I'd never touched it now.

Hmm, I’ve ordered one to have a play with since I could get it less than $50… but now I have a feeling I’ll be faffing about with it for a week before putting it on eBay ?

 

[PeterM]

I'm not in ANZ but my MG4 is ANZ sourced (or for that market) and the granny charger reads 8A on it... that's 1.8kW which in the end gets me 1.3kW max while charging (37% loss).. That said as someone pointed out just checking the car remotely can wake up crap so if you consider 'crap' to be a flat 0.2kW 1.8kW -> 1.5kW is 17%

Bit baffling though if waking up the car with the app draws 200W

Keep in mind that Wattage is simply Volts * Amps, so your supply voltage is quite important.
The EVSE tells the car what current it can pull (8A in the case of the granny charger).
In Australia (East Coast at least) the voltage standard is 230v, +10% / -6%.
Or put another way:

• At 216v the 8A charger has a theoretical max of 1.7kW
• At 230v the 8A charger has a theoretical max of 1.8kW
• At 253v the 8A charger has a theoretical max of 2kW

That's before you factor any losses into the system. It's not just the loss of the onboard charger in the car too. There are losses in the wiring in the house, the size of the conductors in the house, the quality of the powerpoint being used, any extension leads.
Even the EVSE itself introduces loss, and the really nasty ones that use low quality cable and Type2 connectors add to the issue.

I've been testing a variety of (AC charging) rates with my MG4 and so far have found:

• 8A - not enough tests to be statistically significant
• 16A - 92% efficient (possibly not enough tests to be statistically significant)
• 20A - 91% efficient
• 24A - 91% efficient
• 32A - 90% efficient

 

[Wil Tryharder]

Closing the circle ...
Years ago I bought an MG Metro. A car made by a UK company called British Leyland. After a couple of years, when it started to fall apart, I sold it and bought a Peugeot 205 GTI (the overtime back then was good). Several cars and years later I bought a Peugeot 308 HDi. 12 years and 150k Km later It's starting to fall apart. So guess what?
Today we picked up our MG4 Essence 64 from MG Noosa QLD. First time a government body has helped pay for my ride
Anyway, a new chapter begins.

 

[wattmatters]

Still having issues with the 2Air CarlinKit 5.0

Blank screens, or no connection at all. Sometimes it works but zero pattern to it.

Today after stopping twice to get it going, which involves are lot of farting about, it froze up after about 15 minutes. Requires an infotainment system shut down and sometimes that helps it start up. Often with a blank screen though.

Reminds me of this song by Neil Young:


Weird one this morning and a bit concerning.

After a beach walk, stopped for a morning brunch with the wife and dog and when we got back in to head off the car refused to show READY and move into a drive gear.

All I could get was a message on the driver's screen say "Please move the steering wheel". But the wheel was very difficult to move, and the wheels were dead straight. Much force would only move it a little.

I powered the car down via the menus and powered up again, but no change. Refused to change into a READY state. Tried a few times. Got out and back in to try again. Same problem.

After about 15 minutes and a failed attempt at contacting the MG support line (they just refer you to a web link, which is fine if you have data coverage but coverage was crap, so that goes nowhere), I tried powering down for about the 5th time.

On powering up again this time I heard a clunk from the steering column, and the READY state came back, I was able to select a drive mode and head off.

It was rather strange and frankly absurd. It was parked on a dead flat bit of road.

 

[clayton4115]

Weird one this morning and a bit concerning.

After a beach walk, stopped for a morning brunch with the wife and dog and when we got back in to head off the car refused to show READY and move into a drive gear.

12V on the way out maybe ?

 

[Archev]

Weird one this morning and a bit concerning.

After a beach walk, stopped for a morning brunch with the wife and dog and when we got back in to head off the car refused to show READY and move into a drive gear.

All I could get was a message on the driver's screen say "Please move the steering wheel". But the wheel was very difficult to move, and the wheels were dead straight. Much force would only move it a little.

I powered the car down via the menus and powered up again, but no change. Refused to change into a READY state. Tried a few times. Got out and back in to try again. Same problem.

After about 15 minutes and a failed attempt at contacting the MG support line (they just refer you to a web link, which is fine if you have data coverage but coverage was crap, so that goes nowhere), I tried powering down for about the 5th time.

On powering up again this time I heard a clunk from the steering column, and the READY state came back, I was able to select a drive mode and head off.

It was rather strange and frankly absurd. It was parked on a dead flat bit of road.

Time for 10mm ? ?

 

[wattmatters]

12v on the way out maybe ?

Hard to say. Certainly gets charged regularly. Here's the Auxiliary battery voltage recordings over the past 30 days:

Time for 10mm ? ?

?

 

[Archev]

Hard to say. Certainly gets charged regularly. Here's the Auxiliary battery voltage recordings over the past 30 days:

View attachment 26865


?

I thought something might benefit from a reset??

 

[wattmatters]

I thought something might benefit from a reset??

You've lost me.

 

[Archev]

You've lost me.

OK perhaps I misinterpreted your original story. I’ll have another look later.

 

[Martinonline]

@wattmatters, I think @Archev was referring to using a 10mm spanner to disconnect the battery which causes a reset of some elements of the car and often can rectify a problem.

 

[Archev]

@wattmatters, I think @Archev was referring to using a 10mm spanner to disconnect the battery which causes a reset of some elements of the car and often can rectify a problem.

Aye indeed that’s what I was referring to. I thought I’d picked up Wattmatters problem description wrongly.

 

[wattmatters]

@wattmatters, I think @Archev was referring to using a 10mm spanner to disconnect the battery which causes a reset of some elements of the car and often can rectify a problem.

Aye indeed that’s what I was referring to. I thought I’d picked up Wattmatters problem description wrongly.

Ah, I see. The reference to a 10mm spanner made no sense to me.

Yeah I don't plan on doing that, my experience with disconnecting the auxiliary power battery in cars is it can lead to all sorts of issues - so needs to be done with due care.

I do not know the potential downsides of doing so with the MG4. I've had this cause all sorts of issues with other cars and would only do it if absolutely necessary.

 

[Archev]

Ah, I see. The reference to a 10mm spanner made no sense to me.

Yeah I don't plan on doing that, my experience with disconnecting the auxiliary power battery in cars is it can lead to all sorts of issues - so needs to be done with due care.

I do not know the potential downsides of doing so with the MG4. I've had this cause all sorts of issues with other cars and would only do it if absolutely necessary.

OK, I know it can be a wrench ?‍