Isolator switch - EV charger

qwertyqwerty

Hi there, British Gas has informed us that in order to get an EV charger installed, I need to contact EON who supply our electricity and get them to install an isolator switch. I did this and was told the cost would be £98. I’m led to believe that Octopus energy do there for free. My deal with Eon expires at the end of July, I’m wondering if it’s worthwhile just switching over to octupus and see if they can do this for us. Or does anyone know of another way of getting the switch installed? Is it an actual requirement to have one or can the chargers be installed without them.

[Deleted User]

Octopus fit a free isolator when they fit smart meters. They also supply and fit EVSEs - the correct name for an EV charge point. The actual charger is in the car.

https://octopus.energy/get-an-ev-charger/

PS. Octopus now offers Intelligent charging. If your EV does not support Intelligent charging then I suggest that you purchase an EVSE that does. This is the future of EV charging.

dunstonh

I was in a similar situation. Podpoint did an on site survey and said I had to upgrade my fuse to 80 or 100amp as 60amp was insufficient and some other changes..  I decided 100 amp to give some future proofing. My electrician did their bit (RCD with 100mA time delay and RCD protection to type A),  EDF for the meter tails being upgraded and UKPN for the fuse and upgrade of external wiring.

When I was told that, I didn't expect to get it done this side of Christmas.   However, I got my electrician to do the bits I am responsible for and contacted EDF, who sent someone out the next day and he did the meter tails and installed the new isolation switch, and they didn't charge for it.      So, I have to credit them with speed and there not being a cost.

Or does anyone know of another way of getting the switch installed? Is it an actual requirement to have one or can the chargers be installed without them.

podpoint didn't state that I needed a mains isolator switch, but they may have assumed it would be installed when going to a 100amp fuse anyway.   It does appear that it is a requirement for home charger installs going by a number of other websites.

Eon, in your case, is responsible for that bit of wiring. So, it has to be them.

QrizB

dunstonh said:

Eon, in your case, is responsible for that bit of wiring. So, it has to be them.

Are you sure about that? I thought everything after the meter was the householder's responsibility?

tacpot12

It's not strictly a requirement to have one, but normally the EVSE is connected immediately after the meter and in parallel with the consumer unit, so connecting it without an isolator between the meter and the EVSE means working on a live supply or illegally removing the supply fuse, and no electrician in their right mind would do that to save you £98.

However, the supply fuse needs to be removed (by the DNO, or at least with their authority) before an isolation switch can be installed anyway. Having the isolation switch might come in handy as it avoids you needing the DNO to pull the fuse in the future, should this be required, e.g. you need to change or upgrade your consumer unit to add solar pv, battery storage, a generator or an Uninterruptible Power Supply. 

I don't think I would risk changing suppliers just to save £98. If your bills are messed up for months, you won't be happy.

FreeBear

Dolor said: Octopus fit a free isolator when they fit smart meters.

Eon.Next did the same for me a few weeks back.

QrizB said:

dunstonh said:

Eon, in your case, is responsible for that bit of wiring. So, it has to be them.

Are you sure about that? I thought everything after the meter was the householder's responsibility?

If there is no isolator, then everything after the meter is indeed the householder's responsibility. They could get their own isolator fitted, but I suspect an electrician would charge considerably more than £98.

dunstonh

QrizB said:

dunstonh said:

Eon, in your case, is responsible for that bit of wiring. So, it has to be them.

Are you sure about that? I thought everything after the meter was the householder's responsibility?

I thought it was up to the meter if no isolator but up to the isolator if there is one.   But I am more than happy to be corrected if that is a misconception.

Ectophile

QrizB said:

dunstonh said:

Eon, in your case, is responsible for that bit of wiring. So, it has to be them.

Are you sure about that? I thought everything after the meter was the householder's responsibility?

It is.  Usually.  Except where there's equipment that belongs to the supplier.

Back in the days before smart meters, electricians would pull the fuse before doing major work.  They weren't supposed to, but they always did.  And nothing bad happened.  Except if the fuseholder broke because it was ancient, and shorted out the mains.  Then things tended to catch fire.

But now the smart meters tell tales on you if you pull the fuse.  So the only way to get the supply cut off is to call the DNO and pay them to pull the fuse for you.  That's a waste of time and money.  The sensible fix is to install an isolator switch after the meter.  Some suppliers will do it for you when they do a meter change.  Some suppliers are cheapskates.