[Sjungdal]

Hi Techies,

Last week I ran into a problem when charging our MX-30.

The cable was plugged into the car and charging was in process. I had to move the car because it was blocking the way for another car.

This is usually not a problem. Just use the Mazda App, send an request to the car with the stop charging command.

Sent it once, sent it twice and sent it third, but every time I got an error message back in the App saying:

Stop charging -
"Remote control is not possible due to a system fault. Try again later" (translated from danish langauge, could be different in the english version of the error message)

What to do in this case.

Option 1:
Use the main switch in front of the wallbox

Option 2:
Pull out the charging cable at the wallbox

Option 3:
Pull out the charging cable at the car.

Difficult issue. All places where charging are mentioned in the user manual it says:
first removed the charging cable from the car and then remove it from the power outlet/wallbox/public charging station.

I didn't like the situation because I knew that the cable was charging with 25 Amps.

I'm used to work with eletricity so I was not completely safe following the guidelines from the manual. Knew that the was a risk for creating an arc when removing the cable from the car, therefore I did it very quickly and it went ok but I could smell that there had been an arc.

Asked the dealer what to do in such at case and in general when the Mazda App cann't communicate with the central server or if the central server can not communicate with the car.

Still waiting for an answer.

Do any of you have an idea if there are other ways to tell the charging control system to switch off charging. Somewhere in the Mazda Connect system or key or ???

I dont think I will be the only person to experience this issue.

Hoppefully there will be an solution otherwise I will definitely use the main switch next time.

 

[Thebriggie]

Here is a work around. Set up a schedule charge in ev settings. Set up the repeat as daily and save. Once set up untick the daily box.
When you cannot communicate the stop charge using the app go into ev settings and tick the schedule charging daily box. This stops the normal charging. Obviously set up the charging schedule at some obscure time unless you have one set up already. Hope this works for you.

As for mazda telling to to unplug at the car this is based on the second you unplug the charge signal is broken and no power is on the cable. I have tested this myself and it does happen. Without looking more deeply into it I would hope that the connectors are designed so the charge signal connector breaks cct before the power connectors disconnect therefore arcing should not occur but I have no evidence that this is a fact.

Alan

 

[Sjungdal]

Nice work around, I will definitely try it out.

Just to be sure - the created schedule is actually never used, it just stays there in case this situation occurs ?

We have until now never used the possibility of creating a schedule, we just charge when the cable is plugged in. We have solarpanels so it really make sense to charge when then sun is shining

I have also seen somewhere that the charge signal connector should break before the power connectors disconnects. I don't know where for now, but it's definitely something to follow up on. In my case the were no doubt that was some arcing when I unplugged the cable.

I will try to see if I can find some more details on the subject.

Think I will tell the dealer to send an enhancement request to mazda if they could consider something like:
"A continuous press on the unlock button for more than 5 seconds stops charging"
... and hope for the best

 

[Thebriggie]

Correct re schedule. As for manual stop charging I think it should be in ev settings at the very least. The unlock idea is interesting but I don't think the locking system s/w has any direct link to the charging s/w so it may not be possible. I know it unlocks the cable connector but that is different to actual charging status

Alan

 

[Sjungdal]

Correct re schedule. As for manual stop charging I think it should be in ev settings at the very least. The unlock idea is interesting but I don't think the locking system s/w has any direct link to the charging s/w so it may not be possible. I know it unlocks the cable connector but that is different to actual charging status

Alan

 

[Sjungdal]

You are probably rigth about the key and you are definitely rigth on the ev settings part. It has been a mystery to me why it's not possible stop the charging using mazda connect.

What if I loose my key, key battery out of power or Mazda global server is not reachable and the car is charging at a public charging station. For me this poses a security risk that Mazda has to address.

Have to call Hiroshima instantly

 

[Thebriggie]

Does the public chargers not have an app associated with them in your part of the world to stop charging? The problem is if you have not got internet connection you cannot do anything online. I think you would have to be really and I mean REALLY unlucky to have lost your key and have internet connection loss at the same time. The key battery low warning should come up on the dash before it goes flat (I know from experience) so if you don't replace who do you blame?

P.s Plus the car can only charge to 100% max before sending the stop charging signal to the charger so no Hiroshima

See this from the manual. The key doesn't have a long battery life and according to this it may not warn you!!!!!

Battery life is about 1 year. Replace
the battery with a new one if the
messages are displayed in the
instrument cluster. Replacing the
battery about once a year is
recommended because the KEY
warning indication may not display
depending on the rate of battery
depletion.

Alan

 

[Sjungdal]

Of course you're right alan.

I think it was a result of frustration by me that Mazda had not thought that it could be smart to be able to stop charging from the car instead of only via the app.

So I'm probably the only security risk here

I greatly appreciate your good advice so far.

 

[Thebriggie]

hope the schedule work around does the business for you. I'll contact interpol regarding your risk status

Alan

 

[kopaszkrapek]

Hi, it happened with me once as well. I simply opened the car, and lowered charging % to less than the actual was in the EV setup. The charging stopped after few secounds. The min value is 10%, so can be an issue if the actual SOC is less.

 

[Sjungdal]

Hi,

Another good advice, will try it out he next time (maybe it will never happen again, so I think it could make sence just to test it anyway).

Like we talked about yesterday it is correct that the control pilot pin and the proximity pin sits further back in the casing than the power connectors - at least that's what the specifications say.

I have taken a closer look at my charging cable. Because there is just 1 phase in use with the MX-30 charging port I only have these active connectors (Earth, Neutral, L1, CP and PP).

Measuring the distance between where the plastic connector starts and the brass connector starts is in my case 1.9 millimeters. This distance can probably have small tolerances from supplier to supplier. But the fact is in my case that all connectors have exactly the same distance between the plastic enclosure and the brass plug itself.

So that might explain why I got an arc.

I also have a feeling that the reaction time from the CP and PP signal being broken to the actual relay turning off is not going very fast. Do others have the same experience?
I know of course it also depends on which wall box you have installed.

By the way, it will be interesting to hear what my dealercan can come up with in terms of tips and tricks for his issue.

Steen

 

[Thebriggie]

Sjungdal, have a look at the car not the cable re lengths of connectors. See if they are different lengths in the car. It would make more sense for the cables to be generic but the car to house the shorter signal pin.

Alan

 

[Sjungdal]

Good point, Alan as always ... is now done

Yes thats correct, it is all done in the socket at the car.

I just measured spacing from the top of the plastic insulation to the individual brass connectors in the type 2 socket in my car. They are as follows:

Earth: 3.2 mm
Neutral: 8,9 mm (the Brass connector not the plastic tip)
L1: 8,9 mm (the Brass connector not the plastic tip)
Proximity pin: 5.5 mm
Control pin: 17.8 mm

Sequence must then be: Earth -> Proximity -> Neutral+L1 -> Control

The difference between the proximity and power pins are then around 3.4 mm. The big question is now if it's better to remove the plug fast or slowly from the socket to signal the wall box that the cable is removed.

I have put in the rules for connecting the single pins in the table below. Data is from the specs from 2016:

And still no news from the dealer

 

[Thebriggie]

Sjungdal, found this regarding j1772 charging protocol. Have a read. Interesting

SAE J1772 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Alan