Priority switch with Zappi charger

cashel10

Getting a Zappi charger installed soon and wondering if I need a priority switch as we also have an electric shower in the house? 
Quote from manual:
"ECO 
Adjusts the charge rate to limit the use of grid electricity. The charge rate is continuously adjusted, in response to changes in generation or power consumption elsewhere in the home, thereby minimising the use of grid power. Charging will continue until the vehicle is fully charged, using available surplus power. However, if at any time, the available surplus power falls below 1.4kW, the shortfall will be drawn from the grid. Note: The EV charging standard does not support charging below 1.4kW"
Not sure if this is only applies to having solar PV (which we don't have). Electric shower is rarely used, so i am wondering if a priority switch is required, electrician will be here next week so I will be asking him when he arrives.

optimal

Have a look at grid limit on page 19. It limits what the car will draw to keep within a max you set on total consumption. I haven’t used it.

KCross

cashel10 wrote: »

Getting a Zappi charger installed soon and wondering if I need a priority switch as we also have an electric shower in the house? 

Shouldnt be required as long as you configure it to monitor the full house load.

cashel10 wrote: »

Not sure if this is only applies to having solar PV (which we don't have). Electric shower is rarely used, so i am wondering if a priority switch is required, electrician will be here next week so I will be asking him when he arrives.

Its not specific to Solar PV.
Note, there is a good chance the electrician wont know anything about the Zappi so you will have to point out that it needs to be configured to monitor the full house load (which requires a clamp to be put into your meter box and then configured to read that).

He may just look at the Zappi, see that its rated for 32A and tell you you need a priority switch. He is not going to read the manual back to back.... you need to point it out to him.

_dof_

KCross wrote: »

He may just look at the Zappi, see that its rated for 32A and tell you you need a priority switch. He is not going to read the manual back to back.... you need to point it out to him.

Absolutely. And also make sure to point out that the clamp must be installed with the correct direction, there's an arrow indicating the correct direction. That's so the Zappi knows if it's importing from or exporting to the grid. Usually those types of clamps aren't directional, so the electrician won't know to be careful about the orientation.

My Zappi was the first car charger my electrician had installed. So I had emailed him the PDF of the manual beforehand too. We tested the grid limit when he was there, by setting the grid limit to a low value and then boiling a kettle while the car was charging, and we saw it reducing the car charge to keep within the limit. He was quite impressed, and told me that without that, the priority switch would have been needed and it's around 200 euro I think.

Then we set the grid limit to the correct value, I don't remember what it was, I think it's a 63A main breaker, so we set it a little below that.

MightyMunster

Question on the zappi, first charge today (Ioniq)
In fast mode does it still monitor the house and reduce supply to the car ? Or does this only happen in eco or eco plus mode?

Second question, in eco plus it is only charging at 1.4kw (6.8kw in fast), is this a setting issue?

Oh, also I don't have any solar panels

Thanks

stimpson

MightyMunster wrote: »

Question on the zappi, first charge today (Ioniq)
In fast mode does it still monitor the house and reduce supply to the car ? Or does this only happen in eco or eco plus mode?

Second question, in eco plus it is only charging at 1.4kw (6.8kw in fast), is this a setting issue?

Oh, also I don't have any solar panels

Thanks

It always monitors the house, assuming you have set the limit correctly. The charger will not allow the house to use more than the set limit.

Eco plus is only really any use if you have solar. I use Eco to keep temps down on the batteries, but I have an outlander and it will do a full charge overnight on eco. For a larger battery you probably want eco with Smart boost. This will boost it to Fast charge to ensure you are charged a set amount by a set time (eg. 80% by 8AM). Not sure there is any real advantage to eco or eco plus without solar TBH.

randombar

stimpson wrote: »

It always monitors the house, assuming you have set the limit correctly. The charger will not allow the house to use more than the set limit.

Eco plus is only really any use if you have solar. I use Eco to keep temps down on the batteries, but I have an outlander and it will do a full charge overnight on eco. For a larger battery you probably want eco with Smart boost. This will boost it to Fast charge to ensure you are charged a set amount by a set time (eg. 80% by 8AM). Not sure there is any real advantage to eco or eco plus without solar TBH.

What is the grid limit supposed to be? Mine seems to be way too low

stimpson

GaryCocs wrote: »

What is the grid limit supposed to be? Mine seems to be way too low

Check your main fuse. If it’s 63A then set the grid limit a bit below that (60A should be fine. I think different versions of the software use kW instead of A.