ESB charge point access

D Dastardly

Do you have to have an ESB charge point access card to use the CHAdeMO chargers or can i use my debit card if I do not have one yet, I am supposed to be picking up a 30kwh leaf but the car is 110 miles away from me and I fear I will not make it home.

The salesman tells me that I can use my debit card at the charging stations but the ESB website says that I need an access card.

Mickeroo

D Dastardly wrote: »

Do you have to have an ESB charge point access card to use the CHAdeMO chargers or can i use my debit card if I do not have one yet, I am supposed to be picking up a 30kwh leaf but the car is 110 miles away from me and I fear I will not make it home.

The salesman tells me that I can use my debit card at the charging stations but the ESB website says that I need an access card.

Download the app "Charge My EV" by Bosch.

You can use your debit card but there is a risk it could mess up the charger, app is a safer bet.

Old diesel

D Dastardly wrote: »

Do you have to have an ESB charge point access card to use the CHAdeMO chargers or can i use my debit card if I do not have one yet, I am supposed to be picking up a 30kwh leaf but the car is 110 miles away from me and I fear I will not make it home.

The salesman tells me that I can use my debit card at the charging stations but the ESB website says that I need an access card.

You can ring the ESB phone number on the charger and they can remote start the charge for you.

There is some ID number on the charger that they will ask you for.

Not done it myself but that's the official work around.

What some people have managed to do is start the charge with something like a bank card.

Problem with doing the bank card thing is that the chargers have been known to play up after it.

fricatus

Old diesel wrote: »

You can ring the ESB phone number on the charger and they can remote start the charge for you.

There is some ID number on the charger that they will ask you for.

Not done it myself but that's the official work around.

Yes, this works, and it’s a good service. Don’t use a debit card.

BTW, save the landline equivalent number 01 258 3799 into your phone and use that instead of the 1850 number on the chargers. Cheaper from your mobile

Gumbo

Can you confirm what sales man in what dealership told you to use your debit card?

D Dastardly

I could but i dont think its right to go naming names and specially as I'm in the middle of making a purchase!

He was right though you can use your debit card but it is not recommended.

A colleague at work is going to let me borrow his ESB charge card so that will get me out of a potential sticky situation.

DrPhilG

Disgraceful that dealers are telling people to just use a debit card.

hatrack

DrPhilG wrote: »

Disgraceful that dealers are telling people to just use a debit card.

What’s the issue with using debit card?

For OP I’ve used a Leap card in the past, none of my other cards worked.

McGiver

Mickeroo wrote:

Download the app "Charge My EV" by Bosch.

This looks interesting! Can you really start and stop the charger remotely with it? That would say a few phone calls to the ESB!

Old diesel

hatrack wrote: »

DrPhilG wrote: »

Disgraceful that dealers are telling people to just use a debit card.

What’s the issue with using debit card?

For OP I’ve used a Leap card in the past, none of my other cards worked.

The issue is that it causes the charger to have issues for other people.

When you can ring the ESB to do a remote start then using a debit card that causes charger issues is poor form.

Mind you the ESB could alleviate the issue by issuing a card BEFORE you get the car.

Mickeroo

McGiver wrote: »

This looks interesting! Can you really start and stop the charger remotely with it? That would say a few phone calls to the ESB!

Yeah, I used it a good bit when it was still called ZE Pass before I got my card/home charger.

Gumbo

D Dastardly wrote: »

I could but i dont think its right to go naming names and specially as I'm in the middle of making a purchase!

He was right though you can use your debit card but it is not recommended.

A colleague at work is going to let me borrow his ESB charge card so that will get me out of a potential sticky situation.

You need to report him then. He is not right. Full stop.
Lazy ar@ehole to be honest if that’s what’s he’s telling you.

D Dastardly

No I can't report him, he is my new best friend now because I got the leaf at a decent price and even got a half decent price for my trade in ;-DD

n97 mini

DrPhilG wrote: »

Disgraceful that dealers are telling people to just use a debit card.

Even worse is telling PHEV owners to use FCPs, while not supplying or even mentioning the cable to use SCPs.

D Dastardly

If anybody would be to blame I would say it is ESB because you should be able to get a charge card before you get a car or even just a temporary card for that matter.

D Dastardly

When the key fob battery runs low on a 2016 leaf does the car play up, I read this on a forum somewhere, is it necessary to carry spare batteries for the key fob?

Calahonda52

D Dastardly wrote: »

If anybody would be to blame I would say it is ESB because you should be able to get a charge card before you get a car or even just a temporary card for that matter.

So you are the poor little victim here..
Blame the ESB etc and at the same time shelter the corrupt salesman.
Time for a big pity party

TCP/IP

If you can't use a debit card then it should not be accepted full stop if you can even in theory the salesperson is factually correct.

