Anyone else receive this? Pretty alarming.
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Charging Cable Recall
Perception
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I got an audi oem I can trade for that chargepoint if your looking for the experience.
LOL. I have lots of other opportunities for pain and frustration, but if I run short I’ll let you know.
An interesting tidbit of related information. Porsche includes the same shitty EVSE with their EV and hybrids, and they had issued a recall. My car was in service for an unrelated issue recently and they told me that the recall APB6 just showed up as applicable to my car, that I should bring in my Porsche chargers. So I did. Turns out, all they wanted to do is to take the 240V away from me, that's it, no replacement. I naturally declined, as that basically rendered the EVSE inoperable as Porsche specifically recommends against charging from 120V (Level 1). Now Porsche has an official record of this:
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I figured that's their way to get a legal CYA . Should my Porsche EVSE cause any damage, they could always try to come back and say, "we tried to remedy the situation for free, customer refused". Someone on the Porsche forum made a funny graphic about what a future Porsche wheel recall might look like. 😂
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I figured that's their way to get a legal CYA . Should my Porsche EVSE cause any damage, they could always try to come back and say, "we tried to remedy the situation for free, customer refused". Someone on the Porsche forum made a funny graphic about what a future Porsche wheel recall might look like. 😂
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22 Posts
Received my recall notice in the mail today. It says "as a precaution" to use the 220V/240V pigtail only at the 50% setting. It's charging now at 100% (!), and an infrared thermometer shows an exposed edge of the Hubbell 14-50 socket at 110F while the garage is at about 47F ambient. I have previously measured it during the summer; I can't recall the temps but whatever they were it wasn't scary enough for me to avoid the 100% setting. For reference, the copper behind the socket is 6AWG and the breaker is 50A.
I have basically the same setup and the only thing that gets warm is Audi product (pigtail plug, handle to car plug) everything else nice and cool
For reference etron sportback pulling 9.7 kwh through the line
At 50% on Audi charger everything nice and cool
Takes 7.5 hrs for me to go from 35% to 80% with it set to 50% - waiting for my electrician to get time to hardware my chargepoint and I too can join the world of worry free charging
For reference etron sportback pulling 9.7 kwh through the line
At 50% on Audi charger everything nice and cool
Takes 7.5 hrs for me to go from 35% to 80% with it set to 50% - waiting for my electrician to get time to hardware my chargepoint and I too can join the world of worry free charging
If you have the industrial version of the Hubbell (model 9450A), you should be fine, though touching the plug in hot weather may not be pleasant after some 40A charging.
For those looking to install a Hubbell, be careful as there are other Hubbell NEMA 14-50's which are not industrial spec, such as (model RR450F).
Just to provide some values for comparison. When I installed my JuiceBox 40 4 years ago, I checked the temperature with an IR thermometer. The temperature was in the 90s with an ambient temperature in the 60s in my garage. So it does seem that the Audi cable does get a little warmer.
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Mine is indeed a 9450A. And yes, it can get hot to the touch.
Interestingly, Hubbell rates both versions as good for up to 75C continuous.
Perhaps the max duration of "continuous" is different (a.k.a. duty cycle), as may be ambient temperature ranges, lower number of rated insertions, etc.
Insertions is a number of plug/unplug cycles. The cheaper outlets wear out much quicker and make poor contact after 10's of plug/unplug cycles as they are meant for a kitchen stove/oven which is not going to get replaced that many times in a life of a home - say every 12 years, so 20 cycles gets you 240 years, vs. unplugging your EVSE 20 times will probably happen a lot sooner than 240 years.
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9 Posts
This is not just a plug issue. We have a new home and a dedicated circuit and outlet for an EV. It was electrician installed for an EV on an oversize breaker. We have 2 EVs. Only the Audi charger gets raging hot. I reported this to Audi in the summer. Initially, they insisted it was my outlet, but I assured them it was not since our other EV charger worked just fine with no overheating. They said they couldn’t test it because they had no way to plug it in at the dealership. I told them to have someone take it home and figure it out. Eventually, they had a plug installed at the dealer and discovered that all the chargers they had and tested get extremely hot when plugged in and run at 100%, not just mine. They then told me if I was worried about the heat, use the 50% setting. Then they pointed out that the charger itself contains pictographic warnings that tell you the charger will become extremely hot if used on the 100% setting. Look at the charger, it tells you it over heats right on the unit. Such bullshit. Hoping they fix it and give us a new charger because, FYI, the Audi charging system eventually gets angry about a different brand charger being used and stops accepting charge unless you put it back on the Audi brand charger.
I've been charging our Q8 etron on a Tesla Gen2 High Power Wall Connector since new, never any problems. The Tesla EVSE doesn't get hot either, even though it charges at twice the speed (80A) the Audi 100% EVSE rate is(40A). I never even bothered unpacking the one which came with the car, it's the worst EVSE.
If you're looking for suggestions, just hardwire a Tesla Gen3 Universal Wall Connector - it has both the J1772 (for your current Audi) and NACS (for future Audi, current Tesla, or future EVs from all manufacturers). It will charge your Audi faster too (48A), so equivalent to 120% of the Audi EVSE. Cheaper to buy too.
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22 Posts
So I unplugged and visually inspected mine today. I have some slight melting at the base of the Y prong. A quick search of the forums yielded 4 instances of melted plugs and on all 4 it was the Y prong. So, 5 cases of Y prong melt if you include mine. Anybody seen melt or other evidence of overheat at one of the other prongs?
My socket showed no signs of overheat.
I also checked the torque on the socket terminals. When I originally installed it, I didn't have a torque wrench that would do 75in-lbs, so I don't know what they were originally torqued to. Due to this recall, I bought a new torque wrench. Today, my terminals were below 50in-lbs (2.5 years after install). I tightened them to 75in-lbs.
I melted a plug on the Audi Charger where it plugs into the wall socket. Charger was charging my Porsche. Smelled terrible. Wall socket was fine as was my Porsche. Audi replaced entire Charging unit. This was prior to recall. Scary. Started to use my Porsche charger for both cars, and it was also recalled, it is basically same as Audi unit. I have now ordered a Charge Point charger to be safe.
I just checked my Audi charger plug. I've used it in the summer for the past two years, and the plug looks brand new. The wiring was installed two years ago at the same time I upgraded my panel to 200a, and I specifically asked for an industrial-style plug.
Still, I'm thinking about getting a 3rd party portable charger so I don't have to worry about it.
Still, I'm thinking about getting a 3rd party portable charger so I don't have to worry about it.
My socket was industrial, grade, probably saved and injury to wiring or house. Weakness is in the charge plug.
I have installed a 50A circuit breaker using #6 cable on an industrial grade plug ..... Never had any issues with my install and plug ...I inspected yesterday and all good...
On the other hand.. Audi definitely cutted some corners here... The cable used on their EVSE definitely warms up when using at 100%...
To be honest I rarely use 100% mine is always set on 50% from the day I started charging the car at home... I actually like to charge slow and steady overnight .. it is the best for your battery to charge nice and slow....
Let's see what Audi will do... Supposed to be mid summer... Let's see...
On the other hand.. Audi definitely cutted some corners here... The cable used on their EVSE definitely warms up when using at 100%...
To be honest I rarely use 100% mine is always set on 50% from the day I started charging the car at home... I actually like to charge slow and steady overnight .. it is the best for your battery to charge nice and slow....
Let's see what Audi will do... Supposed to be mid summer... Let's see...
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