[ANNOUNCED] - PMCC tech advisory : charging rate amperage lowered for "normal" usage of the PMCC (rate reduced by half)

[Jayyvr890]

I just picked up my 2021 4S from the dealer after the big update and they wanted me to bring in my charger so they could put on this little sticker. I told them I would be glad to put the sticker on my self and they reluctantly said ok! They wanted to make sure I new how to adjust the output to 20 amps or 50% and I told them that I new how to do this and I had already been doing this all summer. So View attachment 42057 View attachment 42057 here is the little sticker they want on the lower edge of the charger face!

Surely this is grounds for a refund on a useless 1200 dollar charger?

 

[JimBob]

Here is updated (as of July 25, 2022) Porsche TSB about Porsche EVSEs causing high temps on Taycans. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2022/MC-10217261-0001.pdf

Status:
"Please advise customers to reduce charging current to maximum 30A (Mobile Charger Connect) or 50% (Mobile Charger Plus). This topic remains under investigation. This document will be updated with additional information when available."

Checked the pins on my connector and didn't see any discoloration.

 

[satchurator]

PWCC certificate error thread has a solution for the certificate error or at least the solution that worked for me. Since the one manual update to the software it has been happily updating on its own.

Since they mentioned the ‘app’, I think @Vfr750Rouge is referring to the self-signed certificate that you encounter if connecting to the admin web interface, not the expired certificate. Clunky but same deal as most consumer routers.

(Not the same issue as the expired certificate error that some PMCC/PWCC complained about on first connection to network/ resolved by upgrading software).

 

[satchurator]

@daveo4EV I think you are right, I will bet that we see a revamped VAG EVSE lineup in 2023.

One thing I want to point out - I don’t think this has gotten any discussion in earlier threads - Porsche has outsourced the development and manufacture of its EVSEs since the PHEV days. The company is Katek/eSystems, based in Germany. I assume that it’s this vendor who have introduced this design flaw. Don’t get me wrong, Porsche/VAG chose the vendor and presumably had the opportunity to test the device in the field - but it’s a point of note on this topic. Watch what happens next with EVSEs across the broader VAG family - will it be an eSystems product iteration? Will they instead partner with Electrify America to leverage their North American market L2 EVSE?

 

[W1NGE]

This feels like a NA centric issue / concern.

I don't want to jinx anything but at a max of 32A (UK std for single phase) my PMCC has been 100% flawless in 22 months. We don't get extreme or sustained high temperatures leading to overheating as has been reported across the pond - perhaps this is part of the issue to be addressed?

Time will tell. I cringe to think what the delivery time for a replacement might be should this be a global mandate to replace the units. To be told to half the amperage won't be acceptable to many given the reliance on overnight charging within a pre-defined window.

 

[RoseyPSU]

I just picked up my 2021 4S from the dealer after the big update and they wanted me to bring in my charger so they could put on this little sticker. I told them I would be glad to put the sticker on my self and they reluctantly said ok! They wanted to make sure I new how to adjust the output to 20 amps or 50% and I told them that I new how to do this and I had already been doing this all summer. So here is the little sticker they want on the lower edge of the charger face!

I believe this is a Porsche designed cooling sticker. If you wrap it just so around the charging cable, it should alleviate any overheating, allowing you to charge at 40A. Kind of like a computer heatsink, just make of paper and glue....

 

[Tooney]

I believe this is a Porsche designed cooling sticker. If you wrap it just so around the charging cable, it should alleviate any overheating, allowing you to charge at 40A. Kind of like a computer heatsink, just make of paper and glue....

You must be an electrical engineer.

 

[atlaturne]

Because, as I think we've always known, the issue is hardware. It's been pointed out many times the cables should be a larger AWG.

FWIW, I have had zero issues with PMCC and now PMC+ on two Taycan over 1.5 years now. I attribute it to the fact that I have a 6-50 plug, and not 14-50 which likely runs hotter.

