Car chargers, what’s what?

[TypeR]

I’m just about to take the plunge and buy a nearly new 500e for the Mrs.
I have a driveway so will be able to charge at home.
Our current energy supplier is EON who seem to have a competitive EV rate so likely to stay with them.
I’m slightly confused by terms like Granny charger, Commando plugs and so on. I understand I can buy a 3 pin plug cable that will do the trick, but what are the other options?

[Scabutz]

Granny charger plugs into a normal 3 pin socket. It will charge at about 2.6-3.2kw. It's slow. You can get commando sockets which can handle upto 32amp which will let you charge at 7.2kw. That will get you from 40 to 80% in about 4-5 hours. But you need the supply and socket fitted

Or for about a grand you get a dedicated charger installed on a wall on the outside of your house. They also generally charge at 7.2kw.

[EVLATECOMER]

Scabutz said:

Granny charger plugs into a normal 3 pin socket. It will charge at about 2.6-3.2kw. It's slow. You can get commando sockets which can handle upto 32amp which will let you charge at 7.2kw. That will get you from 40 to 80% in about 4-5 hours. But you need the supply and socket fitted

Or for about a grand you get a dedicated charger installed on a wall on the outside of your house. They also generally charge at 7.2kw.

3 pin UKGranny charger is usually 10 Amps maximum x 230 Bolts = 2.3kW

[RayDonovan]

TypeR said:

I’m just about to take the plunge and buy a nearly new 500e for the Mrs.
I have a driveway so will be able to charge at home.
Our current energy supplier is EON who seem to have a competitive EV rate so likely to stay with them.
I’m slightly confused by terms like Granny charger, Commando plugs and so on. I understand I can buy a 3 pin plug cable that will do the trick, but what are the other options?

Takes a while for EON to switch you over onto the EV tariff so I would do it asap. You need a Smart meter and then it's nearly 2 weeks after the installation for them to move you over.

[Uncle boshy]

Worth choosing a charger that you can programme when to charge to take advantage of your cheaper rate.

If your going with eon for the charger install, the Wallbox pulsar they offer definitely has the timer

[df76]

EVLATECOMER said:

Scabutz said:

Granny charger plugs into a normal 3 pin socket. It will charge at about 2.6-3.2kw. It's slow. You can get commando sockets which can handle upto 32amp which will let you charge at 7.2kw. That will get you from 40 to 80% in about 4-5 hours. But you need the supply and socket fitted

Or for about a grand you get a dedicated charger installed on a wall on the outside of your house. They also generally charge at 7.2kw.

3 pin UKGranny charger is usually 10 Amps maximum x 230 Bolts = 2.3kW

We used a granny charger set up when we first got an EV, and worked really well. Just make sure that the socket you’re using is good enough for a constant 10A load. My modern 16A rated garage socket was no issue, but my parents ageing garage electrics can’t cope with that.

[RoadToad84]

Scabutz said:

Granny charger plugs into a normal 3 pin socket. It will charge at about 2.6-3.2kw. It's slow. You can get commando sockets which can handle upto 32amp which will let you charge at 7.2kw. That will get you from 40 to 80% in about 4-5 hours. But you need the supply and socket fitted

Or for about a grand you get a dedicated charger installed on a wall on the outside of your house. They also generally charge at 7.2kw.

Is there anything to stop a charger being mounted further away?

My house is set down from the road about 6 feet, accessed by steps, and the parking area is about 100 yards away.

I figured that if and when the time comes, I could just run a long extension and granny charger. But if I could mount a dedicated charger on like a concrete post or something, and bury the cable, that would be preferable. Any issues with a longer cable run?

[gmaz]

If you have a driveway, you are best off getting a dedicated EV charger.

EON sell wallbox chargers which are OK, so its worth going with that option so you don't get two different suppliers blaming each other if there are any issues.

https://www.eonnext.com/electric-vehicles/home-cha...

[ashenfie]

RoadToad84 said:

Scabutz said:

Granny charger plugs into a normal 3 pin socket. It will charge at about 2.6-3.2kw. It's slow. You can get commando sockets which can handle upto 32amp which will let you charge at 7.2kw. That will get you from 40 to 80% in about 4-5 hours. But you need the supply and socket fitted

Or for about a grand you get a dedicated charger installed on a wall on the outside of your house. They also generally charge at 7.2kw.

Is there anything to stop a charger being mounted further away?

My house is set down from the road about 6 feet, accessed by steps, and the parking area is about 100 yards away.

I figured that if and when the time comes, I could just run a long extension and granny charger. But if I could mount a dedicated charger on like a concrete post or something, and bury the cable, that would be preferable. Any issues with a longer cable run?

