MG4 Trophy: Idiot’s Guide to Public Charging?

[SWK74]

We got the MG just before Christmas and are loving it. Public charging is still a bit of a mystery to us though - sometimes it starts, other times it doesn’t, although I can now get the charge to start almost every time. Is there a simple step by step guide to what you need to do? I appreciate that is can be different for different networks (some apps are better than others at telling you what to do) but I am after some simple dos/don’ts/things to watch out for.

What I currently think works is:

1. Get out of the car
2. Select the charger - so either through the app, or I present the contactless credit card
3. Connect the Type 2 charger to the EV charger and then the car (with fast chargers, just plug in to the car)
4. Either press start on the app, or sometimes it just starts charging depending on network
5. Only then lock the car and walk away.

I can’t seem to find anything about what to do in general though.

At home on the granny charger it just works - I unlock the car and open the charging flap; lights are blue; plug in the (switched on) granny lead; and it just starts and locks the car.

 

[Jomarkh]

Rapid chargers and fast EVSE seem to operate differently even different types of charger from the same network. Most say on the machine whether to plug in first or use an app of card to start the charge then plug in. You will get used to how they work if you stick to the same network or app. I use Instavolt or my Electroverse card.

 

[Matt x power]

You have to remove the bottom bung on the port if you are using ccs fast or rapid chargers

 

[dsimpkins]

As others have said, it varies depending on the charging network, and age of charger.

Speaking as an IT person, RTFM is the solution when using a charger for the first time.

 

[tsedge]

General tips (mainly for Rapid chargers):

1. If it lets you, authorise the charge before you plug it in - saves the hassle of finding out it will not do it and then having to unplug later.

2. Use the app, not the charger screen if possible - saves getting out of the car to find it doesn't work.

3. Authorise via Apple/Google/Samsung pay if you can on the app - less likely to be denied by your card issuer than if you use a contactless card on the charger (due to higher security, bank risk rules). Fairly common to have it declined otherwise every X charges.

4. Make sure you have enough credit to authorise whatever the charger will ask for on your card - typically £40/£50 but can be higher. They do this in case you don't pay and it can get declined if the hold puts you over the limit (may not get released quickly so can add up if you charge multiple times on same trip).

5. When connecting the car, firmly press in the CCS plug and hold it in tightly at the top, continue holding it until it has finished negotiating and the charge has started. The pins at the top control this conversation and with the weight of the cable may not make good enough contact, causing a charge failure.

6. When finished and about about to unlock, support the weight of the CCS plug before stopping the charge - the locking pin may get stuck with the weight of the plug and cable on it.

 

[MGFour]

Yep Tsedge has pretty much got it, but I'd add if it fails 1st time to unplug, lock then unlock car and start again, if you don't the car can time out and then it wont work until you do, so best just to resart from beginning each fail.

 

[Grriff]

Good advice above. My Guide may also help. MG4 Trophy - a Guide

 

[dave99]

some tethered chargers have quite short cables - so make sure you are close enough before initiating the charge and then finding out the cable doesn't reach

 

[Alb]

I think Idiots Guides are so discriminatory.
Some people haven't yet risen to the rank of idiot

 

[kiwi]

I drive both a MG4 and a ZS EV regularly and use a variety of public charges. It almost always goes better if you plug in first before faffing around with the RFID token or app.

 

[SWK74]

Thanks for all the pointers so far! Keep them coming if there are more!

I used the tips above to charge at a rapid charger this morning (got 110kW+). It worked first time using the app, and I was happy that I started it via that route because others had no joy using contactless. I already had enough money on BP Pulse so didn't have to faff around with loading money (seems like we need to have a few quid credit on all the apps just in case which sounds like a pain?). PS A woman was having issues and, after a third person turned up, we had a nice little community trying to help her get the charge up and running! Much more sociable than a petrol station!

Yep Tsedge has pretty much got it, but I'd add if it fails 1st time to unplug, lock then unlock car and start again, if you don't the car can time out and then it wont work until you do, so best just to resart from beginning each fail.

I tried the lock/unlock trick with the car yesterday before it then started to charge - wondering whether that was a way to kick start everything off - and funnily enough made me want to start this thread!

I think Idiots Guides are so discriminatory.
Some people haven't yet risen to the rank of idiot

maybe i should have used "dummy's guide"

some tethered chargers have quite short cables - so make sure you are close enough before initiating the charge and then finding out the cable doesn't reach

I am reversing into every space nowadays anyway because of the camera on the Trophy! But we have very quickly learnt to reverse into a space to charge too because the cables are much shorter than you'd think!

As others have said, it varies depending on the charging network, and age of charger.

Speaking as an IT person, RTFM is the solution when using a charger for the first time.

Stuff just needs to work ... gone are the days when I want to spend time building anything from scratch. ;-)

To be fair, I did try to find the guides but they're all different - and I really interested in the hints and tips.