Charging Point install - where do they connect?
Discussion
Apologies if there's a thread already but can't find one....
We're considering jumping on the EV bandwagon. I'm struggling to find out where a home charging point need to connect to. Our consumer until is in the middle of the house, so any cable from there would need to go through 3 walls and through the connecting rooms - but some sites imply that it can be taken from the feed near the meter before it enters the house - which happens to be quite close to where we'd park the car...
Can anyone help clarify? TIA
We're considering jumping on the EV bandwagon. I'm struggling to find out where a home charging point need to connect to. Our consumer until is in the middle of the house, so any cable from there would need to go through 3 walls and through the connecting rooms - but some sites imply that it can be taken from the feed near the meter before it enters the house - which happens to be quite close to where we'd park the car...
Can anyone help clarify? TIA
They connect either to your consumer Unit or a mini consumer unit if there is not space on your main unit. Every home is different and so how the cable runs and where it runs to get to your charger can vary considerably.
From Jan 1 your charger will also (in most cases) need earth rods which means all installation costs from all installer will go up for 2019.
From Jan 1 your charger will also (in most cases) need earth rods which means all installation costs from all installer will go up for 2019.
I was going to have a Rolec unit. Comes straight from the house fuse board. they want photos of everything & the whole process was painful, it seemed everything was an extra. I ended up going to Pod Point, connection straight from the supply cupboard, separate fuse board, Was installed in a couple of hours. Not the most stylish of things but it does the job.
There are quite a few ways to skin this cat!
Mine was routed from the meter box on the outside of the house and routed from the side of the house to the garage in black trunking low down on the wall. It is not visible behind the plants. A smaller box with a dedicated trip switch was mounted next to the meter box then the cable routed into the garage out of sight and then back out to the charger from the back.
If you are going to get a Rolec make sure it is one with a green switch on the RCBO and not old stock the blue one as it will fail.
Mine looked like this after 18 months or so - you can see the scorching on the neutral side of the the RCBO unit with the blue switch. :
Mine was routed from the meter box on the outside of the house and routed from the side of the house to the garage in black trunking low down on the wall. It is not visible behind the plants. A smaller box with a dedicated trip switch was mounted next to the meter box then the cable routed into the garage out of sight and then back out to the charger from the back.
If you are going to get a Rolec make sure it is one with a green switch on the RCBO and not old stock the blue one as it will fail.
Mine looked like this after 18 months or so - you can see the scorching on the neutral side of the the RCBO unit with the blue switch. :
The newer installations come directly off the incoming supply, ie before your existing consumer unit. My installation went through 3 walls, so not a problem, just takes installer longer. You need to check the main house fuse rating - if its something like 40a you will need to have that upgraded, especially if you have an electric shower.
Go for a Pod Point one and also consider whether you go tethered or un-tethered. Get the highest rated supply you can get - ie 7kw.
Go for a Pod Point one and also consider whether you go tethered or un-tethered. Get the highest rated supply you can get - ie 7kw.
In my case the meter box is on the outside of the garage near to where I will be charging, and there is an isolation switch immediately inside from it. I also have a consumer unit in the garage which has spare ways in it so that was also an opton. I got several quotes and was interested to see the huge variation in price and method - in my case I wanted a Zappi because we have PV.
Prices varied from a little over £300 to £1800 after grant. Some wanted to run from the existing consumer unit, others from the meter cupboard. Some mentioned a TT Earth (rod), some didn't. The ones that mentioned it were, understandably, nervous about hammering in a 4 or 8 ft rod without absolute knowledge of where other services are run. I can see this causing some fun and games from 2019!
In the event I supplied and drove in the earthing rod and the supplier has fitted a henley block after the main switch by the meter. To this he has fed extra tails to a new stand-alone consumer unit, which feeds the Zappi as well as giving me a few spare ways. He also ran about 10m of earth to the rod and 15m to the 2nd CT which is to monitor my hot water diverter.
It took all day (including a trip to the wholesaler) so I was happy to shell out £375.
Prices varied from a little over £300 to £1800 after grant. Some wanted to run from the existing consumer unit, others from the meter cupboard. Some mentioned a TT Earth (rod), some didn't. The ones that mentioned it were, understandably, nervous about hammering in a 4 or 8 ft rod without absolute knowledge of where other services are run. I can see this causing some fun and games from 2019!
In the event I supplied and drove in the earthing rod and the supplier has fitted a henley block after the main switch by the meter. To this he has fed extra tails to a new stand-alone consumer unit, which feeds the Zappi as well as giving me a few spare ways. He also ran about 10m of earth to the rod and 15m to the 2nd CT which is to monitor my hot water diverter.
It took all day (including a trip to the wholesaler) so I was happy to shell out £375.
Mine has a junction box after the main 100A fuse / meter and before the consumer unit so in your case this would work great as you could have it near the car.
It then has a separate sub meter as it was part of the OLEV grant at the time so big brother can see how many KWH im using driving.
It then has a separate sub meter as it was part of the OLEV grant at the time so big brother can see how many KWH im using driving.
DickiePhitt said:
In my case the meter box is on the outside of the garage near to where I will be charging, and there is an isolation switch immediately inside from it. I also have a consumer unit in the garage which has spare ways in it so that was also an opton. I got several quotes and was interested to see the huge variation in price and method - in my case I wanted a Zappi because we have PV.
