Newbie charging querie

[Gray_h_m]

Good evening all,

Really very new to all this, so forgive my ignorance in advance.
Had my 1 year old Tesla 3 long range delivered today.

Previously had an MG4(first EV - no API), and charged via my Ohme pro(tethered). Never had a issue with charging, Ohme as dumb, and set schedule via MG app to taking advantage of Intelligent Octopus with a schedule from 11:30 to 05:30(set same schedule on Ohme just in case)

Anyway, just plugged the Tesla in for the first time to the Ohme - test charge really, as its at 40%. Set charging limit to 85%. On the tesla app it stated "Car will charge at 11:30", but in the box underneath it stated 5A. Been like that for an hour, but as I'm very slowly typing this, its just switched to 48A - literally just now.

The 5A is that normal on initial connection? Or is it because its a new setup?

Final question, like I mentioned before, I was a bit paranoid about the schedules in the past and set the MG app and the Ohme to the same schedule. Do I need to only set the Tesla schedule and ignore the Ohme, assuming it will follow the Tesla app ?

Again, new to all this, not really sure when a charger becomes dumb and why API matters, the MG was not supported but the Tesla is(I know the feeling though) ?

 

[Dilly]

From personal choice, I have no schedules in the car or the car app. I use stop/start timers in my Zappi charger to coincide with cheap rate power.
In the car, you can set a start time or a stop time, but not both.

 

[TheManofMead]

From personal choice, I have no schedules in the car or the car app. I use stop/start timers in my Zappi charger to coincide with cheap rate power.
In the car, you can set a start time or a stop time, but not both.

I have a Zappi too. I have it set to 00.30 to 04:30 for charging on Eco ++. However, I have found it easier to simply set the Tesla App to timed charge at 00:30 in which case you can just leave the Zappi on FAST charge. What you do need to do, however is to set the car to stop charging +40% from where it started. As a general rule this works perfectly whether I plug in our M3P or our MS.

 

[WannabeOwner]

On the tesla app it stated "Car will charge at 11:30"

Did it do that without you setting anything? If so I think that is odd ... I would expect - new tesla, never been charged on that site before - that it would just start charging immediately (as in "As soon as it saw that electricity was available" so if the charger has a schedule then that would be "When the charger turns on / provides power to the car")

If you set a "Start at 11:30" schedule, in the car, then I would expect it to remember that for THAT location (only), and start charging at that time whenever it was plugged in (actually you can arrive home quite a lot later than that (hours, not minutes) and it will still start the scheduled charge)

You can also plug in and press CHARGE NOW (on dash, or in APP) to override a schedule for that location.

in the box underneath it stated 5A. Been like that for an hour

Strange (as you surmised). Might be that the car had been manually changed to 5A by previous owner (but my recollection is that would be "location specific" too so should not be active at your location. The default charge value that it shows is 16A (which increases to 32A when it detects that the charger is capable of that, and down from that when it finds that e.g. the UMC is plugged into a 13AMP socket) - so all the more reason why 5A is strange.. And I would not expect it to change by itself - except that it will ramp up once it decides that the Charger can deliver more than 16A (but NOT if it has been previously manually overridden at that location - ion which case it should not exceed the the override value - until you manually override that)

I presume that you tried clicking on the INCREASE button to increase AMPs and that button was inactive at the time? If you didn't know that was possible then that might be a reason (but I would have expected it to then stay at that and not change to 48A by itself, if that makes sense - its the same "Manually set maximum is in place" state described above)

Other possibility is that the Charger was delivering only 5A for some reason (residual setting from MG or some other charger-specific config, or "Misunderstanding" in the handshake when initially connected to the Tesla), so that could account for showing 5A until the Charger increased power (odd that was after some considerable time and not "immediately" - does the Ohme monitor household usage and throttle back if it finds other consumption is high? That would explain it ...

its just switched to 48A

Have you got 3-Phase? 32A would be normal single-phase max.

Do I need to only set the Tesla schedule and ignore the Ohme, assuming it will follow the Tesla app ?

That's what I do, and I'm not familiar with Ohme so dunno what benefits that would have.

I have car start charging at start of Off Peak and a dumb charger so, in effect, the charger is "always on". My schedule is then not dependent on Internet being available for an sort of Cloud Comms to initiate anything (smart chargers normally download that locally, so only a problem for new commands ... but ... removes one variable), so basically when the car gets to Start Time it starts charging. Low Tech style

Also means that if I want a charge at any other time I just press START CHARGE as the charger is always "live". Otherwise need to tell the charger to override schedule and provide power AND may also need to tell the car to start charging.

The downside is that Tesla won't stop charging at the end of Off Peak. 3rd party API APPs can do that (e.g. TeslaFI etc.), or some people set the LIMIT to an amount, more than the current SOC, e.g. 30% more, which they know can be completed in Off Peak window. Bit of a faff, but only required when returning home "empty" such that it will take 2 nights to refill, half tonight and again tomorrow night.

 

[Gray_h_m]

Thx for the replies, very useful.

Have you got 3-Phase? 32A would be normal single-phase max.

Yes

I will try without scheduling the Ohme pro and see how it goes.

Duel schedules worked last night.

 

[Toblerone]

Not sure what’s going on with the amps, perhaps due to a cold battery?

For IO have you set it up for the Tesla now (added the car)?
IO should control the charge by calling the Tesla api (which is the same as you clicking charge in the Tesla app).

For the schedule, the method I use is:
- Toggle the Tesla app to say ‘off-peak charge’ and set 11pm - this prevents the car starting to charge when you initially plug it in but does not interfere with anything else.

