Intermittent Scheduled Charging Fault

Faults and Technical chat for the Volkswagen ID.3
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KSAU1974
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:25 pm

Post by KSAU1974 »

We've had our ID3 for three months and use a Sync EV 7.4kw home charging point. We use the charger's scheduled charge via an app to utilise Octopus Energy's reduced night tariff. After 1 month, the car has developed an intermittent problem whereby sometimes it will only accept a charge at 6amps rather than the 32amp output that the charger is capable of. The charger has been changed, but this makes no difference. We have tried charging other cars but no other car we've tried has the issue, despite multiple charging attempts. We have even tried another car straight after the issue occurs, and it doesn't occur on the other car - only the ID3 (issue occurred with the ID3, tried a Mini electric but worked fine, plugged the ID3 back in and the problem occurred again). The only way to resolve the issue is to switch the charger off at the fuse box so that the charger ID that is sent to the car is reset. The issue doesn't happen all of the time - 1 charge in every 5 or 6 roughly, but when it does happen, only switching the charger off at the fuse box resolves the issue. I cannot use the scheduled charge within the car as it doesn't work in our car. I've reported this to Volkswagen but they don't have a solution to this. This is really frustrating as we don't know whether the car is going to charge each time we plug it in! Has anyone else experienced this issue?

Scratch
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Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2021 3:22 pm

Post by Scratch »

KSAU1974 wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:38 pm We've had our ID3 for three months and use a Sync EV 7.4kw home charging point. We use the charger's scheduled charge via an app to utilise Octopus Energy's reduced night tariff. After 1 month, the car has developed an intermittent problem whereby sometimes it will only accept a charge at 6amps rather than the 32amp output that the charger is capable of. The charger has been changed, but this makes no difference. We have tried charging other cars but no other car we've tried has the issue, despite multiple charging attempts. We have even tried another car straight after the issue occurs, and it doesn't occur on the other car - only the ID3 (issue occurred with the ID3, tried a Mini electric but worked fine, plugged the ID3 back in and the problem occurred again). The only way to resolve the issue is to switch the charger off at the fuse box so that the charger ID that is sent to the car is reset. The issue doesn't happen all of the time - 1 charge in every 5 or 6 roughly, but when it does happen, only switching the charger off at the fuse box resolves the issue. I cannot use the scheduled charge within the car as it doesn't work in our car. I've reported this to Volkswagen but they don't have a solution to this. This is really frustrating as we don't know whether the car is going to charge each time we plug it in! Has anyone else experienced this issue?
I don't know if you are in the UK or not, but I saw an article recently in the Sunday Times that the powers that be wanted to try and "force" EV owners to charge their cars overnight, in order to spread the load on the national grid. Don't know how they would "force" this but it does make sense. If that happens, then maybe they should get VW and other EV manufacturers, to ensure that their charge timers in the car, actually work. Which it doesn't in the ID.3.
G43FAN

Post by G43FAN »

So reading your comments..

1. As you've mentioned (unfortunately correctly for all of us) that the in-car scheduling doesn't work, can we assume you definitely do not have any locations set up in the schedule in car?
2. Does this issue occur whether using schedule timing on the charger or not. It sound like during testing you've plugged the car in and it's been slow charging and therefore the scheduling part is not necessarily the issue.
3. The sync EV has dynamic load balancing, is there something else in the house using a lot of electric intermittently, given that the charger has been changed I guess much of this has been looked at already?

Sorry just questions...
KSAU1974
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Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:25 pm

Post by KSAU1974 »

I've tried setting schedules in the car but this sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. When it does, it will only charge at 6amps instead of the 32amps from the charger. When I delete any scheduling and use the EV charger schedule, the car will sometimes charge at 32amps and sometimes at 6amps.

The slow charging happens with or without the scheduling set up in either the car or the ev charger. In fact, a few days ago I plugged the car in to charge straight away and the red light next to the plug socket on the car came on - it wouldn't charge at all. I tried using the 13amp socket cable I also have and it did the same thing. I turned the power to the house off to reset the fuses and it then started charging (by both the ev charger and the 13amp socket).

The dynamic load balancing isn't the issue. The charge schedule (when I've used that) is set between 12.30am and 4.30am when there is very little else drawing current. We are on a 100A main fuse and our capacity is never reached (or even high) to suggest that the load is reduced to cope.

