EO Pro Mini or Zappi

[pdk42]

After months of problems with two EVBox Elvi chargers, I've got my installer to agree to a swap. Based on stuff I've read, I've narrowed it down to either the EO Pro Mini or the Zappi (both tethered). Anyone got any particular advice/recommendations?

 

[TheEVadvisor]

pod point or zappi or tesla wall connector

 

[rotor2k]

Zero problems with my Rolec so far (in dumb mode). Smart Charging I initially thought sounded great, but now I've realised all the dependencies that are involved, and the bugs with the M3 charging firmware, I'm just not interested. The dumber the better.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

I think my vote would be for the Tesla wall charger, for these specific reasons:

1. Fairly neat design, that looks quite presentable.

2. Dumb by design (so potentially more reliable).

3. Has a very nicely made connector, that includes a button to remotely open the charge port, and terminate a charge and unlock the connector, plus, a salient point given my recent experience of water inside a connector, the Tesla connectors are internally potted, so completely water tight where it matters (or should be).

 

[rotor2k]

Funnily enough, for someone that doesn't have a locked garage, I wouldn't want the Tesla wall charger because of that button, as it would mean some bored teenager could disconnect the charger when they walked past.

 

[RichieC]

Funnily enough, for someone that doesn't have a locked garage, I wouldn't want the Tesla wall charger because of that button, as it would mean some bored teenager could disconnect the charger when they walked past.

not unless they have your phone or keyfob in their pocket when they press it!

 

[RichieC]

i did initially want the Tesla Wall connector - mainly because of the "button", but i ended up getting the EO Pro Mini (Unteathered) and a 2M EV chargeking type2 cable to use with it, which i highly recommend as it has a "tesla button" built in ;-)

I went for the EO Pro Mini as it is very small/neat and i was able to take advantage of the Goverment grant and also £100 off for being an Octopus GO customer!

 

[Jason71]

After months of problems with two EVBox Elvi chargers, I've got my installer to agree to a swap. Based on stuff I've read, I've narrowed it down to either the EO Pro Mini or the Zappi (both tethered). Anyone got any particular advice/recommendations?

Can you explain your logic for narrowing it down to those two?
I am also in the Rolec camp (tethered). I only use it dumb but so far zero issues. My installer had the EO and Zappi as well. I went for the Rolec on price, availability, and reputation ( mainly from this forum). Admittedly it is not the best looking but I have in inside a garage so not really an issue.

 

[rotor2k]

not unless they have your phone or keyfob in their pocket when they press it!

Oh, really? That's good to know. I saw a Tesla employee press the button in the showroom and all the charging flaps opened, so I just assumed the unlocking would be the same.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

Oh, really? That's good to know. I saw a Tesla employee press the button in the showroom and all the charging flaps opened, so I just assumed the unlocking would be the same.

The car has to be "unlocked" for the button to stop charging and unlatch the connector. It's caught me out a couple of times, as it's not good enough to be standing by the car with the fob in your pocket, you have to open the door first, to properly unlock the car, before the button on the connector works. Very useful feature to have. I've now adapted two leads to have the "Tesla button".

I swapped the mod I did to my tethered cable, for this version (just meant swapping the connector case over): Tesla mini connector kit - evChargeking which has a much neater and better sealed rubber push button. I fitted the original "Tesla button" kit into the 10m long charge lead that I was working on the other day, the one that got water inside.

 

[pdk42]

Can you explain your logic for narrowing it down to those two?
I am also in the Rolec camp (tethered). I only use it dumb but so far zero issues. My installer had the EO and Zappi as well. I went for the Rolec on price, availability, and reputation ( mainly from this forum). Admittedly it is not the best looking but I have in inside a garage so not really an issue.

Well, I started worth a Rolec, but could never get it to connect, or work as a dumb charger. The EO vs Zappi thought is really just based on people's opinions here tbh. They seem the most popular.

 

[Adopado]

Well, I started worth a Rolec, but could never get it to connect, or work as a dumb charger. The EO vs Zappi thought is really just based on people's opinions here tbh. They seem the most popular.

The Zappi's USP is it's ability to work in conjunction with solar and/or battery storage and the Eddi generation diverter. Unless you have plans in that direction then it's probably overkill.

 

[MidhurstNigel]

The Zappi's USP is it's ability to work in conjunction with solar and/or battery storage and the Eddi generation diverter. Unless you have plans in that direction then it's probably overkill.

Probably true - Zappi is relatively expensive and if you don't need to divert Solar you don't need to pay the Zappi price. That said Zappi has just done a firmware update specifically aimed at avoiding the 16A scheduled charging problem that a lot of M3 owners suffer from. Depending on (1) whether it works and (2) how long other charging point makers take to do something similar this may be a point in favour of Zappi

 

[G1201]

After months of problems with two EVBox Elvi chargers, I've got my installer to agree to a swap. Based on stuff I've read, I've narrowed it down to either the EO Pro Mini or the Zappi (both tethered). Anyone got any particular advice/recommendations?

I've just went with the EO Mini Pro, due to the aesthetics, it was thnly one the other-half said didn't look too bad.
Get my car tomorrow so can't comment on how good or bad it is yet.

Here's a few pics from the install.

 

[JCremonini]

Really pleased with my EO mini.

 

[G1201]

Really pleased with my EO mini.

Good to hear, fingers crossed it works ok tomorrow, as it'll be it's first charge.

 

[rotor2k]

Knowing what I know now about smart vs dumb I wish I’d gone for the EO instead of the Rolec (although the Rolec has been fantastic), purely based on how tiny the EO is.

 

[Adopado]

Though I have a Zappi, in case of future developments here with solar, I would probably just have gone with the neatest version of a dumb charge point ... they basically all do the same thing. You don't really want to wake up and find your car not charged because the charge point decided to crash, either because of a software bug or perhaps because of a temporary power interruption that restores itself but the charge point maybe doesn't ... how do I know this can happen, hmm?

 

[MidhurstNigel]

Don't forget, unless it's smart you won't get the government grant.

 

[Adopado]

Don't forget, unless it's smart you won't get the government grant.

Yes indeed, being in Scotland I did get the extra 300 too ... just as well given the cost of charge point and the install. After the 2 grants I ended up paying £519, that would have been £819 in England so I'm sure you could get a dumb charger and install for less! (I think our install cost was "loaded" because we are out in the sticks and because the installers included allowances for the install being more complicated than it turned out to be.)