fuel AUDI A3 2016 Owner´s Manual

Driving
If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your fuel
consumption by 10-15 percent. This section will
give you some tips on how you can help the envi­ ronment and your pocketbook.
(D Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehicle
load and speed, road and weather conditions,
trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­
ating.
.. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking .
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­
ating. If you anticipate what is going to happen next, you will need to brake less and, thus, accel­
erate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possi ­
ble -for example when you see that the next traf­
fic light is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and im­
proves your mileage.
.. Try and keep well below your car's maximum
speed .
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consumption,
engine wear, and does not disturb the environ­ ment.
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and engine
noise increase disproportionately at high speeds.
If you drive at approximately three quarters of
top speed, fuel consumption will be reduced by
one half . Never drive faster than the posted
speed limit and weather conditions permit.
78
· Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel .
.. Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle .
.,. Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the en-
gine run at idle .
It is efficient to switch off the engine when stop­
ped at railroad crossings and long red lights.
Turning the engine off for just 30 -40 seconds
saves more fuel than is burned by starting the
engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at idle . However, wear
and noxious emissions are especially high when
the engine is warming up . So you should drive
away as soon as you start the engine and avoid running at high rpms while the engine is still
warming up .
@ Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after
starting. If warning lights should come on to
indicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also produces
heat, which could result in overheating or
other damage to the vehicle or other proper­
ty.
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot
of fuel.
.. Have your vehicle serviced at regular intervals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
Audi dealer helps to ensure that it runs properly
and economically. The condition of your vehicle
not only affects its safety and ability to hold its
value, it also affects
fuel consumption.
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of oil used is related to engine load
and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new en­
gine to reach its lowest value after a certain mile -
age has been driven . ..,.

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You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles
(5 ,000 kilomet ers) before you can prop erly as ­
sess o il consumption .
This a lso applies to fuel consump tion and engine
output .
(D Note
-Have your vehicle mainta ined properly and
i n accor dance wi th the service re commenda­
tions in yo ur War ranty
& Maintenance book ­
l et. Lack of proper maintenance as well as
i mproper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the emission control system and
could lead to damage .
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Em ission Control System unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not alter or remove any device, such as
heat shie lds, sw itches, ignition wires,
valves, which a re designed to protect yo ur
vehicle's Em ission Control System and other
i mportant vehicle components.
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high
on short trips.
• Try to avoid driving short dist ances with a cold
engi ne .
T he eng ine and catalytic converter have to reach
their optimal
operating tempe rature to reduce
fuel consump tion and noxious emissions effec­
tively .
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid-si ze car
only achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 miles per
ga llon (30-40 l/100 km). A fter about a half a
m ile , fuel economy cl imbs to 12 mpg (20 l/
100 km) . After about
2.5 miles (4 km), the en­
g ine is a t its prope r operating temperature and
fuel economy has reache d a normal level. So you
c a n see t hat you s hou ld avoid sho rt t rips whenev­
er possib le .
The
outside temperature is also cr itical in th is re­
g ar d. Yo ur car c onsumes mo re fuel in the w in ter
than in the s umme r.
D rivi ng
Steering
Adjusting the steering wheel position
The steering wheel position is fully adjustable up
and down and forward and back.
F ig . 7 6 Stee rin g c olu m n: steering co lumn adjustm en t leve r
• Tilt the leve r¢ fig. 76 downward ¢&_ .
• Bring the steer ing whee l into the desired pos i­
tion.
• Push the lever against the steer ing column un­
til it latches.
A WARNING
-
Incorrect use of the stee ring wheel adjust­
ment and an incorrect seat ing position can
cause ser ious injuries .
- On ly ad just the steering column when the
veh icle is stationary so that yo u do not lose
con trol of the vehicle.
-
-Ad just the driver 's sea t or s teer ing whee l so
that the re is at least 10 inc hes (25 cm) dis­
tance be tween your ches t and t he steer ing
wheel
r:!> p age 16 7, fig. 1 48 . If y ou d o not
main tain t his d istance, t he ai rb ag sys tem
will not be ab le to provide its fu ll pro tection
r:!> page 167, fig . 148.
