Charger overheating

[mhockett]

OK! Porsche has finally come up with an official answer. They officially asked me to reduce my 50 amp breakers to 40 amps, which will effectively give me 32 amps continuous - and not overheat the charger.

Makes you wonder who puts out the specs - and do they put out the specs BEFORE actually testing them? The official Porsche install says 50 amps.

Instead of running the car down and then charging every so many days, I'm now running the charger every time I return to the house - with my 85% profile, of course. I also have taken the advise of someone in this thread of running a fan while doing it. The fan and charger point are both on the driver side. So far (fingers crossed), the charger hasn't kicked off running the charger shorter periods.

Waiting on my electrician to get back from vacation to swap the 50 amps for the 40 amps. Nope - Porsche is NOT kicking in for any of the costs.

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[DerekS]

OK! Porsche has finally come up with an official answer. They officially asked me to reduce my 50 amp breakers to 40 amps, which will effectively give me 32 amps continuous - and not overheat the charger.

Makes you wonder who puts out the specs - and do they put out the specs BEFORE actually testing them? The official Porsche install says 50 amps.

Instead of running the car down and then charging every so many days, I'm now running the charger every time I return to the house - with my 85% profile, of course. I also have taken the advise of someone in this thread of running a fan while doing it. The fan and charger point are both on the driver side. So far (fingers crossed), the charger hasn't kicked off running the charger shorter periods.

Waiting on my electrician to get back from vacation to swap the 50 amps for the 40 amps. Nope - Porsche is NOT kicking in for any of the costs.

THat's not an acceptable solution to me. I think I'd just get another charger.

 

[satchurator]

@mhockett I'm a bit skeptical of the need to change your breaker - the PMCC has no way of knowing what the breaker amp rating is for the supply line its connected to.

As I understand it, you need to adjust the Charging Current limit setting within the PMCC. The only rationale for changing the breaker is to have an extra safety measure if the PMCC+Car combination misbehaves under charging and attempts to draw more than your set limit. In that scenario, you'll trip your breaker and charging will stop, rather than the cable overheating.

 

[daveo4EV]

OK! Porsche has finally come up with an official answer. They officially asked me to reduce my 50 amp breakers to 40 amps, which will effectively give me 32 amps continuous - and not overheat the charger.

Makes you wonder who puts out the specs - and do they put out the specs BEFORE actually testing them? The official Porsche install says 50 amps.

Instead of running the car down and then charging every so many days, I'm now running the charger every time I return to the house - with my 85% profile, of course. I also have taken the advise of someone in this thread of running a fan while doing it. The fan and charger point are both on the driver side. So far (fingers crossed), the charger hasn't kicked off running the charger shorter periods.

Waiting on my electrician to get back from vacation to swap the 50 amps for the 40 amps. Nope - Porsche is NOT kicking in for any of the costs.

Porsche is giving you bad advice - they are clueless

if you ahve a PMCC you can adjust the amps down to 32 amps on the LCD screen

if you have the PMC+ you can use the 50% button to charge at 20 amps

either way I'd leave your breaker & circuit alone - and either adjust the PMCC/PMC+ _OR_ purchase a functinoal 40 amp charge for $300 or less...

a new 40 amp EVSE is going to be less than the cost of your electrician and it won't over heat, and it will charge at 40 amps.

the official "porsche" position on this has been clear since about Aug/Sept. of 2020 - where the provide the same response to other forum members - our 40 amp charger is only an 40 amp charger if you don't mind it overheating - otherwise it's a 32 amp charger.

my response: buy a different product that matches it advertised specs.

this charger for $200 will charge at full 40 amps all day long and not overheat

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

but you'll need a TeslaTap to use it - but you should have one of those anyways since they are generically useful.

 

[daveo4EV]

@mhockett I'm a bit skeptical of the need to change your breaker - the PMCC has no way of knowing what the breaker amp rating is for the supply line its connected to.

As I understand it, you need to adjust the Charging Current limit setting within the PMCC. The only rationale for changing the breaker is to have an extra safety measure if the PMCC+Car combination misbehaves under charging and attempts to draw more than your set limit. In that scenario, you'll trip your breaker and charging will stop, rather than the cable overheating.

@satchurator is correct - swapping your breaker from a 50 amp to 40 amp breaker WILL NOT change the amps that the PMC+/PMCC will actually draw - the PMC+/PMCC have no way of "knowing" what actual breaker is installed - they imply the breaker size from the type of supply cable currently attached to the PMC+/PMCC

• if you've attached the NEMA 5-15 supply cable the PMC+/PMCC know/assume they are using a 120V/15 amp circuit and associated breaker
• if you've attached the NEMA 14-50/6-50 supply cable the PMC+/PMCC know/assume they are using a 240V/50 amp circuit and associated breaker
• if you've attached the NEMA 14-30/6-30 supply cable the PMC+/PMCC know/assume they are using a 240V/30 amp circuit and associated breaker

swapping the breaker will _NOT_ adjust the AMPs the PMC+/PMCC will pull and it will still over heat.

once again Porsche demonstrates how cluelss they are and how bad the PMC+/PMCC really is.

 

[daveo4EV]

or this one - $329 - problem solved! - get it by this Friday

https://smile.amazon.com/LEFANEV-22...44&sprefix=chargepoint+40+amp,aps,136&sr=8-13

 

[TXAG]

THat's not an acceptable solution to me. I think I'd just get another charger.

