Where's your chargepoint?

NIMAN

Hoping to get mine installed soon, and was just wondering where all the EV owners have theirs installed?

Inside or outside?

Have you taken steps to protect it from the elements?

unkel

Why would you have it inside? Unless your car is parked inside of course.

No need to protect it from the elements, all EVSE are waterproof (as in rain proof)

NIMAN

Well I have a garage but I think in 6 years I have had a car in it maybe 3 nights.
Usually full of too much junk, turf etc to park a car in it.

But I just thought that some people may have it in their garages.

I plan to put mine on the outside wall of said garage, and hope to put a carport on the side in time.

NIMAN

.

mel.b

If I had a garage, that's where I would have it. I don't understand why in a country as wet as ireland that there are so few garages (let alone garages attached to houses). If it was in the garage, you wouldn't have to worry about getting wet while connecting/disconnecting it in the rain. Also i don't know if I'm completely paranoid but I've been keeping a roll of paper towel in the car and wipe down the connector and lift up flap of rain in the morning before I disconnect. I'm not worried about being electrocuted (!), but rather rain getting into the port.

mordeith

Outside next to front door. Installed for years and it's given no problems.

gally74

im looking at an import 2 years old, very little mileage, this means i cant get the free install.

So what do folks recommend, but one and get an elec to install? which model? ill be installing ti in a garage, just for comfort in winter etc.

goz83

If I had a garage, that’s where I would install mine....but that’s also where I would park.

Carport would be good too.

Mine is installed in the garden, on the wall. The included 3 pin socket has been so handy, you wouldn’t believe it. Spent about 4 hours in the past few days chopping wood in the garden on the chop-saw.

n97 mini

Still in the box. Haven't installed it yet but plan to put it about a quarter of the way down the driveway. Our driveway is two cars long and one car wide, so it should be able to reach either car.

mel.b wrote: »

If I had a garage, that's where I would have it. I don't understand why in a country as wet as ireland that there are so few garages (let alone garages attached to houses.

One-offs with detached garages never made sense to me either. I presume it's for appearance rather than practically.

ELM327

Mine is non existent.
Have a granny cable plugged in in my garage, and run the plug out the garage door if I need to charge at home.

goz83

n97 mini wrote: »

Still in the box. Haven't installed it yet but plan to put it about a quarter of the way down the driveway. Our driveway is two cars long and one car wide, so it should be able to reach either car.

I am in the same boat as you with regards to your driveway. Two cars are parked, one behind the other.

I have the 5M tethered cable and the EVSE is installed on the garden wall, less than 1 meter from the house. When I park the first Leaf, I park it so that the front left corner is lined up with the EVSE (close...but not on top of it....I have enogh room to get by if need be). This lets me plug in car 1 without having to unravel the cable more than once. (it wraps around the evse 5 times).

Then I park the second Leaf a few inches behind. I can plug in car 2 easily and the cable needs to be fully unravelled. The Granny cable can also reach car 2, so I can have both cars charging overnight.

DrPhilG

Mine is in the garage. When the garage isn't a bloody mess (like it is now) I park in there and charge.

When it is a bloody mess, or when my wife is parking it, we just park outside and run the cable under the door.

zilog_jones

mel.b wrote: »

If it was in the garage, you wouldn't have to worry about getting wet while connecting/disconnecting it in the rain. Also i don't know if I'm completely paranoid but I've been keeping a roll of paper towel in the car and wipe down the connector and lift up flap of rain in the morning before I disconnect. I'm not worried about being electrocuted (!), but rather rain getting into the port.

I wouldn't worry about this at all - the connectors are designed to be used outdoors and the contacts are well recessed.

Shefwedfan

On the wall. I put it over the Electric box outside, the reason for that is it is hid, so when you come in front gates you wont see it on the wall unless really looking for it.....

Gumbo

Bought my Leaf in March.
Only fitted my chargepoint yesterday!

It’s in my side entrance about 1.5m behind the front of the house. About 1m behind the side gate.

I just ran a bead of clear silicone around the top just in case, to form a seal.

BoatMad

mel.b wrote: »

If I had a garage, that's where I would have it. I don't understand why in a country as wet as ireland that there are so few garages (let alone garages attached to houses). If it was in the garage, you wouldn't have to worry about getting wet while connecting/disconnecting it in the rain. Also i don't know if I'm completely paranoid but I've been keeping a roll of paper towel in the car and wipe down the connector and lift up flap of rain in the morning before I disconnect. I'm not worried about being electrocuted (!), but rather rain getting into the port.

Enclosed garage is the worst place to keep a wet car, outside in the wind is such better

Connecting my tethered CP, takes about 3-4 seconds, its sometimes takes me longer to open the front door

rain in the port , !!!!!, the electrons dont mind a bit for wet !, The plug is sealed and the car socket is protected.

reboot

Originally I asked the installer to put it in the garage, but leave the lead long enough to reach outside in summer. Mobile signal may be an issue, but I digress.
At another location a friends CP is outside, and although about 2 mile from the sea, there has been corrosion on one of the plug pins, bringing the warning on the dash and no charge.
These pins are aluminium, maybe copper too expensive, a little copper ease sorted the problem.

DesperateDan

We have an old boathouse the previous owners put behind our cottage (out in the country). They put electricity in there so I'm hoping to attach the charging point to the wall outside. I'm guessing it's going to require more power than what is currently going to it (although I haven't a clue tbh). Hopefully not too big a job.

BoatMad

reboot wrote: »

Originally I asked the installer to put it in the garage, but leave the lead long enough to reach outside in summer. Mobile signal may be an issue, but I digress.
At another location a friends CP is outside, and although about 2 mile from the sea, there has been corrosion on one of the plug pins, bringing the warning on the dash and no charge.
These pins are aluminium, maybe copper too expensive, a little copper ease sorted the problem.

I live 50 yarrds from the sea , no issues after 18 months and the cable is tethered and hence always at the house in the exposed air.

Now the hinges on me garden gate, that's entirely different.....

reboot

The Rolac was there 4 years. Thanks

ei9go

n97 mini wrote: »

Still in the box. Haven't installed it yet but plan to put it about a quarter of the way down the driveway. Our driveway is two cars long and one car wide, so it should be able to reach either car.



One-offs with detached garages never made sense to me either. I presume it's for appearance rather than practically.

If it's detached it does'nt add to the size of the house, so cheaper with council fees when building, I believe

unkel

Had mine installed on the side of the house beside the front door and very near the consumer unit, as this was a free install

I'm using a 15m custom made cable I bought from Phil as a permanent tethered connection as my driveway is very long and Ioniq chargepoint is at the very end of it (classic car parked in front of Ioniq closer to the house)

I'm using a lock to secure the cable so nobody will steal it. I hope

n97 mini wrote: »

Still in the box. Haven't installed it yet.

I thought you mentioned that you did all your charging at home? You using a granny cable all the time?

BoatMad

kceire wrote: »

Bought my Leaf in March.
Only fitted my chargepoint yesterday!

It’s in my side entrance about 1.5m behind the front of the house. About 1m behind the side gate.

I just ran a bead of clear silicone around the top just in case, to form a seal.

wow thats along time to wait for a CP.

n97 mini

unkel wrote: »

I thought you mentioned that you did all your charging at home? You using a granny cable all the time?

Yep. Has taken up permanent (almost) residence in the porch. The good news is my cousin, who is a sparks, is installing the actual CP next month in exchange for a few beers

unkel

BoatMad wrote: »

wow thats along time to wait for a CP.

I think he was in the middle of building a new house.

unkel

n97 mini wrote: »

Yep. Has taken up permanent (almost) residence in the porch. The good news is my cousin, who is a sparks, is installing the actual CP next month in exchange for a few beers

And alas with my free electricity at home for the next 12 months, we might not meet again at a FCP anytime soon

And if I'm honest, I enjoyed having a chat with other EV owners at EV points far more than getting a few cents worth of free electricity. I might yet park up beside any of you just to have a chat

n97 mini

unkel wrote: »

And alas with my free electricity at home for the next 12 months, we might not meet again at a FCP

We can make a date :P

n97 mini

unkel wrote: »

And if I'm honest, I enjoyed having a chat with other EV owners at EV points far more than getting a few cents worth of free electricity. I might yet park up beside any of you just to have a chat

I would agree. There is, or at least was, a nice social scene, but in recent times I've found the queuing has taken a lot of the joy out of it.

ELM327

n97 mini wrote: »

I would agree. There is, or at least was, a nice social scene, but in recent times I've found the queuing has taken a lot of the joy out of it.

Yes I agree with this sentiment.

I'm not sure it's the queuing per se, as an owner of an EV I don't expect a personal chargepoint lol, but the lack of etiquette from some EV owners is what ruined the community feel.

Charging to 100 at your local FCP for instance, with 2 cars queueing behind you is something I observed a few times.
Stations in Dublin like Glasnevin, Templeville, Newlands Cross, Blanch are rife with this carry on.

BoatMad

n97 mini wrote: »

I would agree. There is, or at least was, a nice social scene, but in recent times I've found the queuing has taken a lot of the joy out of it.

Yes Dublin FCP{s are under a lot of pressure, In the short term, a pricing regime is likely to be the only way to control that

goz83

ELM327 wrote: »

Charging to 100 at your local FCP for instance, with 2 cars queueing behind you is something I observed a few times.
Stations in Dublin like Glasnevin, Templeville, Newlands Cross, Blanch are rife with this carry on.

I have been to Blanch on 3 occasions since becoming an EV owner. The first time, a Leaf was plugged in and was at 86%. I wasn't desperate for a charge, but it would have been a bit of insurance if I needed to go anywhere after I arrived home. I waited a few minutes and then left with the other car at 92% and no owner in sight.

The other 2 times I was just passing by and all the spaces were full.

I have also noticed that most people don't even ask if you will be long, which is often a missed opportunity to get charging sooner. If you don't ask, the owner of the plugged in EV might just wait to 100% and might not have even seen you. If someone pulls up beside me, I usually tell them I will be gone at 80% (or whatever percent I need). Some EV owners park for like 3 seconds and then decide they can't/won't wait and they drive off without even checking the SOC.

BoatMad

but it would have been a bit of insurance if I needed to go anywhere after I arrived home.

then why not charge at home ?

ome EV owners park for like 3 seconds and then decide they can't/won't wait and they drive off without even checking the SOC.

I always glance at the 3 blue lights

goz83

BoatMad wrote: »

then why not charge at home ?

On that occasion, I had just enough power to get home. When I arrived home, I plugged in, but if I had wanted to go anywhere, I would have been left waiting a while. The FCP would have given me plenty of electrons to cover me if I was going anywhere after I arrived home.

This was just before we bought the 2nd EV

unkel

ELM327 wrote: »

Charging to 100 at your local FCP for instance, with 2 cars queueing behind you is something I observed a few times.

Really? I would have an educational conversation with the owner if that happened to me

I've never queued for a charge except when I was far away from home. And then I always engaged in a conversation with the person charging when I got there.

And no one ever had to wait long for me when I was charging. I always made the effort to engage with people and I usually stop the charge within 10 minutes or so if someone is waiting for me. n97_mini can confirm that when I met him, the first thing I said to him was to apologise that my charge would take another 7 minutes, because I could not switch it off as the card reader was broken on the Lucan FCP a few weeks ago.

n97 mini

unkel wrote: »

n97_mini can confirm that when I met him, the first thing I said to him was to apologise that my charge would take another 7 minutes, because I could not switch it off as the card reader was broken on the Lucan FCP a few weeks ago.

I can confirm this is true. I'd be a pretty lousy cnut if I begrudged someone 7 minutes too. It's the perfect time to have a chat, so it's not time wasted.

ELM327

unkel wrote: »

Really? I would have an educational conversation with the owner if that happened to me

I've never queued for a charge except when I was far away from home. And then I always engaged in a conversation with the person charging when I got there.

And no one ever had to wait long for me when I was charging. I always made the effort to engage with people and I usually stop the charge within 10 minutes or so if someone is waiting for me. n97_mini can confirm that when I met him, the first thing I said to him was to apologise that my charge would take another 7 minutes, because I could not switch it off as the card reader was broken on the Lucan FCP a few weeks ago.

I had an "educational chat" with the owner the first time it happened. As someone with autistic tendancies I find it difficult when someone breaks the "rules" and find it hard not to get visibly distressed. I'm told this often manifests as aggression.

Suffice it to say, I have had to agree with SWMBO that I will not have any more "educational chats" again.

goz83

ELM327 wrote: »

I had an "educational chat" with the owner the first time it happened. As someone with autistic tendancies I find it difficult when someone breaks the "rules" and find it hard not to get visibly distressed. I'm told this often manifests as aggression.

Suffice it to say, I have had to agree with SWMBO that I will not have any more "educational chats" again.

I hear ya! Breaking of rules is like burning inside skull. Breathe deeeeply

BoatMad

unkel wrote: »

Really? I would have an educational conversation with the owner if that happened to me

I've never queued for a charge except when I was far away from home. And then I always engaged in a conversation with the person charging when I got there.

And no one ever had to wait long for me when I was charging. I always made the effort to engage with people and I usually stop the charge within 10 minutes or so if someone is waiting for me. n97_mini can confirm that when I met him, the first thing I said to him was to apologise that my charge would take another 7 minutes, because I could not switch it off as the card reader was broken on the Lucan FCP a few weeks ago.

Personally. I never care what percentage charge a person needs. If they wish to go to 100% that's fine by me. The only thing that boils my blood , is cars parked at chargers that are fully charged , blocking access to other EVs.

reboot

Working on travelling with a portable 32 amp Rolac, and plugging it into a supply at my destination.
Hoping one day I may find a socket on a lamp post near me.?

ELM327

reboot wrote: »

Working on travelling with a portable 32 amp Rolac, and plugging it into a supply at my destination.
Hoping one day I may find a socket on a lamp post near me.?

You have an i3 if I remember correctly?
I don't think the i3 BMS will allow you to charge at the approximately 800w that is spare at each lamppost.

NIMAN

So had a spark around to look at locating my CP.

It will definitely be going inside the garage, and I had planned that the cable would simply go under the door when in use, as car will either be at the front or the side of the garage.

Then considered the idea of making a hole in the side of the garage wall big enough to pass the charge head in and out of, with some sort of cap on it. Means could park car at side,drop flap and pull out the lead, and push it back through when done. Means garage door could be taken out of the equation, and could remain locked.

KCross

NIMAN wrote: »

So had a spark around to look at locating my CP.

It will definitely be going inside the garage, and I had planned that the cable would simply go under the door when in use, as car will either be at the front or the side of the garage.

Then considered the idea of making a hole in the side of the garage wall big enough to pass the charge head in and out of, with some sort of cap on it. Means could park car at side,drop flap and pull out the lead, and push it back through when done. Means garage door could be taken out of the equation, and could remain locked.

It would need to be a big hole to take a Type 1 plug through it. Do you really want that in your garage wall inviting rodents in?

Also, if you have a cable constantly being scraped against raw concrete at the same point of the cable I'd be worried of premature wear at that point of the cable. I think you'd need to cushion it somehow.


Each to their own, but why do you want the charge point inside the garage?
Is it the aesthetics of it or a vandalism issue or what? Bear in mind the charge point is designed to be outside and will be easier to use if done that way.

unkel

+1

Why not just outside?

If you're worried about someone stealing our leccy:

1. It won't happen
2. If you're still worried, flip the switch on the RCBO in your consumer unit

NIMAN

No, not worried about anything being stolen.
I was thinking of it purely for neatness, and the unit itself would have more protection, we get very rough weather sometimes up this neck of the woods.

As for wear and tear, I thought I would install some sort of plastic pipe in the hole, like a 4" sewage pipe that the charge head could go in and out through. As I said, I'd have one with some kind of cover on it to stop rodents etc.

reboot

ELM327 wrote: »

reboot wrote: »

Working on travelling with a portable 32 amp Rolac, and plugging it into a supply at my destination.
Hoping one day I may find a socket on a lamp post near me.?

You have an i3 if I remember correctly?
I don't think the i3 BMS will allow you to charge at the approximately 800w that is spare at each lamppost.

Zoe

unkel

NIMAN wrote: »

the unit itself would have more protection, we get very rough weather sometimes up this neck of the woods.

No need to worry about that either. Most EVSE are IP54. The 4 means it can stand any weather no matter how rough, but you can't open up the lid and point a hose at it

mel.b

Depending on the garage door material you could get a cat flap and use that. The flap will only be open a little bit while you have the charger going through it and when it's not, the flap will be down. Although if you're putting the charger in the garage, why not actually put the car in there as well!

cros13

The Rolec chargepoints are IP65... no issues even pointing the hose at them.

EV chargepoints are designed for use in all weather conditions.

KCross

NIMAN wrote: »

No, not worried about anything being stolen.
I was thinking of it purely for neatness, and the unit itself would have more protection, we get very rough weather sometimes up this neck of the woods.

As for wear and tear, I thought I would install some sort of plastic pipe in the hole, like a 4" sewage pipe that the charge head could go in and out through. As I said, I'd have one with some kind of cover on it to stop rodents etc.

If the weather is that bad you should be parking the car in the garage!

Seriously though, the weather won't matter to this thing. Put it in the best location for your daily use and don't worry about weather affecting it.


I'd also wonder how you can adequately seal a 4" pipe with a cable running through it that itself needs to move. If it can move a rodent can get in.

BoatMad

NIMAN wrote: »

So had a spark around to look at locating my CP.

It will definitely be going inside the garage, and I had planned that the cable would simply go under the door when in use, as car will either be at the front or the side of the garage.

Then considered the idea of making a hole in the side of the garage wall big enough to pass the charge head in and out of, with some sort of cap on it. Means could park car at side,drop flap and pull out the lead, and push it back through when done. Means garage door could be taken out of the equation, and could remain locked.

why , just mount it convenient to where you want to charge the car

There is one installed half way up a mountain in roundwood , its outside in all weathers