[ashenfie]

RoadToad84 said:

Scabutz said:

Granny charger plugs into a normal 3 pin socket. It will charge at about 2.6-3.2kw. It's slow. You can get commando sockets which can handle upto 32amp which will let you charge at 7.2kw. That will get you from 40 to 80% in about 4-5 hours. But you need the supply and socket fitted

Or for about a grand you get a dedicated charger installed on a wall on the outside of your house. They also generally charge at 7.2kw.

Is there anything to stop a charger being mounted further away?

My house is set down from the road about 6 feet, accessed by steps, and the parking area is about 100 yards away.

I figured that if and when the time comes, I could just run a long extension and granny charger. But if I could mount a dedicated charger on like a concrete post or something, and bury the cable, that would be preferable. Any issues with a longer cable run?

Extension car are a definite bad idea. The maximum distance from the house for a standard Ev charger is 15m. In any event the cost of 100m of cable being berried would be very expensive.

[RoadToad84]

ashenfie said:

Extension car are a definite bad idea. The maximum distance from the house for a standard Ev charger is 15m. In any event the cost of 100m of cable being berried would be very expensive.

That's disappointing. Rules out any form of home charging at this property.

[RSTom]

RayDonovan said:

Takes a while for EON to switch you over onto the EV tariff so I would do it asap. You need a Smart meter and then it's nearly 2 weeks after the installation for them to move you over.

Took them about a week to switch me over, still waiting for the car and charger but the tariff for me was the easiest part

Edited by RSTom on Sunday 15th December 17:58

[Penny Whistle]

Do you have or do you expect to get solar power at all ? Some devices (like my Hypervolt) can be set to divert any excess solar power into the car.

(By the way, the device on the wall is properly called EVSE - Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment - even though most people refer to it as a charger. The actual charger is in the car itself)

[Murph7355]

RoadToad84 said:

Is there anything to stop a charger being mounted further away?

My house is set down from the road about 6 feet, accessed by steps, and the parking area is about 100 yards away.

I figured that if and when the time comes, I could just run a long extension and granny charger. But if I could mount a dedicated charger on like a concrete post or something, and bury the cable, that would be preferable. Any issues with a longer cable run?

Talk to an electrician (/EV charger installer).

[ashenfie]

ashenfie said:

RoadToad84 said:

Scabutz said:

Granny charger plugs into a normal 3 pin socket. It will charge at about 2.6-3.2kw. It's slow. You can get commando sockets which can handle upto 32amp which will let you charge at 7.2kw. That will get you from 40 to 80% in about 4-5 hours. But you need the supply and socket fitted

Or for about a grand you get a dedicated charger installed on a wall on the outside of your house. They also generally charge at 7.2kw.

Is there anything to stop a charger being mounted further away?

My house is set down from the road about 6 feet, accessed by steps, and the parking area is about 100 yards away.

I figured that if and when the time comes, I could just run a long extension and granny charger. But if I could mount a dedicated charger on like a concrete post or something, and bury the cable, that would be preferable. Any issues with a longer cable run?

Extension car are a definite bad idea. The maximum distance from the house for a standard Ev charger is 15m. In any event the cost of 100m of cable being berried would be very expensive.

Me too

[Mikehig]

From posts and comments about V2G, V2H, etc, it might be worth making sure any new charger has that capability so that it is "future-proof".

[Nomme de Plum]

RoadToad84 said:

ashenfie said:

Extension car are a definite bad idea. The maximum distance from the house for a standard Ev charger is 15m. In any event the cost of 100m of cable being berried would be very expensive.

That's disappointing. Rules out any form of home charging at this property.

If you are able to install a wire way underground to the charge point then a larger cable can be used so as to reduce volt drop so 100m maybe doable. The drum of say 10mm2 SWA would be circa £450. and ducting about £250. You'd need to add the cost of a trench as well easily done with a mini digger if soft landscaping. The actual chargers are around £600.

[RoadToad84]

Nomme de Plum said:

If you are able to install a wire way underground to the charge point then a larger cable can be used so as to reduce volt drop so 100m maybe doable. The drum of say 10mm2 SWA would be circa £450. and ducting about £250. You'd need to add the cost of a trench as well easily done with a mini digger if soft landscaping. The actual chargers are around £600.

So it's a possibility then. I'm not in the market for an EV yet, but I think having one would fulfill a big chunk of our household use.

[ashenfie]

As always the cost is not in the parts but the labour, cost for the trench is about £30 per meter, so think around £4,000 for a 100m away,

[tivver500]

You could 'mole' it if the ground is reasonable. Line it with a 50mm pvc pipe and pull the cable through.
That should be less than £1k.....