TSB: PMC+/PMCC stops charging intermittently - overtemperature condition - Nov 17, 2023

[Tooney]

On Board Charger (OBC) Fault P31D200 “Charging Socket – Overtemperature”:

Condition
The customer reports that the vehicle intermittently stops charging while using the Porsche Mobile Charger Connect or Porsche Mobile Charger Plus and associated cables. The workshop is able to confirm this condition using the customer’s charging hardware, and the OnBoard Charger (OBC) has stored fault
code P31D200 DTC E1140x “Charging socket – overtemperature”.

Technical Background
The vehicle cable charge handle, pins, and conductors can reach high temperatures while charging. The OBC will stop charging if the NTC temperature sensor in either charge port reads ≥ 90°C for >14 seconds.
New vehicle cables with larger diameter conductors operate at a lower temperature, and are available to mitigate the condition described above.

Vehicle cables which have been severely or repeatedly overheated may lead to a stopped charging session without the OBC storing Fault Code P31D200. If no damage is visually apparent, and the fault code cannot be duplicated through testing, then it will be necessary to verify the problem follows the vehicle cable itself. Check if high temperatures at the vehicle cable charge handle and/or a stopped charging session follows the vehicle cable by charging another vehicle using the same hardware.

New vehicle cables are available with thicker wiring to prevent repeat occurrence of this condition.
Customers with a Mobile Charger Connect (PMCC) who experience the condition described above shall receive a new, thicker vehicle cable in exchange for the failed vehicle cable.

Customers with a Mobile Charger Plus (PMC+) who experience the condition described above shall receive a Mobile Charger Connect control unit along with the new, thicker vehicle cable in exchange for the failed vehicle cable which is permanently integrated into the Mobile Charger Plus control unit.

Note: A reduction in charging current, e.g. from 100% to 50% or from 40A to 30A, was previously recommended
prior to availability of new vehicle cables with larger diameter conductors. New vehicle cables are designed to mitigate the subject condition.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2023/MC-10246441-0001.pdf

Sponsored

 

[Genau]

New vehicle cables are available with thicker wiring to prevent repeat occurrence of this condition.
Customers with a Mobile Charger Connect (PMCC) who experience the condition described above shall receive a new, thicker vehicle cable in exchange for the failed vehicle cable.

Customers with a Mobile Charger Plus (PMC+) who experience the condition described above shall receive a Mobile Charger Connect control unit along with the new, thicker vehicle cable in exchange for the failed vehicle cable which is permanently integrated into the Mobile Charger Plus control unit.

Note: A reduction in charging current, e.g. from 100% to 50% or from 40A to 30A, was previously recommended prior to availability of new vehicle cables with larger diameter conductors. New vehicle cables are designed to mitigate the subject condition.

Oh wow, I'm sure @daveo4EV will have much to say about the new thicker cables!

 

[daveo4EV]

hmmmmmmm - which cable? the one from the power socket to the PMC+/PMCC unit - or the one from the "unit" to the vehicle?

interesting that they are making this move - my impression is not a lot of issues in this space, but they obviously have internal data indicating different…

all this does for me is confirm what a crappy $3000 EVSE that the PMC+/PMCC are…again alternative EVSE's do not have these issues.

yeah wire gauge again - - so apparently Porsche's _OWN_ vehicle doesn't like the high operating temperatures - so it's both the crappy $12 NEMA sockets and the AC charging ports on the vehicle that don't like the high temps…

most expensive EVSE on the market…by several factors.

 

[DougFrisk]

hmmmmmmm - which cable? the one from the power socket to the PMC+/PMCC unit - or the one from the "unit" to the vehicle?

interesting that they are making this move - my impression is not a lot of issues in this space, but they obviously have internal data indicating different…

all this does for me is confirm what a crappy $3000 EVSE that the PMC+/PMCC are…again alternative EVSE's do not have these issues.

This would be EVSE to vehicle. It's the car's charging port getting above 90 degrees C.

 

[utsteve98]

I had these problems with my PMCC and was puzzled on the issue as there were no error messages and only a less than desired charge achieved. Others on the forum said it was likely an overheating issue. I dropped to 32A and no issues after that. But it only happened in the summer in my garage in south Texas, which gets quite warm. Went back to 40A and no issues during winter. So this bulletin makes sense. I guess I’ll go get new cables at dealer.

 

[Tooney]

I had these problems with my PMCC and was puzzled on the issue as there were no error messages and only a less than desired charge achieved. Others on the forum said it was likely an overheating issue. I dropped to 32A and no issues after that. But it only happened in the summer in my garage in south Texas, which gets quite warm. Went back to 40A and no issues during winter. So this bulletin makes sense. I guess I’ll go get new cables at dealer.

Or, you could spend $400 to $600 and get yourself a reliable non-Porsche branded EVSE that runs at rated capacity year round, has knowledgeable tech support on-call if and when you need it (unlike Porsche dealers, who are not EVSE resources), and not wait in line for the new Porsche cable with the other 100,000+ Porsche and Audi owners who have these units.

This TSB was preceded by half a dozen other TSBs that ranged from denying the problem, blaming it on house wiring, user errors, derating their EVSEs, etc. But hey, maybe the fix in this TSB will actually work (once you convince local dealer service to diagnose and prove to PCNA that you deserve a new cable.)

Porsche makes good cars. EVSEs for use in NA, not so much.

Sponsored