Home charge points (purchase/problems/questions) (See mod note post#1)

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120441853#Comment_120441853

If it wa installed as a 16A charger you may need to change out the MCB/RCB and cable. It all depends on the cable size and ratings

it will effectively be a new install.

for €500 it’s certainly one of the best value charge points

Soarer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120441893#Comment_120441893

Thanks Ted.

The Rolec is an original 32A unit, and was installed as such. The changing of the cable was just for convenience on my part. Used a Type 1 to Type 2 adaptor for a while, but then converted the 16A Type 2 to Type 2 Menkes cable that came with the Volvo to a tethered cable for the Rolec. That cable is only rated at 16A, so even though she's a Type 2, I'd rather not be throwing double her rating through her.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120441960#Comment_120441960

Could you buy the Tesla 32A cable for €100, chop the charger end off and wire it into the rolec?

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120441853#Comment_120441853

If swapping over then a wallbox from Amazon for the same price would be a better buy.

usernameunknown

Anyone familiar with the difference between Wallbox pulsar plus and max? Other than the max being cheaper and newer they are essentially the same thing?

Soarer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120442213#Comment_120442213

Yeah, already have one of them and was gonna do that. But it's not long enough. Story of my life!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120442352#Comment_120442352

Which one would you suggest? Thanks.

EDIT: The cheapest one I can find with a 7m cable on Amazon is the Wallbox Pulsar Max, which comes in at £714 including taxes and deposit. That's over €800. The Tesla charger is only €500.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wallbox-Electric-Bluetooth-Earthing-Protection/dp/B0B138FGPS

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120443084#Comment_120443084

Wallbox Pulsar Max Electric Vehicle Charger (7.4kW, Type 2, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, OCPP, Indoor/Outdoor, Earthing Protection, 5 Meter Cable, Easy-to-Install Design) Black https://amzn.eu/d/4Zvr5BK

Cost €535 delivered last week when I bought for a friend.

Or basic QUBEV charger for €300ish

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120442213#Comment_120442213

think they were flogging them off at that price, been out of stock for a while and can't find it on their website now

Soarer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120443600#Comment_120443600

That one has the 5m cable, so no good.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120443638#Comment_120443638

Have one of them.

My new thinking is see if the cable that comes with the car is long enough, usd that to tether to the Rolec, and use the Tesla one in work. Will only cost me the price of materials.

Gal22

Got an EO Mini installed about 2 years ago for my ID 3. Just recently got Solar hooked up - 4.4kw system.

At the moment to put excess solar into the car I'm having to manually either use granny cable or EO Mini by reducing AC charging function on car to 3kw, and keep an eye on the solar readings to make sure I'm not taking from the grid. Obviously not a viable solution.

Is my only option to get a Zappi type charger or is there any sort of hack that can be done on the EO Mini to direct power to it automatically when there is solar excess. Have Huawei hybrid inverter, and also an Eddi installed.

S'

What would be a rough cost for an electrican to install a Zappi?

Picked up one for €650 delivered on eBay.

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120445599#Comment_120445599

If you need no wiring upgrades I'd say 3 to 400 euro

Affluenza

Good evening all, apologies in advance for a question that has probably been asked numerous times.

Like a lot of people, I'm currently looking into have a charge point installed at home and was wondering if there were upgrades that would be needed? The house is ~30 years old.

I am unsure if it has a 60 or 80 amp main fuse, I had the smart meter installed in 2021 and the charge point is planned to be installed directly across from the meter box, 1.5 meters or so away. This proposed install location will also put it only about 1.5 meters from the fuse box inside the house. I do have an electric shower and the house has gas but not a current supply. I am also on a smart night plan so the car will only be charged in the early hours.

Any tips would be appreciated so I will have a basic idea of what to expect when I get onto a safe electric registered electrician :)

And just one more short question;

For the grant application, its asking me to choose which unit I will be using, if I haven't decided just yet (leaning towards the compact wallbox pulsar), do I need to wait until I have fully decided or can I choose one from the list but then go ahead and use a different one?

Thanks again for any help :)

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120445599#Comment_120445599

Depends on your RECI.

Easy to supply and fit them for €799 (nett of grant) so hopefully after the grant you’ve spent less than that.