I wonder if Porsche would replace cables with more capacity for existing customers who ordered the existing wall units with faulty cables?
Looks like they would be concerned for the faulty cables as provided in the wall chargers they sold- a potential area of legal liability?

 

[Tooney]

I wonder if Porsche would replace cables with more capacity for existing customers who ordered the existing wall units with faulty cables?
Looks like they would be concerned for the faulty cables as provided in the wall chargers they sold- a potential area of legal liability?

Older threads in this forum on this topic- some containing EVSE temperature diagrams made with infrared measuring devices - seemed to conclude that high temps were the result of cables with conductors not large enough to avoid overheating, but still large enough to meet relevant electric code specifications. So it might be, "yeah, it gets warm, but it's within code"....

 

[daveo4EV]

Older threads in this forum on this topic- some containing EVSE temperature diagrams made with infrared measuring devices - seemed to conclude that high temps were the result of cables with conductors not large enough to avoid overheating, but still large enough to meet relevant electric code specifications. So it might be, "yeah, it gets warm, but it's within code"....

yeah this…

it's not unsafe
it's uncomfortable
it's awkward for a mobile charger to be too hot to be handled, but it's not a safety issue
it's a relability issue if it kicks off due to overheating
it's a functional issue if it can't charge other EV's

the PMCC/PMC+ is "safe" but poorly spec'd given it's use case and expectations - it's also unreliable but that only leads to more warranty costs, until it's out of warranty and then it becomes the customers problem

a $200 Tesle 40 amp NEMA 14-50 charger is way way way higher quality
and there are a number of alternatives less than $500 that are better than any of the Porsche options…

it's just sad really.

I still believe they are abandoing this "generation" and we'll see new EVSE's from VW/Audi/Porsche - what they have now is too expensive and unreliable for high volume sales.

 

[DerekS]

Well this "resolution" sucks. This EVSE is to be ignored and avoided except for trips and emergencies.

Get yourself a Wallbox or Chargepoint Flex.

 

[bergs]

yeah this…

it's not unsafe
it's uncomfortable
it's awkward for a mobile charger to be too hot to be handled, but it's not a safety issue
it's a relability issue if it kicks off due to overheating
it's a functional issue if it can't charge other EV's

the PMCC/PMC+ is "safe" but poorly spec'd given it's use case and expectations - it's also unreliable but that only leads to more warranty costs, until it's out of warranty and then it becomes the customers problem

a $200 Tesle 40 amp NEMA 14-50 charger is way way way higher quality
and there are a number of alternatives less than $500 that are better than any of the Porsche options…

it's just sad really.

I still believe they are abandoing this "generation" and we'll see new EVSE's from VW/Audi/Porsche - what they have now is too expensive and unreliable for high volume sales.

I’ve been using my Tesla mobile connector since day 1, and have a Chargepoint flex on order. In addition to the thermal and compatibility issues with the PMCC, it’s just ridiculous that it takes nearly a minute to actually initiate a charge session.

 

[XLR82XS]

Here is updated (as of July 25, 2022) Porsche TSB about Porsche EVSEs causing high temps on Taycans. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2022/MC-10217261-0001.pdf

Status:
"Please advise customers to reduce charging current to maximum 30A (Mobile Charger Connect) or 50% (Mobile Charger Plus). This topic remains under investigation. This document will be updated with additional information when available."

After multiple overheat issues with the Porsche standard charger this summer, yesterday I set it to 50% and the car charged to my setting - 80%. Until something happens with PCNA I guess I'll have to run it at 50% capacity during the summer.

[South Florida]

 

[Klepper]

Well this "resolution" sucks. This EVSE is to be ignored and avoided except for trips and emergencies.

Get yourself a Wallbox or Chargepoint Flex.

I did the same as you and picked up a Wallbox Pulsar Plus. It has worked great so far.

Since I already have a Mustart for road tripping, the PMC+ has been put in it's new permanent home - the back of the closet.

 

[DerekS]

The cool thing about Wallbox is it also has an API, so I'm automatically ingesting my daily charge costs into my app.

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