That’s what I’ve done. Cheap to install, dumb as a box of rocks and 100% reliable.
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Best home charger
- Thread starter MacJester
- Start date
That’s what I’ve done. Cheap to install, dumb as a box of rocks and 100% reliable.
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
TeslaFi
Ask someone for a referral code - gives you a month free trial instead of 2 weeks. You cannot register UNTIL you have your car, but best to do so immediately as it will then give you whole-of-life data, which is good for any battery degradation.
$50 a year subscription.
But ... TeslaFi is a LOT of data ... its not everyone's cup of tea
To use the full 32amp you would ask an electrician to fit a general use 32amp switched commando socket. (You can't say you will be using it to charge an EV unless you want to do the more expensive version of the install... which is, of course, what you should do.) You would also need to buy the 32amp adapter for the Tesla supplied mobile charge point (£32 from Tesla). You can then charge at the same rate as the most expensive single phase home charge points.
Artiste has done it ... I'm sure he'll pass on his experiences/issues/drawbacks... costs...
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
I have both a wall charger and Commando - which i got in case of visiting EVS, or if the wall charger let me down ... which it did ... and thus I did use it for a while until wall charger was fixed.
I have a proper mechanical interlock socket (turning the Power On switch locks the cable in place); without that (using cheaper socket) Commando pins can be live and there is risk of children poking metal objects in etc. So I would recommend interlock, and also a downward facing socket if it is outdoors to keep water out. Mine is decent quality, but it flexes a fair bit putting cable (i.e. the UMC) in / out, and I wouldn't want to do that often. Also recommend the earthing arrangements, same as wall connector, if applicable (outside or within reach of outside).
16 AMP might work out a fair bit cheaper, and the UMC comes with that adaptor .. but will only charge half the speed of 32 AMP of course.
I was extremely lucky with the install of my commando socket. Most electricians, quite understandably, would want to do the complete install themselves to make sure it’s done properly. I used an electrician recommended on a neighbourhood WhatsApp feed who was happy for me to do what I could. I’m competent at DIY. I mounted and wired the commando socket (easier than a 13A plug because there’s so much room), fed 14m of 6mm cable in conduit into the house, wired it into an isolation switch and then into a mini consumer unit. The electrician just had to check my work and connect the mini consumer unit to the main consumer unit. It took him less than half an hour. He charged £40 and a couple of bacon butties because he hadn’t had time for breakfast that day.
This https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00T9XH9E4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is the commando socket I used. Interlocked, rated at IP67 and socket facing downwards. The whole job, including materials and electrician, cost £115. It’s been 100% reliable. No, it does not conform to the latest regulations for EV charge points, but me and my electrician are quite happy it’s safe.
There seems to be a bit of prejudice against commando sockets, which I have to say I’ve never understood.
This https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00T9XH9E4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is the commando socket I used. Interlocked, rated at IP67 and socket facing downwards. The whole job, including materials and electrician, cost £115. It’s been 100% reliable. No, it does not conform to the latest regulations for EV charge points, but me and my electrician are quite happy it’s safe.
There seems to be a bit of prejudice against commando sockets, which I have to say I’ve never understood.
The main argument against Commando sockets is fairly straightforward:
- You can make a commando socket setup equally safe and equally convenient compared to a wall-mount chargepoint - but it's actually more expensive (install commando socket per regulations for EV charging, buy an additional UMC or equivalent and leave it permanently plugged into the commando socket). The UMC costs more than the Wall Connector, and all the other bits are/should be the same.
- You can save money by using the UMC that you got "free" with the car. However, this means you either unplug it and roll it up to put in the boot every day before setting off (losing a lot of convenience and a tiny bit of safety), or else you leave it there and only put it in the boot "when you actually need it", which is a recipe for forgetting or not realising you were going to need it on the day when something unexpected happens.
- You can also save money on the installation by not following the regulations for EV charging (earthing, RCDs). But you could cut the same corners on a wall charger installation if you wanted to.
The other argument against Commando sockets is a political/philosophical one. For the long term, we need to get away from using UMCs and random existing sockets to charge an EV - they are too complicated for the average driver to cope with; early adopters tend to have a more technical bent and are willing to put effort into reading forums for advice on how to identify suitable sockets, use of adapters etc. A dedicated chargepoint is simple to use, and offers assurance that it is actually intended for EV charging and should be safe to use. The sort of driver who would put diesel in their petrol tank given half a chance can't tell the difference between a commando socket installed for EV charging and one installed just for the xmas lights. So if we are putting time effort and money into "EV infrastructure", it should really be dedicated chargepoints not commando sockets.
So personally I don't say "never install a commando socket", as there are cases where it's a reasonable compromise, but I would say "always consider a dedicated chargepoint as first choice if you can".
ACarneiro
Active Member
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
Russinating
M3 SR+
Gatsojon
Member
I’m having my Zappi fitted tomorrow. I’m not saying that’s the best but I liked a lot of things I read about it and, quite frankly, was swayed by the simple solar integration and graphic display.
I’ll post some pictures up. Just wish I had a car to plug into it!
I’ll post some pictures up. Just wish I had a car to plug into it!
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
Gatsojon
Member
Right - this is the thread I should have used! (sorry French Charger thread)
Had my Zappi 2 installed today. Took the two guys under a couple of hours but one think one was being trained. Neat job on the outside, OK on the inside.
I had one small issue with the configuration of the CT clamps being the wrong way round which only impacts on the App meaning the PV generation was not showing up. It was on the Zappi unit display fine. So I only noticed this after the installers had left so I called Myenergi technical support. As I was happy to remove the front panel, the fix was easy (swapped CT1 and CT2 plugs around) then swapped in the settings menu. All working now on the App.
Just no car!
Had my Zappi 2 installed today. Took the two guys under a couple of hours but one think one was being trained. Neat job on the outside, OK on the inside.
I had one small issue with the configuration of the CT clamps being the wrong way round which only impacts on the App meaning the PV generation was not showing up. It was on the Zappi unit display fine. So I only noticed this after the installers had left so I called Myenergi technical support. As I was happy to remove the front panel, the fix was easy (swapped CT1 and CT2 plugs around) then swapped in the settings menu. All working now on the App.
Just no car!
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WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
If you want a Tesla one? worth looking on eBay in case any "Signed by Elon" ones still floating about (or one for a cancelled order for £100 off ...)
Otherwise emailing Parts with your RN / VIN should do the trick
[email protected]
Otherwise emailing Parts with your RN / VIN should do the trick
[email protected]
