The all things EV chat thread

[Aztecs27]

Actually more than 52 weeks. FFS ?

 

[Oddsocks]

Is your car type 2? If so I fully recommend getting a tethered one so your lead can travel with you without having to undo each night

It's worth it

Only problem with this is replacing the leads on a tethered unit is expensive.

I used to sell EV chargers and the cost of a lead alone is a lot cheaper than paying a charger manufacture the call out charge for an engineer to change a cable (common was people over winding then and pulling them lose or running over the plug)

Some done it on their own but of it was am rfid based unit and the settings for reset you’d have to call the engineer anyway.

Compare replacing the lead on a kettle against a whole new kettle, then times it by 10!

 

[bobmac]

Why would I need 10 kettles ???

 

[Oddsocks]

Why would I need 10 kettles ???

You old duffers drink lots of tea.

IEC kettle lead £3-5, new kettle £30+ Same principle changing a lead on a tethered charger

 

[bobmac]

You old duffers drink lots of tea.

IEC kettle lead £3-5, new kettle £30+ Same principle changing a lead on a tethered charger

''I'll have you know I'm very nearly an old aged pensioner'' (Greengrass, C.J. 1992)

 

[PJ87]

Only problem with this is replacing the leads on a tethered unit is expensive.

I used to sell EV chargers and the cost of a lead alone is a lot cheaper than paying a charger manufacture the call out charge for an engineer to change a cable (common was people over winding then and pulling them lose or running over the plug)

Some done it on their own but of it was am rfid based unit and the settings for reset you’d have to call the engineer anyway.

Compare replacing the lead on a kettle against a whole new kettle, then times it by 10!

The way I factored it was I got the charge point installed

It has a 3 year warranty believe it was

So after that if it fails I can either get a cable replacement or just a new charge point as the majority of the work is there then

For example now I know more about chargers I want a zappi .. because of their ability to charge off excess solar .. but I won't pay to have one put in when nothing wrong with mine

Then again as an aside I'm having a charger / car issue .. only affects Thursday mornings it's so strange

3 out of 4 Thursdays same issue. Last night managed to be up at the time it stopped and got it going

Works every other night fine lol we believe it's the car got a gremlin in the system

Charger seems fine itself .. I mean charged it to 100% last night and always does on a Friday ...

Strange.

But might have fixed it.. I'll test in 2 weeks time again ..

Work around easily. I mean I only charged it last night because I wanted to report back to vauxhall after they looked at it and found no issue

 

[Oddsocks]

Zappi are a great unit and defo one of the better ones, if I recall the cost difference between untether and tethered was about £90 to the installer (cost of a standard over the counter type 2 lead at the time)

But, if you tethered lead becomes damaged and you need a zappi approve contractor to came and change the lead to maintain the warranty of the unit, ensure you have plenty of lubrication on hand for when you receive the invoice because it’s going to hurt.

Another thing to account for is units such as projectEv have side plug access (right side as you look at it) which restricts the location. Our semi has the garage to the right of the house and I wanted to install a charger on the left pillar of the garage as it’s most tucked away, I couldn’t do that with a projectEv, zappi I could as the plug is central.

Since syncEv has been purchased by the luceco group they have launched some great and compact models so worth a look, I really like the newer EASEE units but haven’t looked at the newer specs.

People do need to ensure that they are buying units with earth protection modules as standard as the additional cost of a stand alone plus the requirement for a second earth rod is a ball ache.

I’d also recommend a unit with earth clamps for load monitoring. We have a 50a supply in the garage so when mine goes in it will be complete with cT clamps. While the tumble is on it will only allow the charge to run at 3.6kw or in some cases lower depending on what’s on in the house, but the clamps will give the unit full juice when safe to do so.

 

[PJ87]

Zappi are a great unit and defo one of the better ones, if I recall the cost difference between untether and tethered was about £90 to the installer (cost of a standard over the counter type 2 lead at the time)

But, if you tethered lead becomes damaged and you need a zappi approve contractor to came and change the lead to maintain the warranty of the unit, ensure you have plenty of lubrication on hand for when you receive the invoice because it’s going to hurt.

Would that not be under the warranty if it fail?

Have to admit for me I prefer it by a way

But then non tethered are future proof .. just what suited me and I'd recommend for most

 

[Oddsocks]

Would that not be under the warranty if it fail?

Have to admit for me I prefer it by a way

But then non tethered are future proof .. just what suited me and I'd recommend for most

Not covered under warranty as wear and tear component, just like window wipers or brake pads on a new car.

 

[PJ87]

Not covered under warranty as wear and tear component, just like window wipers or brake pads on a new car.

Fair enough, I would have thought as I can't replace it that became part of it .. where as untethered it wouldn't be

 

[Oddsocks]

Fair enough, I would have thought as I can't replace it that became part of it .. where as untethered it wouldn't be

It’s understandable, how can they be responsible if you pull in your drive, run the lead over and crush the plug.

I’ve also seen many occasions where people locate them behind their bins and then hit the bins pulling onto the drive which crush the unit and then question why it’s not under warranty.

