Any reason to get an aftermarket charger?

[goofysurfer]

So it looks like my 22 Taycan 4 CT will come with the 9.6 kW PMC. And I was thinking of keeping and using this charger at home for my 50 amp breaker that's set up with a NEMA 14-50. And for my daily use, I don't see a situation where I won't have access to a full service charger where I would need a mobile charger. So is there any reason why I may want to get an aftermarket charger?

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[W1NGE]

Wel documented already on this forum if you research a little.

PMC+ will be fine for home use. To clarify this is not an actual charger as the charger is physically in the car (same for all EVs) for both AC and DC charging. Your PMC+ is an EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) and provides a safe flow of electricity to your car's charger. The product name doesn't help of course!

Opinion on the forum is divided on the PMC+ but in principle it is up to the job. If you haven't upgraded the standard 11kW AC onboard charger then you will already be at the PMC+ power limit.

 

[RoseyPSU]

One reason is that your lovely Porsche EVSE will stop supplying 40amp service in about a year:

https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/error-during-charging-message.7240/

 

[daveo4EV]

the included PMC+/PMCC EVSE from VW/Audi/Porsche is sufficient - since it's included with the vehicle there is little motivation for the most part to get another EVSE - however in my opinion detailed analysis and experience on this forum show these VW/Audi/Porsche EVSE's to be lacking in greatness…read on - for 90% of people it will be fine, but there are better alternatives…

in North America the PMC+/PMCC is a 9.6 kW EVSE (50 amp 240V residential circuit) and comes with…

• [INCLUDED w/Purchase] - 120V 15 amp plug supply cable (NEMA 5-15)
• [ONE of 4 possible 240V supply cables INCLUDED w/Purchase] - Pick one 50 or 30 amp choice w/order from below
  • 240V 50 amp plug supply cable (NEMA 6-50 or 14-50)
  • 240V 30 amp plug supply cable (NEMA 6-30 or 14-30)
    • default choice if no option specific is the NEMA 14-50 supply cable - this is the correct choice 98% of the time for 99% of Taycan customers.
• if you want more than two supply cables (one 120V and one 240V) with your PMC+/PMCC it will be $200-$250 for each additional supply cable - you can purchase a high quality entire non-Porsche EVSE for about $200…

* - 50/40 amp EVSE are the highest capacity EVSE's that can be "mobile" - with mobile being defined as "plug based" - i.e. you can plug them in and unplug them, pack them up, then plug them in somewhere else to use them. In North America there is approved standard for a 240V outlet/plug that is more than 50 amps - therefore any EVSE with capacity greater than 50 amps is by-definition not-mobile since building code requires it to be "hardwired". So for building code reasons in North America we are limited to 9.6 kW mobile EVSE's because there is no outlet standard for >50 amps.

if you were to purchase an EVSE as opposed to it being included it is _NOT_ the best choice and wildly overpriced and lacking in traditional VW/Audi/Porsche quality…

if you want [BLAH - see below] - there are better more affordable higher quality choices [TABMAHQC]

• a 25ft EV charging cable - [TABMAHQC]
  • the included PMC+ with Taycan comes with a 15ft charging cable
  • the $0 25 ft Taycan charging cord option is not actually $0 - it mandates the $1120 PMCC - at which point I'd look else where for my EVSE…
    • getting the dealer to back out the $1120 cost for the PMCC is normally a pretty easy "ask" during final delivery negotiations - if you can get the $1120 PMCC w/25ft cable for $0 incremental cost I'd hold my nose and take it - you can always purchase something else later and for $0 it's better than nothing.
  • there is no way in hell I'd pay $1120 for the PMCC with out the 25ft cable - at that point you're just burning money on the worst mobile EVSE on the market.
• a charger with a wide range of NEMA plug-options for EV road warrior duty - [TABMAHQC]
• more than 9.6 kW (50/40 amp) charging capacity - [TABMAHQC]
• lighter smaller mobile EVSE - [TABMAHQC]
• more rugged mobile EVSE - [TABMAHQC]
• more reliable mobile EVSE - [TABMAHQC]
• better thermal behavior - [TABMAHQC]
  • Porsche's supply cables for the 50/40 amp NEMA plugs are electrically "safe" but due to cost savings ($0.37 per cable) your $1120 PMCC supply cable will get too warm to comfortably handle with bare hands after a long charging session - this is a "bad look" for a "mobile" EVSE that is supposed to handled by the owner cause it's mobile and will be plugged and unplugged routinely while traveling…
• compatibility with other non VW/Audi/EV's - [TABMAHQC]
  • both of my software updated PMCC's can no longer charge my Tesla - this is new behavior post software update of my PMCC
  • working with Porsche service has demonstrated them to be clueless and unconcerned and incapable of understanding this is a real issue.
  • in a practical sense this means for future EV ownership if you ahve mutliple EV's you must go to the trouble/expense of installing another EVSE charging circuit - or invest in alternative EVSE equipment - there is no reason for VW/Audi/Porsche's EVSE to not be able to charge other EV's - but that's the way it is right now and VW/Audi/Porsche dont' seem to care
    • picture of the hassel of constantly swapping EVSE's as you need to switch between charging your EV and your spouses EV…unacceptable.
• shared/split load dynamic charging support to share a single 240V circuit for charging multiple EV's - [TABMAHQC]
• reliable and not flaky with regards to phantom electrical grounding issues or voltage fluxuations - [TABMAHQC]
• additional NEMA supply cable options that are less cost than an entire non-Porsche EVSE - [TABMAHQC]
  • say you want the NEMA 14-30 supply cable for your PMC+/PMCC so you can charge at aunt Betty's when you're visiting - Porsche/VW/Audi want $200'ish for just this 15" supply cable - you can purchase nearly an entire separate EVSE for that sort of money…

all of the above assertions are well covered in this forum in various discussions - nothing I've noted above is unfounded speculation…the PMC+/PMCC are far from the highest quality best choices and numerous forum threads and experiences suggest they lack traditional Porsche quality and value.

