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

the_amazing_raisin

TitianGerm wrote: »

Should the isolator buzz when connected to the car?

Buzzing in the switch is a sign that it may be arcing, which means it might get stuck soon. Definitely worth getting it looked at

phill106

cruisey1987 wrote: »

I've got an EO Mini untethered but I've decided to upgrade to a Zappi for similar reasons to what you mentioned and the Zappi has a built-in load monitoring.

They're pricey, and to be frank it's pretty unlikely you'll make back the added cost of one by charging a phev from solar. But they do seem like a good package

I somehow imagine phevs are a slippery slope to bev's, next car could be one in a few years!
I havent seen the costs at all however of chargers, so not sure.

TitianGerm

cruisey1987 wrote: »

Buzzing in the switch is a sign that it may be arcing, which means it might get stuck soon. Definitely worth getting it looked at

Thanks for that. I'll pop him off an email this evening and give him a call tomorrow to see can he pop out.

I brought the car to w local charge point here a few minutes ago and it's charging away fine so I think we can rule out an issue with the car.

the corpo

Does anyone have a number for Electric Ireland I might get to speak to a human on? Have emailed/phoned/filled out the web form and no-one has gotten back to me yet. Want my charger!

Redlim

the corpo wrote: »

Does anyone have a number for Electric Ireland I might get to speak to a human on? Have emailed/phoned/filled out the web form and no-one has gotten back to me yet. Want my charger!

Here's the number for their home services team that deal with the charge point installations - 1850 372 333

the corpo

Thanks Redlim, not getting any joy though. Call just not connecting most of the time.

Is anyone else in the same ballpark, price wise, as Electric Ireland with the EO mini?

colm_c

Question from a possible new EV owner:

How far in advance of the car arriving should you get the charger installed?

Assuming EO Mini is the way to go, for a house with no solar?

zac8

I bought a Rolec from an Irish company last year that has just stopped working. There’s power going to it but it won’t charge the car. Car will charge with granny cable. Electrician who installed it took a look and can’t see any lose connections and thinks it must be the charger. The company I got it from seems to have disappeared. Sod it anyway.

the_amazing_raisin

zac8 wrote: »

I bought a Rolec from an Irish company last year that has just stopped working. There’s power going to it but it won’t charge the car. Car will charge with granny cable. Electrician who installed it took a look and can’t see any lose connections and thinks it must be the charger. The company I got it from seems to have disappeared. Sod it anyway.

You can probably get in touch with Rolec directly for support. They're in the UK but might at least be able to put you in touch with the Irish support contact
https://www.rolecserv.com/contact-ev-charging

AndyBoBandy

colm_c wrote: »

Question from a possible new EV owner:

How far in advance of the car arriving should you get the charger installed?

Ideally the day/week/month before getting the car if you don't want to rely on public charging, or using a UMC (Granny Cable)

the_amazing_raisin

colm_c wrote: »

Question from a possible new EV owner:

How far in advance of the car arriving should you get the charger installed?

Assuming EO Mini is the way to go, for a house with no solar?

If you're eligible for the grant, then you need to get your letter of approval from SEAI before buying or installing the charger. Anything carried out before getting approval isn't covered


You also need to own an EV to get the grant money, as they'll need either the EV grant application number, or a copy of the registration cert. You can get approval in advance though


So if you've ordered, or put a deposit down on an EV, then you can get started on the grant application. Normally it takes a few days to get your letter of approval.


Once that's done, you can go ahead and buy the charger and get it installed. After installation, you can apply to get your grant money and supply the required documentation

zac8

cruisey1987 wrote: »

You can probably get in touch with Rolec directly for support. They're in the UK but might at least be able to put you in touch with the Irish support contact
https://www.rolecserv.com/contact-ev-charging

Thanks, I just tried that.

the_amazing_raisin

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Ideally the day/week/month before getting the car if you don't want to rely on public charging, or using a UMC (Granny Cable)

If you're driving less than 50km per day then you can probably survive on a granny cable for a while

handpref

zac8 wrote: »

I bought a Rolec from an Irish company last year that has just stopped working. There’s power going to it but it won’t charge the car. Car will charge with granny cable. Electrician who installed it took a look and can’t see any lose connections and thinks it must be the charger. The company I got it from seems to have disappeared. Sod it anyway.

Ask your electrician to fault find on the charger- not just check for loose connections.
Is power going through the rcbo to the contactor ?
Is the contactor moving freely in and out.

Failing that your looking at a Mode 3 controller- evonestop online shop sell them.
Rule out your cable if it’s not tethered by using a street charger.
MCC energy here did Rolec, found them to very helpful in the past.

