Old dumb Rolec EV charger - Kia EV6 tripping whole house

[RemarkLima]

Hi all,

Just got home in a new to me 2024 Kia EV6 - plugged into the old 7kw Rolec dumb charger, and "pop", everything dark! It tripped the main circuit breaker for the whole house, not just the Rolec RCD, nor the garage fuseboard RCD on which it lives, not the RCD for the feed to the garage... As soon as the car tries to draw it trips the main circuit breaker, nothing else trips.

I tried to set the charge rate to 60% but the same thing happened.

Our charger is an early Rolec, with a contactor, RCD and that's about it... It's charged our previous BMW i3, and previous two Tesla Model 3's without any problems. Before I find out if it's the car, is it possible it's the charger? The car was on charge when I picked it up, so wondering if my old crappy charger doesn't actually tell the car it's not able to supply 350kw @ 800v?

[hidetheelephants]

There were some Rolecs that expired quite quickly, IIRC the contactor wasn't really up to the job and eventually failed; if so you could probably repair it with a replacement contactor, or take the opportunity to upgrade to a fancier EVSE that will do intelligent charging.

[RemarkLima]

I did mean to say that 6 or so years ago, I replaced the RCD and contactor for the upgraded ones - thinking that the difference in charging an i3 and Tesla would put a lot of load.

But thinking a EVSE is what's needed...

[Dave Hedgehog]

just replaced my 6 year old Rolec, it had been tripping out on opening it up it was badly scorched on the terminals

got an ohme epod an pussy inteligent go, its brilliant, can charge durting the day on 7p and 6 hours over night on 7p as well

[sixor8]

Is there a menu or setting on the car that sets the power drawn when charging? You say it's a dumb charger, perhaps the car is trying to draw too much.

[Familymad]

Order a new contactor for it. Ours has needed two replaced since 2011.

https://evonestop.co.uk/products/40amp-30ma-1p-n-2...

Turn off the mains and easy change over.

[vladcjelli]

Replaced our Rolec one after about 9 years and two replacement innards last year.

As above, scary scorching inside, not sure if I should be retrospectively terrified about it or not.

Fitted a Wallbox in it's place, easy swap as you're just attaching the new box to the existing wiring.

Has seemed decent in the year or so we've had it running. App is pretty good. Don't think it's smart tariff enabled, but not something I've looked into as we just charge off peak overnight.



The holster that comes with the charger is a nice idea but will break after a fairly short period of time to be replaced by something from amazon. They all do it.

[Familymad]

These big battery EV’s eat chargers for dinner. They lunch them due to holding the full current for long periods. Our Rolec was fitted to charge a Mk1 Leaf with a 24kw battery. Only on for 3 hrs a night.

[RemarkLima]

Sounds like the old Rolec can Foxtrot Oscar, not too worried as it's done a decent job for 9+ years!

I'm handy enough to change the contactors etc, so happy to swap out the wallbox. I assume it's all OK for me to do it?

Also, looking around, most seem to be "email for us to install" - which feels like a massive installation fee etc... Any recommendations for a basic charger, off the shelf, that can just be patched in?

I'm going to head to my mate's place and try his chargers - or see if I can trip his house

[RemarkLima]

Quick update, popped to my friends and plugged into his MyEnergi Zappi and it charged straight away, at the full 7kw.

So, looks like the Rolec is for the bin

[Familymad]

Sell it on eBay. They go well for spares

[TheRainMaker]

RemarkLima said:

Sounds like the old Rolec can Foxtrot Oscar, not too worried as it's done a decent job for 9+ years!

I'm handy enough to change the contactors etc, so happy to swap out the wallbox. I assume it's all OK for me to do it?

I think the rules and regs will have changed from when that went in, you might have some homework to do.

[ashenfie]

Lots of RCDs in the loop, sounds like it time to get it wired to the latest standard. Typically you don't want more than one RCD in the loop, unless you are happy to pay out a chunk of money for a timed delayed RCD. That is why many new chargers don't have them any more, they also going to have a newer PEN protection solution too. Unless you have solar, the consumer units RCD also should normally be a type A, some older installations left the original type AC RCD in place.