Level 1 charging interruption in early morning hours

[NurStrom]

Ever since the SCE summer rates went into effect, our level 1 charging is interrupted in the early morning. The level 1 charging cable is continuously plugged in at both ends. I am using the delay timer to take advantage of the off-peak rates. According to SCEs website, it shows that the charging begins at the off-rate time (11pm) and is stopping (or terminated) at about 4 am. As a temporary solution, at 6 am, I usually override the timer and charge manually for a few more hours.

Does anyone know if the on board charger logic will cause a disconnect if the power quality is not within specs? For example, voltage drop or sag. Although, voltage drop usually occurs during peak demand late morning and early evening.

A somewhat related thread: http://www.myvwegolf.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=336

Comments are welcome. Thanks

 

[msvphoto]

I would think if voltage dropped to the point the charging system isn't happy you might be popping the circuit breaker for the outlet. (When volts go down, amps go up.) I am pretty sure the level 1 EVSE that comes with the car is good down to 100VAC and I doubt your power is dropping that low.

I can only speak from 2015 experience (all timer settings via CarNet only). I thought I read someplace that using just off rate charging times had some kind of bug and was recommended to only use the departure timer. I tried using the off peak timer when we first got the car with mixed results at first. After having the 2015 charging electronics in the car replaced under warranty for an incompatibility with Clipper Creek EVSEs I have only used the departure time and it has worked flawlessly.

 

[NurStrom]

I would think if voltage dropped to the point the charging system isn't happy you might be popping the circuit breaker for the outlet. (When volts go down, amps go up.) I am pretty sure the level 1 EVSE that comes with the car is good down to 100VAC and I doubt your power is dropping that low.

Actually, the OEM level 1 cable is limited to 13 amps - so no more than that and I verified that with a plug in meter.
I'm plugging in at the end of long wire run for a carport. Current in- rush from other electrical consumers could momentarily drop it to 100 volts.

Regarding your comment about voltage decreasing and amperage increasing. Ohm's law states that they are proportional E=I x R , not inversely proportional.
Voltage sag will also pull down the current.

 

[SocaleGolf]

Have you tried using the Departure time setting to see if that makes a difference?

 

[NurStrom]

Have you tried using the Departure time setting to see if that makes a difference?

Yes...have it set for 8:00 am departure. According to the SCE day usage chart, it drops the charge at about 4 am leaving range in low 100s. At 6, I charge manually until 100% which is 112 to 117 miles.

 

[msvphoto]

I would think if voltage dropped to the point the charging system isn't happy you might be popping the circuit breaker for the outlet. (When volts go down, amps go up.) I am pretty sure the level 1 EVSE that comes with the car is good down to 100VAC and I doubt your power is dropping that low.

Actually, the OEM level 1 cable is limited to 13 amps - so no more than that and I verified that with a plug in meter.
I'm plugging in at the end of long wire run for a carport. Current in- rush from other electrical consumers could momentarily drop it to 100 volts.

Regarding your comment about voltage decreasing and amperage increasing. Ohm's law states that they are proportional E=I x R , not inversely proportional.
Voltage sag will also pull down the current.

Oops, I stand corrected. Senior moment but I still should have known better with Ohms Law once ingrained in my brain. I'm going to assume the long wire run is 12g? Before we got the Clipper Creek HCS40 installed I was using the 115v charging cable with a short 14g extension cord and that plug got warmer than comfortable, but worked fine. It was even okay with delayed charge, but only with departure time set (not with off-peak settings).

What year is your e-Golf? I would think that if for some reason the charge is dropped that the charging system brains in the car would retry? In our 2015 (with replaced upgraded charging module to fix the Clipper Creek delayed timer problem) the charge brains calculates time to charge back from departure time (the blinking green indicates it doing the calculation) and starts the delayed charge so that it is 100% (or whatever max charge % is set) at the departure time.

Maybe try no off peak settings, just departure time?

If you have access to VCDS, Carista, OBD11, etc. you could scan the charge module for faults. According to the dealer tech who worked on ours there were multiple charge module fault codes set before they replaced the module.

Good luck with this. It does sound like something is not quite right.