I was reading a thread and saw people talking about power cuts during charging. Does it cause any damage to the car? I get that it might be bad because of a sudden drop in power, but how bad is it really? And is it worse with DC charging or does the charger handle it better? Anyone know?
The onboard charger (OBC) for AC is built to handle sudden power loss, but the component that protects against spikes can only last about 100 uses. If you’re using a timer to cut the power, that could wear it out faster.
Baylen said:
The onboard charger (OBC) for AC is built to handle sudden power loss, but the component that protects against spikes can only last about 100 uses. If you’re using a timer to cut the power, that could wear it out faster.
Oh wow, I didn’t know that. So if I’m using a timer, it’s shortening the life of the charger? That’s good to know.
Baylen said:
The onboard charger (OBC) for AC is built to handle sudden power loss, but the component that protects against spikes can only last about 100 uses. If you’re using a timer to cut the power, that could wear it out faster.
Oh wow, I didn’t know that. So if I’m using a timer, it’s shortening the life of the charger? That’s good to know.
Yep, exactly. I’d recommend using a charger with built-in timers instead. It’s a safer bet.
For DC charging, the charger is external to the car and it’s got power loss protection built in, so it’s safer overall. Plus, the safety measures for high currents are pretty strong.
Zenith said:
For DC charging, the charger is external to the car and it’s got power loss protection built in, so it’s safer overall. Plus, the safety measures for high currents are pretty strong.
Thanks for the clarification! I guess DC is less of a concern then.
For AC charging, the car will just restart the charge when the power comes back, so no major damage there.
Baylen said:
For AC charging, the car will just restart the charge when the power comes back, so no major damage there.
Oh, that’s good to know! I thought it would be a bigger problem. Thanks for clearing that up.
Just keep in mind that sudden cuts can cause spikes, and while the components in the charger absorb them, they do wear out over time. Using a timer to cut power might not be the best idea.
Zenith said:
Just keep in mind that sudden cuts can cause spikes, and while the components in the charger absorb them, they do wear out over time. Using a timer to cut power might not be the best idea.
I didn’t think about that… I’ll probably stop using the timer now. Better safe than sorry!
Zenith said:
Just keep in mind that sudden cuts can cause spikes, and while the components in the charger absorb them, they do wear out over time. Using a timer to cut power might not be the best idea.
Yeah, I usually just let the car manage the charging or use the app to turn it off instead of cutting the power suddenly.