KCross

zac8 wrote: »

I bought a Rolec from an Irish company last year that has just stopped working. There’s power going to it but it won’t charge the car.

Do you hear the "clunk" of the charge session starting or does the light just stay blue? Does it ever turn green?

OO7FITZY

Got a tethered zappi installed a few months ago for <400 euro (once grant was deducted) - if anyone interested PM me and I can send on the recommendation
Went with the zappi as I hope to add PVs next year

Kramer

OO7FITZY wrote: »

Got a tethered zappi installed a few months ago for <400 euro (once grant was deducted) - if anyone interested PM me and I can send on the recommendation

Was it the guy I recommended? Big FB?
He's dead sound - that was a great price, installed for a tethered Zappi.

zac8

KCross wrote: »

Do you hear the "clunk" of the charge session starting or does the light just stay blue? Does it ever turn green?

Light stays blue. No indication of the charge starting. Rolec came back to me and said they can offer phone support to an electrician if I get one on site.

Cyrus

Kramer wrote: »

Was it the guy I recommended? Big FB?
He's dead sound - that was a great price, installed for a tethered Zappi.

absolutely

Dohvolle

Quick one.
About to collect PHEV, have outside socket so can use granny charger for the near future.
Have been looking at getting home charger with grant etc, HOWEVER.
We bought this house in 2019, it had been idle for some time so we thought we needed recertification before getting reconnected, etc.
Spark did assessment, big list of problems, its a 1960s house with a modern fuseboard, but little else by way of electrical upgrades since. Elec shower and all that added correctly but spark said under current regs, it would be impossible to get any modifications to wiring unless entire house wiring was modernised and certified.
For example, there are external lights here that have no means of switching off. There are interior wall lights the same. Switch is on the unit, but nowhere else. The wiring is very old. I replaced a few light fittings and sockets around the place after moving in and it was hard going.
Power comes into the house via overhead wire to the chimney, and to the meter box located on a panel in the kitchen where a wall once was. The board has numerous fuses for electric heaters, all of which were replaced with oil heaters some years ago.
There is nothing wrong with any of them, they are not dangerous, they just don't pass modern regulations. I am assuming power from charger would need to be brought from fuseboard (in kitchen at rear of house) into attic and along to front of house where I want to locate charger, about 8-10m away.

My question is, if I go down the route of applying for grant, person fitting could say they couldn't install with wiring in current state, and demand re-certification before installation commences (estimate cost 9 grand or so).

Am I better off staying with granny charger and use public charger occasionally?

AndyBoBandy

Dohvolle wrote: »

I am assuming power from charger would need to be brought from fuseboard (in kitchen at rear of house) into attic and along to front of house where I want to locate charger, about 8-10m away.

What if you installed a new (modern) fuse board, and this was the 1st connection point from the grid to your house, and then this new fuse board sends out a supply to a charger, and another supply to your existing fuse board (which becomes the secondary fuse board).

Then the new board becomes the primary board that meets all regulations, and it feeds directly to the newly installed charger (so it's all above board for the grant application), then the new board also feeds the old board for the house supply with all it's existing original/old wiring?

OO7FITZY

Kramer wrote: »

Was it the guy I recommended? Big FB?
He's dead sound - that was a great price, installed for a tethered Zappi.

No, called him and made appointment to call out and see the job but he cancelled

Went with another recommendation for a small company in NI - guy drove down and did the job, no hassle
Genuine nice guy and will prob get back in touch with him next year for solar PVs - he seemed to be well up on the options etc.
Two other installers I called were around 400-500 euro extra which they could not explain Vs the quote I got from NI guys
If it was 10% more I would have went local but I'm not given someone 400+ euro just because they say so without justifying it!

Now I have my smart meter looking forward to charging with lower tariff options once plans are rolled next year (hopefully)

Dohvolle

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

What if you installed a new (modern) fuse board, and this was the 1st connection point from the grid to your house, and then this new fuse board sends out a supply to a charger, and another supply to your existing fuse board (which becomes the secondary fuse board).

Then the new board becomes the primary board that meets all regulations, and it feeds directly to the newly installed charger (so it's all above board for the grant application), then the new board also feeds the old board for the house supply with all it's existing original/old wiring?

Are you an electrician?

I don't think that would be possible, purely on grounds of space. Power comes in to the meter first, meter is jammed next to the fuseboard/consumer unit. (in Kitchen)Previous tenant had a pay as you go elec meter in between. Wiring serving the fittings throughout the house leave via the ceiling directly above the fuseboard.

