Solar charging

[FiferMG4]

It'll depend on if you're adding it to an existing PV system, and if you are of your current pv system is a Gen2 givenergy inverter.

As the Giv9.5 needs a givenergy Gen2 inverter

The PV system, battery and GivEnergy 3.6kW hybrid inverter will all be getting installed at the same time, Ayoull, so I’m guessing it’ll be the Gen2, but I can’t tell from the installer’s project report.

 

[aitch]

With the Zappi set the export to more than zero when using a hybrid inverter like GivEnergy. I have mine set to 50w export with no battery drainage

 

[Ayoull]

The PV system, battery and GivEnergy 3.6kW hybrid inverter will all be getting installed at the same time, Ayoull, so I’m guessing it’ll be the Gen2, but I can’t tell from the installer’s project report.

It'll be a Gen2 then as Givenergy only support the 5.2 and 8 on the Gen1 inverters

 

[PristDean]

Is there a minimum charge level the MG4 will accept ? I now have my new MG4 connected to my Hypervolt and my solar is exporting at approx 2kwh. The Hypervolt and car are flipping in and out of charging state every ten sends or so which is odd. I never had this issue with the Hyundai I had

 

[RobQuads]

It'll depend on if you're adding it to an existing PV system, and if you are if your current pv system is a Gen2 givenergy inverter.

As the Giv9.5 needs a givenergy Gen2 inverter

Thats not true. I have a Giv 9.5 battery on a Gen1 inverter works fine bar the odd occurrence of the SOC bug

 

[Jomarkh]

Thats not true. I have a Giv 9.5 battery on a Gen1 inverter works fine bar the odd occurrence of the SOC bug

I too have a 9.5kWh battery on a gen 1 works great and only dropped from 25-30% to zero 3 times.

Is there a minimum charge level the MG4 will accept ? I now have my new MG4 connected to my Hypervolt and my solar is exporting at approx 2kwh. The Hypervolt and car are flipping in and out of charging state every ten sends or so which is odd. I never had this issue with the Hyundai I had

My MG5 will charge from my Zappi once it hits 1.4kW which is the same for most EV's.

 

[RobQuads]

My MG5 will charge from my Zappi once it hits 1.4kW which is the same for most EV's.

Yeah when I was talking to many of the EV charger companies at Fully Charged all kept mentioning 1.4kW so presume this has been fairly well standardised across the manufacturers.

 

[PristDean]

Update on this. Whilst 1.4 is the known standard, the MG seems to not like it and start a charge when receiving about 1.5 - 1.8kw/h but then after a few seconds drop with 'Charging aborted' on the dash.
If the input is 2kw/h or above, It holds the charge.
So in effect, a real pain in the ar*e if solar export is fluctuating due to the sun playing hide and seek with clouds, the MG just aborts until I have to intervene.

 

[aitch]

Not sure if your issue is the MG or your charge point.
My experience is the charge will hold down to around 1.4kw.
Not had the “charge aborted” message.
The charge point will pause charging stating “waiting for excess solar “.

 

[PristDean]

I had a Hyundai which played nicely with my charger. Charged when 1.4 or more was available and would happily stop when lower then resume when 1.4 or more available again.
The MG just drops the message 'Charging Aborted' .... I then have to go through a manual procedure of disconnecting, rebooting my charger and reconnecting. The MG then takes up and continues the charge providing it is about 2Kw/h or more. Hypervolt charger which displays no error message and can handle up to 7kw/h
To me this sounds like the car not holding a stable charge at lower or fluctuating values thus aborting the charge.
I'm testing further and want to gain firm reproducible evidence before approaching my dealer

 

[aitch]

Does the hyper volt have a delay for cloudy situations to reduce a repeated and fairly rapid on off situation which could cause the bms to abort?
On a sunny day try the granny charger but set the current to 6amps, this will highlight if the car has an issue with low current charging, it won’t rule out the car but will highlight if the bms doesn’t like being at around 1.4kw for a period of time.

