Which home wall charger - for a pain free charge?

[Rooster6655]

Some are OK with letting third parties have their credentials, for example apps like TeslaFi are used by many, and some don't seem concerned about letting others have this access and control information. I'm a bit more circumspect, and I'm not sure I'd want to give my Tesla account details to any third party.

You can create the API creditionals yourself and give them to Teslafi or these apps rather than your actual login, the token expires after a set period also.

 

[madcal]

I bought an Andersen (Andersen ev). It is smart so you can schedule things etc but the real bonus is it looks great. I have a lovely Edwardian red brick house and now have a nice dark wood box mounted to the outside rather than a black / white plastic lump with flashing blue lights which all the rest seem to be.

I like it so much I have ordered another for the other side of the house and the next ev.

I wouldn't buy a manufacturer one as I am likely to change cars at some point in my life and usually the ones from a manufacturer are in some way compromised or tied.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

You can create the API creditionals yourself and give them to Teslafi or these apps rather than your actual login, the token expires after a set period also.

Can you give TeslaFi, or any other app, just the access token and renewal code?

If so, then that is certainly safer. The access token expires after 45 days, but as long as the app uses the renewal code before the token expires it can get a new token and renewal code, so there's no need for manual intervention.

Getting the access token and renewal code is easy, took me a couple of minutes to get it when I was playing around with making an ESP8266 based button to quickly turn on cabin pre-conditioning.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

I bought an Andersen (Andersen ev). It is smart so you can schedule things etc but the real bonus is it looks great. I have a lovely Edwardian red brick house and now have a nice dark wood box mounted to the outside rather than a black / white plastic lump with flashing blue lights which all the rest seem to be.

I like it so much I have ordered another for the other side of the house and the next ev.

I wouldn't buy a manufacturer one as I am likely to change cars at some point in my life and usually the ones from a manufacturer are in some way compromised or tied.

But does scheduled charging from the Anderson work with the Model 3?

The problem with most charge points that offer scheduled charging is that the Model 3 fails to start charging when the charge point turns on as per its programmed schedule, due to a bug in the way that Model 3 charge seems to work.

 

[KennethS]

Can you give TeslaFi, or any other app, just the access token and renewal code?

If so, then that is certainly safer. The access token expires after 45 days, but as long as the app uses the renewal code before the token expires it can get a new token and renewal code, so there's no need for manual intervention.

Getting the access token and renewal code is easy, took me a couple of minutes to get it when I was playing around with making an ESP8266 based button to quickly turn on cabin pre-conditioning.

I believe this is what TeslaFi do, and after generating the token and renewal code they claim to not store the Tesla account details:

Security - TeslaFi.com

 

[Adopado]

I Ordered M3 and was told delivery in Feb. So looking for a home charge solution. But after spend some time here, I feel that maybe don’t need one.

For example:

M3 SR+ do 10000 miles a year.
Run 240 miles / fully charge.
That’s about 42 full charge/year
42x60kw=2520kwh

Charge Only @15p/Kwh,cost £378
Charge Only @ 5pkwh, cost £126

There’s £252/per different. And we spend £400-£500 upfront to have a home charge.

There few free charge point around my house and some near where I work. I think a 3 pin may enough for me.

I would suggest that the reason for spending on a dedicated home charge point is nothing to do with it being the most cost effective solution .. it's just the most effective solution. By a long way IMHO. Yes, you can make 3 pin charging work for you but you have to be dedicated!

Unless you are going to be detaching and coiling up your UMC and cables (in the wet) and transferring them into the boot ... steaming up your windows and getting wet mud on your hands ... you will be driving around with no emergency charging option. What most people do is buy an extra UMC and cable ... and if you do that you will pay an amount not so much less than a charge point after OLEV grant.

Your estimate of 42 full charge equivalent does not, of course, translate to 42 charges. It also doesn't include all the electricity you will use. The car will lose some just standing and you will want to have the car/battery preconditioned/warmed when it has been sitting for a couple of days with a cold soaked battery pack unless you want to take a significant hit on range. Your numbers are also for one year only ...

Certainly being able to charge at work will be a huge benefit so that could make the difference. It's definitely doable. However, even though I don't do a huge mileage I couldn't now imagine not having the convenience of a home charge point. Not having to go somewhere else to fuel up is one of the bonus aspects of EV ownership.

 

[madcal]

But does scheduled charging from the Anderson work with the Model 3?

The problem with most charge points that offer scheduled charging is that the Model 3 fails to start charging when the charge point turns on as per its programmed schedule, due to a bug in the way that Model 3 charge seems to work.

It works on my Model S, but I have not tested on a 3. If someone lives in Suffolk with a 3 they are welcome to come and test it!

 

[Glan gluaisne]

It works on my Model S, but I have not tested on a 3. If someone lives in Suffolk with a 3 they are welcome to come and test it!

Unfortunately the Model S and Model X don't have the same charging bug that stops externally scheduled charging from working with the Model 3.

The Model 3 refuses to charge if the charge point starts a scheduled charge and the car has gone to sleep. It's an extremely annoying bug that Tesla don't really seem to be in a hurry to fix.