- If your phy sical ch aracteris tic s prevent you
from sitting at least 10 inches ( 25 cm) o r
mo re away from the steer ing whee l, see if
your author ized Audi dealer or authorized
Aud i Serv ice Facility can provide adapters
that will help.
- If your face is level with the steer ing whee l,
the airbag does not provide as much protec­
tion dur ing a col lision . Always make sure
that the steer ing whee l is level w ith your
chest.
~
79

,....,
N
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Introduction
App lies to vehicles: with S tronic transm ission
Your veh icle is equipped with an e lectron ically­
controlled DSG transmiss ion called S tronic. Two
independent clutches transfer the power be­
tween the engine and transmission . It allows the
vehicle to accelerate without a noticeable inter­ ruption in traction.
The transm ission upshifts or downsh ifts auto­
matica lly. The driving sty le continuously influen ­
ces the selection of the driving program.
When a
moderate driving style is used , the
transmission selects the most economical driving
mode. The transmission upshifts at a lower RPM
and downshifts at a higher RPM to improve fuel
efficiency.
The transm ission switches to a sporty mode after
a kick-down o r when the driver uses a
sporty
driving style
characterized by quick accelerator
pedal movements, heavy acce leration , frequent
changes in speed and traveling at the maximum
speed.
If desired, the driver can also select the gears
manually (tiptronic mode) ¢ page 94, Shifting
manually (tiptronic mode) .
Selector lever positions
Applies to vehicles: with S tro nic t ra n sm issio n
Fig. 81 Instrument clus te r: selec tor leve r posi tions
-~ 0 > (X) a,
The instrument cluster display shows the current
selector lever position and current gear .
Automatic transmission
P -Park
The wheels are mechan ically locked in this posi­
tion. You can only shi ft into Park when the vehi­
cle is
stationary ¢&. .
To s hift in and out of the P selector lever posi­
tion, press the interlock button in the selector
lever
while pressing the brake pedal.
R- Reverse
Only shift into reverse gear when the vehicle is
stationary and the engine is running at idle
speed¢ ,&..
T o select the R selector lever position, press the
interlock button
while pressing the brake pedal.
T he back- up lights switch on in the R position if
the ignition is switched on.
N - Neutral
The transmission is in idle in this position .
D/S - Normal position for driving forward
In the D/S se lector lever position, the transmis­
sion can be operated either in the normal D mode
or in the S sport mode. To select the S sport
mode, pull the selector lever back briefly . Pulling
the lever back again will select the normal D
mode . The instrument cluster display shows the
selected driving mode.
In the
normal mode D, the transmission auto­
matically selects the suitable gear ratio . It de ­
pends on engine load, vehicle speed and driving
style .
Se lect the
sport mode S for sporty driving. The
vehicle makes full use of the engine's power .
Sh ifting may become noticeable when accelerat­
ing.
To move from selector lever position N to D, you
must press the brake pedal and the vehicle must
be traveling less than 1 mph (2 km/h) or be sta­
tionary ¢&. .
,&. WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS.
- The vehicle can roll even if the ignit ion is
switched off.
89

,....,
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mode, the status message
e-"'1 o I r.-.Al"'Y ap­
pears briefly in the instrument cluster display
and the needle in the power meter points to
READY ¢page 101.
-Make sure that the selector lever is in the P
position and the ignition is switched off
when leaving the vehicle.
([) Note
-The high-voltage system can be damaged if
the vehicle underbody comes into contact
with the ground. Immediately drive your ve­
hicle to an authorized repair facility and
have it inspected.
- The electric drive motor can become very
hot during operation . Do not stop the vehi­
cle if there is oil, fuel residue or other flam­
mable substances under or next to the vehi­
cle.
Special considerations for the high-voltage
battery
Please first read and note the introductory infor­
mation and heed the warnings
¢page 98.
