PMC+ Not Throttled and Works post uPdate

[ciaranob]

This post is SPECIFIC to the PMC+ - the PMCC is sufficiently different and more failure prone that, TBH, I would simply not use it.

Proviso: If you PMC+ is massively overheating simply do not use it and either determine if an infrastructure issue (bad house wiring, Nema 14-50 install) and/or get a 3rd party unit - if not overheating your PMC+ is likely just fine.

Just thought I'd repost my earlier response from another thread as there may be some who are a little confused as to discussions of Porsche EVSE's not working as designed and being throttled back to half their power delivery i.e. imo, rendering the PMCC relatively useless. This does appear to be the case after a recent OTA update to the PMCC or Porsche Mobile Charger Connect which again is the WiFi enabled EVSE with an LCD screen on the front and sold separately as an 'upgrade' from the standard Porsche Mobile Connect Plus (PMC+).

Repeated below but here is my original post if interested: #292
An edit: #294
A final word: #296

So the PMC+ is the basic EVSE/charger that comes with every Porsche EV - it has no LCD screen, only buttons that light up when plugged in, and can only be accessed on a computer network via a PLC (power line cable network).

The PMCC has a lot of history of over-heating with expansive discussion in threads such as here - I will not cover the PMCC here:
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...utering-the-pmcc-via-ota-update.12791/page-20

Whilst the PMC+ might technically share some design architecture with the PMCC, I have yet to have any issues in using it. To be clear, I do not charge with it daily as I use a hard-wired ChargePoint Home Flex in my garage, but have used the PMC+ as a destination charger on longer road trips. If others have had issues with the PMC+ they can share - I can only speak to my experience to date which has been fine.

Despite my PMC+ being reset to start up at 50% delivery, THERE WAS NO GUIDANCE or advisory from Porsche nor the dealership given to me post-uPdate in regards using the PMC+ at 50% vs 100% i.e. only a pamphlet that addressed NEMA 14-50 socket quality etc.

The key points here are:

1) If you dealer asks for your PMC+ they may configure it to default to 50% on startup - you can change this back easily and permanently (see below)
2) The separate recent throttling back of the PMCC power delivery to 50% of capacity is more permanent and probably for good reason.
3) When you reconfigure the PMC+ back to 100% it will retain this setting after sleep and after it is plugged/unplugged (unlike the PMCC).

IF your PMC+ is now default set to charge at 50% and you want to put it back to 100% default, do this:

1) Long press the Charge Status button (top most on the EVSE) - the 2nd button (Energy Manager) will begin to flash yellow.
2) Now long press the Charge Status button a second time, yellow flashing off and the green 50% status will change to 100% - thats it - all done.

Hopefully helpful,
Cheers, C.

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[daveo4EV]

This post is SPECIFIC to the PMC+ - the PMCC is sufficiently different and more failure prone that, TBH, I would simply not use it.

Proviso: If you PMC+ is massively overheating simply do not use it and either determine if an infrastructure issue (bad house wiring, Nema 14-50 install) and/or get a 3rd party unit - if not overheating your PMC+ is likely just fine.

Just thought I'd repost my earlier response from another thread as there may be some who are a little confused as to discussions of Porsche EVSE's not working as designed and being throttled back to half their power delivery i.e. imo, rendering the PMCC relatively useless. This does appear to be the case after a recent OTA update to the PMCC or Porsche Mobile Charger Connect which again is the WiFi enabled EVSE with an LCD screen on the front and sold separately as an 'upgrade' from the standard Porsche Mobile Connect Plus (PMC+).

Repeated below but here is my original post if interested: #292
An edit: #294
A final word: #296

So the PMC+ is the basic EVSE/charger that comes with every Porsche EV - it has no LCD screen, only buttons that light up when plugged in, and can only be accessed on a computer network via a PLC (power line cable network).

The PMCC has a lot of history of over-heating with expansive discussion in threads such as here - I will not cover the PMCC here:
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...utering-the-pmcc-via-ota-update.12791/page-20

Whilst the PMC+ might technically share some design architecture with the PMCC, I have yet to have any issues in using it. To be clear, I do not charge with it daily as I use a hard-wired ChargePoint Home Flex in my garage, but have used the PMC+ as a destination charger on longer road trips. If others have had issues with the PMC+ they can share - I can only speak to my experience to date which has been fine.