 

[DBedford]

I have been looking at ways of charging my EV when the sun shines on my solar panels, I checked out Zappi etc and was quite supprised at the price of £800+

So I installed an adjustable current monitering device that switches on a contactor when the solar panels reach 2.2kw output (4kw fitted) at that point it turns off the 1.5 kw immersion heater which is also current controlled and energises a dedicated socket which the granny lead is plugged into.

I used to be running about switching the granny lead on and off when clouds came and now it is completely automatic.

I reckon I will get 40 to 50 free mIles today and I have now got (or will have on Tuesday) a 61kw home battery.

All done for about £25 plus a bit of cable and socket, a fraction of the price of a Zappi et al.

Very happy chappy

Not really free miles as you have paid for the solar panels and hardware.

 

[PristDean]

Not really free miles as you have paid for the solar panels and hardware.

Free miles for me, I bought the house from people in a hurry to move with the panels already there.

Does the hyper volt have a delay for cloudy situations to reduce a repeated and fairly rapid on off situation which could cause the bms to abort?
On a sunny day try the granny charger but set the current to 6amps, this will highlight if the car has an issue with low current charging, it won’t rule out the car but will highlight if the bms doesn’t like being at around 1.4kw for a period of time.

Thanks, been out this morning with 3.8 Kw/h being exported, the car started charging and suddenly stopped with 'Charging Aborted'. I again had to unplug lock and unlock the car then plug in again to get it to reconnect and start charging. Car is now steadily charging and states it is receiving 3.3 Kw/h

.

Investigations continue today.

 

[Ayoull]

Thanks, been out this morning with 3.8 Kw/h being exported, the car started charging and suddenly stopped with 'Charging Aborted'. I again had to unplug lock and unlock the car then plug in again to get it to reconnect and start charging. Car is now steadily charging and states it is receiving 3.3 Kw/h

.View attachment 17719

Investigations continue today.

Have you unlocked the car as the screen goes off while charging a d only comes back on if you unlock it a d that does abort
The Charge to allow you to disconnect the lead

 

[PristDean]

So as an update. I tried:
1. With the car locked and plugged in. Initiate a 3.8 Kw/h export (solar & battery). - The car held a steady charge
2. Car as above. Removed the battery from the export so purely solar at 2 Kw/h - The car aborted the charge
3. Unplugged, unlocked the car, plugged in. - The car starts a charge, locks itself, then aborts
4. Unplugged, locked the car, plugged in - The car starts a charge, then aborts
5. Car locked and plugged in, reboot the Hypervolt - The car starts and holds a charge
6. If I interrogate the car whilst charging via the app, it will sometimes abort the charge. But this random
7. Called 'Hypervolt' to find my charger had an old firmware version. They have now updated it. Why I had to call to obtain that only Hypervolt knows !

As a note, every time the car initiates a handshake with the charger and begins to charge or abort, the screen displays the information, locked or unlocked.

So now I'm testing again with a new firmware on my charger !..... Who said owning an EV would make life simpler ??

An unexpected test.....went out to the car with 2.8 K/Wh being generated by the panels only to find the car had stopped charging . Panic ensued and was close to pulling my hair out... until.... I found my wife doing some ironing.... Lord knows... patience is a virtue with a tech home and vehicle !!

 

[Alex1985]

Not really free miles as you have paid for the solar panels and hardware.

It is free miles as I have had the panels for eleven years and they paid for themselves in around 5 years. Happy days!

 

[MG4London]

I was wondering about solar panels on the roof

 

[Jomarkh]

I was wondering about solar panels on the roof

Roof of car or house?

 

[DBedford]

It is free miles as I have had the panels for eleven years and they paid for themselves in around 5 years. Happy days!

The 5-10 year payback all depends on your consumption, and orientation of your roof. If the cost of electricity goes down, playback goes up. And invest before your 60 ?.

 

[Rolfe]

I have a roof that is damn perfect for solar panels (other than being in Scotland, and this month actually people with them are cashing in) and my neighbours have just covered their (identical) roof with the things (and acquired a fancy big Tesla), but I'm not under 60.

It really looks like a criminal waste, but I can't justify the investment.