 

[OOvOO]

I would suggest that the reason for spending on a dedicated home charge point is nothing to do with it being the most cost effective solution .. it's just the most effective solution. By a long way IMHO. Yes, you can make 3 pin charging work for you but you have to be dedicated!

Unless you are going to be detaching and coiling up your UMC and cables (in the wet) and transferring them into the boot ... steaming up your windows and getting wet mud on your hands ... you will be driving around with no emergency charging option. What most people do is buy an extra UMC and cable ... and if you do that you will pay an amount not so much less than a charge point after OLEV grant.

Your estimate of 42 full charge equivalent does not, of course, translate to 42 charges. It also doesn't include all the electricity you will use. The car will lose some just standing and you will want to have the car/battery preconditioned/warmed when it has been sitting for a couple of days with a cold soaked battery pack unless you want to take a significant hit on range. Your numbers are also for one year only ...

Certainly being able to charge at work will be a huge benefit so that could make the difference. It's definitely doable. However, even though I don't do a huge mileage I couldn't now imagine not having the convenience of a home charge point. Not having to go somewhere else to fuel up is one of the bonus aspects of EV ownership.

I totally agree with you. Having an EV to suit our life style not us to suit an EV.

 

[madcal]

Home charger was a no brainer for me. Yes I can drive and fill up for free at a Supercharger 20 miles away, but a full tank overnight costs me around £15 compared to £100 in my RS6 and I am not sitting in the car at 3am when it is charging ;-)

 

[Rooster6655]

Can you give TeslaFi, or any other app, just the access token and renewal code?

Yes pretty much!

 

[Adopado]

Home charger was a no brainer for me. Yes I can drive and fill up for free at a Supercharger 20 miles away, but a full tank overnight costs me around £15 compared to £100 in my RS6 and I am not sitting in the car at 3am when it is charging ;-)

Maybe you could benefit from a cheap rate night deal and make it even cheaper

 

[madcal]

Maybe you could benefit from a cheap rate night deal and make it even cheaper

Well, that would require SMETS2. Which I waited 3 months for the guy to install, then he said my supplier was Iresa who don’t support smart meters and refused to commission it. My supplier is actually Octopus. Octopus are now trying to sort it! So I currently have a dumb smart meter.

But you are right, 4 hours at 5p then the rest at 14p or whatever will end up less than £15 which is already a bargain!

I am off to Scotland again next Friday. 800 mile round trip for free on Superchargers. Got to love that.

 

[Adopado]

Well, that would require SMETS2. Which I waited 3 months for the guy to install, then he said my supplier was Iresa who don’t support smart meters and refused to commission it. My supplier is actually Octopus. Octopus are now trying to sort it! So I currently have a dumb smart meter.

But you are right, 4 hours at 5p then the rest at 14p or whatever will end up less than £15 which is already a bargain!

I am off to Scotland again next Friday. 800 mile round trip for free on Superchargers. Got to love that.

Yes, it can get complicated! (and for most daily use the 4 hrs, for me, covers the whole charge ... a bigger charge could be split over 2 nights if being really penny pinching!) Octopus actually installed a SMETS1 meter for me as they find those have better connectivity in difficult areas. They seem to vary their approach in different parts of the country.

 

[Amannn]

Not heard anyone mention Rolec in this thread? I'm getting my m3 performance in march and most places have recommended rolec 7kw unit. Anyone had any experience with them? I heard some people having issues with them but the installer assured me its easy toggle of the settings to make it work faultlessly.

 

[asherwood]

I tried to have a rolec installed, but all quotes were coming in £300 more than PodPoint, which may just be down to installers wanting to fund their holidays.

I did try and order one from ohme, but they never responded to my order email, so I've gone with PodPoint in the end, still awaiting an install date however.

 

[Amannn]

I tried to have a rolec installed, but all quotes were coming in £300 more than PodPoint, which may just be down to installers wanting to fund their holidays.

I did try and order one from ohme, but they never responded to my order email, so I've gone with PodPoint in the end, still awaiting an install date however.

I got quotes coe through today for 7kw tethered 5meter unit for £433 fully installed. Ohme for £460

 

[MrBadger]

I got quotes coe through today for 7kw tethered 5meter unit

I am sure you have done it, but double check that 5m covers all your permutations for charging.

We have access to a 5m Rolec installed between 2 bays, and whilst it covers our needs, it wont cover the ideal parking position in one of the bays, but thats no big deal in this case as we have other options.

If you wanted to park nose in though, it could be a problem. 5m certainly would not work for us at home for this reason.

 

[Amannn]

I am sure you have done it, but double check that 5m covers all your permutations for charging.

We have access to a 5m Rolec installed between 2 bays, and whilst it covers our needs, it wont cover the ideal parking position in one of the bays, but thats no big deal in this case as we have other options.

If you wanted to park nose in though, it could be a problem. 5m certainly would not work for us at home for this reason.

Yeah no issues with my driveway setup. 2 car in line driveway before the garage so charge point will be in the middle of the 2 cars, plenty of cable.