Home Charge Points Discussion and Suggestions [megathread]

[RedMod3]

Been on the phone to BPO Pulse, and they have told me that their chargers have built-in protection, and they must be wired direct to the incoming mains without going through an RCD at all (but they need an isolation switch). Also been told that if an RCD is fitted, it is likely to trip, and that is why they are not used.

Has anyone had a BP Pulse charger installed and was an RCD fitted?

 

[Tinca]

I've had a couple of detailed quotes on the Ohme charging point that didn't seem too bad. One was £685 and the other £688. The cable run I need is about 15m.
First one was via the Ohme website recommended installer - Cannon Electrical - and the second was Elecology. Both have the OLEV grant taken off those quotes already. I'm based in Lincolnshire.
Both easy to deal with and I sent plenty of photos and a couple of videos to show the full layout. Cannon offered to beat any like-for-like quote. Likely to go for them. Next stage is to get our meter upgraded to a SMETS2 through Octopus. The plan is then to switch to Octopus Agile and let the Ohme box do the clever stuff!
I did get a couple of prices off the web that came in at £850 and £1K, but I can't recall who they were through.

 

[Mrklaw]

Booked in for next week with mr charger. All three were around the same price for a zappi

 

[Adopado]

Been on the phone to BPO Pulse, and they have told me that their chargers have built-in protection, and they must be wired direct to the incoming mains without going through an RCD at all (but they need an isolation switch). Also been told that if an RCD is fitted, it is likely to trip, and that is why they are not used.

Has anyone had a BP Pulse charger installed and was an RCD fitted?

They will have an RCD inside. It's generally suggested that having RCDs in series is not the best approach. Having said that I have a Zappi that has an internal RCD and it was installed with an RCBO on the supply (which obviously incorporates RCD functionality as well as overload protection).

 

[Mrklaw]

Does it matter if they have to run cabling through a cavity wall or in surface trunking (from CU to outside)? Cavity would be neater for us but don’t know how much choice we’ll get

 

[Adopado]

Does it matter if they have to run cabling through a cavity wall or in surface trunking (from CU to outside)? Cavity would be neater for us but don’t know how much choice we’ll get

It can be done either way ... clearly there may be additional costs to run it through a cavity wall due to the work/time involved and possibly higher spec cable (because it's enclosed). The prices you have been quoted are at the cheaper end so will be for a "standard" install.

 

[RedMod3]

They will have an RCD inside. It's generally suggested that having RCDs in series is not the best approach. Having said that I have a Zappi that has an internal RCD and it was installed with an RCBO on the supply (which obviously incorporates RCD functionality as well as overload protection).

Thanks, BP Pulse wanted to charge £150 for an isolation switch. I'd rather buy a Type B RCB and 40A breaker in a box for £115 and have that fitted instead. Electric Vehicle Charger Protection B Type DC RCD c/w 40A MCB: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

 

[jager122]

Thanks, BP Pulse wanted to charge £150 for an isolation switch. I'd rather buy a Type B RCB and 40A breaker in a box for £115 and have that fitted instead. Electric Vehicle Charger Protection B Type DC RCD c/w 40A MCB: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

I'm in the same boat actually with Pulse, £150 for the switch. If you don't mind me asking, how much is your installation coming in at, and what made you select them? I am wondering if i've made the right choice at £699

 

[RedMod3]

I'm in the same boat actually with Pulse, £150 for the switch. If you don't mind me asking, how much is your installation coming in at, and what made you select them? I am wondering if i've made the right choice at £699

I've a Tesla charger wired temporarily to my M3. However, I've ordered a Smart Car and it comes with a free BP Pulse charger, but they are trying to load extra costs on me. My solution is to get my electrician to install the Type B RCD and then fit a changeover switch between the Tesla an BP charger and use the one that works best for both cars and keep the other as a spare. I've a problem at the moment getting BP Pulse to support my proposal and the BP Pulse charger has an inbuilt RCD and they want to connect it direct to the meter tails, and I'm not happy with that.

 

[Adopado]

I've a Tesla charger wired temporarily to my M3. However, I've ordered a Smart Car and it comes with a free BP Pulse charger, but they are trying to load extra costs on me. My solution is to get my electrician to install the Type B RCD and then fit a changeover switch between the Tesla an BP charger and use the one that works best for both cars and keep the other as a spare. I've a problem at the moment getting BP Pulse to support my proposal and the BP Pulse charger has an inbuilt RCD and they want to connect it direct to the meter tails, and I'm not happy with that.

If your electrician is clear that your proposal meets regs I'm not sure why BP Pulse have an issue? Unfortunately this forum has very recently lost the active involvement of our expert in these things @Glan gluaisne ... If he is looking in again you might strike lucky 'cause believe me he will know the answers!

 

[Adopado]

For anyone who is a more recent owner of a Model 3 I would like to point out that there was an old issue (sorted by software update a while back) where the cars would not respond to a timed charge from a charge point (any brand). This was due to the cars not waking from a sleeping state. Unfortunately some suppliers have not noted that the issue has long been resolved and are still advising Model 3 owners to leave Sentry Mode active on their cars to prevent them going to sleep. This is outdated advice ... your car should wake from sleep if offered a timed charge.