Despite my PMC+ being reset to start up at 50% delivery, THERE WAS NO GUIDANCE or advisory from Porsche nor the dealership given to me post-uPdate in regards using the PMC+ at 50% vs 100% i.e. only a pamphlet that addressed NEMA 14-50 socket quality etc.

The key points here are:

1) If you dealer asks for your PMC+ they may configure it to default to 50% on startup - you can change this back easily and permanently (see below)
2) The separate recent throttling back of the PMCC power delivery to 50% of capacity is more permanent and probably for good reason.
3) When you reconfigure the PMC+ back to 100% it will retain this setting after sleep and after it is plugged/unplugged (unlike the PMCC).

IF your PMC+ is now default set to charge at 50% and you want to put it back to 100% default, do this:

1) Long press the Charge Status button (top most on the EVSE) - the 2nd button (Energy Manager) will begin to flash yellow.
2) Now long press the Charge Status button a second time, yellow flashing off and the green 50% status will change to 100% - thats it - all done.

Hopefully helpful,
Cheers, C.

the information shared above is factually correct. But just because the PMC+ is less hobbled than the PMCC doesn't mean it's immune to the problems that are root cause of this entire discussion and Porsche decision to have SERVICE tech's touch EVERY unit ever manufactured and reduce their settings to 50% load…they are doing for a reason!

I will note that the PMC+/PMCC share the same 40 amp NEMA 14-50/6-50 power supply cords which are one of many issues implicated in this whole mess. Just because Porsche does not have a software update (or even can update the PMC+) does not mean it's safe to use the PMC+ at 100%.

the core reason for the OTA update and the dealer service visit is to address issues of thermal stress with the power supply cable when used in conjunction with poorly installed NEMA sockets leading to physical melting and plug socket failures - I see no reason to believe that the PMC+ is immune to these issues as the thermal characteristics of wire running at 40 amps is universal and physics based - the PMC+ power supply cables have the exact same issues running at 40 amps as the PMCC power supply cables…

Porsche is doing this update for a reason - we don't know the reason which is part of the frustration with this issue.

But Porsche is not paying for tech bulletin and labor costs and dealer service visits to turn the unit down to 50% just for the fun of it…

my recommendation is to either use the units at 50% (Porsche's recommendation about their own product) or purchase an alternate EVSE that can properly handle a full 9.6 kW charging load.

Because apparently Porsche has lost confidence in their EVSE to perform this simple task.

but the above post is 100% correct the PMC+'s 100% setting is not fragile - and once you set it to 100% it will remain there - as to if that's a good idea - well read the entire discussion and make up your own mind.

 

[daveo4EV]

failures such as the one noted in this post

https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...pmcc-via-ota-update.12791/page-21#post-191902

the sort of failure noted in the above post have NOTHING to do with the PMC+/PMCC unit itself overheating, but rather are a power-socket <-> power-supply-cord problem…and the PMC+/PMCC would be equally subject to this sort of failure.

keep this in mind when setting your PMC+ unit to 100%

also noted in Porsche's update regarding this issue is a new recommendation from Porsche to use a high-quality industrial rated NEMA 14-50/6-50 receptacle - many many common and consumer grade NEMA 14-50/6-50 sockets are not well made and may degrade given the 40 amp loads and long duration running at these high loads (9+ hours to full charge a Taycan). Quite simply cheaper plug sockets may be suited to infrequent use for limited duration, but running at full capacity every night for multiple hours most days of year is a more demanding use case demanding higher quality components in the plug socket.

Tesla/Rivian/LucidAir all specify Hubble Industrial grade NEMA sockets for their excellent quality/resilience/reliablity - industrial grade sockets rated for this type of high and frequent load use case are at least 8x more expensive that an off shelf socket from a local big box hardware store - but you feel both in your hand the quality difference is evident between the two products.