- set the level of charge you want in the Tesla app (eg 80%)
- in the octopus app set the level to 100% (the car won’t go over what is set in the previous step)

Some people like to overthink this but you don’t need any other schedules or settings.

Once you’ve done the above all you ever need to do is plug in. Nothing else is required. You can change the charge level in the Tesla app if required.

There is a megathread on IO if you want to go through it.

 

[Gray_h_m]

Not sure what’s going on with the amps, perhaps due to a cold battery?

For IO have you set it up for the Tesla now (added the car)?
IO should control the charge by calling the Tesla api (which is the same as you clicking charge in the Tesla app).

For the schedule, the method I use is:
- Toggle the Tesla app to say ‘off-peak charge’ and set 11pm - this prevents the car starting to charge when you initially plug it in but does not interfere with anything else.

- set the level of charge you want in the Tesla app (eg 80%)
- in the octopus app set the level to 100% (the car won’t go over what is set in the previous step)

Some people like to overthink this but you don’t need any other schedules or settings.

Once you’ve done the above all you ever need to do is plug in. Nothing else is required. You can change the charge level in the Tesla app if required.

There is a megathread on IO if you want to go through it.

Thank you, I will certainly give that a go, seems much simpler.
I’ll have to have a look on the IO app, not seen a setting for an EV max charge.

 

[Gray_h_m]

The Octopus app can't set max charge, it states "We're still in Beta - For now you will need to go to your Ohme app to control your EV charging"

 

[Mrklaw]

for tesla IO ignores the ohme charger and controls when charge is requested through the cars api so it can absolutely set a max charge. the ohme is left in dumb mode with no schedule

 

[Gray_h_m]

for tesla IO ignores the ohme charger and controls when charge is requested through the cars api so it can absolutely set a max charge. the ohme is left in dumb mode with no schedule

Right, I'm giving it a go this evening. Just went out, plugged in the Tesla, removed any schedule from Ohme.
See tomorrow if it kicked in at 11:30pm and shutdown at 5:30am.
It will be great if I don't have to do anything with the Ohme pro app.

 

[HCassidy]

Can't give you an answer but why did you switch away from the MG4 out of interest? Oil leaks not your gig?

 

[Mrklaw]

Right, I'm giving it a go this evening. Just went out, plugged in the Tesla, removed any schedule from Ohme.
See tomorrow if it kicked in at 11:30pm and shutdown at 5:30am.
It will be great if I don't have to do anything with the Ohme pro app.

you need to check your octopus app and set up the tesla in it - you’ll need to log in with your tesla account. It won’t just work without setting up
also it usually won’t charge 11:30-5:30, it’ll pick slots here and there within that.

 

[Gray_h_m]

Can't give you an answer but why did you switch away from the MG4 out of interest? Oil leaks not your gig?

Numerous issues, MG are so slow with responses.
Issues: Under-tray bulge - basically a snow scoop.
Critical lockin issue - escape via the boot(software update eventually supposed to have stopped this)
Oil leak from gear reduction
Reset all setting every time you get in the car
Drowsiness awareness warning(camera just behind the steering) constantly going off
Lane avoidance - very severe
Efficiency pretty poor

Most of these will hopefully be fixed in a software update(promised for months). But weirdly, even if you have the same model as someone else, your car under diagnostics will say no software to update, even though your software build is 2 updates behind others.

The MG4 was a lovely drive though, and I only lost £500 on new after putting 3000 miles on the clock. Helped that it coincided with the Tesla price drop, and I managed to get M3LR at a great price.

 

[Gray_h_m]

you need to check your octopus app and set up the tesla in it - you’ll need to log in with your tesla account. It won’t just work without setting up
also it usually won’t charge 11:30-5:30, it’ll pick slots here and there within that.

My octopus app, is linked to my Ohme pro, do I have to delete this? Because every time I tap devices, it just says "We're still in Beta - for now you will to go to the ohme app to control EV charging"
I can't see how I get Octopus to map my Tesla as there is no option to add my Tesla.
I see others mentioning adding schedules to your tesla on the IO app, but I can see any option for my car, just a very basic dashboard, but no car.
Again please forgive my ignorance, I've only had the car two days.

 

[Mrklaw]

My octopus app, is linked to my Ohme pro, do I have to delete this? Because every time I tap devices, it just says "We're still in Beta - for now you will to go to the ohme app to control EV charging"
I can't see how I get Octopus to map my Tesla as there is no option to add my Tesla.
I see others mentioning adding schedules to your tesla on the IO app, but I can see any option for my car, just a very basic dashboard, but no car.
Again please forgive my ignorance, I've only had the car two days.

no worries - there is also a thread on here about ‘all you wanted to know about intelligent octopus’ - probably has more info.

I expect you’ll have to delete the ohme and add the tesla - it’ll do a test charge like it did before

 

[Gray_h_m]

Deleted ohme from Octopus app. New device - test failing repeatedly after adding tesla and ohme - both recognised though.
Ohme app no longer has my IO tariff in setting - what fun.

 

[Mrklaw]

If you need to charge tonight just use the Tesla app and set the timer (and turn off IO in the app)

Sure you’ll get it sorted

 

[Gray_h_m]

Well I think I've tried everything and read as much as I could of the IO mega thread.

Deleted all schedules. Deleted Ohme pro app, Tesla app and Octopus app, all in my combinations. Reset Ohme etc...

I cannot get the damn IO app to integrate my Tesla - fails the test every time. Obviously I can set to charge via the Tesla app, but I would like the benefits of setting things in the IO app.

Anybody else gone through this?

 

[Gray_h_m]

Unreal, tried the test charge about 4 or 5 times this afternoon - no luck. 6th time it mapped.

Really weird.