Comments about naming and shaming the person are completely nasty and show's horrible thoughts to peoples careers.
If debit cards are potentially damaging the ESB should not allow them. Another sign the EV project is completely not fit for purpose for a large majority of people if a bloody debit card cannot even be used to charge your car.

Is it no wonder EV is not making a dent versus diesel or petrol with this carry-on.

D Dastardly

Nobody is the victim here you can simply borrow a friend's charge card or use an app or you can use your laser as a last ditch method.

Arnt all salesman corrupt? It's part of the job!

Gumbo

D Dastardly wrote: »

If anybody would be to blame I would say it is ESB because you should be able to get a charge card before you get a car or even just a temporary card for that matter.

You can. Where did you hear otherwise?
I and many others on here got theirs before the car.

Gumbo

TCP/IP wrote: »

If you can't use a debit card then it should not be accepted full stop if you can even in theory the salesperson is factually correct.

Comments about naming and shaming the person are completely nasty and show's horrible thoughts to peoples careers.
If debit cards are potentially damaging the ESB should not allow them. Another sign the EV project is completely not fit for purpose for a large majority of people if a bloody debit card cannot even be used to charge your car.

Is it no wonder EV is not making a dent versus diesel or petrol with this carry-on.

Another daily rant on EV’s. It’s becoming boring now.
I’m off to name and shame the guy next door with an M3 badge on his 320d ......

Old diesel

TCP/IP wrote: »

If you can't use a debit card then it should not be accepted full stop if you can even in theory the salesperson is factually correct.

Comments about naming and shaming the person are completely nasty and show's horrible thoughts to peoples careers.
If debit cards are potentially damaging the ESB should not allow them. Another sign the EV project is completely not fit for purpose for a large majority of people if a bloody debit card cannot even be used to charge your car.

Is it no wonder EV is not making a dent versus diesel or petrol with this carry-on.

Well clearly I'm going to avoid EVs because of some of the people who drive them.

That makes a load of sense.....

Meanwhile let's ignore the fact that the salesman is recommending a method of starting a charge that puts chargers out of order.

D Dastardly

I'm going to name and shame the guy over the road I could have swore I saw him nipping into that busty blondes house in his pyjamas early this morning..... ; -D

D Dastardly

On the ESB register for charging website it asks for your car registration and states that this is a mandatory field.

Mickeroo

D Dastardly wrote: »

On the ESB register for charging website it asks for your car registration and states that this is a mandatory field.

Yeah I didn't get mne until after I had the car either. I think you can email them and ask for it early but tbh they don't give that impression on the site.

That Charge My EV app is very handy anyway.

TCP/IP

kceire wrote: »

Another daily rant on EV’s. It’s becoming boring now.
I’m off to name and shame the guy next door with an M3 badge on his 320d ......

Why does it bother you about your neighbor silly attitude you have.

DrPhilG

D Dastardly wrote: »

On the ESB register for charging website it asks for your car registration and states that this is a mandatory field.

Call or email them. All they asked me was for a proof of purchase, I sent them a copy of the receipt for my deposit and they issued the cards in the same week.

D Dastardly

I don't even have that I just left a deposit over the phone, no worries anyway I have borrowed a card.

Gumbo

D Dastardly wrote: »

I don't even have that I just left a deposit over the phone, no worries anyway I have borrowed a card.

I just gave them the UK reg of the car I was buying. They asked me to email in the Vlc once it was registered.

Gumbo

TCP/IP wrote: »

Why does it bother you about your neighbor silly attitude you have.

Seems to bother you enough to comment on an EV thread spouting nonsense.

It shows a lot about your own attitude and persona that you are so easily bothered.

unkel

I got my free card several weeks before I got my car. I also got my free EV chargepoint installed several weeks before I got my car

If rfid cards other than eCars cards cause problems with the charger, they should not be allowed to start a charge. How hard is that to program, seriously, ESB? :rolleyes:

BigAl81

Just an FYI for anyone using a bank card, as they were not currently intended to be used that way, I've heard the "card ID" is read in and stored unencrypted in a plain text file.

The "card ID" just so happens to be the 16 digit number on the front of your bank card!

Just call the 24/7 number on the machine to start and stop your session for the few days it takes to get the official card!

D Dastardly

What if you use Google pay as this uses a virtual card number and not your actual card number because of how Google pay works.

ethernet

D Dastardly wrote: »

What if you use Google pay as this uses a virtual card number and not your actual card number because of how Google pay works.

Then the card number changes for each transaction, right? So you won't be able to stop the charging session in progress because it will present as a different card. I had to witness this $hitshow one day in Ballinasloe when some dude did this.

