[North America] - this is getting embarrassing - Porsche nerfing/neutering the PMCC via OTA update?

[daveo4EV]

It is clear that Porsche is trying its best to get the unit to run at 20 Amps. I’m convinced the only reason they allow you to temporarily adjust back to anything above 20 Amps is because their lawyers advised them to do that for the inevitable class action. They can accurately now say that the unit can still function as advertised. It’s just that it has to be done manually every time. Horrible user experience but they never warranted that the 9.6kW rate did not require a user input each time to enable that amperage. Total joke.

sure it's a 9.6 kW unit - but only on alternate Tuesdays when the moon is full and if you remember to adjust the settings to the correct value every time you use it…but if it loses power while you're not looking we'll go back to the 20 amp setting which was our original intention.

it's totally 9.6 kW unit - and if it gets too warm - well then don't use it as a 9.6 kW unit and then it won't get too warm - it's awesome really - it's protecting you from yourself.

it's the way it was always intended to work - this update just restored our original intention of this was always supposed to operate.

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[Scandinavian]

I

I have thoughtg about this setting - but then the PMCC sits there and uses more power - so it would increase my operational costs - but it may preserve the default override…you'd still lose it with an unplug or power loss - but it wouldn't do it just because it goes idle - presumably

haven't done it yet - it's long test cycle to prove that theory conclusively - and I haven't wanted to invest the time.

Yes sure it will take more power than going to sleep. I will try to see how much over 24 hours. But the problem will of course still be there if there is a power cut.

I am actually surprised that it is set to 20 amps only. I can charge at 22 kW (not my Taycan, but friends Zoe), which is 32 amps per phase. And the unit does not overheat or get very hot. Warm yes but nothing like has been reported from US.

20 amps seems quite cautious approach??

 

[daveo4EV]

the non-North American model of the PMCC seems a much much better product - it would be interesting to see what the internal differences actually are to account for the vastly different customer experience…

althought I still consider even a functional PMCC to be a bit big/bulky/heavy for a "mobile" EVSE - but clearly the non-North-American version functions better than the North American version at it's primary task - which is pushing electrons into the battery.

 

[TDinDC]

Forgive me if this is buried in this thread somewhere, but what is the Software version that implements this reduction?

 

[daveo4EV]

Forgive me if this is buried in this thread somewhere, but what is the Software version that implements this reduction?

software version 3014 (and I'm going to assume later, but no later software has yet been released) 3014 is current "release" version.

post #121 is the "facts" post regarding this issue
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...-pmcc-via-ota-update.12791/page-9#post-190180

 

[daveo4EV]

thanks again to @JP38 for this tidbit of information which provided a pretty good workaround for the time being…

here is the "power savings" setting via the PMCC web portal - when logged in via "customer service" password

setting this mode to "inactive" should accomplish the following:

• the AMP setting default of 20 amps being overridden should no longer be temporary - you should be able to set amps to 40 and the unit will remain set to 40 amps for days/weeks - unlike if you "allow" sleep mode where the unit will power down and return to default 20 amps
• it's likely there will be a small/mild??? increase in consumption since the unit will not remain powered on
• there is no expectation that the 40 amp override will be maintained if the unit
  • unplugged from power source
  • power source is interrupted (grid outage no matter how brief)
  • if the unit loses power it will return to the default 20 amps

see red arrow and red box below for the setting that you need to toggle.

 

[npx]

Have a service appointment next week for the big SW update. one of the items added to the work order they sent me via email was:

REWORK CHARGER
• WMP2 - Reworking Charging Electronics (Porsche Mobile Charger) (Workshop Campaign) Actions required: 1. Retrofit warning sticker on the charging electronics 2. Limit charging current at the charging electronics initially to 50% 3. Give an Owner's Manual Supplement to the customer Scope 1 36tu, Scope 2 36tu, Scope 3 38tu

 

[daveo4EV]

Have a service appointment next week for the big SW update. one of the items added to the work order they sent me via email was:

REWORK CHARGER
• WMP2 - Reworking Charging Electronics (Porsche Mobile Charger) (Workshop Campaign) Actions required: 1. Retrofit warning sticker on the charging electronics 2. Limit charging current at the charging electronics initially to 50% 3. Give an Owner's Manual Supplement to the customer Scope 1 36tu, Scope 2 36tu, Scope 3 38tu

the OTA update addresses item #2- the shop procedure adjusts charging to 50 manually

