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

christy c

Anyone have an issue with the BG Sync controlled by Monta? I have the usual 2 to 5 am scheduled, but it started at 1 am during the week and when I plug in now I can see it will start early again. It's like it's mixed up with timezones

MBSnr

I was recently talking with both Monta and BG Sync support about a CT clamp query (I could not enable fuse protection or solar charging in Monta). Turns out it was a setting in the Monta config to enable the CT clamp.

Anyhow, I found out from BG Sync support that my older BG Sync charger would work with the new Sync EV app if you select the Sync server during setup from the installer menu. (You don't have to drop wifi either, just hard reboot the charger and it goes into Bluetooth mode on startup). I tried it and it does. Just in case anyone wants to know…

Although I've gone back to using Monta as you can monitor it using their web interface and it provides so much more info than the Sync EV app.

Cuauhtemoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123943028#Comment_123943028

Interesting. Maybe I'll try the SynEV app. I have the Monta/BG Sync setup. Works pretty well most of the time and I have that Fuse protection option working. The only niggle I have is that while it drops the power to the car in the event of heavy electrical draw as it should it never goes back up again so ends up charging the whole 2 to 6am window at maybe 4 kw.

If I restart the car or charger it'll go back to 7kw. They replaced the CT clamp which made no difference.

MBSnr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123943149#Comment_123943149

I haven't tested the fuse protection fully. I've seen it drop down but didn't know it might not go back up again…
Weirdly the fuse protection and the solar suddenly enabled (without me knowing they'd made the change) and the overnight charging was very odd because of it. About 70 messages in the app of charging then not charging, I guess due to it being set to solar only (no grid). I'd have expected it not to charge at all, but weirdly it put a few kWh into the car in a very irregular charging output - all spikes - not ideal for the car battery I'm sure…
Can't really test the solar this time of year, but I believe it's not really worth it, unless you have a cloudless day and have excess that isn't going back to the grid. Plus then it'll screw the overnight charging unless you turn it off.

The CT clamp works on mine and I can see the value in Sync app, which tends to correspond to the actual load on the house when on grid. But the value in the fuse protection on the Monta app is lower. Dunno if I trust it a whole lot. When on battery the CT clamp value seems to have no link to what is being drawn. The Monta app does though detect solar export and that kinda lines up with what is being produced.

The Sync Energy app is fairly basic, so not sure of the benefit of moving over to it.

duefrine

Newbie here, it will be our first electric car, I will be picking up a charger myself, looking for recommendations on charger and were to purchase.

Have builders in so getting them to install the charger, no car yet, won't be picking one up till after Christmas ( maybe a 2 - 3 year old one ).

On reading here, I think I will go with untethered, car will be parked in driveway close to the charger.

Don't have solar panels yet, will look at getting solar in a few years.

Any recommendations would be great.

DelBoy Trotter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123963967#Comment_123963967

I have a SyncEnergy BG charger and have no complaints. When I was getting it, I went with Fokearn for a charger, and they recommended it as one of their more reliable units. It was also cheaper than other chargers they have.

However, I would advise you to get a tethered charger. Even if you are parked close to it, you still have to take the cable out of the boot to charge each time and boot it back after. It doesn't sound like much work, but if it's a cold, dark, wet and miserable morning, you won't want to be picking up the wet and dirty cable to put into the boot of your car!

Homesick Alien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123965000#Comment_123965000

I second this on the tethered vs untethered. I was on the fence but v glad I went tethered in the end, well worth the price difference.

zg3409

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123963967#Comment_123963967

Get the charger fully installed now. You can still get the grant without the car. In terms of cabling you need to check fuseboard type, the wiring between fuse board and ESB meter may need to be changed, a new earth rod may need to be fitted. You may also want a hard wired internet cable from the internet router to the charger. You also may need a third cable for load sensing. The builder and many ordinary electricians won't know how to do this right. So get it done now by a specialist. Folkarn have rough prices on website unlike most others. They may be able to give a more firm price based on a video phone call inspection. Try get 2 or 3 quotes. Some installers can take weeks to turn up so get a rough timeline too. Cheap and no show is not much good.

duefrine

Thanks all, phone calls to be made.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123963967#Comment_123963967

I recommend Hypervolt. Very reliable unit and APP. Tethered but neat. Choose 5, 7.5 or 10m cable. Works with solar and has load balancing too.

This is it

I've been looking around for charger installers. Fokearn seems to be one suggested alot, any other recommendations?

I'm thinking an 8-10m tethered. No solar or anything to integrate. Would be handy to have it connected to Wi-Fi and an app so I can set charge times. I hear some cars don't have that ability but maybe I picked it up wrong? Had an electrician upgrade the tails recently, he installed the isolator as well so I'm hoping it'll be a simple enough install.

ted1

ask the same sparks to install the charger it’ll be much cheaper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124004483#Comment_124004483

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123943149#Comment_123943149

What's the car?

AndrewJRenko

De

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123965000#Comment_123965000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123965263#Comment_123965263

Depends on where your charger is. I didn't want a big cable hanging around my porch 24x7.

Cuauhtemoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124005391#Comment_124005391

It's an iD3.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124005435#Comment_124005435

Those symptoms sound a bit like a known issue for some Hyundai EVs, but not relevant for you.

Cuauhtemoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124005477#Comment_124005477

I saw someone in the Inster thread had a BG Sync charger and wondered might their issues just be the charger. Symptoms seem much worse than mine tho so probably isn't.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124005895#Comment_124005895

I had the charging problem with my own Inster with the BG Sync, but the loaner Inster charged perfectly on the same BG Sync unit.

MBSnr

Anyone else notice this in Monta?

Weirdly since the 8th of Nov, I've been earning PowerBank credits (Euros in Wallet) on every charge via the Monta app. I'm not signed up to "PowerBank" either. I know they are rolling it out to the UK and Ireland this December, so perhaps a mistake on their part. PowerBank apparently monitors the electricity network and will reduce/pause your charging during peak demand. https://monta.com/en/features/powerbank/

I tried to cash out my 90 cent… but you can only withdraw funds if they total 10 Euro or more. Each charge earnt me around 10c in credit.