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

The key is in the words “standard install.” If your house is old or has old wiring, they may have to do a “periodic inspection,” which adds a few hundred. You may also need wiring upgrades (mains tails) or a new earth. Or the routing to where you want the charge point could be complicated. And if you want load balancing on the EO at least, that’s an extra cost. So I’d work from the idea that €600 is a minimum, not an average or certain price.

There is no single right answer to that.

It very much depends on what it is you want/need from the charge point.

"Best value" could be the cheapest most reliable one you can buy assuming you dont want/need load sensing, app support etc. i.e. a dumb charge point.

If you do need load sensing then the answer wont be the same at all.

Other people have additional requirements then also like the look of it, size of it, tethered or not etc.

I think you'll need your site survey first to see what your electrician says in terms of install (priority switch etc) and then decide which one suits you best from that.

Load balancing typically means that the current going to the charger will automatically be reduced based on the load in the house. For instance if you have 60A for the entire house, and you start using 40A the charger will automatically reduce the max load it will pull from 32 A to 20 or less. When the load on the house reduces the charger will increase the current to the EV.

A priority switch comes in a couple forms including ones you need to reset, but the key difference is they cut off your EV charge completely if a specific appliance like an electric shower comes on. They won't install one unless you need one.

Al this stuff is definitely overwhelming, and while I agree withe the approach of not paying for smart features you don't need, I'd go with getting a charger that has load protection, it means you'll never run into the issue or overloads tripping your breakers and gives you the flexibility in the future should you add a power shower or heat pump to your property.

Thanks @Manion. Yeah I have no idea about electricals so I'm not really familiar with all the terms.

When you mentioned load protection is that the same as load balancing?

Can anybody recommend an extension cable suitable for a granny cable, preferably a weather proof one? Picking up a leaf this week and need a solution to charge while I wait for the driveway to be extended and a wallbox installed

I tried a few of my existing off the shelf ones, but most of them have a thermal cutout, which I found triggered after about 15mins of 10amps continuous, so had to lower the charging rate on the car down to 7.5amps (ridiculously slow). I went a local electrical equipment trade counter (Eurosales in Dublin) and explained what I was up to - I brought the granny charger in case the guy wanted to know what I was using it with and explained that it would be running continuously for hours at a time. He checked the rating plate on it and gave me 10m (my chosen length) of wire rated for up to 20amps and a decent (rugged) plug and single socket (not waterproof, I didn't ask for it). He checked that the fat wire would fit into the cable-holes on the plug & socket (just), and reminded me to turn the cable grips over to accommodate the fatter than average size. I asked him should I bother tinning the wire-tips with solder, but he said no, just make sure that they're neat and fold the the exposed copper back on itself, so the screw goes into the 'hook' of wire filaments.

10m of wire and plug/socket cost €27.25 inc VAT, 20 mins to strip and assemble them properly.

Works perfectly at 10amps all day - the plug pins and house socket get warm, but not hot (you can hold on to the pins if you unplug when the car is at 70-80%, and charging at max available).

Edit: here's the cable he supplied (it's down the page a bit - H07RN-F, 3-core 2.5 square): https://www.eupen.com/cable/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/EUPEN%20H05%20H07%20RN-F%20Eucaflex%20Plus%20Eca%20Ed%2019%202019-08-07.pdf

So I'll need one suited to 20 Amp you think? Good to know I'll pop into my hardware store and see what I can find, thanks for the advice

Yeah? It looks good on paper in fairness, 13A to carry a 10A charge is probably still safe right?

I’m no sparky (wouldn’t dream of doing one up like described earlier) but haven’t seen any problems and has been used for hours (including overnight) and again no warm sockets/plugs etc. I have tried extension leads I had in the house but tripped out after 20mins or so and they were warm (socket, plug and lead). Not alone on using for this purpose when look at reviews on screw fix. But your decision ultimately 😄

I think this was answered earlier in the thread I just couldn't find it but wondering if grant for charger can be applied for twice on same car i.e. 2 separate locations and MPRN nrs but will only be charging the one car ikywim.

I actually have grant applied and approved for home install but was looking to see if I could get a grant for another charger at a work premises that I would be travelling to weekly 300kms away.

It's also for the one car, which is a requirement. You can't get the grant unless you're also getting a car.

The SEAI site refers to singular installation-

The “charger” not chargers

“Properties” not property

Now if your on the money that means I can use the two spare chargers I have and put one in my in-laws and one at another relations house and get €1200 in grants …?

As it stands I was going to fit the charger that will be tied to the new car at the in laws- have the charger so should be fitted for another €250-€300 allowing for a priority switch.

I am

This strikes me as gaming the system. If you rang SEAI and told them what you were doing, I’m quite sure that they’d say that this is in violation of the Ts and Cs of the scheme. Particularly this one: “Only one EV charger may be installed at a property and only one EV Home Charger grant may be received per applicant.”

Yeah, sure, but the guy with three properties gets his wife and kid to apply while they pass the lone EV among them and we’re supposed to applaud this as if it’s any different from the tradesman who insists on cash only to avoid paying the revenue or the guy collecting the dole from multiple addresses.

This country…