All batteries age with use and over time. There
are things you should know about the care of the
high-voltage battery that will help it keep giving
you good service and reliability over time. Please
read and keep the following information in mind
while you enjoy the performance and economy of
your vehicle.
- Be sure to charge the high-voltage battery be­
fore leaving the vehicle parked and unused for a
longer period of time. Ideally the high-voltage
battery should have a charge level between
40% and 60% when parked for a long time.
- If the battery charge level is below 3%, never
park the vehicle for more than 21 days without
charging the high-voltage battery. Should you
have to park the vehicle for a long time, make
sure that the charge level is sufficient to help
prevent the battery from aging prematurely.
- Frequent and consecutive charging of the high­
voltage battery when the charge level is above
98% can also decrease the capacity of the high-
e-tron
voltage battery. Make sure the charge level is
below 98% when you start the charging proc­
ess.
- Should the vehicle be parked for longer than
2 days at temperatures below -13 °F (-25 °(),
the high-voltage battery could freeze and not
be able to provide energy to the electric motor.
The battery will start working again, once it
warms up . The battery can be warmed up when
the outside temperature rises or when the vehi­
cle is garaged appropriately. The battery will al­
so warm up when being used (switching on the
air conditioner, the heater or by driving the ve­
hicle). Should you have to park your vehicle at
very low temperatures for longer than 1 day,
make sure that the high-voltage battery does
not freeze by parking the vehicle in a garage
that is heated or protected from the outside
temperature.
- The high-voltage battery can be damaged and
the capacity can be decreased when the vehicle
is parked for longer than 24 hours when the
ambient temperature is higher than 118 °F
(48 °C). Always make sure that the high-volt­
age battery is not exposed to temperatures
above 118 °F (48 °C) for a long time.
- Never park the vehicle in areas that are likely to
be flooded, such as beaches or river banks, and
never drive the vehicle in WATER, on flooded
roads or through water that is higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body. The high-voltage
battery, along with other vehicle components,
can be damaged severely if the high-voltage
battery is exposed to open water especially for
a longer time. However, you can drive through
water on roads under certain conditions
¢ page 77, Driving through water on roads .
Failure to heed any of these requirements can
age the battery prematurely and lead to a perma­
nent decrease of the high-voltage battery's ca­
pacity.
(D Tips
Always make sure that the high-voltage bat­
tery is not exposed to extremely low and high
temperatures as well as to water especially
for a longer time. Failure to protect and care
for the high-voltage battery can lead to
99

,....,
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@ gasoline engine range
© electric motor range
(D Tips
The values given are based on the latest con­
sumption values.
Plug-in hybrid mode
Applies to vehicles: with plug- in hybrid drive
You can select between one electric mode and
three hybrid modes.
dV Electric mode (EV mode)
EV mode is electric driving only.
EV mode is active at the beginning of every drive
depending on the operating status. The LED in
the
!<=I'! button turns on. The. indicator light al­
so turns on in the instr ument cluster display. The
gasoline engine stays switched off as long as the
battery charge level and climate conditions allow
it .
You can drive with only electric power at speeds
up to approximately 80 mph (130 km/h).
Hybrid modes
The electric motor and the gasoline engine work
efficiently together in every hybrid mode.
OQ!t Hybrid: the battery charge is used as much as
possible when this mode is switched on. This
mode is best suited for long distances.
O\Q!J Hold battery: the high-voltage battery charge
level is conserved as much as possible.
•& Charge battery: the high-voltage battery will
charge if the charge level permits it. This causes
an increase in fuel consumption.
@ Tips
-Applies to "Hold battery" and "Charge bat­
tery": the battery charge level can also de­
crease depending on the driving style.
- If you select the sport driving mode S when
in EV mode, the Hold battery mode is auto­
matically selected. You can select the EV
e-tron
mode again with the 1.:.1•! button
r:!;> page 104.
- if the la• I r:!;> page 104 button is pressed
while in sport driving mode S, the transmis­
sion switches automatically to normal mode
0.
