When did you order your Tesla Charger?

[tesstuff]

Hi All,

My Tesla is not due to be delivered for another 4 months, how soon did people order and install their charger? Did you order when you placed the vehicle order or did you wait closer to delivery before buying and installing?
The tesla website doesn't say anything about delivery times for their home charger so hoping there isn't a backlog.

Cheers.

 

[MoBo]

I’d get one in as soon as you can. Prices are only going one way at the mo.

Also, check your incoming main fuse. Mine was only 60A, and it is recommended (though not essential) to have a 100A main fuse. This was upgraded free of charge by Scottish power. It can take several weeks to get an appointment if you need the fuse upgrade, so i wouldn’t wait.

 

[qwickshot]

As above, order it now if you want it. You’ll need to arrange for someone to fit it anyway and it goes out of stock for weeks at a time.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I put a Commando Socket in at the same time, and also an outdoor 13 AMP (pressure washer / hoover / whatever)

I had trouble with the original car charger (me and others who bought that brand), that probably was early-adopter aggro ... but, either way, the Commando Socket saved my bacon a few times, and I've had visiting EVs that haven't been able to use my tethered charger. Although back then Commando Adapter came with the car, now you'd have to pay for that.

Solar Panels? You could consider a Zappi charger (which can trickle excess PV into car instead of exporting it)

 

[MrBadger]

I needed a VIN to order my Wall Connector.

It was a while ago, but they were in pretty free supply - even though an installer said there was a backlog. They were openly flogging them on collection day.

And tbh, not the end of the world if you don't get one in advance. It may even be a blessing as regs change soon and all charge points need to be smart which the Tesla one is not, and may never even be.

 

[GRiLLA]

Most people don't use the Tesla Wall Connector, it's ok but pretty basic, we have better options in the UK IMHO.

Look at HyperVolt, Zappi and several others that have all the electrical safety mechanisms required by UK electrical wiring built in, your installation cost will be potentially a couple of hundred lower than with a Tesla Wall Connector. It's also useful to be able to time your charge start and stop from the ChargePoint rather than the car.

 

[roblab]

Never needed a "wall charger" in a decade of driving Teslas and a RAV4EV. My standard ($10) 220 v wall outlet does the job just fine and charges my car overnight, just like a wall charger would. I guess folks just have a ton of money to spend.

 

[GRiLLA]

Never needed a "wall charger" in a decade of driving Teslas and a RAV4EV. My standard ($10) 220 v wall outlet does the job just fine and charges my car overnight, just like a wall charger would. I guess folks just have a ton of money to spend.

I would suggest you live in the US where 220V 40A sockets for dryers are the norm, rather than the UK like the OP where we generally don't have more than 10A to a socket. We have EV ChargePoints that get us to 220V 32A but with many safety features.

The US has typically 200 deaths a year due to electrocution in the home, on average the UK has less than 1, and yet we are only 40x smaller in population.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

I needed a VIN to order my Wall Connector.

It was a while ago, but they were in pretty free supply - even though an installer said there was a backlog. They were openly flogging them on collection day.

And tbh, not the end of the world if you don't get one in advance. It may even be a blessing as regs change soon and all charge points need to be smart which the Tesla one is not, and may never even be.

I suspect they'll do a firmware update to make the tesla charger comply just before they have to stop selling them. The requirements aren't particularly onerous, basically just a timer with a default set to overnight charging.

Not a fan of smart chargers myself.. never saw the advantage. It just seems to be a reason add £200 to the cost for a timer when the car already has one.

I do wonder if commando sockets will start to become a lot more popular now the grants are gone. Installation is about the same but the socket itself costs pennies.

 

[GRiLLA]

I suspect they'll do a firmware update to make the tesla charger comply just before they have to stop selling them. The requirements aren't particularly onerous, basically just a timer with a default set to overnight charging.

Not a fan of smart chargers myself.. never saw the advantage. It just seems to be a reason add £200 to the cost for a timer when the car already has one.

I do wonder if commando sockets will start to become a lot more popular now the grants are gone. Installation is about the same but the socket itself costs pennies.