in the case of Porsche victims like myself I've come to be immune to Porsche's pricing premium because normally if you look hard enough there is a value proposition in there somewhere and honestly nothing else of similar quality is really factually that much cheaper…

in the case of the PMC+/PMCC they are simply very very very expensive sub-standard choices with little if any greater value or quality. If included for no additional cost they are adequate or acceptable - if you're paying incremental monies I recommend you look elsewhere…

the Porsche Wall Charge is a great non-Mobile EVSE for about $1500 and is price competitive with other non-Porsche EVSE's

for a better mobile EVSE I recommend:

• Mustart EVSE's
  • Mustart has 32 or 40 amp options
    • get the 40 amp for "home duty" - 9.6 kW
    • get the 32 amp for "road warrior duty) - 7.68 kW
  • you can purchase both for less money than the $1120 PMCC
  • you can also purchase a full range of NEMA plug adapters for your 32 amp Mustart mobile EVSE for your EV roadwarrior duty…
  • you can buy: the 40 amp Mustart to leave at home, the 32 amp Mustart to have in the car & all the Mustart NEMA plug adapters for less than the $1120 PMCC…
• Tesla Gen2 UMC's - 32 amps - Tesla also has a $400 9.6 kW (40 amp version) but it lacks swappable NEMA supply cables - but is an excellent 50/40 amp mobile EVSE.
  • [REQUIRES] TeslaTap if you choose to go this route - but you should have one of these anyways for using other people's/businesses Tesla chargers when away from home.
• there are others as well
• both can be purchased for less than $300
  • fully decked out with a complete set of NEMA plug adapters for less than another $200 - making them better, smaller, lighter, more flexible, higher quality for almost 1/3rd the cost of the $1120 PMCC…

for a home EVSE (non-mobile) wall mount I recommend you consider

• ClipperCreek - they have excellent choices from 20-100 amps…share 2 feature lets you buy a 2nd EVSE and share the load of a single breaker
• Porsche Wall Charger - $1550 - adjustable amps from 20-100 amps
• Tesla Wall Charger - adjustable from 15-60 amps -shared load support for charging multiple EV's
  • requires TeslaTap - but you should have one of these anyways for road trips in North America
• JuiceBox
• ChargePoint
• others…
• you get the point

all of the EVSE's above are less monies or only slightly more expensive than the $1120 PMCC…all offer greater quality and reliabilty and compatibility…

there are better higher quality choices if the PMC+/PMCC is not included with your purchase for $0 - if it's included for $0 it's hard to argue to spend addtional monies for an EVSE - but in the end you will get a better product for the money you spend.

https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...age…for-those-that-wish-to-over-do-it-….2343/
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...charger-gen2-load-sharing-configuration.1994/
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...estly-bare-bones-least-amount-of-text….11745/
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/porsche-mobile-charger-connect-need-for-wifi.11074/
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...-charging-my-tesla-model-y-long-range….10941/
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/pmcc-overheating-when-done-charging.10861/
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...and-useful-road-warrior-ev-charging-kit.6812/

YMMV

 

[daveo4EV]

it should go with out saying if you want a 2nd EVSE for a vacation home or traveling (one EVSE for home duty) and one in the car for road-warrior duty

look elsewhere…

early in the forum's life in 2019/2020 a forum member purchased a 2nd PMCC from Porsche service parts - turns out the PMCC $1120 is a highly subsidized price

_IF_ you attempt to puchase a PMCC via Porsche Service parts the cost of a 2nd PMCC (for your 2nd vacation home) is north of $3000…seriously seriously crappy product for way way way way too much money.

the included $0 PMC+/PMCC is hold your nose and use it acceptable because it's $0 and works well enough most of the time

but for an incremental $3000+ - yeah no question get something else for way way way less money.

 

[RBGtaycan]

So it looks like my 22 Taycan 4 CT will come with the 9.6 kW PMC. And I was thinking of keeping and using this charger at home for my 50 amp breaker that's set up with a NEMA 14-50. And for my daily use, I don't see a situation where I won't have access to a full service charger where I would need a mobile charger. So is there any reason why I may want to get an aftermarket charger?

In some parts of the country (Long Island, NY for example), the power company gives you a HIGHLY subsidized charger (they want you to charge at nite)...so I keep my Porsche charger in the trunk for travel and use the "almost free" charger for routine charging.

 

[daveo4EV]

more evidence of the level of suck that is the PMC+/PMCC…

https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/charger-overheating.11677/page-3#post-172147

nothign to see here - move along people, move along…nothing to see here.

 

[daveo4EV]

honestly for $200 this is about the best highest quality EVSE available in North America - but requires a TeslaTap (not a bad thing to have anyways) - it's small, light, mobile, rugged, functional, reliable, and can run all day a full 40 amps and not overheat…and has best charging animation in the business…

https://shop.tesla.com/product/corded-mobile-connector

if you want a reliable mobile 40 amp charger (50 amp breaker) look no further than this $200 beauty w/TeslaTap purchased separately

it's smaller and lighter than the PMC+/PMCC and simply "just works". And at $200 is less money than Porsche charges for optional 12" supply cables that are just a plug+some wire…

honestly purchase something else - anything else and you'll be much happier

if you want to stay with Prosche - I can suggest the $1500 Porsche Wall Charger - so far it appears not to suck too much and it a competive producct for it's feature set (home wall mounted charger with adjustable AMP settings from 20-100 amp to match _ANY_ install you can envision)…

but yeah - buy something else.

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