 

[RedMod3]

If your electrician is clear that your proposal meets regs I'm not sure why BP Pulse have an issue? Unfortunately this forum has very recently lost the active involvement of our expert in these things @Glan gluaisne ... If he is looking in again you might strike lucky 'cause believe me he will know the answers!

I checked with my electrician today; he will fit my new consumer unit with the 63A type B RCD and the 40A MCB and I have now asked BP Pulse to connect to the new consumer unit (they had nothing to connect to before). Once this is over, I'll post a full report with photos.

 

[RedMod3]

For anyone who has had a BP Pulse unit installed, do they use armoured or twin and earth cable inside, please?

 

[Golden86]

I just got my M3 LR last week. Arranging the Ohme wall charger install from EV Charging | Octopus Energy ServicesOctopus Energy Services part of Octopus apparently. My quote is coming in at £569, I believe this is their standard installation cost with MATT:E device so no earth rod needed.

I'm in London area.

 

[MBL80]

Anyone had a Sync EV point installed ? Any options ?

 

[RedMod3]

A word of warning on delays. Being in the South East, our DNO is SSEN and they have had the application for approval to install my charger for 3 weeks. All they need do is spend 5 mins checking that the 100A fuse in our property is actually a 100A fuse. Only then can BP Pulse install the charger.

It's not my responsibility to chase up SSEN, it's the responsibility of BP Pulse, but I offered to follow up as they had been waiting for so long.

I've now registered a complaint with SSEN to encourage them to get a move on, so if you have a delayed installation, check if your charger supplier needs DNO approval.

 

[Mrklaw]

A word of warning on delays. Being in the South East, our DNO is SSEN and they have had the application for approval to install my charger for 3 weeks. All they need do is spend 5 mins checking that the 100A fuse in our property is actually a 100A fuse. Only then can BP Pulse install the charger.

It's not my responsibility to chase up SSEN, it's the responsibility of BP Pulse, but I offered to follow up as they had been waiting for so long.

I've now registered a complaint with SSEN to encourage them to get a move on, so if you have a delayed installation, check if your charger supplier needs DNO approval.

when I rang them they literally said for my installer to check the fuse and let them know if it needed upgrading as they had no records of what was in my property

luckily I was getting a zappi installed which can be setup with a grid limit even down to 60A if necessary so the installer was happy to install and then inform the DNO later. As it turned out I have an 80A fuse and can’t be arsed to pay the £250 SSE want to upgrade it to 100A even though all the wiring is ready so it’s just a fuse swap

 

[Adopado]

when I rang them they literally said for my installer to check the fuse and let them know if it needed upgrading as they had no records of what was in my property

luckily I was getting a zappi installed which can be setup with a grid limit even down to 60A if necessary so the installer was happy to install and then inform the DNO later. As it turned out I have an 80A fuse and can’t be arsed to pay the £250 SSE want to upgrade it to 100A even though all the wiring is ready so it’s just a fuse swap

I've never heard of any requirement to have a 100amp fuse to be running an EV charge point. I understand 80amp fuse size is the most common but depending on contention there's no reason why 60amp shouldn't be acceptable. Apparently many/most of the fuse holders that say 100amp on them don't actually have 100amp fuses in them... that's just an indication that the fuse holder itself is suitable for a 100amp fuse. It really is extraordinary that the value of the fuses are still not routinely indicated externally .. it would save people a lot of grief, and money!

 

[RedMod3]

I've never heard of any requirement to have a 100amp fuse to be running an EV charge point. I understand 80amp fuse size is the most common but depending on contention there's no reason why 60amp shouldn't be acceptable. Apparently many/most of the fuse holders that say 100amp on them don't actually have 100amp fuses in them... that's just an indication that the fuse holder itself is suitable for a 100amp fuse. It really is extraordinary that the value of the fuses are still not routinely indicated externally .. it would save people a lot of grief, and money!

We are all electric and when our place was built 30 years ago, we had electric storage heaters and were very close to the 100amp limit before needing a 3 phase supply. The charger works at 32amps, which if a 60amp fuse was installed, that would only leave 28amps spare so electric oven, kettle and washing machine on together could blow it.

It seems that all will be resolved on Thursday when they come to inspect the fuse and I am hoping they can do this without powering down the house.

The next challenge will be to get BP Pulse to allow an RCD (Type B) as they state no RCD should be installed. Also, I want 10mm twin and earth, but they may want 6mm armoured cable, in which case, I'll just have to rip out their wiring and do it myself properly.

 

[MBL80]

Moderator comment - keeping all charger suggestions together so merged from "Anyone got a Sync EV Charger"

Dear All

In advance of my M3P arriving ( if it ever does ), I am thinking about chargers.

I was looking at the Sync EV, which seems to have all bases covered.

Sync EV Domestic Compact Car Charger 7.4kw WiFi Only - Black | Sync_EV (EVCP-7KW-S-1PH:32A BLACK-01)

O-Pen protection, no earth needed, inbuilt RCD protection etc.

Anyone have one of these ? Any opinions ? Or is it all too good to be true ?

R

Mehul