Conditions for electric driving
Applies to vehicles: wit h plug-in hybrid drive
The EV mode can only be switched on if the fol­
lowing conditions are met:
- The cha rge level of the high-voltage battery
must be suff icient.
- The temperatu re of the high-voltage battery
must be adequate (outside temperatures not
below approximately 14°F / -10°C and not
above 104°F / 40°C)
- The speed must not be higher than approxi-
mately 80 mph (130 km/h).
- Kick-down must not be activated.
- The sport drive mode
S must not be selected.
EV mode is switched off if one or more of the
conditions are not met. The gasoline engine will
start automatically. The
E] ind icator light turns
on as a message in the instrument cluster. The
LED in the
l d• I button and the B indicator light
turn off.
Electric drive mode will not continue automati­
cally. Reactivate the EV mode
r:!;> page 104.
(D Tips
It may be necessary for the gasoline engine to
run longer for technical reasons, such as
when condensation accumulates in the en­
gine. Driving exclusively in electric mode is
not possible in this phase.
103

e-tron
Setting plug-in hybrid drive modes
Applies to vehicles: w ith p lug -in hybrid drive
Fig. 90 Center console : but ton &
You can change modes when the vehicle is sta­
tionary or while driving. If the vehicle operating
conditions will not allow you to set the mode manually, the last active mode is se lected .
.,. Press the
laV I button repeatedly until the de­
sired mode is displayed in the instrument clus­
ter . Or :
.,. Select the mode in the MMI
n: press the
I MENU I function button> Car > Systems con­
trol button >
e-tron mode and select the de­
s ir ed mode .
The active mode is displayed the first time the
14 "1
button is pressed .
Plug-in hybrid functions
Applies to veh icles: with p lug -in hybrid drive
The functions described below activate automati­
cally depending on the driving style.
Full acceleration (boost)
The boost funct ion is act ivated by pressing the
accelerator pedal farther down (kick-down). The
l) Not availa ble in a ll Info ta inm en t sy ste m s.
104
vehicle is powered by both the gasoline eng ine
and the e lectric motor when in fu ll acce leration.
Boost is only ava ilable for a short time because it
uses a large amount of energy. Availability de ­
pends on the high-voltage battery charge level.
Coasting
The gasoline engine switches off and disengages
at speeds up to approximate ly 112 mph
(180 km/h) if the acce lerator pedal is not press­
ed and the D position is selected. Driving conser­
vatively like this can reduce fuel consumption .
Energy recovery (recuperation)
When braking, the electric motor will act as a
generator creating electric energy that is then
stored in the high-voltage battery . This also oc­
curs when the vehicle is coasting or driving down­
hill.
If the brakes are applied early and evenly, the electric motor w ill brake the vehicle @
¢page 101 , fig. 88. By doing this , a large
amount of the kinetic energy is recovered and
may be stored as e lectric energy in the high -volt ­
age battery . The conventional brakes are also ac­
tivated when the brakes are pressed very hard.
The strength of recuperation can depend on the
following factors:
- If you are in tiptronic mode
Q page 94 . Or
- If the sport driving mode 5 was selected.
The ene rgy recovery is shown in the energy flow
i ndica tor in the in str ument cluster display
¢page 106 .

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Applies to vehicles: with p lug-in hybrid drive
Driving situations
Conditions
-Cautious driving and reserved ac-
ce leration .
Constant driving and -Release the accelerator peda l
c oasting (glid ing)
early and entirely.
-Brake early and evenly with short
Energy recovery (re- pedal movements.
cu peration)
Driv ing in city traffic -
Accelerate moderately and brake
early and evenly
- Intentionally take your foot off of
the gas peda l to allow for Lengthy
coast ing .
Driv ing on highways
-Reduce the vehicle speed by re-
and expressways leasing the accelerator pedal and
not by braking.
- Use the S selector lever position
and tiptronic mode sparing ly.
