suggestions for smart ev charger.

Heedtheadvice

Very short overview:

Does not make for a simple non disruptive install.

The charger really needs to be fed from the fuse box (consumer unit) owing to it's need for high current supply for best (highest) charging rate via substantial cable. It could be that disruption could be minimised by the shortest route to the building exterior then the cable run outside to the charge point position.

Signalling is possible wirelessly for smart control to your router and that is required for any grant and convenient control.

Standard 3 pin socket supply is possible but is not great. Difficult to do proper smart control, lower power charging therefore longer time to charge, difficult to make use of overnight reduced tarriff rates, some types of electricity supply will need extra equipment to ensure maximum safety.

Most of these issues are worst with a full EV owing to greater charge needs compared to a plug in ev. EV : large battery; PHEV : significantly smaller battery.

Might be possible to use a totally separate supply from the house for car charging but no idea of the cost to do that !!!- new supply cable, new main, fuse new consumer unit, new meter separate account etc

Worth speaking to an installer especially on the latter.

silvercar

Heedtheadvice said:

Very short overview:

Does not make for a simple non disruptive install.

The charger really needs to be fed from the fuse box (consumer unit) owing to it's need for high current supply for best (highest) charging rate via substantial cable. It could be that disruption could be minimised by the shortest route to the building exterior then the cable run outside to the charge point position.

Signalling is possible wirelessly for smart control to your router and that is required for any grant and convenient control.

Standard 3 pin socket supply is possible but is not great. Difficult to do proper smart control, lower power charging therefore longer time to charge, difficult to make use of overnight reduced tarriff rates, some types of electricity supply will need extra equipment to ensure maximum safety.

Most of these issues are worst with a full EV owing to greater charge needs compared to a plug in ev. EV : large battery; PHEV : significantly smaller battery.

Might be possible to use a totally separate supply from the house for car charging but no idea of the cost to do that !!!- new supply cable, new main, fuse new consumer unit, new meter separate account etc

Worth speaking to an installer especially on the latter.

Thanks very much.

Nearest and only possible tidy route from the meter to the outside would take the cable to the back of the house and then 20+ m round to the where the charger would need to go. Is 20m too long?
Only looking at full EV. Thinking outside the box, there is a good chance the office can be persuaded to instal a charging point, which would mean we could possibly manage on a plug in charger.

mparter

Have you considered the Hypervolt EV charger? Has built-in PEN fault detection, works with Solar and looks more aesthetically pleasing than the Zappi.

I've also heard that Zappi are having a few quality issues at the moment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G_9KNnNC4I&pp=sAQA

silvercar

mparter said:

Have you considered the Hypervolt EV charger? Has built-in PEN fault detection, works with Solar and looks more aesthetically pleasing than the Zappi.

Still the same issue of cabling from the meter to the unit, unless I’m missing something?

Heedtheadvice

Cable distance should not be an issue.

Technically the main concern would be voltage drop. That might require a slightly bigger cable size for a  high power charger and a small cost increase. Something like a 7kW charger draws less power than some shower heaters that can be 9 or 10 kW typically. Your installer should provide the correct cable size for you.

 Not really an issue, less than finding a suitable route or ensuring that you have capacity in your consumer unit.

silvercar

Years ago, there was a summer house at the bottom of the garden, with its own fuse board. This was fed from a fused point in the house that would be much nearer to where the EV charger needs to go. In the house it just looks like an on/off switch with a pull out fuse next to it. Could the cabling be done from that point?

Heedtheadvice

In all likelyhood no.

Charge points are fairly high current devices and normally require their own breaker in the consumer unit.

A fused spur, as well as not providing a separate circuit for the charger will not have the capacity.

To give you an idea have a look at bumblebee installers web site (that is not a recommendation) and you will see the info/drawings they require to give a quote and that includes relative positions of the charger snd consumer unit, pictures of the fuse board and of the consumer unit itself. I feel sure the latter is to check the suitability and get sn idea of the capacity of the consumer unit such as does it have soare capacity for another breaker amongst other things.

Your best bet is to find an OZEV approved installer (and OLEV approved if in Scotland) and get a few quotes and advice. (Approved ones enable grant potential providing other conditions are met too)