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

MJohnston

Just got my SEAI grant approval letter today (have a 192 i3 coming very soon!), and boy howdy - I did not expect the lands of home charging installations to be such a wild west.

From looking around, it seems like the Zappi is one of the highest rated charging points...but does anyone have a good Beginners Guide to the best home chargers? Specifically for the Irish market, that is.

Presumably as an Airtricity customer, I can't get Electric Ireland to install their home chargers?

krissovo

As long as it output’s 7kw of juice and factors if you have a electric shower it doesn’t really matter the model unless you have solar PV.

Electric Ireland is 3.6kw so not much use for your I3.

unkel

krissovo wrote: »

Electric Ireland is 3.6kw so not much use for your I3.

But can be easily switched to 7.2kW

Nice choice of car anyway the 120Ah i3. One of the better value EVs out there!

mightybashful

Everytime I read a post here I get more confused. I've a 192 Zoe. What's the best charger to get?

MJohnston

krissovo wrote: »

As long as it output’s 7kw of juice and factors if you have a electric shower it doesn’t really matter the model unless you have solar PV.

Electric Ireland is 3.6kw so not much use for your I3.

There's two parts I'm in the dark about - first being the actual equipment, second being the installers. The equipment at least seems to have a lot of info from UK sources, but it's proving difficult to figure out how to find companies in Dublin that can sort out the hardware and the installation.
If that's not allowed in forum, PMs would be appreciated! I'm just surprised there's no Irish site that collects that info yet

demello

Electric Ireland will install for you, even if you are not a customer, slightly higher charge. They do a 32A version also.

MJohnston wrote: »

There's two parts I'm in the dark about - first being the actual equipment, second being the installers. The equipment at least seems to have a lot of info from UK sources, but it's proving difficult to figure out how to find companies in Dublin that can sort out the hardware and the installation.
If that's not allowed in forum, PMs would be appreciated! I'm just surprised there's no Irish site that collects that info yet

Black_Knight

How long did it take people to get their refund from seai? Been 4 weeks since they emailed me saying all had been approved.

rolion

Well,i gave up on rolex and dolex...and all other names.No stock, out of stock, will be delivered and will be back in stock...

Went back and ordered same charger as the first one.
https://evcharging.enelx.com/eu/residential/juicebox
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emotorwerks.juicebox&hl=en
Nothing to complain about it... lots of useful info and mobile app controls.

Take care.

stimpson

Black_Knight wrote: »

How long did it take people to get their refund from seai? Been 4 weeks since they emailed me saying all had been approved.

6 weeks I think

unkel

rolion wrote: »

Well,i gave up on rolex and dolex...and all other names.No stock, out of stock, will be delivered and will be back in stock...

Went back and ordered same charger as the first one.
https://evcharging.enelx.com/eu/residential/juicebox
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emotorwerks.juicebox&hl=en
Nothing to complain about it... lots of useful info and mobile app controls.

Take care.

Home come you need two chargers? Would you not alternate the nights between the two cars? Or is your mileage so high that both cars need to be charged every night?

rolion

@unkel
Medium mileage BUT low battery... L24 and Hybrid PHEV.

unkel

Ah I see and you obviously want to fully charge the PHEV every night. Are there no smart solutions where you can share a charger? The 9 hours of night rate is still enough to fully charge both your cars every night.

Black_Knight

unkel wrote: »

Ah I see and you obviously want to fully charge the PHEV every night. Are there no smart solutions where you can share a charger? The 9 hours of night rate is still enough to fully charge both your cars every night.

I can only do so much.

handofdog

Hi.

Am hoping to get a charger installed soon. For future proofing I was going to go for 32 amp type 2 tethered.

My current car is type 1. Is there any downside to using a type 2 to type 1 adapter?

(With the above scenario I get to keep a charging cable in my car and I don't have to worry about taking the cable in and out as I would have to for un-tethered).

Any advice appreciated. Thanks

Nedved85

handofdog wrote: »

Hi.

Am hoping to get a charger installed soon. For future proofing I was going to go for 32 amp type 2 tethered.

My current car is type 1. Is there any downside to using a type 2 to type 1 adapter?

(With the above scenario I get to keep a charging cable in my car and I don't have to worry about taking the cable in and out as I would have to for un-tethered).

Any advice appreciated. Thanks

I have this setup, type 2 to type 1 adapter for the leaf. Works for me

Stealthirl

Nedved85 wrote: »

I have this setup, type 2 to type 1 adapter for the leaf. Works for me

Same here as i know the next car will be T2. Just a small annoyance to get the adapter when it's raining. Just waiting on the right priced L40 SVE/Tekna to come along.

Dempsey

Looking to get a 7.2kW wallbox in a house with 1980 electrics. Great Fun!

Not sure where to start. Any advice?

Even with the wallboxes, not sure whats good whats not and whats worth the money...

Probably get someone I know to do the install

I'm possibly overthinking things but good to get feedback at the same time!