- Do not run the gasoline engine
while the vehicle is parked to warm
the engine.
- Use the rear window/exterior
Driving in cold weath -mirror defroster and the seat heat-
ing sparingly.
er
-Park the vehicle in a garage over -
night.
e-tron
Vehicle behavior
The kinetic energy of the vehicle is used to
move the vehicle.
The gasoline engine turns
off automati -
cally and disengages when you release the
accelerator pedal comp letely. The veh icle
glides without being propelled .
The electric motor brakes the vehicle. By
doing this, a large amount of the kinetic
energy is recovered and may be stored in
the high-voltage battery in the form of
electric energy .
The kinetic ene rgy of the veh icle is used to
move the vehicle.
The gasoline engine turns
off automati-
cally and disengages when yo u release the
accelerator pedal comp lete ly . T he veh icle
g lid es without being p ropelled .
Fu el cons umption can be reduced by
coasting .
A sporty driv ing style increases fue l con-
sumpt ion.
The temperat ure of the gasoline eng ine
rises very s lowly and the fuel consump-
tion increases considerably .
This conserves the energy in the high-volt-
age battery so that it is availab le to run
the vehicle in electric mode.
This reduces exposure of the high-voltage
battery to cold temperatu res . The re-
quired temperature range for the high-
voltage battery will then be reached more
quickly after you start driving.
105

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Statistics
Applies to vehicles: with plug-in hybrid drive
Fig. 93 Example image: e-tron stat istics
The statistics in the MMI l) show the distances
driven without emissions (electric) and with fuel.
The values are taken from on-board computers 1
and 2 .
Opening the statistics
.. Select: I MENU I function button >Car> Car sys­
tems
> e-tron statistics
.. Turn the control knob to switch between on­
board computer 1 and 2.
Electric power availability display
Applies to vehicles: with plug-in hybrid drive
Fig. 94 Instrument cluster; electric power availability dis­
p lay
The power currently available in the electric drive
system is displayed when you open the energy
flow indicator
r=> page 106.
The bars are filled in with different colors accord­
ing to the power status :
rl
~ 1> Not available in all Infotainment syste ms.
e-tron
@ -white: electric power currently available.
@ -green: electric power currently used .
The more segments that are colored in white in
the E-MAX area
0, the longer the maximum
power can be utilized . The segments turn off in
the E-MAX area when the maximum power can no
longer be utilized.
When the drive power is greatly reduced, the
drive mode will automatically switch to using the
gasoline engine.
The availability of power is generally restricted under the following conditions:
- The temperature of the high-voltage battery is
be very cold or very hot.
- The high-voltage battery charge level is low.
The power availability is not visible if the&] indi­
cator light turns on .
(D Tips
High power availability is necessary, for exam­
ple, when needing to accelerate quickly while
in electric driving mode to pass another vehi­
cle.
Vehicle tool kit and tire mobility kit
Applies to vehicles: with plug-in hybrid drive
Fig. 95 Luggage compartment: vehicle tool kit and tire
mo bility kit
The vehicle tool kit and the tire mobility kit (Tire
Mobility System) are located in the side trim pan-
el @ and @ in the luggage compartment. .,.
107

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,&_ WARNING
-Read and follow t he warn ings in
¢ page 236, Working in the engine com­
partment
before open ing the hood and
check ing t he coolant level.
- The expansion tank @ may only be opened
and filled by an a uthorized Aud i dea ler or
authorized Aud i Service Fac ility.
- Coo la nt can enter the inside of the battery
when f illing the expansion tank @ and
cause a short c ircuit, which inc reases the
risk of fi re .
Refueling
Opening the fuel filler flap
Appl ies to vehicles: with plug- in hybrid drive
Fig. 9 8 Driver 's doo r: button il
The ta nk sys tem must be ve nted be for e refueling
.. Pull on the
Iii switch.
.. The fue l filler door automatically opens w ith in
a few seconds afte r vent ing .
Read and fo llow the directions for inserting the
f u el pump noz zle
¢ page 109.