Porsche has done a few things in this update (physical and software for the PMCC)

• they are paying labor/dealer/service costs to "touch" every unit in North America - this is not cheap
• they are setting all of these units to 50% charge setting manually
• they are releasing software updates where possible to make it difficult to run these units at 100% (PMCC)
• they have updated their home install recommendations to explicitly call out the use of higher quality (more expensive) home power sockets vs. any old run of mill $12 plug socket
• they have released an addendum to the manual warning about thermal issues under full load
• they have affixed a sticket (and on screen warning on PMCC) about the unit's thermal issues and warnings.

they are not doing this for the fun of it - there is a message buried in these actions…

 

[DerekS]

I have yet to have any issues in using it. To be clear, I do not charge with it daily

If it's not your daily it will likely continue to be fine.

My PMC+ was fine for a year, then it started to fail overnight.

 

[jvincent]

I don't recall receptacle quality even being a point of discussion 6 years ago while researching my 14-50R install. A few weeks ago, decided to upgrade my $10 outlet. The reduction in heat buildup at the plug is very noticeable; within limits before, but barely warm now (charging at 40 amps using Pulsar Plus EVSE). Should have done it sooner. The difference, in my case, is concerning.

 

[Klepper]

If it's not your daily it will likely continue to be fine.

My PMC+ was fine for a year, then it started to fail overnight.

This was my experience as well. My PMC+ worked perfectly for over a year and nearly 20,000 miles of charging, and then it started to overheat and not complete a charge. When it overheated, then J1772 handle was hot to the touch. I had to reduce it to 50% in order for it not to overheat.

I simply purchased a 3rd party EVSE (Wallbox Pulsar Plus) and it charges at 40A flawlessly.

 

[ciaranob]

This was my experience as well. My PMC+ worked perfectly for over a year and nearly 20,000 miles of charging, and then it started to overheat and not complete a charge. When it overheated, then J1772 handle was hot to the touch. I had to reduce it to 50% in order for it not to overheat.

I simply purchased a 3rd party EVSE (Wallbox Pulsar Plus) and it charges at 40A flawlessly.

Exactly my plans - no rush as yet as it is simply hugely underused and more than suffices near term but will prob go for the MuStart portable at some point in the future.

The purpose of this post was simply to share info on PMC+ workarounds and differences with PMCC but most def not a recommendation to ignore the limitations of the OEM unit.

 

[ciaranob]

Well put an order in for the Mustart portable EVSE I mentioned previously thinking it would probably take some time i.e. possibly months due to supply chain assumptions and with my PMC+ reconfigured ready in between. This despite knowing how quickly their extension cord I ordered months ago was delivered and sure enough they stepped up again, literally shipped overnight for free it was dropped on my doorstep today - impressive!

Works like a charm - very impressed with the overall quality of the Mustart gear and this EVSE nice and compact relative to the PMC+ - top notch.

All their gear comes in a neat carry bag with wall mounting hardware etc. included (mounts not needed by me).

Now have a matching pair - one for the extension cord (20 ft), the other for the EVSE (has a 25 ft cord):

Plugged in to test using my other available NEMA 14-50 socket in the Garage (my main garage EVSE a Charge Point Home Flex hardwired to NEMA 60A which gives steady 10.5 kW to my car) - nice rubber caps attached to protect the plug when stored:

Has some nice real time data on the display and getting solid 8.5 kW in car - good to go! My Porsche uint will simply be an emergency back-up that TBH I can hardly ever see needing:

 

[Tooney]

@ciaranob Which Mustart model/unit did you buy? Are you still satisfied with it? Any problems or watchouts?

 

[ciaranob]

@ciaranob Which Mustart model/unit did you buy? Are you still satisfied with it? Any problems or watchouts?

I believe it was this unit advertised here on Amazon where it is currently 11% off which is not bad (albeit a pricey unit to begin with) - but no, zero issues and great quality but also true that I have probably not used it enough to really test long term durability but not worried given the hi qual of the unit.

https://www.amazon.com/MUSTART-Port...06-49a6-a013-95460db521ad&pd_rd_wg=TsBEZ&th=1

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