Black_Knight

Start with an electrician, and an seai certified one at that.

The wiring will all be brand new, new rcbo on the fusebox too. Only existing infrastructure will be your fuse box.

Have you an electric shower? You'll need a priority switch if so (shower running + car charging would blow your main fuse). In fact, it can be no harm to have one regardless. I blew mine running the oven, kettle, car, possibly the hob and a few other lower power things all at once.

Calahonda52

Dempsey wrote: »

Looking to get a 7.2kW wallbox in a house with 1980 electrics. Great Fun!

Not sure where to start. Any advice?

Even with the wallboxes, not sure whats good whats not and whats worth the money...

Probably get someone I know to do the install

I'm possibly overthinking things but good to get feedback at the same time!

You may have an issue with what is called the earth not being neutralised if the wiring is that old.
I had that issue with the free install, they hung the unit on the wall, ran the cable, said we can't connect till you get the earth neutralised.
A reci guy said we needed a complete rewire before he would do the earth neutralisation.
Still have the unconnected box!

17larsson

Calahonda52 wrote: »

You may have an issue with what is called the earth not being neutralised if the wiring is that old.
I had that issue with the free install, they hung the unit on the wall, ran the cable, said we can't connect till you get the earth neutralised.
A reci guy said we needed a complete rewire before he would do the earth neutralisation.
Still have the unconnected box!

Your house still isn't neutralised? You really need to get that done immediately. It is the most important cable in an installation.
An electrician can run the new cable and certify the mains tails only so no full re-wire needed but obviously it sounds like it would be preferable (Earth spike,hot press, gas boiler earths need to be upgraded as well), then the ESB will come out and fit their new meter (I assume a new meter is needed or seal needs to be broken on meter)

Seriously get this done now

Calahonda52

17larsson wrote: »

Your house still isn't neutralised? You really need to get that done immediately. It is the most important cable in an installation.
An electrician can run the new cable and certify the mains tails only so no full re-wire needed but obviously it sounds like it would be preferable (Earth spike,hot press, gas boiler earths need to be upgraded as well), then the ESB will come out and fit their new meter (I assume a new meter is needed or seal needs to be broken on meter)

Seriously get this done now

I could not get anyone to certify the tails only. They all wanted to certify the full house, requiring full unsupervised access to all parts of the house.

They also wanted to rip out all existing wiring, even the stuff that was done about 15 years ago.

The new meter was installed before the lad came to install the charger.
He was the one who flagged the issue and wrote his report to match.
All the earthing you refer to was done by a sparks, well before the rules were tightened up.

17larsson

Calahonda52 wrote: »

I could not get anyone to certify the tails only. They all wanted to certify the full house, requiring full unsupervised access to all parts of the house.

They also wanted to rip out all existing wiring, even the stuff that was done about 15 years ago.

The new meter was installed before the lad came to install the charger.
He was the one who flagged the issue and wrote his report to match.
All the earthing you refer to was done by a sparks, well before the rules were tightened up.

If the earthing to the spike, gas boiler (if you have one) and hot press is 10sq then that is grand they won't need to be touched but the mains tails will need to be upgraded to 16sq and the mains earth. Is there no earth cable ran to the meter box or is it there and just not connected?

It is possible for an electrician to certify main tails only and so not have to take responsibility for the rest of the wiring in the house

10-10-20

Black_Knight wrote: »

Start with an electrician, and an seai certified one at that.

Just a point of clarification on that, the electrician does not need to be certified with the SEAI, just RECI/SafeElectric certified.

https://www.seai.ie/grants/electric-vehicle-grants/electric-vehicle-home-charger-grant/

"The work can only be performed by a fully qualified electrician who is registered accordingly with Safe Electric Ireland. "

Dempsey

Looking around at wallboxes, most are ridiculously overpriced.

Where are people buying theirs?

niallo32

Have applied for the grant folks and have own driveway/house.

Can you give some recommendations for a unit/vendor to install for a BMW 530e please? Have searched a few threads but nothing is jumping out at me..thanks

charlieIRL

niallo32 wrote: »

Have applied for the grant folks and have own driveway/house.

Can you give some recommendations for a unit/vendor to install for a BMW 530e please? Have searched a few threads but nothing is jumping out at me..thanks

Where are you based? I can send you on the details of the lad who done our work one and he’s doing my one at home shortly.

niallo32

charlieIRL wrote: »

Where are you based? I can send you on the details of the lad who done our work one and he’s doing my one at home shortly.

Cheers, Clondalkin village

daheff

got my gen 2 untethered Zappi installed last week. happy with it so far, but still need to play around with it a bit.

anybody got any tips on what i should be using/doing with it?

TheChizler

Set the house max import capacity on it so it limits the car charging current when other things are in use.

KCross

daheff wrote: »

got my gen 2 untethered Zappi installed last week. happy with it so far, but still need to play around with it a bit.

anybody got any tips on what i should be using/doing with it?

Plug the car into it!;)