Read and fo llow the inst ruct io ns for refueling
¢ page 230.
e-tron
Inserting the fuel pump nozzle
Applies to vehicles: with plug- in hybrid
Fig . 99 Fue ling proce du re : in ser t the fuel pump nozzle co r­
r ect ly
M ake s ure w hen inse rting the f uel pu mp noz zle
t h at you do no t press o n the fuel filler door open ­
er (!) with the fue l pum p nozzle . See the labe l in
the f ue l fi ller door @. Otherwise, a va lve wi ll lock
in the fue l filler neck and stop the fueling , even if
t h e tank is not full. You must vent the tank sys­
tem again if yo u press on the fuel fille r doo r
opener. The f uel p ump nozzle can stay in the fue l
filler neck when doing this.
Vent the tank system by pulling the
Iii switch in
the d river's door
¢ page 109.
Driver messages
Applies to vehicles: with plug-in hybrid drive
ti Tank flap open . Please press button again
for fueling
Fueling is possib le for a certain amou nt of time
after press ing the
Iii button . Yo u m ust press the
Iii button again if th is time is exceeded .
ti Tank flap malfunction! Unlock tank flap
manually . See owner's manual
T he re is a ma lfunction. Yo u must man ually un­
lock the fue l fi ller door
¢ page 110.
ti Warning! Limited power
The fue l ta nk is almos t emp ty . You must ant ici­
p at e a sign ifi can t power loss. Drive i mmed iate ly
t o a ga s st at ion .
POWER LIMIT Warning! Limited power
109

e-tron
The gasoline engine is no longer available be­
cause there is not enough fuel. Drive immediately
to a gas station.
Fuel filler door emergency release
A pp lies to ve hicles: w ith plug- in hy brid drive
You must use the emergency release to open the
fuel filler door when there is a malfunction
c::> page232 .
The tank is not vented. You can only fill a small
amount of fuel in the tank.
~ Fill only until the automatic fuel pump nozzle
turns off for the first time when it is operated
correctly.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
(D Tips
Pressure can escape if you open the tank cap
after using the emergency release. This can
create noises.
Charging
General information
A pp lies to veh icles: w ith plug -in hybrid drive
Two options are available for charging the vehi­
cle:
- Charge at a public charging station with a spe­
cial charging cable*
c::>page 112.
- Charge with household and industrial power
sockets using the Audi e-tron charging system
c::> page 112.
Environmental conditions when using the
charging system
-Operating temperature : -13 °F (-25 °C) to 95 °F
(+35 °C)
- Humidity:
5% to 95%, non-condensing
- 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) maximum above
sea level
110
Warnings when using the charging system
£
Surfaces can become very hot when
in direct sunlight.
&~
Incorrect use increases the risk of
electric shock.
~"-
Do not use any extensions cords or
cable reels.
~
Do not use any travel adapters.
~~
Do not use any power strips.
~~~
Do not use any charging cables with
damage to the electronics or the
connecting wires.
.&_ WARNING
-
Sockets that are installed incorrectly can
cause electric shock or fire when charging the
high-voltage battery using the vehicle charg ­
ing connection.
- Installation and setup of the household con­
nection for the Audi e-tron charging system
may only be performed by a qualified elec­
trician. The qualified electrician is thereby
fully responsible for adhering to applicable
standards and regulations.
- Make sure that the selected charging con­ nection is suitable for drawing 16 amps .
- Make sure that the
110 volt socket is
grounded and shielded from water.
- Always check the fuse for the GFI outlet be­
fore connecting the charge cable.
- Never use a damaged GFI outlet.
- Read and follow the safety precautions in
the Audi charging dock* assembly instruc­
tions.
.&_ WARNING
If you are not familiar with the socket or the
e lectrical installation or it has not been
checked by qualified experts, never use it for
charging. Even very low charging currents can
cause ser ious damage and in particular fires if
the socket or electrical installation is in bad
condition. If necessary, get expert assistance
~