The socket may cost pennies, but if it's being installed for charging an EV it still needs an appropriate RCD and Pen Fault device, which costs about £150. Sure it'll end up cheaper, but I would suggest most should want to take their UMC in the boot for emergencies.

 

[qwickshot]

I was just about to say, the socket may be cheap but you still really need a compatible 32a EVSE and outside of Tesla, most cars don’t come with one at all let alone a 32a capable one.

You don’t necessarily need a PEN fault device, an earth rod is fine. However, even then then it’s my understanding the regs are rather ‘grey’ in in that requirement for commandos being a multi purpose plug.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

If I didn't have the circuit in already I'd probably go commando.. My first podpoint cost £350 including installation (would have been much cheaper but I wanted the 32A 'upgrade' ). People are paying a grand these days.. Not all of that is the new earthing and RCD requirements.

It remains to be seen if increased competition now the grants are gone helps. But as EVs get cheaper the amount people are prepared to drop money on chargers is going to drop a lot.. hence my prediction that commando sockets will become common.

 

[WannabeOwner]

yet we are only 40x smaller in population

Decimal point moved?! USA population is 4.9x the UK population

My first podpoint cost £350 including installation ... People are paying a grand these days

Is that because the grant has gone away? I think grant was about £600 when I had mine installed.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

Indeed that's some of it, but at the end of the day the homeowner has to find the money..

Looking around a typical charger costs about £400 for installation. Outside the ohme you aren't going to get change from 1k for any of the charge point companies (a bit less for the Tesla charger as it's cheap to start with, which is odd as Tesla don't normally do cheap). That's really unsustainable in a world where we want all houses that can do so to have chargers.

Market forces will push the costs down eventually - it's already happening, with screwfix selling one now for £500 that has all the extra RCD/Earth built in so it's a trivial install for any random sparky. Hopefully that continues.. waiting for china to bail us out a bit here..

 

[Adopado]

The US has typically 200 deaths a year due to electrocution in the home, on average the UK has less than 1, and yet we are only 40x smaller in population.

Typo alert ... !

 

[MoBo]

I installed a Hypervolt, as it is a smart charger, and has all the safety features built in (PEN Fault etc).

Super easy to install, just like an electric shower.

 

[tesstuff]

Thanks everyone for their advice, for info UK tesla shop stock is good at the moment for the charger, ordered and arrived next day via DHL.

 

[Wattsisname]

Most people don't use the Tesla Wall Connector, it's ok but pretty basic, we have better options in the UK IMHO.

Look at HyperVolt, Zappi and several others that have all the electrical safety mechanisms required by UK electrical wiring built in, your installation cost will be potentially a couple of hundred lower than with a Tesla Wall Connector. It's also useful to be able to time your charge start and stop from the ChargePoint rather than the car.

Apparently the Third Generation Tesla wall connector is vastly superior to its predecessors. I will certainly fit one. However, it appears that you can't buy it without proof of Tesla ownership.
Have any members been able to purchase while their car is on order but before VIN reveal?

Artisan Electrics are, so far, the UK gold standard for wall connector videos. They were very critical of the earlier Tesla one but quite enthusiastic about the Gen3. Worth watching the vid.

Finally, could someone please explain what a Commando socket is all about.
Thank you.

 

[Wattsisname]

Apparently the Third Generation Tesla wall connector is vastly superior to its predecessors. I will certainly fit one. However, it appears that you can't buy it without proof of Tesla ownership.
Have any members been able to purchase while their car is on order but before VIN reveal?

Artisan Electrics are, so far, the UK gold standard for wall connector videos. They were very critical of the earlier Tesla one but quite enthusiastic about the Gen3. Worth watching the vid.

Finally, could someone please explain what a Commando socket is all about.
Thank you.

PS Tesla Car, Tesla Finance and Tesla Wall Connector. This way, you don't get to blame the other guy; it's all Tesla!
I can't wait for Elon to produce Tesla Cornflakes

 

[Adopado]

Finally, could someone please explain what a Commando socket is all about.