“ sorry sir but the unit wasn’t designed to withstand being stuck between a 3ton car and a brick pillar “

 

[PJ87]

It’s understandable, how can they be responsible if you pull in your drive, run the lead over and crush the plug.

I’ve also seen many occasions where people locate them behind their bins and then hit the bins pulling onto the drive which crush the unit and then question why it’s not under warranty.

“ sorry sir but the unit wasn’t designed to withstand being stuck between a 3ton car and a brick pillar “

See that I could fully understand and I wouldn't claim

If it was run over lol (even tho they are built to be driven over the cable anyways)

But I'd expect a faulty cable to be replaced

Live and learn

I'd still get another tethered as I'm all about ease of use for it

That's why it is set to charge every night same time

And when the battery comes it will be live every evening 7-7 as I won't have to avoid many times anymore ..

 

[Oddsocks]

It’s definitely about finding what’s right for you. I 100% agree on the ease of a tethered unit, I used to hate opening the garage to put the 3pin system away in the morning when it was pouring. In the end I put a timer on that socket and used to leave the charger inside a recycling bin, which is ironic as I headed up the EV charger side of a wholesaler business.

 

[bobmac]

It’s definitely about finding what’s right for you. I 100% agree on the ease of a tethered unit, I used to hate opening the garage to put the 3pin system away in the morning when it was pouring. In the end I put a timer on that socket and used to leave the charger inside a recycling bin, which is ironic as I headed up the EV charger side of a wholesaler business.

I'll take you off my list if you can sort me out a cheap 'off the back of a lorry' Zappi ?

 

[Oddsocks]

If I can sort one I’m calling dibs! I never got round to fitting one while renovating the house as costs were creeping up (at the time I owned an EV so would have had the grant) while heading up the EV devision for a wholesaler I was between electric and diesel (irony) and have now moved sectors and with the grands stopping any favours available are being utilised by myself. Sorry sir.

 

[bobmac]

If I can sort one I’m calling dibs! I never got round to fitting one while renovating the house as costs were creeping up (at the time I owned an EV so would have had the grant) while heading up the EV devision for a wholesaler I was between electric and diesel (irony) and have now moved sectors and with the grands stopping any favours available are being utilised by myself. Sorry sir.

Never mind.
Back on the list

 

[Oddsocks]

Never mind.
Back on the list

Expect nothing else

 

[Aztecs27]

Baz, you have any opinion on the Ohme Home Pro? I get one installed at home included in my EV package. But can upgrade to other options for a cost

 

[Oddsocks]

Baz, you have any opinion on the Ohme Home Pro? I get one installed at home included in my EV package. But can upgrade to other options for a cost

Leave with me sir, I’ll do some digging on specs over the next couple of days but there is really only a few things that need to be key:

* app management, this will allow you to monitor charge rates etc, but also preset charge start/finish times. This works effectively like the old economy 7, preset the charger to start when your tarring goes off peak and set a finish time (6am etc) it will also allow you to shut the charge down when your not home so randoms can’t pull up and charge foc

*rfid(is normally on upgrade models) but will only allow people with fobs to activate it. Ie you and the misses have a fob each. If neither of you are home the unit is dead. However if both sync’d via an app you call allow a neighbour to use is by connecting remotely. This is done pretty easy as most chargers link straight into your home Wi-Fi or via an Ethernet link if over 20m away from router.


* type a rcd build in (this will trip of there is a fault and not trip your dist board)

* earth leakage protection build in (no need for secondary earth protection)

* load balancing (stops tripping of the board is under full load, this is typically around evening times when the kettle is boiling, electric ovens and microwaves are all on, maybe the tumble is going and the immersion if applicable is on full). Most people have the conception that they have a 100am supply because the mainswitch on their board says 100a, but a lot have 63a.

I’ll do some digging bud, email me your options and I’ll take a look

 

[Aztecs27]

Leave with me sir, I’ll do some digging on specs over the next couple of days but there is really only a few things that need to be key:

* app management, this will allow you to monitor charge rates etc, but also preset charge start/finish times. This works effectively like the old economy 7, preset the charger to start when your tarring goes off peak and set a finish time (6am etc) it will also allow you to shut the charge down when your not home so randoms can’t pull up and charge foc

*rfid(is normally on upgrade models) but will only allow people with fobs to activate it. Ie you and the misses have a fob each. If neither of you are home the unit is dead. However if both sync’d via an app you call allow a neighbour to use is by connecting remotely. This is done pretty easy as most chargers link straight into your home Wi-Fi or via an Ethernet link if over 20m away from router.


* type a rcd build in (this will trip of there is a fault and not trip your dist board)

* earth leakage protection build in (no need for secondary earth protection)

* load balancing (stops tripping of the board is under full load, this is typically around evening times when the kettle is boiling, electric ovens and microwaves are all on, maybe the tumble is going and the immersion if applicable is on full). Most people have the conception that they have a 100am supply because the mainswitch on their board says 100a, but a lot have 63a.

I’ll do some digging bud, email me your options and I’ll take a look

Will do, thanks mate. No rush, got approx 9 months to sort it before my delivery date is even a thing ?