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

WattsUp wrote: »

If you need to monitor main supply zappi has a wireless option. If you do that you cannot then load balance off the sub board to limit it to total of 32.. No win

Why couldn't you do that? If you have a harvi at the main CT clamp to wireless send the readings for whole house current to the Zappi, then directly wire a second CT clamp to one of the CT inputs on the Zappi and configure that as a monitor load with a limit of 30A.

unkel wrote: »

Standard advice to only use it occasionally (in an emergency or when at a holiday home or with family). That's what it's for.

But some people have used it successfully every day for months on end. Which can be the only reasonable option for some people (like if you are renting and the landlord doesn't want an EVSE, or if you are moving house in the near future, etc.). It's far from ideal though. For numerous reasons already outlined. And just to state the main safety reason: household sockets are just not designed to take a big load for hours on end. There is a risk of overheating in general. And in particular, you are at risk of burning your socket out. Even with just 1kW, let alone well over 2kW.

This is very true and I would caution charging daily any battery from the house sockets more than occasionally. I used it for 6 months while a sorted myself out to get a charger installed and when they were here I asked to check the socket as it had cracked. Parts of it had melted, they said it wasn't dangerous yet, but would have been soon. I tended to use on maximum rate to shorten the charge time as having the window open in winter wasn't pleasing my wife!

Just an FYI.

I had someone out to look at installing an eo which looks good but didn't realise you need an isolation switch

Man that's ugly !

Cyrus wrote: »

I had someone out to look at installing an eo which looks good but didn't realise you need an isolation switch

Man that's ugly !

Yeah a lot of the 63a isolators are bigger than the EO mini but it is a must according to RECI (I think otherwise for certain models but don't make the rules)

Out of interest did they show you the large and small isolators or just the large?

The Rolec's have an RCBO built in that is externally accessible that doesnt require you to get out a screwdriver etc to access it. You can just flip the switch.

I dont know if that will be enough for an electrician to not put in an isolator or not.

Kn not installing my home charge point for ei until all these restrictions are lifted so stuck with the 3 pin plug. Got caught out yesterday and had.to be towed from m1. Need to plug it in every night as still at work and could be sent anywhere as a health care worker.

Hi,
I will give my experience of a recent install.
I bought a zappi v2, with a hub and got an electrician to install it, all in about 1350 euro (1000 for zappi, hub and extra ct clamp, 350 for installation)
It utilities my pv panels(no storage), and on a sunny day generates about 1.5 kwh. My car is a 530e

The electrician did a very tidy job, he ran a pipe from the middle of the house(utility room in a semi d) along the wall.

I find the zappi and hub great(few teething problems with the hub and app initially, but their customer support in the UK were very helpful and prompt. The app is also very interesting in terms of the graphs it shows)

Hope this helps

Potato Man wrote: »

Hi,
I will give my experience of a recent install.
I bought a zappi v2, with a hub and got an electrician to install it, all in about 1350 euro (1000 for zappi, hub and extra ct clamp, 350 for installation)
It utilities my pv panels(no storage), and on a sunny day generates about 1.5 kwh. My car is a 530e

The electrician did a very tidy job, he ran a pipe from the middle of the house(utility room in a semi d) along the wall.

I find the zappi and hub great(few teething problems with the hub and app initially, but their customer support in the UK were very helpful and prompt. The app is also very interesting in terms of the graphs it shows)

Hope this helps

I went same route but had my electrician source the charger from a place call midsummer.ie in Dublin. He got a SUBSTANTIAL trade discount there. Cost was similar for the install work including cable and MCB in the board.

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

I was approved for the charger grant 5 months ago. I'm supposed to get the paperwork in within 6 months but with the whole virus situation I'd rather wait! Will I still get the grant?

Email them. I had a friend who was late getting his paperwork together and they were ok with extending it for a couple of weeks.

dec2000 wrote: »

I contacted them about this and they told me to cancel and reapply when ready, will get 6 months from date of issue of new letter

^ This

I did same.

Zappi vs EI charger? I was hoping to upgrade to Solar PV in the coming years/ months as only recently purchased a EV and loving it! No charging point in as yet with the lock down etc. Had signed up for a EI one as the cheapest one out there as its only 150e after the grant. I have been trying to clarify with EI over the phone recently if their charger is compatible with Solar PV and charging the car- though they advise it is. However I thought the second generation Zappi charger is the only charging point that you can use with Solar PV going forward. So am I better off cancelling my order with EI and waiting for lock down to lift and get a Zappi charger installed with a view to Solar PV at at later date? thanks for your help folks ye have been brill!

gomamochi1 wrote: »

Zappi vs EI charger? I was hoping to upgrade to Solar PV in the coming years/ months as only recently purchased a EV and loving it! No charging point in as yet with the lock down etc. Had signed up for a EI one as the cheapest one out there as its only 150e after the grant. I have been trying to clarify with EI over the phone recently if their charger is compatible with Solar PV and charging the car- though they advise it is. However I thought the second generation Zappi charger is the only charging point that you can use with Solar PV going forward. So am I better off cancelling my order with EI and waiting for lock down to lift and get a Zappi charger installed with a view to Solar PV at at later date? thanks for your help folks ye have been brill!

First or second generation Zappi can do solar. You need to be home daytime to charge on solar so not much good if you are away office hours. Do a payback period before deciding on solar. Solar may only charge 1 or 2 kWh per hour of daylight, so it can take 1+ days to fill up.

A few non zappi can do solar.

Apparently electric Ireland are switching to a different brand of chargers. I would confirm 100% if solar is your thing. Solar can be fiddly to set up and you may have to manually switch to fast charging to ensure car is full. Most installers install minimum solar panels to get grant.

Personally I found night rate makes more sense for high mileage daily commute.

PS Zappi is most expensive charger and hub is an extra 120 euro. For solar an Eddi may be needed too.

Still waiting for the €600 charge point grant from SEAI, 7 weeks now; was on to them last week, told shouldn't be much longer.

xboxdad wrote: »

Can you get the charger installed at least and claim the grant later or you're blocked while you're waiting?

The grant approval is very quick, took us 3 days if I remember correctly. Then we ordered chargepoint to be supplied and installed by Nigel Daly Tramore, which was done about 2 weeks later.
Up to that we used Granny charger into waterproof outdoor sockets on house which was easy and fast enough for our 28kWh Ioniq.
Not sure how to answer your question though..