Newbie help

14murphy

Hey Folks,
Firstly if there’s a thread for advice and I’ve missed it I apologise.

So, I had the chance to buy a repossessed Range Rover Vogue PHEV 400. I was in the market for a Range Rover as it would aid my business and the fact it was a hybrid only made it better.

I’m not a newbie to hybrids as I have a 2018 Toyota CHR and a 2017 Lexus RX450. Both of these however, are not a plug in hybrid.

So, the Rover came with 13amp plug connected to some sort of transformer then to the plug for the car itself which I think is a type 2 plug but I could be completely wrong.

What is the current situation with installing home chargers? Are there any companies that you could suggest and is a grant still available?
Also, where would the best place be to pick up a cable for public charging ? As obviously I can’t use a 13amp socket.

And finally, what’s the set up with public charging stations. Do I need to sign up to an account or is it the tap of card situation.

Thanks in advance for any information.

KCross

14murphy wrote: »

So, the Rover came with 13amp plug connected to some sort of transformer then to the plug for the car itself which I think is a type 2 plug but I could be completely wrong.

They call that a "granny cable" and it is "Type 2".

14murphy wrote: »

What is the current situation with installing home chargers? Are there any companies that you could suggest and is a grant still available?

Yes, €600 grant available.
https://www.seai.ie/grants/electric-vehicle-grants/electric-vehicle-home-charger-grant/

You get approval first, then get any registered electrician to install it and provide a cert and then you can claim €600 back into your account.

You can buy the charge point yourself or get the spark to provide it, it doesnt matter... you still just get an overall €600 back.

14murphy wrote: »

Also, where would the best place be to pick up a cable for public charging ? As obviously I can’t use a 13amp socket.

Most people buy online from the UK but not sure how that would work now with Brexit... the likes of
https://evcables.co.uk
https://evonestop.co.uk

Some local electrical retailers might have them too but alot of them dont.

You can also ask this guy who is in Ireland and can provide a cable and a charge point.
https://www.electricautos.ie

14murphy wrote: »

And finally, what’s the set up with public charging stations. Do I need to sign up to an account or is it the tap of card situation.

Most of the AC charge points in this country are controlled by eCars
https://esb.ie/ecars/charge-point-map

Signup and you can activate via a mobile app or a card. Not sure you would do much of that though in a PHEV. You would be doing the vast majority of your charging at home unless you think you need it on a daily basis?

The public chargers are not cheap.... let the engine fire up if you need it to.

KCross

Nice car by the way. Reviews have been good

Gumbo

Lovely car OP and best of luck with it.
There used to be a guy in Cabra that would rock up to the Lidl chargers every day and abandon his RR there charging at 3.3kw on a 22kw charger and blocking it for any genuine people using the store.

I can’t see you charging it much on the public network due to the cost of charging and paying for parking. Plus on a long journey, the cost to to; it up along with the time it takes, I’d just use the engine for those trips.

Charger.
You can only get the grant once so get the best you can afford and future proof yourself. You may be only able to charge at 3.7kw in the RR, but get a 32a set up for future EV use.

KCross

Gumbo wrote: »

Charger.
You can only get the grant once so get the best you can afford....

An RR Vogue worth €120k!!.. a rolec is probably all he can scrape together!

14murphy

KCross wrote: »

They call that a "granny cable" and it is "Type 2".



Yes, €600 grant available.
https://www.seai.ie/grants/electric-vehicle-grants/electric-vehicle-home-charger-grant/

You get approval first, then get any registered electrician to install it and provide a cert and then you can claim €600 back into your account.

You can buy the charge point yourself or get the spark to provide it, it doesnt matter... you still just get an overall €600 back.




Most people buy online from the UK but not sure how that would work now with Brexit... the likes of
https://evcables.co.uk
https://evonestop.co.uk

Some local electrical retailers might have them too but alot of them dont.

You can also ask this guy who is in Ireland and can provide a cable and a charge point.
https://www.electricautos.ie



Most of the AC charge points in this country are controlled by eCars
https://esb.ie/ecars/charge-point-map

Signup and you can activate via a mobile app or a card. Not sure you would do much of that though in a PHEV. You would be doing the vast majority of your charging at home unless you think you need it on a daily basis?

The public chargers are not cheap.... let the engine fire up if you need it to.

Thank you.
So much information there and you cleared up all my queries.

I’ve had the “granny” cable plugged in for around 5 hours through my front window with an extension cable connected to the car. Gave me about 20% charge and the plug became extremely hot so I don’t think I’ll be doing that again.
A charge point in the garden is a needed pronto!
Another question, is it possible to get an adapter to fit into a female 32 amp single phase socket and then to a male type 2 plug for the car.
I work in the film industry, have easy access to these type of outlets.

14murphy

Gumbo wrote: »

Lovely car OP and best of luck with it.
There used to be a guy in Cabra that would rock up to the Lidl chargers every day and abandon his RR there charging at 3.3kw on a 22kw charger and blocking it for any genuine people using the store.

I can’t see you charging it much on the public network due to the cost of charging and paying for parking. Plus on a long journey, the cost to to; it up along with the time it takes, I’d just use the engine for those trips.

Charger.
You can only get the grant once so get the best you can afford and future proof yourself. You may be only able to charge at 3.7kw in the RR, but get a 32a set up for future EV use.

