I3 stops charging if I stay in the car

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Kevtech

Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
5
Location
I3 Rex 2014 - Ireland
This weekend I took my I3 Rex on a little road trip. The weather was very inclement & when I went to charge the I3 at a Level 2 charge point I decided to sit in the I3 while it was charging. Once I was in the I3 it stopped charging. If I got out & locked the car charging re-commenced. I left the car charging for a few minutes, opened it & got in again. It stopped charging again. The I3 would only charge if I was not in it. I tried the passenger seat as well but the charging stopped.
After I returned home I plugged into my Level 2 30amp Chargemaster. I left the I3 charging for fifteen minutes. The I returned, opened the car & sat in. The car stopped charging. Once I exited the car & locked it charging resumed.
Is this a safety feature? I have searched the web but I cannot find any info on why the I3 stops charging if someone is in it. Any suggestions or advice on how to charge the I3 while I stay inside. I live in Ireland & we get a lot of rain so if I am on a trip & the weather is bad I would like to stay in the car while it is charging.
 
Kevtech said:
This weekend I took my I3 Rex on a little road trip. The weather was very inclement & when I went to charge the I3 at a Level 2 charge point I decided to sit in the I3 while it was charging. Once I was in the I3 it stopped charging. If I got out & locked the car charging re-commenced. I left the car charging for a few minutes, opened it & got in again. It stopped charging again. The I3 would only charge if I was not in it. I tried the passenger seat as well but the charging stopped.
After I returned home I plugged into my Level 2 30amp Chargemaster. I left the I3 charging for fifteen minutes. The I returned, opened the car & sat in. The car stopped charging. Once I exited the car & locked it charging resumed.
Is this a safety feature? I have searched the web but I cannot find any info on why the I3 stops charging if someone is in it. Any suggestions or advice on how to charge the I3 while I stay inside. I live in Ireland & we get a lot of rain so if I am on a trip & the weather is bad I would like to stay in the car while it is charging.

I think you may be confused about when the car is charging and when it isn't. How exactly are you monitoring whether the car is charging or not?
 
Before I get into the car both the IRemote app & display on charger confirm charging is active. After sitting back into the car IRemote shows car Charging as not active. When I get out of the car level 2 charger display says charging stopped. Lock the car & charging starts again. IRemote confirms this as does level 2 charger.
 
I have not noticed this to be true with the s/w in my vehicle, but I'll check and get back later. I've only done that a couple of times, but did not notice that effect.
 
Kevtech said:
Before I get into the car both the IRemote app & display on charger confirm charging is active. After sitting back into the car IRemote shows car Charging as not active. When I get out of the car level 2 charger display says charging stopped. Lock the car & charging starts again. IRemote confirms this as does level 2 charger.

Very bizarre. That is definitely not how the car is supposed to work, so if this is correct, then there is a problem with your vehicle. Plenty of people sit in their cars (I have) at public charging stations while the car charges. Bring it to your dealer and show them what it does before you leave. Let us know how you resolve this.
 
I double-checked mine after running some errands, and the car continues to charge while in or out of the car, whether the door is locked or not. I did not sit there for long, though, but it should not matter. Now, the status may or may not be accurate as shown on the app. Often, you can hear the power contactor open or close on the EVSE, especially if you open a window. While the lights on the car go out after a short delay, the status on the EVSE generally stays lit continuously while in operation.
 
Thanks for taking the time to check the charging while sitting in the car. I'll get in touch with the dealer. If I need to bring the I3 to the workshop I won't be able to do it for about one month but I will report back on the solution.
 
I've noticed precisely the same issue with mine and I believe it is connected to the November software update.

Having said that, I have recently been upgraded again (car was at dealer to check out something else - will post the version once I've had a chance) and when using public charging yesterday, I noticed that the car charged again while being unlocked, so this may have been addressed already.

Will keep you updated.

Update: I also noticed that the same did not happen during a CCS charge, when it allowed me to remain in the car with doors unlocked.
 
I've just checked the behaviour of my UK spec i3 - the US version might be different because of the different connector used there.

If get get out of the car, leave it unlocked and plug it in, it starts charging. If I lock it, it continues charging. If I unlock it, it stops charging. Lock: start. Unlock: stop. So I think you either need to do no locking of the car, simply plug it in, or lock it while you're sitting in it.
 
I collected the I3 only three weeks ago (I purchased a BMW demo) - it is a 2014 & the dealer did a full software update before collection so I believe it has the current up to date version - it warns me if I leave the charging flap open. This evening I will check the lock / charge - unlock / stop charge cycle & see what happens if I sit in the car with it locked & report back.
 
Update: I'm on the Feb 16 software since last week: 15-11-504.

I will test our car again later today.
 
Hi guys,

with our car, charging stops when you unlock. If you lock it again, charging commences immediately. If you don't lock it, it starts charging again by itself after a minute or two.

Regards, Steven
 
Yesterday evening I opened the I3 & plugged in a level 2 charger. I could open the door & sit in & the car kept charging. I exited the I3 & locked the car - charging continued. I opened the car & charging stopped. So the process appears to be once you lock the car & re-open it charging will stop. On my trip last weekend it is possible I locked the car went for a short walk & returned to the car - once I opened it charging stopped.

Thanks to all of you who took the time to reply. If you want to sit in you I3 while its charging just do not lock it after you have started charging. I will monitor this process over the next week or two & if I notice any changes I will update this post.
 
My EVSE has a charging indicator on it's face. Has anyone seen the EVSE say charging has stopped after unlocking the doors? My guess is that the issue is with the app, but that the EVSE is actually still charging the car. If the car is actually stopping the current, then the EVSE should say so by turning off any charging indicator.
 
i3Alan said:
My EVSE has a charging indicator on it's face. Has anyone seen the EVSE say charging has stopped after unlocking the doors? My guess is that the issue is with the app, but that the EVSE is actually still charging the car. If the car is actually stopping the current, then the EVSE should say so by turning off any charging indicator.
And I made my contribution after checking with two features: my charger "hums" when it is charging, and I have an indication of house power consumption - a "wattmeter". So what I posted about when the car is charging was accurate, not a guess. Nothing to do with an app.
 
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