The only reason we got away without recertification was the pay as you go meter ran out of credit, and no power was coming into the house, and the last occupant just switched all the breakers off. Once we put credit on it, we had power. (since bypassed by supplier)

Kramer

OO7FITZY wrote: »

Went with another recommendation for a small company in NI - guy drove down and did the job, no hassle......
Two other installers I called were around 400-500 euro extra which they could not explain Vs the quote I got from NI guys
If it was 10% more I would have went local but I'm not given someone 400+ euro just because they say so without justifying it!

Unfortunately, people assume there's some voodoo involved in these "chargers" & many electricians consequently feel free to fleece people.
As I said before, I've seen an invoice for €1,600 for a most basic install, 2 metres from the consumer unit, no isolator, one hole drilled.

If the company have a website, throw it up here - they deserve the good PR.

the_amazing_raisin

Dohvolle wrote: »

Quick one.
About to collect PHEV, have outside socket so can use granny charger for the near future.
Have been looking at getting home charger with grant etc, HOWEVER.
We bought this house in 2019, it had been idle for some time so we thought we needed recertification before getting reconnected, etc.
Spark did assessment, big list of problems, its a 1960s house with a modern fuseboard, but little else by way of electrical upgrades since. Elec shower and all that added correctly but spark said under current regs, it would be impossible to get any modifications to wiring unless entire house wiring was modernised and certified.
For example, there are external lights here that have no means of switching off. There are interior wall lights the same. Switch is on the unit, but nowhere else. The wiring is very old. I replaced a few light fittings and sockets around the place after moving in and it was hard going.
Power comes into the house via overhead wire to the chimney, and to the meter box located on a panel in the kitchen where a wall once was. The board has numerous fuses for electric heaters, all of which were replaced with oil heaters some years ago.
There is nothing wrong with any of them, they are not dangerous, they just don't pass modern regulations. I am assuming power from charger would need to be brought from fuseboard (in kitchen at rear of house) into attic and along to front of house where I want to locate charger, about 8-10m away.

My question is, if I go down the route of applying for grant, person fitting could say they couldn't install with wiring in current state, and demand re-certification before installation commences (estimate cost 9 grand or so).

Am I better off staying with granny charger and use public charger occasionally?

Oh man that sounds like a total nightmare of a setup


To be frank, you'll need to talk to an electrician to see what they're capable of doing. If they won't perform any works without upgrading the wiring, then you're stuck.


To get the grant, you need sign off by a registered electrician, so forget any cowboy setups or DIY jobs.


You can get quotes before applying for the grant, there's no issues there. you just need to have the grant letter before starting any works or buying the charger.


You might also want to double check your PHEV is eligible, not all of them are.


In terms of surviving on a granny cable, it's certainly doable with a PHEV. Most PHEVs have between 9-15kWh batteries, charging at 2.3kW from the granny lead will fill it up in 4-6 hours, easy for an overnight charge. Mostly you'd be looking for the wall charger for convenience sake


You'll want to get a night meter to get the biggest benefit from home charging a PHEV. Again, with your setup, this might be difficult if they need to replace the meter (and again refuse to do anything without modernising the wiring)


Tbh, you might need to look at bringing the wiring up to standard at some point in the future anyway. If you're planning on any big renovations at some point then getting the house rewired would roll nicely into that


But for now, you can probably survive on just the granny cable

OO7FITZY

Kramer wrote: »

Unfortunately, people assume there's some voodoo involved in these "chargers" & many electricians consequently feel free to fleece people.
As I said before, I've seen an invoice for €1,600 for a most basic install, 2 metres from the consumer unit, no isolator, one hole drilled.

If the company have a website, throw it up here - they deserve the good PR.

Correct, heard similar story where someone paid €1500 for basic installation also - was getting worried when the few quotes I got were ridiculous
NI Company is https://www.kbelectrical.co.uk/
Could not fault the work and service!
PM me anyone if you need more details or have q's

Kramer

OO7FITZY wrote: »

NI Company is https://www.kbelectrical.co.uk/
Could not fault the work and service!

That's brilliant. I see they are basically nationwide.

OO7FITZY

Yes, and I got the grant back after I submitted all the paperwork so they are legit to work in ROI
Hope people take the option to use them and undercut some of the chancers out there taking advantage of people who either don't have the time to get quotes from alternative providers or knowledge to know €1500 to fit one of these is just taking the p1ss (unless of course there is a lot of extra work involved but as a base price they seem reasonable and fair)

rx8

I've used them for a Zappi and Solar system.
They quote €960 installed for the zappi, and €1100 if there's a longer run of cable involved.
Really nice guys. Countrywide work. Don't pay too much to cowboys.

OO7FITZY

same price for me and thx for the PM some months back to tip me off
I advise people to use them and you will not be disappointed

rx8 - is there a good thread on boards for PV I can hook into to start my research?