PaulMD
Member
Podpoint all installed - chap was here about 2hrs and has done a very neat job. Very impressed.
Now just need to wait 3 weeks to try it!
Now just need to wait 3 weeks to try it!
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Home Charge Points Discussion and Suggestions [megathread]
- Thread starter Bootneckshuffl
- Start date
PaulMD
Member
For me the app found the pod point on my wifi immediately as soon as I clicked add. No need to enter the code - it was already there.
Have any pod point owners had their main fuse updated after the pod-point install?
How hard was it to get the pod-point updated for the new fuse value?
The pod point has a clamp around one of the meter tails that monitors the whole house's electricity usage. If that current approaches the limit for the main fuse then it reduces the charging current so you don't blow the fuse and black out your house for hours.
At the time of install I had a 60A fuse which I'm shortly getting upgraded to 100A - but there's no-where in the pod point app to change this setting. I guess I have to get it done remotely somehow. Anyone done this? How would I know if it worked (without a clamp meter and a lot of messing about I mean).
Or shall I just remove the clamp - would that let it take the full 32A all the time?
How hard was it to get the pod-point updated for the new fuse value?
The pod point has a clamp around one of the meter tails that monitors the whole house's electricity usage. If that current approaches the limit for the main fuse then it reduces the charging current so you don't blow the fuse and black out your house for hours.
At the time of install I had a 60A fuse which I'm shortly getting upgraded to 100A - but there's no-where in the pod point app to change this setting. I guess I have to get it done remotely somehow. Anyone done this? How would I know if it worked (without a clamp meter and a lot of messing about I mean).
Or shall I just remove the clamp - would that let it take the full 32A all the time?
I think you have to contact customer support so they can increase the limit, it isn't something the owner can directly set. The alternative would be to open it up and turn off the feature via changing the correct jumper/dip switch. Just disconnecting the clamp will upset it, as it expects to see the full house current to be equal or greater than what the unit is suppling.
Some interesting insight in this thread. I have a question that I don't think has been covered however admittedly I've not been through all pages.
I live in a new build and have power in the garage. I'm hoping to install a smart charger on the external pillar of the garage rather than the external wall of the house. Has anyone positioned their charge point in a similar manner?
Any issues/call outs?
I live in a new build and have power in the garage. I'm hoping to install a smart charger on the external pillar of the garage rather than the external wall of the house. Has anyone positioned their charge point in a similar manner?
Any issues/call outs?
Can only guess but if you just have a few sockets in the garage then the wiring is very unlikely to be able to take an extra 32A. Also decent chargers need a connection near the meter to monitor your whole house usage. Most likely the installer will have to run armoured cable back to the meter. Possibly charging extra for a long run or if it needs to go anywhere other than along an accessible wall.
It's very individual to the property and its wiring layout and location of meter/consumer unit(s). There's no reason why you can't do this and it may even be quite straightforward, but equally as @mikeyg_ev says there could be factors that increase costs.
Thanks guys. I had s feeling that might be the case. I've sent some enquiries today to some electricians... Hopefully I can get someone out next week to check out the wiring and give me some options.
Worst case, it'll have to be armoured cabling around the perimeter of the house to the driveway.
How does the present cable get into the garage? Is the garage attached to your house or separate? Does it therefore need to go outside? ... if you're lucky they might be able to pull a cable through using the existing internal route ... in which case it doesn't need to be armoured and could be just suitably specced twin and earth.
This is exactly what I’m having done, in hindsight I wish I’d thought ahead to future EV ownership and got the builders to run a suitable supply in the first place, would have saved a lot of hassle, the power to the garage is only on a 16a circuit and the current cable from the house isn’t up to the job.
Instead my install is going to cost around £1200 all in (including the “EV ultra” cable that includes the data lines for the CT clamp as that’s neater than having to run separate data. The meter is on completely the “wrong” side of the house, so the run is basically the entire length of the driveway and has to pass under a pathway to the front door and a path in the garden and under/through an external garden wall before we even get to the garage, then it’s in one wall on the side of the garage, over the door and out to the pillar between the 2 garage doors. I’d initially had some eye watering quotes up to 2.5k, but fingers crossed these guys seem to really know what they’re doing and are promising the job will be well received by the department of domestic aesthetics.
Bloody hell! I don't live too far from a supercharger so if it's going to be an absolute ball ache and too costly then I'll just stick to the 3 pin charger + periodic trip to a supercharger before I do a long journey.
Sounds like we have a very similar house orientations. Hindsight is a kicker! Wish I had the same thought. The saving grace is that if its done right it might add a few bob to the house value.
Out of interest who's doing your install? Don't suppose you're in the midlands?
It's a separate garage. Internal cable runs from the fuse box to the external wall. Outside it switches to an armoured cable to the garage (around 4 meters) in an external junction box.
I suspect the internal route might not work if the cable is tacked/pinned to joists. If its suitability spec'd then the only upgrade will be the armoured which shouldn't be too taxing. Will defo need to get an electrician out to check.
Edit: attached a location plan.
Key (coloured dots):
Red - Meter location
Yellow - Main distribution board/fuse box
Purple - External junction box for garage supply
Blue - Garage distribution board/fuse box
Green - Proposed EV charge point location
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Note that if you are planning a long next-day journey, especially if you're are running low on juice, you'll be better off time-wise using the supercharger on the way home from the previous journey while the battery is still warm then use the granny charger to top up the final charge overnight before starting that long journey. Warm battery = fast(er) supercharge rate.
Leaving supercharging to when you first leave the house will have a cold battery and, if your supercharger isn't very far away, the battery will still be stone cold and you'll be getting a not-so supercharge.
MrBadger
Badger out
Another benefit of this for those of us slow charging but on Octopus Go is the minimum charge limit (without manually stopping/third party control) in the car is 50% so if you arrive home below around 40% (LR battery) you will overrun the standard Octopus 4 hour cheap rate period.
A quick update for those who are interested. I've had a quote for £1200 over the phone for a Zappi charger and an armoured cable run from the meter to the desired charge point location (approx. 20m-25m). The bulk of the cost is for the longer cable run and labour. This would come down if I went for a cheaper unit. I don't have solar and don't intend to get it at this house so I feel like the wider benefits of the Zappi wouldn't get seen. I'm leaning towards a Wallbox as it's quite small and relatively discrete.
I take it you will be claiming the £350 grant Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme: guidance for customers
All charge points deliver the same amount of AC to your car so you certainly don't have to buy at the more expensive end (Zappi or Andersen for example) unless they have features that you need/want. I have a Zappi but presently I just use it as a "dumb" charge point really and set the start time on the car. Some charge points do potentially make the installation easier because they incorporate some of the essential safety features in the box so your installer doesn't need to fit them externally. For example the Zappi takes care of the earthing requirements and the special RCD capabilities that might otherwise needed to be dealt with by your installer.
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