LOL - I wonder how many shop techs will follow the procedure on an already updated PMCC unit and seeing the current default of 20 amps - will lower that by 50% and give the PMCC unit back to the customer set to 10 amps…which will revert back to the 20 amps when the customer plugs the unit back into power…

 

[npx]

the OTA update addresses item #2- the shop procedure adjusts charging to 50 manually

LOL - I wonder how many shop techs will follow the procedure on an already updated PMCC unit and seeing the current default of 20 amps - will lower that by 50% and give the PMCC unit back to the customer set to 10 amps…which will revert back to the 20 amps when the customer plugs the unit back into power…

I'll test this theory at my earliest convenience lol

 

[daveo4EV]

I'll test this theory at my earliest convenience lol

you won't be able to tell - the tech will set the unit to 10 amps (if my theory is correct) and then unplug the unit - at which point it will return to 20 amp default because it will lose power when the tech unplugs the unit.

 

[slothinker]

Couldn't find the PMCC unit for sale on Porsche's website, which is surprising. (Maybe I missed it.) Thought it was an aftermarket addition for those who didn't get the PMCC and enclosure w/ their car.

Anyway, I agree this is a disappointing development with some compensation warranted. I would have sold the PMCC immediately if I'd known it would have a lower recommended charging speed than other home chargers.

 

[daveo4EV]

thanks again to @JP38 for this tidbit of information which provided a pretty good workaround for the time being…

here is the "power savings" setting via the PMCC web portal - when logged in via "customer service" password

setting this mode to "inactive" should accomplish the following:

• the AMP setting default of 20 amps being overridden should no longer be temporary - you should be able to set amps to 40 and the unit will remain set to 40 amps for days/weeks - unlike if you "allow" sleep mode where the unit will power down and return to default 20 amps
• it's likely there will be a small/mild??? increase in consumption since the unit will not remain powered on
• there is no expectation that the 40 amp override will be maintained if the unit
  • unplugged from power source
  • power source is interrupted (grid outage no matter how brief)
  • if the unit loses power it will return to the default 20 amps

see red arrow and red box below for the setting that you need to toggle.

tested power draw - slightly less than 70 kWh/year to disable "sleep mode"

Procedure

• unplug unit from NEMA 14-50 power source
• remove porsche factory NEMA 14-50 supply cable
• attach porsche factory NEMA 5-15 supply cable
• attach wattsUp Pro watt-meter to household outlet
• plug in PMCC unit via NEMA 5-15 supply cable to wattsUp Pro
• observe following current draw metrics
  • SCREEN fully brights - no vehicle charging - 12-13 watts - mostly 12 watts draw
  • SCREEN auto-dim - no vehicle charging - 9 watts
  • SCREEN OFF - led outline bars illuminated - 8 watt draw
  • UNIT "off" via idle shutdown - 0 watt draw according to wattsPro
  • UNIT with SleepMode inactive - it appears to draw 8 watts sitting there doing nothing

so the incremental "cost" to disable "sleep" mode is 8 watts

7.8 watts * 1 hour = 7.8 wh
7.8 watts * 24 hours = 187.2 watt/hours per day
187.2 wh/day * 7days = 1.310 kWh/week
1.310 kWh/week * 52 weeks = 68.14 additional kWh annually to disable sleep mode to work around this issue.

68.14 kWh/year to disable sleep mode based on measured consumption from an idle unit.

 

[LonePalmBJ]

TIL I've been running with Sleep Mode Inactive all along I must have set it that way early on or because I thought I needed to for timers and such. So all I had to do was change the charging level in the Web interface. Now I just need to remember to do it anytime I unplug or if the device resets.

 

[Scandinavian]

187.2 wh/day * 7days = 1.310 kWh/week
1.310 kWh/week * 52 weeks = 68.14 additional kWh annually to disable sleep mode to work around this issue.

I knew it was minimal because my measurement equipment does not show anything. 8 watts is not much.
Just some mixing up in units in your calculations. Should beWh and not kWh/week etc.

 

[daveo4EV]

I knew it was minimal because my measurement equipment does not show anything. 8 watts is not much.
Just some mixing up in units in your calculations. Should beWh and not kWh/week etc.

I think the conversions are correct however - it's 68'ish kWh/year to run this thing with sleep mode disabled.

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