Spurious notifications of charging interruption

[Perfesser]

I charged my Bolt overnight on the EVSE, running at the 12 amp setting. Display said the charge should be completed by 9:15 a.m. I have the My Chevrolet app configured to email and text me when charging is completed. Between 7:50 a.m. and 8:25 a.m., I received 5 text messages and 5 matching emails, all stating that "Bolt is not charging due to an interruption." I checked the car each time and found that it was charging normally. It completed the charge at 9:15 a.m. as promised. (The notification of complete charging was timely and correct.)

I searched the forum and found only one statement (by Jupiter Moon, last December) to the effect that the My Chevy notifications are notoriously inaccurate. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Until now, I considered the text notifications to be a great feature. Now I am worrying that Chicken Little is managing the system.

Thanks in advance.

 

[SeanNelson]

...Has anyone else had a similar experience? Until now, I considered the text notifications to be a great feature. Now I am worrying that Chicken Little is managing the system.

"Cluck! Cluck!"

Unfortunately I don't have a Bolt yet so I can't contribute my experience, but I love the comment!

 

[elpwr]

At a public L2 charge station yesterday I happened to check my app after about 30 minutes - showed "plugged in but not charging", I got no notification of this. Walked out to the charge station and found the car charging fine. This has never happened with my home L2 EVSE.

My Tesla app has a couple of anomalies, too. But not related to charging.

 

[user 1034]

I charged my Bolt overnight on the EVSE, running at the 12 amp setting. Display said the charge should be completed by 9:15 a.m. I have the My Chevrolet app configured to email and text me when charging is completed. Between 7:50 a.m. and 8:25 a.m., I received 5 text messages and 5 matching emails, all stating that "Bolt is not charging due to an interruption." I checked the car each time and found that it was charging normally. It completed the charge at 9:15 a.m. as promised. (The notification of complete charging was timely and correct.)

I searched the forum and found only one statement (by Jupiter Moon, last December) to the effect that the My Chevy notifications are notoriously inaccurate. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Until now, I considered the text notifications to be a great feature. Now I am worrying that Chicken Little is managing the system.

Thanks in advance.

Just a question; Did you open the door at all while it was charging?

I'm curious as I get that notification every time I open my door. But I only get one of them...

Maybe removing and re-adding your email address may help too.

If anything does work, please share.

 

[SeanNelson]

...I received 5 text messages and 5 matching emails, all stating that "Bolt is not charging due to an interruption." I checked the car each time and found that it was charging normally....

Just a question; Did you open the door at all while it was charging?
I'm curious as I get that notification every time I open my door. But I only get one of them...

That's interesting - I wonder if an intermittent door switch might be the cause of the problem then...?

 

[gpsman]

I get the message all the time.
It can happen if charging stops even for a second.
Usually charging resumes before anyone can check on it.

Possible causes: momentary voltage spike / drop.
(Air conditioner, or refrigerator, vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, microwave, or any major appliance starting or stopping.)

Neighborhood voltage changes.

Unsound grounding, or noise on the ground wire.

Some GFCI circuits.

I see this FREQUENTLY. But it is just a bother. Does not affect overall charge time.

 

[Perfesser]

I don't think it's a door switch issue. I have opened the driver's door multiple times, every time I charged, because that activates the info screen and shows the projected completion time. (I like to see if the charge duration increases or decreases, and I frequently walk through the garage for other reasons.) I suppose there could have been a flurry of momentary power interruptions that morning, but we did not notice them elsewhere in the house. Appliances (microwave, coffee maker) were in use that morning but none are on the same circuit as the garage.

The car is on charge right now. If it happens again tonight, I will post a follow-up.

 

[boltage]

I got the interruption notice one night when the weather was very warm. I went to the garage and found the car running its cooling fans. It did resume charging later and finished charging by next morning.

 

[devbolt]

On Facebook in the Chevy Bolt Owners group they have a theory. The charging interruptions are caused when the battery conditioning system kicks. All of the available L1 wall power is being diverted to running the pumps, etc, so no power is going into the battery. And thus the charging is being interrupted. Since people seem to be reporting these interruptions when outside temps are high, I have to say that their theory is pretty compelling.

 

[gpsman]

On Facebook in the Chevy Bolt Owners group they have a theory. The charging interruptions are caused when the battery conditioning system kicks. All of the available L1 wall power is being diverted to running the pumps, etc, so no power is going into the battery. And thus the charging is being interrupted. Since people seem to be reporting these interruptions when outside temps are high, I have to say that their theory is pretty compelling.

Not the case for me. Not in the slightest.
I charge outside in 55-65 degree weather.
My car never uses battery conditioning.
Also, it is very unlikely the car would EVER need battery cooling when using 110-120 volt power.
This is little more than 1 kw.
Not enough in the slightest to make the battery get warm.

 

[SparkE]

Also, it is very unlikely the car would EVER need battery cooling when using 110-120 volt power.
This is little more than 1 kw.
Not enough in the slightest to make the battery get warm.

It would need battery cooling if the ambient temp was 104 degrees (which is was outside my house for much of the afternoon 2 days ago, let alone in the garage).

 

[gpsman]

It would need battery cooling if the ambient temp was 104 degrees (which is was outside my house for much of the afternoon 2 days ago, let alone in the garage).

I'm not so sure. Would it?

I have a 2005 MY hybrid with NiMH batteries.
That car does not require battery cooling until it gets above 96'F.

Do we know when the Bolt battery requires active cooling? May be above 100'F. I thought I read LiIon tolerate heat better, with peak current output being at about 140'F.

My Bolt has used active battery cooling one time in 5 months and 5000 miles. It was while on DCFC at 46kw on a 90 degree day.

 

[SparkE]

Well, since the manual says to plug the car in when it is colder than 32 or hotter than 90, I assume that it should be plugged in at those times and that it would be even more important to have the car plugged in when it is 104F.

 

[Perfesser]

Update from the OP: The next time I charged (following the charge with five spurious notices), it was perfectly normal. I am charging it again right now, and I received one (but only one) spurious notice, about a half hour after I plugged it in. No other false alarms.

I don't think temperature is a factor. Here on the Oregon coast, highs have been in the mid-60s. My garage could be a few degrees warmer, but lower than 70.

In case anyone is wondering, the car does not consider the charging to be "interrupted" if you disconnect before the charge has been completed. I was running my electric grille on the same circuit as the EVSE so, being cautious, I disconnected the Bolt for the hour that the grille was running. That did not generate any "chargus interruptus" messages.