UK Finding/ using recharging points

[i3MK]

Took my i3 Rex down into London yesterday. I researched the locations for charging before leaving and found a few bays within easy walking of where I needed to be.

It was packed with traffic and after driving around three units which were all being used I found an empty charge point, blue lights on so perfect. I had joined source London a week ago but hadn't got a card as yet but someone on here pointed out the source East cards would work, as I have one of them it did!!!

However, it only opened the 3 pin charge point but not the 7kw so no matter I had both the charge lead and charger with me. Tried it for 10 mins no charge, no power, no wonder the charge point was empty. So I called up Source London and asked if it could be sorted and expecting the usual and got it, yep! no problem we will send out an engineer to take a look.....

next week!!!!

Ah well!! at least I had a parking spot and a Rex....

Came back 2 hours later to see if any of the other bays were empty and there was one round the corner, so moved onto that for 7kw charge and got to 90% before I came home. So not all bad but what an effort.

M.

Sounds like you were unlucky there. I go to central London in mine frequently without problem. I guess you have no CCS for rapid charging on your i3 Rex? For those thinking of getting the Rex, don't order without CCS DC Rapid Charge option. It's invaluable and will help residual values. For an i3 BEV it's a no brainer.


PS: Source London posts (like many medium/slow chargers) open the 3 pin socket first after you authenticate. For the 7kw socket to open you need to authenticate twice in strict time limits in order to open the correct flap. Terrible design there in my opinion.

 

[ironsia]

Jeremy, there quite a few CCS DCFC points in the UK compatible with the i3 - plenty of posts on here and on the FB BMW i3 UK group. Not many in the far SW, though, but <ccs-map.eu> shows one CCS at Exeter Moto services.
I've personally used Ecotricity provided ones at IKEA Wednesbury (3x OK), Warwick M40 (S failed, 1x) (N, OK), Lymme (1x failed). Supposedly the latest round of renovations is improving the reliability since I used these chargers.

 

[elptex]

Very useful tip for CCS, originally suggested by someone else (I don't recall).

The weight of the CCS plug means the top-most contact points may not make a solid data connection in the negotiation part of first plugging in. When you first plug in, lift up (from the handle is fine) for the duration of the negotiation part. Once it starts charging, you can let go.

This has resulted in us being able to use the Ecotricty CCS chargers at services.

 

[RJSATLBA]

Very useful tip for CCS, originally suggested by someone else (I don't recall).

The weight of the CCS plug means the top-most contact points may not make a solid data connection in the negotiation part of first plugging in. When you first plug in, lift up (from the handle is fine) for the duration of the negotiation part. Once it starts charging, you can let go.

This has resulted in us being able to use the Ecotricty CCS chargers at services.

That's the first time I've seen any reference to this being an issue with the CCS connector, I thought it only related to the AC rapid.

 

[elptex]

Very useful tip for CCS, originally suggested by someone else (I don't recall).

The weight of the CCS plug means the top-most contact points may not make a solid data connection in the negotiation part of first plugging in. When you first plug in, lift up (from the handle is fine) for the duration of the negotiation part. Once it starts charging, you can let go.

This has resulted in us being able to use the Ecotricty CCS chargers at services.

That's the first time I've seen any reference to this being an issue with the CCS connector, I thought it only related to the AC rapid.

This 'issue' has been mentioned/discussed many times on the Facebook i3 group and I've have mentioned it here before when I first experienced it. I thought it was well-known amongst all but new owners.

 

[Gonville]

I too thought that was pretty standard on the AC cables. I found that the DC CCS slots in such that it is almost impossible to 'lift' it in the same manner. Are your sure about this as I tried it in York with no success?

 

[jadnashuanh]

FWIW, when using CCS, the signaling pins that allow the i3 to charge via ac have a 20MHz ac signal imposed on top of the dc control line...IOW, the same signaling lines used for level 2 charging are used in CCS units, but have a different signal applied, so, if those did not make good contact in one mode, they likely wouldn't make good contact in the other, either.

The J1772 plug has a mechanical latch at the top of the connector, controlled by a push button on the plug. So, on the J1772 plug, it can use that leverage point to keep the plug aligned properly with the socket in the car. The car can prevent that latch from being opened, but there is always that hook latch holding the plug in place.

How is the Euro implementation held in place? Does it only latch when the charging starts, or does it also have a push-button latch like the J1772 plug has? While the shape of the connectors are different, the signaling is identical between the two plugs.

 

[PhilH]

How is the Euro implementation held in place? Does it only latch when the charging starts, or does it also have a push-button latch like the J1772 plug has? While the shape of the connectors are different, the signaling is identical between the two plugs.

There is a hole in the plug which is held when the plug is latched. Generally, this is whenever the car is locked, not just when it's actually charging. There is no mechanical control for a user over when the plug is latched.

 

[GlasgowSi]

Just had an email from zap map telling me they have just released an app. Costs £4.99 though which seems a bit steep considering there are plenty of free alternatives. Anyone tried it?

 

[jadnashuanh]

So, if I'm understanding you, unless the car is locked, (charging, also?) you can just grab and pull the plug out without any other mechanical latching system? If so, that differs from the J1772 implementation which always requires you to press the latch button on the connector to remove it (and that is blocked from operating if the car is locked by the car's locking pin).

 

[Gonville]

Correct. On the CCS there is no user activated latch, it's purely via the car locking latch through the whole in the plug.