Frustratingly, I think it is the car that has the issue as I've tried charging a friend's BMW straight after there have been issues with the ID.3, and his charges at full power without any issues!
Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

If you're using a charger-based timer, don't even save a "location" in the car.
KSAU1974
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Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:25 pm

Post by KSAU1974 »

I've tried using the charging schedule in the car and just used the ev charger as a 'dumb' charger. I've tried deleting the car schedule and used the ev charger schedule via the app. I've tried the ev charger without a schedule and the car without a schedule. No matter what method I try there is an intermittent issue where sometimes the car will charge correctly and other times it won't. The ev charger company have given me a copy of the most recent log that shows the charger pushing out 32amps but the car only allowing 7.2amps in (even with no car settings set to reduce the current).
Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

KSAU1974 wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 2:06 pm I've tried deleting the car schedule and used the ev charger schedule via the app.

I only mentioned about not even having a "location" saved because some haven't done that and still had issues.

Given the other things you've tried though, that's not the issue in this case.
devswap
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Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2021 6:56 pm

Post by devswap »

I have found its the length of time you have the cable connected prior to charging. If you plug it in about 4 - 5 hours before charging starts then tends to be ok but if you plugin 8 - 9 hours before it starts then it tends to go to sleep and charge on emergency speed.
KSAU1974
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Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:25 pm

Post by KSAU1974 »

This makes no difference as it doesn't matter when the cable is plugged in for the scheduled charge (the issue has shown up when it has been plugged in an hour before or up to 6 hours before). Also, it has happened when the car is plugged in for a straight charge - i.e. not a scheduled one.

As an update, the car has since been in to VW who initially couldn't find any fault, despite the car not pulling the full Kw from their own charger. It has taken weeks of discussions with the dealer, VW UK and VW Germany for them to agree that there is a fault with the car (have had to provide multiple evidence of the output of our home charger, and screen shots of the charger app showing poor charging rates). Whilst dealing with VW the We Connect ID app started to send charging error messages, which has highlighted to VW that there is an issue. They have now finally agreed to change the charging control unit and the charge cap solenoid (as the cap sometimes unlocks and sometimes doesn't). We are hoping this resolves the issue.
mook
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2022 8:48 am

Post by mook »

Hi,

Did you get this problem solved? I have the exact same issue, I had assumed it was to do with the ID3 software as it is obviously full of bugs!
My car is going in for a software update next week so I'm hoping that will fix the issue.
Brucepenson
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2022 10:01 pm

Post by Brucepenson »

I am also having this problem with the Sync EV charger. Does anyone have a solution yet?
G43FAN

Post by G43FAN »

I doubt you'll get any helpful response.

1. This thread is actually 12 months old
2. It appears that VW acknowledged a fault with the car and changed the charging control unit.
3.KSAU1974 who originally posted the question has only posted 4 times, all in this thread and none after suggesting that VW were changing the module.

Your probably better looking at the reduced charge thread, though there is no answer as such. viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2070

Mostly people with the OHME chargers don't see the SYNC mentioned often.

I would also suggest that you either add a signature with the car details and software version or add them in the question as you won't get a proper answer if people don't knpw what they are looking at there are approx 6 different software versions out there.
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EVCal
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Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2022 12:38 am

Post by EVCal »

I’ve been looking into a similar charging problem to the OP.
I use an Easee Charger.
Check the supply voltage to your property. I understand that both the ID3 and my Easee Charger will both be unhappy at certain over-voltage conditions. The ID3 doesn’t like 247v and reduces charging to 1kW.
The Easee Charger will not like 253v apparently and flags up as a PEN fault.
Last edited by EVCal on Sun Dec 11, 2022 3:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
iD3 Max Pro Performance 58kWh. All bells. All whistles. Software Version 3.0
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EVCal
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2022 12:38 am

Post by EVCal »

EVCal wrote: Sun Dec 11, 2022 3:33 am I’ve been looking into a similar charging problem to the OP.
I use an Easee Charger.
Check the supply voltage to your property. I understand that both the ID3 and my Easee Charger will both be unhappy at certain over-voltage conditions. The ID3 doesn’t like 247v and reduces charging to 1kW.
The Easee Charger will not like 253v apparently and flags up as a PEN fault.
iD3 Max Pro Performance 58kWh. All bells. All whistles. Software Version 3.0
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