[mrb_ix3]

Just after some advice or experience with Pod Point home chargers (7kW) and the iX3

Had mine installed about a month ago and aside from some other technical issues that they've fixed, the one constant has been that it never achieves the full 7kW

The car doesn't have current limited but the best it gets is 29A / ~ 6.1kWh

Pod Point tells me that this is nothing to do with them and that the car pulls power, rather than Pod Point pushing power, so any limitation is coming from the iX3 and not the charger.

It seems a bit of a flaky answer to me and I can't see why a premium car would limit itself to 29A, but I can see the point about push vs. pull

They said that they either set the charger to 3.6 or 7. There's nothing in the middle and the fact I get 6.1, tells them that it's fine. They reckon this is an acceptable speed and that's the end of the story from their side

Does anyone else experience the same?

[EVFan]

I am consistently getting 30 amp 6.8kWh from my Chargemaster (dumb) chargepoint. I have assumed it is to do with the supply from my house rather than the car.
I don't know what rate my previous car achieved from the same set-up.

[Norfolkungood]

I had a Pod-point fitted last year - 7kw etc. The engineer who fitted it said, as he left, ' I have restricted it to 6kw.' I wasn't particularly concerned at the time and when the SSE engineer came along to check a few months later he told me that it's common practice with some fitters as 'they're not confident enough in their ability to fit them!'

Upshot is that I always get 5.9kw.

I would check with the company that fitted your Pod-point and ask if they have 'restricted' your wattage, if so, get them to come back and remedy it - it's straightforward, apparently.

[the_ape]

I always get 7.4kW and 6.8kW..all depends on the demand in local area at the time.

[moonigan]

I have a pod point and I get some strange behaviour which I think is the car. When I plug in the charger the car won’t pull more than 13A even though the car is set to 32A. If I then get back in the car it will then start to pull the around 31A.

[supersebbo]

There are 4 things that can limit the supply on the PodPoint.

1) The car itself, which will limit the charging current based on the setting in the car.
2) The internal DIP switches inside the PodPoint unit which are a 'hard limit' and set during installation.
3) The software limit which can be set by PodPoint remotely.
4) The 'supply limit' which is sensed by the PodPoint via a cable clamp and prevents the overall supply demand (all your home applicances PLUS the charger) exceeding the supply limit (usually 80A or 100A depending on your home's supply).

[the_ape]

Don't forget the cable too, not sure if it's tethered or not, if un-tethered make sure your using a 32a cable, not a 16a one.

[ThreeXi]

Hello,

I'm going to follow this thread with interest as I'll have the same set up as mrb_ix3, albeit with a 3.7kW Pod Point when my iX3 arrives in a couple of months time (fingers crossed).

In addition to what supersebbo has listed, did Pod Point install a CT clamp? Could that be limiting the supply? As I understand it, a CT clamp prioritises the household rather than the Pod Point when demand increases.

Many thanks,

[mrb_ix3]

Originally Posted by supersebbo

There are 4 things that can limit the supply on the PodPoint.

1) The car itself, which will limit the charging current based on the setting in the car.
2) The internal DIP switches inside the PodPoint unit which are a 'hard limit' and set during installation.
3) The software limit which can be set by PodPoint remotely.
4) The 'supply limit' which is sensed by the PodPoint via a cable clamp and prevents the overall supply demand (all your home applicances PLUS the charger) exceeding the supply limit (usually 80A or 100A depending on your home's supply).

Thanks a lot for your reply.

I think I can rule out the car, as it's set to allow 32A

The Pod Point engineer promises me that the hard limit is not the issue (the dip switches) and it's set to allow the full charging rate

The supply limit shouldn't be an issue because this charger is installed at a home I am not currently living in (only visit at weekends) so nothing else is even running

So based on elimination, perhaps it's a software limit as you mentioned in 3. I've complained again to them and they tell me they've sent something remotely to the unit and asked me to try again. I'll report back next time I'm at the house and try it!

[mrb_ix3]

Originally Posted by ThreeXi

Hello,

I'm going to follow this thread with interest as I'll have the same set up as mrb_ix3, albeit with a 3.7kW Pod Point when my iX3 arrives in a couple of months time (fingers crossed).

In addition to what supersebbo has listed, did Pod Point install a CT clamp? Could that be limiting the supply? As I understand it, a CT clamp prioritises the household rather than the Pod Point when demand increases.

