Diagnose home-charging trouble?

[dbartram]

I'm having trouble getting charge from 3-pin socket at home. The charger has power -- there's a solid green light on the unit (but not the flowing green indicator as with normal charging). But the car says "AC charging interrupted; check power source and charging equipment". When I connect the cable, on the big screen I see the voltage indicator start at a high number but then quickly decline to zero; this happens twice.

Thanks for any insight...

 

[Fursty Ferret]

Are the pins in the charging socket in the car clean? Two of them are low-voltage and susceptible to contamination.

 

[dbartram]

I've had a go at cleaning the pins. No joy so far.

More info: on the app I can press "start charging" -- but the result is "Start charging failed; charging in progress".

And: I charged successfully yesterday at a pod-point charger, using my separate Type-2 cable. This was after the first instance of the difficulty I'm describing.

 

[GRiLLA]

What does the voltage start at and drop to?

It could well be a poor feed to the house from the grid, and your DNO should address this, they are obliged to provide at least 216V (230V -6%). Anything odd about the socket, can you use another one that might be connected nearer to the consumer unit?

 

[dbartram]

The initial voltage, *very* briefly, seems to be in the high 300s. It drops very quickly to zero.

I'm using the same socket I always use. I tried using a shorter extension lead; no change...

 

[Adopado]

The initial voltage, *very* briefly, seems to be in the high 300s. It drops very quickly to zero.

I'm using the same socket I always use. I tried using a shorter extension lead; no change...

Ah ... you need to test the line voltage at the socket with a multimeter if you have one ... or a plug in meter or whatever. High 300s is way way wrong. Either you have a significant mains issue or the UMC is faulty.

 

[Overworked]

Have you tried a complete reboot from cold of the car?

Turn it off and on again is always the key problem resolver with electrics!

 

[Overworked]

Then check that you can boil a kettle from the 3 pin plug

 

[Adopado]

What does the voltage start at and drop to?

It could well be a poor feed to the house from the grid, and your DNO should address this, they are obliged to provide at least 216V (230V -6%). Anything odd about the socket, can you use another one that might be connected nearer to the consumer unit?

Voltage range can be 216v up to 253v (but if it's close to either end of that range you should be talking to your DNO to check).

 

[Adopado]

Voltage range can be 216v up to 253v (but if it's close to either end of that range you should be talking to your DNO to check).

It is normal to see a voltage sag from the initial reading as the charge ramps up ... those voltages are the no-load starting point.

 

[GRiLLA]

The initial voltage, *very* briefly, seems to be in the high 300s. It drops very quickly to zero.

I'm using the same socket I always use. I tried using a shorter extension lead; no change...

So you've been regularly charging using an extension lead, despite that being not recommended in the manual? My first though would be that you've knackered something and it's the UMC that's preventing you burning your house down. Get an electrician, and consider using a safer way of charging.

 

[dbartram]

I've now tried the UMC at a neighbour's house, without using an extension lead -- same result. So, the underlying problem is not the socket at home, nor the extension lead itself.

If the UMC is now faulty, is there any possible remedy for it -- or do I simply need a replacement UMC?

 

[Adopado]

I've now tried the UMC at a neighbour's house, without using an extension lead -- same result. So, the underlying problem is not the socket at home, nor the extension lead itself.

If the UMC is now faulty, is there any possible remedy for it -- or do I simply need a replacement UMC?

Nothing you can do other than unplug and replug the 13amp adapter section of the UMC in case it's just a poor connection but I'm guessing you've already tried that (and that connector is usually very solid ... at least on the Mk2 it is).

 

[Andywil]

I've now tried the UMC at a neighbour's house, without using an extension lead -- same result. So, the underlying problem is not the socket at home, nor the extension lead itself.

If the UMC is now faulty, is there any possible remedy for it -- or do I simply need a replacement UMC?

Put in a service request via the app.
The UMC is covered by the warranty, I'm on my third now.

 

[dbartram]

The car is from early 2017 -- I would have thought the warranty is no longer useful for this component (only drivetrain and battery, no?).

If I'm wrong and the warranty is the way to go here, please do tell me!!

 

[kelvin 660]

There is 4 years warranty on the UMC

 

[Adopado]

The car is from early 2017 -- I would have thought the warranty is no longer useful for this component (only drivetrain and battery, no?).

If I'm wrong and the warranty is the way to go here, please do tell me!!

It'll be out of warranty then ... 4 years. (It will be a Mk1/Gen 1 if it's from 2017 I think.)

 

[dbartram]

With apologies for what is likely to seem like a really dumb question: for a replacement, does it matter if I get Gen 2 instead of Gen 1? (I mean, they're both "universal", right? Is it just a difference re the join of the 13A adaptor segment to the rest of the cable leading to the car?)

(and unless anyone has any further suggestions about another diagnosis for my situation...)

 

[Adopado]

With apologies for what is likely to seem like a really dumb question: for a replacement, does it matter if I get Gen 2 instead of Gen 1? (I mean, they're both "universal", right? Is it just a difference re the join of the 13A adaptor segment to the rest of the cable leading to the car?)

(and unless anyone has any further suggestions about another diagnosis for my situation...)

It is a different design but it has the same Type 2 connector that connects to the car so is suitable. As far as I know the Gen1 is no longer made so everyone gets a Gen 2 these days.

 

[Mr H]

The first port of call should be to use a local Type 2 charger ( a local Tesco Podpoint would suffice) to ensure there is nothing wrong with the cars on-board charger