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120446029#Comment_120446029

Its hard to tell from pictures but your meter wires (tails) look like they may be heavy enough duty. If they arent they need to be replaced from the meter back to your consumer fuse board. You might need a new earth rod and earth wires run to your hotpress/pipes again depending on if its done already or if the existing wires are strong enough. Our house is 40 years old and needed upgrading. We had the earths done when we had the gas boiler changed but the meter wires and earth rod cost almost an additional 1k on top of the installation. If you don't need those done should be handy enough job. I'm not sure on the fuse question. The grant process must have changed slightly as i didnt have to specify when applying what charger i was going for.

eyeball kid

Hi all,

I have a zappi charger that has a tethered type 1 connection. A few months ago I bought a new car that is a type 2 and I had been using an adaptor to charge the car. However, just this week, it stopped working and I'm not sure if its the zappi unit itself (looks like it is still working), the cable or the adapter that isn't working. I checked the car using a different charger and it seems to be ok thankfully. I've tried contacting a number of different charger installers and none seem interested in looking at it. Is it straightforward to just buy a type 2 tethered cable and ask a local electrician to install? Or is it possible to just change the plug unit on the existing cable? Thanks.

Affluenza

I just checked my electricireland meter details and does this mean I have a 100 amp main fuse even though the label is saying 60/80A?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120446684#Comment_120446684

Good morning, thanks for the reply :) You inadvertently also answered the question as to what tails where! The meter and fuse box are less than 2 metres away from each other so hopefully if they do need replacing, it won't cost a whole lot. The gas boiler was installed approximately 10 years ago so I can't remember what work was carried out to do this unfortunately. I do know they had to get up to the hot press upstairs but again I have no idea what exactly they did.

Yeah, it is now asking which manufacturer and model it is on application so I think I may have to wait until I have finalised which one I'd like to use before completing the application.

Oh, an additional cost of €1k would be less than ideal... I guess I won't know for sure until I have someone out to look at them.

When looking for quotes online with the likes of evpowerireland, they ask for photos of the fuse box, meter cabinet and entire front of house. This of course would not be enough information for them to determine if it would be an easy install and I'd assume they'd have to first come out and have a look first before any work was to start?

Soarer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120446847#Comment_120446847

If you’re based in Cork, I have an adaptor you can borrow to discount that.

eyeball kid

Thanks for the offer but I'm in west Wicklow, close to Kildare.

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120446873#Comment_120446873

Yeah it's not really possible to determine everything from pictures. I knew my tails needed upgrading because two other electricians had called to look at the job first and said they needed to be changed but neither wanted the hassle..

Akula

Any recommendations for a good installer in Cork?

Soarer

What would happen if you had a 32A wall charger with a tethered 20A rated cable and plug attached, and you plugged it into a car with a 6.6kW onboard charger? Charger would trip? Cable would melt?

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120451361#Comment_120451361

When the cable locks on the car socket would it tell the car to charge at 3.3? Don't they do a kind of handshake? Maybe I'm completely wrong but I do know it's the car that decides what rate to charge at. Can you reduce the charge rate via the car?

KCross

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120451361#Comment_120451361

If connected properly it should negotiate a rate <20A and nothing should trip.

Why would you put yourself in this position though? There cant be any major difference in price between a 20A cable and a 32A cable that would warrant hobbling your charge point for years to come. You have a 32A charge point, so utilise it, would be my opinion.

Soarer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120452237#Comment_120452237

What I outlined above is what I currently have.

I've a 32A Rolec charger that has a 20A cable and plug that I had tethered to it to suit the Volvo PHEV I had.

I'm going to cut the head off the cable that came with the Ioniq and tether that to it in the next week or so.

but in the meantime, instead of using the granny cable, I'm wondering if I could use the current sustem without blowing **** up!

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120452728#Comment_120452728

Are Volvo not type 2 same as the Ioniq?

Sorry I get you now, you're afraid the Ioniq will hare off charging at 6.6 and melt the cable, I'd plug it in and see what happens 💥

Snopake

Hi All, hoping for some advice on how to best approach this.

I currently have a 32amp Rolec tethered charger with a type 1 cable. I will be changing the current car (Leaf) for one with a type 2 connection and I’m wondering how to best manage this.

I have found a tethered cable I can buy on a uk site which I think should be approx €150 delivered and I could get an electrician to swap for me.

Another option I was thinking of was to use the Ev charger grant as it wasn’t available when I first got mine installed. The first option would likely cost me over €200 (materials plus installation). If I could get a new charger installed for circa €800 that would work out equal cost wise.

Is there an option I haven’t considered? I’m very happy with the current rolec charger, no issues in 5 years so not dying to change it

Soarer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120454482#Comment_120454482

I have one of these adaptors that you can have for €80 if you want it. Keeps your Rolec intact, no need for an electrician, and you have the option of charging type 1 or type 2 cars.

https://evcables.com/en-ie/products/type-1-to-type-2-ev-converter-cable?variant=42157114261754

Snopake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120454657#Comment_120454657

Thanks for the offer, I could have probably done with this previously for visiting places but as a day to day would be too finicky for me

Soarer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120454818#Comment_120454818

No problemo.

There's nothing finicky about it though. It stays connected to your charger all the time, and just plug it into the car as you normally would.