That's unacceptable to me as well. Porsche should have chunked the 10-gauge and instead provided 6-gauge wiring with the no-cost Porsche Mobile Charger Plus (PMC+) and the US$1200 Porsche Mobile Charger Connect (PMCC). Would've made for a heavy 'suitcase' ...

My suboptimal solution: When my PB+ reaches about 40% SOC, charge with my PMC+ by setting the PMC+ button to charge at 50% (20 amps / 4.8 kW) and charge for about 10 hours to 85% SOC. This works because I don't drive a lot every day, and my electricity plan's lowest rate starts at 7 PM and does not change for the next 20 hours.

If I drove more every day or had an urgent use for faster home charging, I'd buy another EVSE.

 

[daveo4EV]

note the PMC+/PMCC suck - that is all.

 

[daveo4EV]

OK! Porsche has finally come up with an official answer. They officially asked me to reduce my 50 amp breakers to 40 amps, which will effectively give me 32 amps continuous - and not overheat the charger.

Makes you wonder who puts out the specs - and do they put out the specs BEFORE actually testing them? The official Porsche install says 50 amps.

Instead of running the car down and then charging every so many days, I'm now running the charger every time I return to the house - with my 85% profile, of course. I also have taken the advise of someone in this thread of running a fan while doing it. The fan and charger point are both on the driver side. So far (fingers crossed), the charger hasn't kicked off running the charger shorter periods.

Waiting on my electrician to get back from vacation to swap the 50 amps for the 40 amps. Nope - Porsche is NOT kicking in for any of the costs.

purchase another EVSE from someone _OTHER_ than Porsche - and put the PMC+/PMCC aside and never use it again until you sell the vehicle.

this problem is easily solved with a non-VW/Audi/Porsche EVSE…

move on and charge at a full 40 amps - you can solve this problem for less than $400 and have a better EVSE when you are done.

example: fine you swap a 40 amp breaker at home- if you use the PMCC/PMC+ anywhere else in the world it will still overheat - because NEMA 14-50/6-50 plugs ARE 50 amp breakers - it supposed to be able to charge at 40 amps - the Porsche charger is DEFECTIVE - but not a warranty issue because it's defective BY DESIGN - and currently Porsche has no alternate design - so they have a work around…

don't use our 40 amp charger as a 40 amp charger - it's only any good as a 32 amp charger…

• for the PMC+ it can only be used as a 20 amp charger (50% button)
• for the PMCC you dial down the amps on the settings LDC screen to 32 amps

pathetic - spend $400 or less and get a functional 40 amp charger from someone else - that is the correct solution.

 

[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.

 

[DerekS]

pathetic - spend $400 or less and get a functional 40 amp charger from someone else - that is the correct solution.

I agree with this completely. For folks speccing out your cars, don't put a single dime into the higher-tier chargers, cabinets, pedestals etc. Just get something else and save the Porsche one for road trip use only in the trunk cubby.

 

[DerekS]

Well if you're like me and just fed up with the Porsche charger, it looks like the Wallbox Pulsar 40A is on sale for $574 today on Amazon!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08H2LYFHX?psc=1&smid=A31UGV9498P3NH&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

I'm going this route and moving on with life.

It also has wifi connectivity, an app to track stats, etc.

 

[DerekS]

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

Honestly that looks like a better "throw in the trunk for a worst case" option than Porsche's units.

 

[Tooney]

@satchurator is correct - swapping your breaker from a 50 amp to 40 amp breaker WILL NOT change the amps that the PMC+/PMCC will actually draw - the PMC+/PMCC have no way of "knowing" what actual breaker is installed - they imply the breaker size from the type of supply cable currently attached to the PMC+/PMCC

• if you've attached the NEMA 5-15 supply cable the PMC+/PMCC know/assume they are using a 120V/15 amp circuit and associated breaker
• if you've attached the NEMA 14-50/6-50 supply cable the PMC+/PMCC know/assume they are using a 240V/50 amp circuit and associated breaker
• if you've attached the NEMA 14-30/6-30 supply cable the PMC+/PMCC know/assume they are using a 240V/30 amp circuit and associated breaker

swapping the breaker will _NOT_ adjust the AMPs the PMC+/PMCC will pull and it will still over heat.

Part of this surprised me.
I thought one function of the EVSE to EV "protocol" was to inform the on-board charger how much power/current was available so the charger would not consume more current than was available.
If the supply cable controls this, then how does PMC+ communicate that it has been switched to 50% instead of 100%?
The output on my Wallbox with 14-50 supply cable can supposedly be switched to reduce the current drawn.
It seems like there must be something in EVSE other than supply cable size/connector that informs the on-board charger about how much current it may draw.

 

[kort]

Porsche is giving you bad advice - they are clueless

if you ahve a PMCC you can adjust the amps down to 32 amps on the LCD screen

if you have the PMC+ you can use the 50% button to charge at 20 amps

either way I'd leave your breaker & circuit alone - and either adjust the PMCC/PMC+ _OR_ purchase a functinoal 40 amp charge for $300 or less...

a new 40 amp EVSE is going to be less than the cost of your electrician and it won't over heat, and it will charge at 40 amps.

the official "porsche" position on this has been clear since about Aug/Sept. of 2020 - where the provide the same response to other forum members - our 40 amp charger is only an 40 amp charger if you don't mind it overheating - otherwise it's a 32 amp charger.

my response: buy a different product that matches it advertised specs.

this charger for $200 will charge at full 40 amps all day long and not overheat

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

but you'll need a TeslaTap to use it - but you should have one of those anyways since they are generically useful.

it's out of stock

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