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

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032926#Comment_122032926

It would be interesting to see an image of your meter cabinet and how they did the install. Quite a few issues have been discovered in this thread with installs like that.

ian123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122030837#Comment_122030837

From researching this a bit more - it appears a bit more complicated than using the Zappi to control this, especially with DC battery (might be easier if there was an AC storage battery) - my setup (probably like most with hybrid inverter - is a DC battery setup)

this was a discussion i saw specifically on this topic - the 2nd link suggests a work able option

https://myenergi.info/help-with-setting-up-zappi-2-with-pv-and-dc-batter-t1306.html

https://myenergi.info/dc-coupled-battery-drain-hybrid-inverter-and-zappi-t3397.html

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122033468#Comment_122033468

I have the Zappi with a dc battery and it works fine. It recognises when there's power going to the grid from the Pv and diverts it to the car. I have two ct clamps, one on the mains live cable feeding the board and another on the cable coming from the inverter.

You will drain the battery if you set the charger to fast unless you set your inverter to not discharge during that time. It won't drain your battery if you're generating excess power and the charger is set to eco+.

Fyi, look in to home assistant. I have mine set up so that if I'm charging on fast between set hours, then my inverter automatically changes the settings so the battery won't discharge.

TheMilkyPirate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122033303#Comment_122033303

Thanks for that I thought Monta was my only option I'll give that a go later and see.

TheMilkyPirate

Oh really, issues similar to mine? I'll throw up a picture of the install when home I'd know next to nothing about it.

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122033615#Comment_122033615

This was what I was saying about the cable to the charger. If it's direct from the meter box, it should be readily visible. Unless it's been chased into the wall of course. But if it's too light a cable, it could be getting hot and the charger is stepping down because of it.

But I doubt that's the problem. Electrician should know what's needed, it would be a very rookie mistake to undersize the cable.

Fk301

Sorry to derail the discussion but I've searched boards as well as this thread and I'm still no wiser.

We're getting out first EV and looking at chargers and getting quotes and seemingly best I can get is 1300(Before the 300 euro grant) some places are asking for 1800-2k for a installed Zappi ?!

looking back to December of last year people are quoting 500-600.

At this stage I'm wondering if it's better buying from EU somewhere and getting my electrician to fit it.

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122033816#Comment_122033816

Nobody was getting a Zappi installed for 500-600 unless you mean after grant? Even that is unlikely.

1400 is about the standard install. Do you require added works? Did the companies quoting come to your home or just fire on the quotes?

Fk301

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122033842#Comment_122033842

Thanks for the reply.

500-600 after grant makes sense with the (600)

I'm just came to realization that its probably not worth going for the Zappi (Because we have Solar panels) and I'ts better to just export and charge at night.

With the amount of excess we get it does not make sense to have the car plugged in all day to charge from Solar. Napkin math suggest the car would need to be plugged in all day every day.

Sigma101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122033646#Comment_122033646

Indeed, or it could be a 20A circuit that's been installed. A photo might help clarify.

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122033854#Comment_122033854

There're other charge points that allow pv diversion too, BPE charge point is about 500 euro I think. You can also just limit the charge current in the car and use up excess pv that way.

ian123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122033519#Comment_122033519

Certainly seems that if the details followed in the links I quoted were followed, there would be no need to require automation when the DC battery can be discharged/etc - i.e. would just work without automation. I realise now that if I get a Zappi, then I can charge hybrid within the 2-5am boost time with 7kw charging.

However, if during the day I want to top up from solar (while also charging my battery (and allowing same battery to discharge to house consumption), I really don't see how Zappi (with no Solis integration) can avoid draining the PV battery - the Zappi is no different than any other load in the house - eg like an oven. I want the PV battery to discharge if the house demands exceed what solar is producing (for cooking/etc), so am not in a position to stop the battery from discharging.

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122034193#Comment_122034193

It's fine if you're charging the car in the boost time as your house battery would be set to charge at the same time or set to not discharge. The automation is needed outside of those times.

slave1

or get a separate AC battery inverter rather than a Solis hybrid, the Zappi can "see" that and totally avoid battery drain without going down the automation route

ian123

have already got 10kwh of DC batteries and a 8kw solar install - I think getting the Zappi installed as per the link I quoted solves the issue I have without needing to buy AC batteries, or introduce a bunch of automation. Hope my installer can understand the issues I've mentioned.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122035538#Comment_122035538

What's an AC battery?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122034193#Comment_122034193

The zappi monitors the grid, and usually an export margin of 50-100w is set.

The solis, tries to keep the grid at zero if running from batteries.

The zappi will keep telling the car to slow down until it can't anymore, (and then shut off) to maintain that 50-100w export.

That's how it doesn't discharge the batteries.

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122035538#Comment_122035538

You can also get your installer to put the chargepoint rcbo downstream of the main fuse/MCB then put the inverter ct clamp/meter downstream of the chargepoint. This way your inverter never sees the load of the chargepoint.

dingbat

My house fuse blew this morning. Went out to unplug the car just to see if it was something in the house. Smelled burning.

The charger itself has wafts of smoke coming out of it.

This is not good.

joe1303l

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122041885#Comment_122041885

Not good, what type of charge point ?

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122041885#Comment_122041885

Fcuk that's bad, Saturday morning too. You'll need to contact ESB as they're only allowed to touch the main fuse. Strange the breaker in your CU didn't trip first. Are you pushing everything in a cheap rate charging window?

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122041885#Comment_122041885

That's a nasty surprise alright. Happened me on New Years Eve a good few years back when demolishing a shed. I stupidly assumed the breaker had been switched off by someone else, but hadn't checked. One smack of the mini CU with a sledge blew the old 60A ceramic fuse. ESBN came out to replace that same day. Since then, I never assume anyone has done something which could cause injury, or death. I check it myself and lock out the hazard.

What charger do you have and when was it installed?

dingbat

The installers have someone coming this afternoon to swap in a new unit. Can’t complain with the service.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122042665#Comment_122042665

Well, you probably can't complain about the speed of their response to the issue. If the unit was faulty, fair enough. If the installation was recent and wasn't done properly (such as correct torque on wires), I wouldn't be particularly happy. Let us know how you get on and be sure to look at the connections when they remove the face.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122042665#Comment_122042665

Have you power back in the house?

Buffman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122042665#Comment_122042665

If it was the main ESBN fuse that it blew, ESBN will probably be sending you a bill for replacing it. Personally I'd be asking the installers to cover that cost also.

slave1

ESBN generally fit a first blowing of main fuse for free

dingbat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122042761#Comment_122042761

Summary: the neutral burnt out in the charging unit.

The guy who came out was impressive. Called me twice on the way to get a good summary of what had happened. When he arrived he waited until I was there to open up the front of the unit - you could clearly see one connection was burnt through. He swapped out each part impacted including new front plate. He tested it fully, he'll contact the manufacturer on my behalf to see about an extra year on the warranty, and he's sending a colleague out in 5 weeks to confirm that we're still all good.

dingbat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122042848#Comment_122042848

Yep. That was never a problem once I turned off the breaker to the charger.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122048575#Comment_122048575

Ah, not so bad then at least you weren't getting the lecture 🫣