Prices varied from a little over £300 to £1800 after grant. Some wanted to run from the existing consumer unit, others from the meter cupboard. Some mentioned a TT Earth (rod), some didn't. The ones that mentioned it were, understandably, nervous about hammering in a 4 or 8 ft rod without absolute knowledge of where other services are run. I can see this causing some fun and games from 2019!
In the event I supplied and drove in the earthing rod and the supplier has fitted a henley block after the main switch by the meter. To this he has fed extra tails to a new stand-alone consumer unit, which feeds the Zappi as well as giving me a few spare ways. He also ran about 10m of earth to the rod and 15m to the 2nd CT which is to monitor my hot water diverter.
It took all day (including a trip to the wholesaler) so I was happy to shell out £375.
I assume that £375 was after the government grant.Prices varied from a little over £300 to £1800 after grant. Some wanted to run from the existing consumer unit, others from the meter cupboard. Some mentioned a TT Earth (rod), some didn't. The ones that mentioned it were, understandably, nervous about hammering in a 4 or 8 ft rod without absolute knowledge of where other services are run. I can see this causing some fun and games from 2019!
In the event I supplied and drove in the earthing rod and the supplier has fitted a henley block after the main switch by the meter. To this he has fed extra tails to a new stand-alone consumer unit, which feeds the Zappi as well as giving me a few spare ways. He also ran about 10m of earth to the rod and 15m to the 2nd CT which is to monitor my hot water diverter.
It took all day (including a trip to the wholesaler) so I was happy to shell out £375.
Anyone know how soon one can get the install done relative to the car arriving?
We have a loong waiting list (ETA August!), although I appreciate that could change (people drop off etc). Someone on another forum suggested that as soon as you have an order, you can get it done....& I read somewhere else that you had to have the car within a certain time of the charger being installed (not sure how that would be monitored though - I assume you don't pay up front & that the installer deals with paperwork!)
Any midlands recommendations on Zappi-knowledgable installers welcomed ;-)
Install date of the charging point must not be more than 4 months before the car arrives according to the OLEV docs, but you're eligible for the grant as soon as you have proof of an order.
Items 9 & 10 on:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electri...
My mate's Golf GTE was delayed for a while so it was more like 6+ months with a charge point but no car - at the time it was installed though the estimated delivery date was under 4 months away so all OK for the installer's paperwork.
Items 9 & 10 on:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electri...
My mate's Golf GTE was delayed for a while so it was more like 6+ months with a charge point but no car - at the time it was installed though the estimated delivery date was under 4 months away so all OK for the installer's paperwork.
I was in a similar position to the OP - consumer unit under the stairs in the centre of the house, but incoming supply and meter cupboard was external next to the driveway.
PodPoint cover running from the meter box to a new small consumer unit as part of their standard install which is £279 with the grant. I found other suppliers would not quote a price until install time or wanted significantly more than this. As I had a smart meter there was no room for the secondary CU in the meter box, so they installed an IP housing for it on the wall with no extra charge.
PodPoint cover running from the meter box to a new small consumer unit as part of their standard install which is £279 with the grant. I found other suppliers would not quote a price until install time or wanted significantly more than this. As I had a smart meter there was no room for the secondary CU in the meter box, so they installed an IP housing for it on the wall with no extra charge.
Spunagain said:
If you are going to get a Rolec make sure it is one with a green switch on the RCBO and not old stock the blue one as it will fail.
Mine looked like this after 18 months or so - you can see the scorching on the neutral side of the the RCBO unit with the blue switch. :
That just looks like a poor bit of install on the neutral not being tight enough and wants rectifying before it bursts into flames!Mine looked like this after 18 months or so - you can see the scorching on the neutral side of the the RCBO unit with the blue switch. :
I've just had one installed, where I had two options (for 7.2kW). I had mine put on a spare on the CU (40A) and had SWA wired from one side of the house to the other. This was the cheapest option as it only involved a 40A breaker and 12m of SWA.
The other, more expensive, option was to fit a new unit at the meter.
I could have used my garage circuit but the incoming cable was only 2.5mm sq so not really up to the job.
In your situation I would imagine that going through 3 walls is definitely doable but is likely to cost a fair bit more. If you go on most websites they will advise on what constitutes a 'standard' installation. IIRC most specify one wall as standard and anything more a cost option.
I've seen a number of threads showing the burnout with PodPoint chargers. I had an Andersen A2 fitted, which was expensive but looks great and customer service has been first class. Would definitely recommend as the chap fitted an extra 4m of SWA and waived the cost. A nice touch.
ETA. Rolec not PodPoint, apologies.
The other, more expensive, option was to fit a new unit at the meter.
I could have used my garage circuit but the incoming cable was only 2.5mm sq so not really up to the job.
In your situation I would imagine that going through 3 walls is definitely doable but is likely to cost a fair bit more. If you go on most websites they will advise on what constitutes a 'standard' installation. IIRC most specify one wall as standard and anything more a cost option.
I've seen a number of threads showing the burnout with PodPoint chargers. I had an Andersen A2 fitted, which was expensive but looks great and customer service has been first class. Would definitely recommend as the chap fitted an extra 4m of SWA and waived the cost. A nice touch.
ETA. Rolec not PodPoint, apologies.
Edited by SOL111 on Thursday 3rd January 12:59
Gassing Station | EV and Alternative Fuels | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff