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

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121629763#Comment_121629763

Tethered makes the most sense, as the cable is already attached. You will want a charger with a type 2 plug for the newer Leaf (and almost all other EVs). I use and recommend the Hypervolt. Discreet, robust, reliable and with good customer care. I see lots of issues with Zappi posted on here and they look like a toilet seat on the wall imo. Zappi is popular because it is easy to integrate with solar and other zappi (myEnergy) products.

You can buy your own charger and still avail of the now €300 grant. Expect quotes to be around €1000 if supplying your own charger and €1400 if getting it supplied. Prices will vary.

PGL

Is it fair to say there isn't a lot fluctuation in the costs of home EV chargers? The reason I ask is because I have received the exact same quote of €1400 to supply and install a Zappi tethered charger from three different companies. I have sent messages to the first 5 or 6 companies which appeared on my google search - these are presumably the larger companies that are paying to appear top of the search lists. I wonder are there smaller companies that might provide more competitive quotes?

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121639643#Comment_121639643

That including grant ? 600. Which would bring to 800.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121639643#Comment_121639643

That's my experience. They all mostly rip you off by the same amount.

Around 800 quid isn't bad for a couple of hours work. Unfortunately, they have you by the short and curlies, so you just need to bite the bullet unless you know an electrician who will install it for you.

PGL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121639656#Comment_121639656

quote excludes the grant which is now only €300 from the start of this month only, so real cost would be €1100

micks_address

anyone see less power output from their chargers this week with the cold? my zappi was a bit odd the other night - it was scheduled to charge the car for three hours but only put 9.3kwh into it.. it was above 805% when started charge.. just curious if the cold somehow limited it.. the house load wasnt any higher than normal (hour battery, dishwasher, washing machine, eddi)

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121639698#Comment_121639698

Ah. I applied before cutoff. For me I think install for 800 is fair enough as they supply unit all the bits and labour. If I was to buy the stuff and source sparks probably would be Still around 500.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121639751#Comment_121639751

No, I've had to charge the car 3 times this week it was receiving the 7.3Kw and it was -3-4°. I schedule to start at 11pm when the house load is low, I've an Eo mini pro2 CP

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121639751#Comment_121639751

No. My Hypervolt is doing just fine. I usually need around 7 hours to fully charge mine from 30%. No Difference when temps were below 0.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121639251#Comment_121639251

€1000 is saucy out.

I think the Hypervolt is the best value charge point around, best looking too. The only think that puts me off them is the lack of local suppliers.

Zappi's seem to have a high failure rate and look like the toilet training aid I used with my son. I wouldn't install one that's going to be in direct sunshine either as the screen will eventually fail.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121639751#Comment_121639751

Pushing me more and more to OHME....

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121640281#Comment_121640281

They have their issues too unfortunately.

Fantana2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121631918#Comment_121631918

Just to close this out, money appeared in my account on Friday. So not bad considering the Christmas period in between.

Clareman

I'm getting the EO Mini Untetthered installed in a couple of weeks, I got the Flogas Black Friday deal of €999 and I applied for the grant before the cut off so €399 for a charger which is a great deal in my opinion. I probably won't be using it much because I have free charging at work but it'll be handy to have it installed.

CR 7

What sort of quotes should I be getting with the wiring to an isolator switch already in place on the wall? I'm going to get one of the installers out to have a look for a quote, but I'm expecting they might try to say the standard fee of around €1400 they all seem to charge will apply.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121652624#Comment_121652624

It depends, are you supplying the new charge point? Is there power already going to the Isolator? If the answer to both those questions is yes then it should be 100-150.

Your best bet is a local electrician, the larger companies use the easy installs to subsidize the more difficult ones and just default to a standard install cost.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121652624#Comment_121652624

As Liam says, try a regular electrician. I was getting silly quotes for almost identical work as you. No isolator switch in my case and I wanted one installed. €1200+.

Local electricians were too busy for a small job like that, so I just replaced the existing charger for a new one without the upgrade of the isolator switch.

Sigma101

Hi.

I'm looking for an untethered wall charger as a direct replacement for my temperamental 9-year old 3.6kW charger. The existing wall charger was one of the free ones that ESBN provided to the first 1000 purchasers of new EVs. A 7.2 kW would be nice but the 20A RCBO in the fuse box and 10m cabling to the wall box are dimensioned for the lower power rating, and would require an electrician to upgrade, so it'll have to be 3.6kW. I'm just looking for a cheap and cheerful solution that I can swap out myself. As I got the original box installed for free I don't qualify for any grants. I found this one online for €380:

https://evonestop.com/products/wallpod-ev-charging-unit-type-2-socket-16-32-amp3-6-7-2kw-ip65

Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated.

handpref

Great little chargers, early ones had an rcbo issue which was covered under warranty, all parts are easily replaced and available. I've probably put 600,000km's through mine.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121653741#Comment_121653741

I had the tethered one for about 5 years with domestic socket built-in. It was great, but I had to replace the RCBO twice over that period. It will get you out of a pinch, but can I make a suggestion if you might be considering changing your EV in the next couple of years....

You are limiting yourself by choosing a dumb charger like that. You could purchase a tethered, or untethered smart chargepoint and either limit it directly on the charger unit, or by software. In your case, I would suggest something like the Hypervolt which you power restrict using an internal dial to choose the max output, which in your case will be the 20A. When you upgrade the Consumer Unit RCBO to a 32A, you can then turn the dial on the charge point to allow for the higher output.

The problem is you will spend a little more now, but save yourself in the long run and have a quality charge point. Buy a type 1-2 adapter on Amazon and you will be able to use it on all modern EVs as well as the older Leaf with the adapter. Just a suggestion.

Buffman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121653741#Comment_121653741

The Rolec pod is a solid basic charger now that they've fixed the earlier RCBO problems, I'd have no issues in using one if you don't need all the bells and whistles. Very little else in them that can go wrong, just the car charge controller and a contactor, as basic as it gets and easy to fit.

If you're not in any rush and not too worried about warranty, you could wait for a used one to pop up online, very little demand for 'dumb' 16A chargers so should be priced accordingly.

Also I see a new standard EO mini for €300 (not including any haggling) on Adverts, could be an option as they have a rotary switch inside which you can set to 16A and it'll never go over that.

https://www.adverts.ie/other-cars-motorbikes-boats/ev-chargers-x2/32296802

Sigma101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121654984#Comment_121654984

Thanks for that Ghost. So you suggest something like the Hypervolt tethered, (and with an adapter for my LEAF). Do you know if there's an Irish reseller who will sell the unit (or any other units) without installation? I imagine importing from the UK would create customs issues.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121655040#Comment_121655040

Thanks Buffman. That EO Mini would be an option alright. I'll see if it's still available.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121655626#Comment_121655626

I recommend it because it's a great unit and will do what you need now and after you upgrade from a 1st gen Leaf. I don't know of any Irish resellers, but getting one here is not an issue at all. Hypervolt will remove the UK VAT from the price. Just tell them its from export to ROI and ask for ex vat invoice. They send invoice with link. You pay and they ship. If you're lucky (like I was....twice) it will arrive without any vat.

The instructions for hard limiting will be inside the packaging, but as I said, this can also be done via the settings in the APP. I can link the adapter I use for my Leaf if you want to get the hypervolt.

Sigma101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121656302#Comment_121656302

Thanks again Ghost. Is it possible to simply plug in my existing Type 1 to Type 2 LEAF cable into the tethered Type 2 cable, i.e. two cables instead of cable and adaptor?

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121656526#Comment_121656526

Unfortunately not.

event

Folks I have recently purchased a PHEV, never had one before. Its a 2020 Hyundai Ioniq

I am looking in to getting a home charger. I am clueless on this, so where do I start. I have off street parking and it can be installed at the back of the home, I should qualify for the SEAI grant.

I am also in the county louth area if anyone can recommend a good installer.

obi604

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121656302#Comment_121656302

Hi

can you link to that adapter you have for your leaf?

also, what was the final cost of the Hypervolt in Euro with postage etc when the vat was taken off

obi604

Just on the whole tethered v untethered units.

I guess the tethered ones are a bit more expensive in general.

with the UN tethered units, can the cable be locked in? (Therefore making it tethered)

is there a general theft issue going on out there with untethered cables being stolen? (Like if I was to buy an untethered unit and simply leave the cable plugged in to the box and not lock it , would it more that likely get stolen very quickly)

slave1

Most EVs lock the cable once you plug it into the car, charge points tend not to lock

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668785#Comment_121668785

Mine locks at the CP but only when the car is connected to it, so not suitable if you're worried about it being stolen.