Chargepoint/Coulomb CT500 only charging at 5.5kW

[Chrisn]

I got this installed when I had a Volt, which could only charge at 3.6kW (ish-- I forget exactly), but charger is on 40 Amp 240V circuit and is supposed to do 7.2kW. I have a modern house in a newer neighborhood and the local utility previously did a voltage drop test and said I was good to go.

But when I charge the i3, I only get 5.2 to 5.5kW throughout the "fast charge" phase.

Anyone else have this unit and getting full 7.2kW charge rate?

 

[Zzzoom3]

Have you been following the threads about KLE Charging issues? Have you had the i3 software update? If so, that is all you are going to get until they have a complete solution. If not then you have a bad charger.

 

[jadnashuanh]

The EVSE is a fancy on/off switch...the charging unit is IN the car. The EVSE reports to the car how much power it can provide, and then the car decides how much of that it can use (maybe all, maybe not). Unless the EVSE was reporting that it did not have more power available, the i3 just draws the max it wants, and with the latest software patch, in that seems to be reduced from the original design max to protect the KLE module which has been redesigned to provide a more reliable power management. It will be at least a couple of months before those newly designed modules show up and can be swapped out in the cars.

I'm not sure how much of that power, if any, goes through the KLE when using the CCS or DC fast charge capability, but there, it is not using the ad-dc converter, since the fast charge already did that.

 

[Chrisn]

Thanks guys. My car got new SW at the port last week, so I assume I am on the new and "crippled" charging software. No biggie. Just making sure there's nothing wrong with my car / charger.

 

[cwerdna]

The EVSE is a fancy on/off switch...the charging unit is IN the car. The EVSE reports to the car how much power it can provide, and then the car decides how much of that it can use (maybe all, maybe not). Unless the EVSE was reporting that it did not have more power available, the i3 just draws the max it wants, and with the latest software patch, in that seems to be reduced from the original design max to protect the KLE module which has been redesigned to provide a more reliable power management. It will be at least a couple of months before those newly designed modules show up and can be swapped out in the cars.

I'm not sure how much of that power, if any, goes through the KLE when using the CCS or DC fast charge capability, but there, it is not using the ad-dc converter, since the fast charge already did that.

Yep. As a primer, since I haven't been active here in awhile, these links should help those who are having trouble distinguishing/understanding EVSEs, on-board chargers (KLE in BMW parlance), DC fast chargers and some of the bottlenecks when it comes to charging rate.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=14728&p=332668#p332668
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=262630#p262630
https://code.google.com/p/open-evse/wiki/J1772Basics - when doing L1 and L2 AC charging, the duty cycle of the pilot signal from the EVSE is what tells the car's on-board charger how much it can draw

 

[Zzzoom3]

the KLE module which has been redesigned to provide a more reliable power management. It will be at least a couple of months before those newly designed modules show up and can be swapped out in the cars.

There's been no statement I am aware of from BMW that indicates we will be getting a new KLE. Where did you get this information?

 

[MikeS]

Search is your friend - http://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1299&p=11467&hilit=kle#p11467

 

[jadnashuanh]

Whether there will be a general recall to change the KLE, or if it is done upon a failure, I have no idea, but they have identified that it is failing more often than they'd like, and are building a beefier one to account for their failure analysis. It could be just one component, depending on where it was sourced...some work, some don't, but they all have the same part number...we'll probably never know the background. IOW, you may never have an issue. But, at least in the USA, where they've potentially (I can't say on mine - I don't really watch the recharge time/rates) degraded the KLE capability, they'll probably replace them when they become available and reload the software to account for it.

 

[Zzzoom3]

Search is your friend - http://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1299&p=11467&hilit=kle#p11467

Yes I understand search and I read that post. However, if you read it carefully this is what it says, "BMW has identified the cause and is in the process of developing a permanent fix for this which I believe will be a new KLE.

Tom is well informed and may be correct but "I believe will be a new KLE" doesn't make it an official BMW solution. There is nothing any of us know about the actual solution and nothing beyond Tom's statement I am aware of. I do hope that whatever it is, comes soon because fast charging times are key to making EVs useful on a daily basis particularly battery only models

 

[Zzzoom3]

Whether there will be a general recall to change the KLE, or if it is done upon a failure, I have no idea, but they have identified that it is failing more often than they'd like, and are building a beefier one to account for their failure analysis. It could be just one component, depending on where it was sourced...some work, some don't, but they all have the same part number...we'll probably never know the background. IOW, you may never have an issue. But, at least in the USA, where they've potentially (I can't say on mine - I don't really watch the recharge time/rates) degraded the KLE capability, they'll probably replace them when they become available and reload the software to account for it.

The software fix they've put in-place limits the charge rate. If you never see the failure afterwards, you may never get a re-engineered unit (assuming that is the real fix) and thus you may never see the 7+ kWh rate. I hope BMW does what everyone is expecting them to do and replace the problem equipment but we don't know that yet. That is all I am trying to point out.