Many thanks,

I also have a 3.6kW Pod Point at my other (main) house, back from when I used to have a PHEV and can confirm the iX3 works like a dream with that. It locks on to 3.6/3.7kW the second it starts charging

One thing I notice with my 7kW at the other house is that it starts off really slow (like 12A/2kW) and ramps up 3A at a time over the course of a few minutes. I've never seen this with the 3.6kW unit, which, although slow, is very reliable

I've had no end of issues with the 7kW one, including often failing to lock the cable and resulting in a clicking sound, followed by red error light

[mrb_ix3]

Originally Posted by the_ape

Don't forget the cable too, not sure if it's tethered or not, if un-tethered make sure your using a 32a cable, not a 16a one.

It's untethered, but I'm pretty sure it's a 32A cable. It came from BMW in the car and given that it reaches 29A, it has to be

[mrb_ix3]

Originally Posted by moonigan

I have a pod point and I get some strange behaviour which I think is the car. When I plug in the charger the car won't pull more than 13A even though the car is set to 32A. If I then get back in the car it will then start to pull the around 31A.

Mine starts at 13A and ramps up every 20 seconds or so. I don't have to get in the car again - it just does it. Probably takes 2-3 minutes before it reaches its peak speed, which is only 6.1kW, instead of the supposed 7kW

[the_ape]

Sounds like a charger thing, shouldn't do that. Mine hits over 7kW and stays that way as long as the voltage stays up over 240v

[mrb_ix3]

Originally Posted by the_ape

Sounds like a charger thing, shouldn't do that. Mine hits over 7kW and stays that way as long as the voltage stays up over 240v

Attachment 2941736

This is my feeling but it's hard when Pod Point try to blame the car and play the "we haven't restricted it" card. I'll see what their "remote" update brings

[the_ape]

So glad that after 4 weeks of hassle just trying to get pod point installed, I went another way and got a refund from pod point... Even that was a Royal pain. So if their tech is anything like their customer service, then I'm pretty sure it's them to blame.

[mrb_ix3]

Originally Posted by the_ape

So glad that after 4 weeks of hassle just trying to get pod point installed, I went another way and got a refund from pod point... Even that was a Royal pain. So if their tech is anything like their customer service, then I'm pretty sure it's them to blame.

You made a wise decision. If it hadn't been for free, I would have probably done the same. I was having seating issues with the connector in the Pod Point, where the servo motor wouldn't engage and caused a constant clicking sound caused by the servo failing to engage (normally you'd hear that servo once). They came out and removed a piece of plastic. By all accounts, they've had to swap various components due to global shortages and it seems the connector isn't the same and removing this piece of plastic helps the seating issue. He knew exactly what to do the moment he arrived, so they clearly know about it!

[JM1883]

Could it be the voltage to the house and the Pod Point adjusting for it?

Despite living in a new build in a city we see our voltage as low as 207V. Which is where chargers cut off if they go below this (some the threshold is even higher). I do believe some chargers “sense” this and adjust KW accordingly. Mine doesn’t, if we’re in peak hours I have to reduce it manually.

It’s a worrying thought that soon every house will have a charger and already the infrastructure is creaking. We’re legally entitled to a certain voltage to our homes, but in our case the DNO are pointing fingers at National Grid and NG at the DNO - so zero ownership in fixing the issue!

[the_ape]

They don't sense and adjust, it's just maths, remember chargers aren't that.. They are just a big switch to connect the cars charger (that's where it is) to the electricity in a safe way.

207v * 32a = 6.6kW

240v * 32a = 7.68kW

220v * 32a = 7kW

That's where the powers come from, in Europe its stated 7kW as the mean average voltage is 220v your likely to get more or less depending on local demand.

Might be worth asking the DNO to set up a monitor on your local supply voltage or get a voltage tracker from amazon whatnot and check your local supply.

[supersebbo]

Could be. It's simple maths.
32A x 230V = 7.3kW
32A x 210V = 6.7kW

I have a UPS for some IT equipment and it constantly measures voltage. Ours is fairly stable at 232V but it sometimes goes as low as 215V.

[supersebbo]

Haha, the_ape beat me to it in the time I was writing my post :-D

[DrJAB]

I only get 6.8kw, 30amp from my pod point. No idea why, but its so close to maximum potential that I'm not really bothered.

[moonigan]

Originally Posted by mrb_ix3

Mine starts at 13A and ramps up every 20 seconds or so. I don't have to get in the car again - it just does it. Probably takes 2-3 minutes before it reaches its peak speed, which is only 6.1kW, instead of the supposed 7kW

Put the car on charge a couple of hours ago. Still showing 13A limit. If I was to get in the car it would immediately ramp up. Bizarre, not sure what’s going on.