Funnily enough I’m from Cabra myself !
I never realised the cost of public charging was that high ! Will more than likely be avoiding it.

14murphy

KCross wrote: »

An RR Vogue worth €120k!!.. a rolec is probably all he can scrape together!

Yeh, a stupidly expensive car. A business purchase. It’s an incredible wagon and I was against rovers for a long time as anytime I went near one I got air bag trouble.
I had seen this in an auction and done some research. Due to the current climate I didn’t have as many main dealers bidding against me and probably got the car with around €30k off. I seen a 2019 model online yesterday with nearly double the mileage for €98.5k.

Boscoirl

Enjoy. Have driven the Range Rover Sport PHEV and it was fantastic to drive. Seriously considering getting one.

KCross

14murphy wrote: »

I’ve had the “granny” cable plugged in for around 5 hours through my front window with an extension cable connected to the car. Gave me about 20% charge and the plug became extremely hot so I don’t think I’ll be doing that again.

Make sure you fully unwind any extension leads. They will overheat.

The granny cable is generally not recommended for long term use.

Did the car definitely not have a proper type 2 cable? Hidden in boot somewhere etc?

Either way, as gumbo said, get a 32A charge point ASAP.

quietsailor

14murphy wrote: »

Thank you.
So much information there and you cleared up all my queries.

I’ve had the “granny” cable plugged in for around 5 hours through my front window with an extension cable connected to the car. Gave me about 20% charge and the plug became extremely hot so I don’t think I’ll be doing that again.
A charge point in the garden is a needed pronto!
Another question, is it possible to get an adapter to fit into a female 32 amp single phase socket and then to a male type 2 plug for the car.
I work in the film industry, have easy access to these type of outlets.

Its not possible to feed the type two from a 32amp socket. The type 2 cable has two extra wires to send signals to the source of electricity.

You can put a 16a or 32a socket direct from the distribution board with its own MCB and run the granny cable off it which is a safer system but if you do this get a proper outdoor 16a plug fitted and I don't think granny cables are rated to be outside - you'll need some kind of weather protection. you're really better off getting a proper wall EVSE*

If you're adamant you're going to use the granny cable there are 16a capable granny cables on the market. We have one for our Nissan Leaf as its is a 3.3Kw charger so that's roughly 16amps anyway and that's nearly your max charge rate isn't it (3.7Kw?)

* I'm being pedantic here but I hate people calling the wall boxes chargers, they're not! The charger is inside the car, all the wall boxes are is a fancy electrical on/off/current limiting switch, they don't convert mains AC power to battery DC power

slave1

OP, think seriously about public charging, unless you can get it for free very regularly it is much cheaper to just fill her up with liquid fuel and just home charge.
Get a tethered home charger too and forget about fapping around with a long public charge cable.
Work out the maths of what you think you can save versus public charging.
By the way if you can do up a cheap outside socket this will give you ~2.2kW versus ~3.3kW off a home charge point so think on that too i.e. for that vehicle there’s only modest speed increase for high outlay of funds, also house drilling etc associated with install.

graememk

14murphy wrote: »

Another question, is it possible to get an adapter to fit into a female 32 amp single phase socket and then to a male type 2 plug for the car.
I work in the film industry, have easy access to these type of outlets.

You can get a 32amp commando socket to type 2, it's just like a bigger version of the granny cable.

I think (some?) tesla's come with one, or at least a multi adapter

Only one I can think of is the ohme but there is more, seen Bjorn Nyland review one last year. Can even come in three phase.

They are the same price if not more expensive than the fixed charge points though.

Gumbo

graememk wrote: »

You can get a 32amp commando socket to type 2, it's just like a bigger version of the granny cable.

I think (some?) tesla's come with one, or at least a multi adapter

Only one I can think of is the ohme but there is more, seen Bjorn Nyland review one last year. Can even come in three phase.

They are the same price if not more expensive than the fixed charge points though.

Yes I 32a charge using this set up but the Tesla UMC comes with a 32a commando adaptor so best to check the RR Granny box can use this too.

More than welcome to test on my commando set up. I’m not far from the OP in D11.

It’s important to note that even a commando set up required the correct RCBO and Wiring to allow 32a charging. I have a 40a RCBO in the fuse board and 6mm wiring from my previous chargepoint that I removed.

Photo to give an idea.

KCross

Gumbo wrote: »

Yes I 32a charge using this set up but the Tesla UMC comes with a 32a commando adaptor so best to check the RR Granny box can use this too.

Are you saying that that Tesla product only works on Tesla’s?

I’m not understanding why you say check the RR granny? The granny cable wouldn’t be used with the product you quoted above... no?

quietsailor

graememk wrote: »

You can get a 32amp commando socket to type 2, it's just like a bigger version of the granny cable.

I think (some?) tesla's come with one, or at least a multi adapter

Only one I can think of is the ohme but there is more, seen Bjorn Nyland review one last year. Can even come in three phase.

They are the same price if not more expensive than the fixed charge points though.

Hasn't there to be an EVSE box in the middle though? I read it as the OP means a literal adapter from 32A socket to Type 2 plug

graememk

quietsailor wrote: »

Hasn't there to be an EVSE box in the middle though? I read it as the OP means a literal adapter from 32A socket to Type 2 plug

Yes, There is the same sort of inline box the same as a granny cable,

Its still an adapter though, that will allow plugging into 32 amp commando sockets.