SteM

kceire wrote: »

You can. Where did you hear otherwise?
I and many others on here got theirs before the car.

I tried to get a card before I got the Leaf back in January. I was told by the ESB I needed to supply:

-Proof of Purchase of an EV
-A Utility Bill
-The Logbook

So we couldn't get the card until we had the logbook.

D Dastardly

The only way to go would be to use the Bosch app or borrow a charge card from somebody.

D Dastardly

@ ethernet I think the virtual card number for the card is a static number but if you have witnessed problems then it is definitely best not to use it anyway.

D Dastardly

D Dastardly wrote: »

When the key fob battery runs low on a 2016 leaf does the car play up, I read this on a forum somewhere, is it necessary to carry spare batteries for the key fob?

If the battery is flat you can enter the car using the slot out key in the fob and the car itself can be started by touching the start button with the fob.

The process is explained in the handbook also.

Old diesel

D Dastardly wrote: »

The only way to go would be to use the Bosch app or borrow a charge card from somebody.

What's wrong with ringing the ESB to remotely start a charge?????.

D Dastardly

Even better just borrow a charge card from somebody if you can like I did.

BigAl81

D Dastardly wrote:

The only way to go would be to use the Bosch app or borrow a charge card from somebody.

Or as has been mentioned a few times, call the ESB on the 24/7 number for exactly this purpose.

They answer immediately and will start and stop your session, and most importantly, ensure the infrastructure is working for the next person.

Bear in mind, you will be this next person in some scenarios. If the person before you breaks the charger you wouldn't be happy.

D Dastardly

Knowing that my laser card could break a charger I would never use it so I will just simply borrow a card like I have done or use the Bosch app or just simply ring them to start and stop the charging.

GreeBo

Old diesel wrote: »

What's wrong with ringing the ESB to remotely start a charge?????.

nothing wrong with it but you shouldn't need to ring someone unless its exceptional circumstances. Charging is all these things exist for... you should be able to pay at the pump without ringing anyone.

Gumbo

GreeBo wrote: »

you should be able to pay at the pump without ringing anyone.

Nothing to pay. Currently free.

Charges will stop this nonsense behavior anyway as the charger wont start unless payment is authorized. You wont be able to run around using any old RFID card.

Old diesel

GreeBo wrote: »

Old diesel wrote: »

What's wrong with ringing the ESB to remotely start a charge?????.

nothing wrong with it but you shouldn't need to ring someone unless its exceptional circumstances. Charging is all these things exist for... you should be able to pay at the pump without ringing anyone.

We are only talking here about the short period it takes between you getting a car (and hence a reg number) and the card arriving.

The system does need to evolve but today we need to work with what we have

Fitz2011

When we bought our leaf last year the Nissan garage lent us a card to use until our card arrived. I assume most car dealers could/should do the same?

GreeBo

kceire wrote: »

Nothing to pay. Currently free.

Charges will stop this nonsense behavior anyway as the charger wont start unless payment is authorized. You wont be able to run around using any old RFID card.

Yeah I know its free, its was more the expression of paying at the pump rather than having to go into the shop that I was going for.

Presumably when it is charged you will be able to use an old RFID card that its either debit or credit card...otherwise its still a stupid inconvenience to have to talk to someone to charge.

The more "special" day to day life with an EV is, the slower the uptake will be.

Black_Knight

SteM wrote: »

I tried to get a card before I got the Leaf back in January. I was told by the ESB I needed to supply:

-Proof of Purchase of an EV
-A Utility Bill
-The Logbook

So we couldn't get the card until we had the logbook.

No longer require the log book. They could do with updating their site, but I submitted my utility bill, and proof of purchase only. I said in the email I'd send on the log book when I get it but in the mean time I need a card in order to charge. I rang them the next working day and asked the same thing, and was told they no longer require the log book, and my card should be out to me shortly. It arrived that week.

SteM

Black_Knight wrote: »

No longer require the log book. They could do with updating their site, but I submitted my utility bill, and proof of purchase only. I said in the email I'd send on the log book when I get it but in the mean time I need a card in order to charge. I rang them the next working day and asked the same thing, and was told they no longer require the log book, and my card should be out to me shortly. It arrived that week.

That was what they sent me by email in January so it's not just their website that needs updating it seems.

Silent Running

Little known fact. You can order a ecars NI card with no stupid rules around providing documents. It arrives next day in the post (mine did anyway) and works on all chargers on the island.

NIMAN

There was a piece on Radio Foyle (Derry City) today that said of 8 city centre chargers, 5 are not working, most of them long term.

They are doing everything they can to deter people from buying EVs, aren't they.