Charger Install Ripoff

pshotton

pshotton

Standard Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2021
Messages
31
Reaction score
33
Points
14
Location
Ramsgate, UK
Driving
MG ZS EV
Hi all. I'm getting quotes to have a Zappi charger installed at my home. I have a 3 phase supply (for historical reasons). 1 phase feeds the main building consumer unit, 1 phase directly feeds the garage consumer unit (and nothing else) and the 3rd phase is unused. Each phase has a 60/80A supply fuse (I don't know if it's 60 or 80, the label says 60/80). The garage consumer unit is fitted with a 63A type A RCD, and has 3 MCBs, 20A for sockets, 6A for lights, and 32A spare for EV charger. All certified etc etc. The garage consumer unit is less than 2m from the point at which the Zappi will be installed (on the other side of the wall). So my simple brain says that installation will require drilling the (single brick) wall, mounting the charger, wiring it back to the consumer unit, testing and handover. I have several quotes ranging from £870 to over £1000 for installation AFTER the deduction of the £350 OLEV grant. A Zappi and hub and current pickup cost £815 retail (from Zappi's website), I don't need an earth rod or anything. Additional materials are 2m of 10mm T&E (which I can supply), a few screws and wall plugs, and some cable clips. How can labour and materials cost between £405 and over £635 for what looks to me less than 1 hour's work? Does this feel like a rip-off or what?

My own electrician will do the job but he's not OLEV certified so I lose the £350 grant. Does he need anything more than PartP to fit the Zappi?

I'd love to hear what others have to say about this.
Thanks
Phil
 
Hi Phil, I can empathise with you as I had similar experience receiving quotes for “standard” installation from companies. I trawled Yellow Pages and eventually found a local OLEV registered electrician who completed installation at reasonable cost.
My only suggestion would be to get estimates from registered local electricians or advertise for someone to complete installation.
I have no doubt the OLEV grant is being used by companies to over charge for the service.
Good luck and keep us posted as to how you get on.
Iain
 
pshotton said:
Hi all. I'm getting quotes to have a Zappi charger installed at my home. I have a 3 phase supply (for historical reasons). 1 phase feeds the main building consumer unit, 1 phase directly feeds the garage consumer unit (and nothing else) and the 3rd phase is unused. Each phase has a 60/80A supply fuse (I don't know if it's 60 or 80, the label says 60/80). The garage consumer unit is fitted with a 63A type A RCD, and has 3 MCBs, 20A for sockets, 6A for lights, and 32A spare for EV charger. All certified etc etc. The garage consumer unit is less than 2m from the point at which the Zappi will be installed (on the other side of the wall). So my simple brain says that installation will require drilling the (single brick) wall, mounting the charger, wiring it back to the consumer unit, testing and handover. I have several quotes ranging from £870 to over £1000 for installation AFTER the deduction of the £350 OLEV grant. A Zappi and hub and current pickup cost £815 retail (from Zappi's website), I don't need an earth rod or anything. Additional materials are 2m of 10mm T&E (which I can supply), a few screws and wall plugs, and some cable clips. How can labour and materials cost between £405 and over £635 for what looks to me less than 1 hour's work? Does this feel like a rip-off or what?

My own electrician will do the job but he's not OLEV certified so I lose the £350 grant. Does he need anything more than PartP to fit the Zappi?

I'd love to hear what others have to say about this.
Thanks
Phil
Click to expand...
Does seem pricey. My quote was for around £800 after the OLEV and , I wanted about 10m extra cable to reposition the charger at the end of my drive . Guessing, £250 for the head unit, £100 for additional materials and the rest labour. Local company and keen to support them.
 
pshotton said:
Hi all. I'm getting quotes to have a Zappi charger installed at my home. I have a 3 phase supply (for historical reasons). 1 phase feeds the main building consumer unit, 1 phase directly feeds the garage consumer unit (and nothing else) and the 3rd phase is unused. Each phase has a 60/80A supply fuse (I don't know if it's 60 or 80, the label says 60/80). The garage consumer unit is fitted with a 63A type A RCD, and has 3 MCBs, 20A for sockets, 6A for lights, and 32A spare for EV charger. All certified etc etc. The garage consumer unit is less than 2m from the point at which the Zappi will be installed (on the other side of the wall). So my simple brain says that installation will require drilling the (single brick) wall, mounting the charger, wiring it back to the consumer unit, testing and handover. I have several quotes ranging from £870 to over £1000 for installation AFTER the deduction of the £350 OLEV grant. A Zappi and hub and current pickup cost £815 retail (from Zappi's website), I don't need an earth rod or anything. Additional materials are 2m of 10mm T&E (which I can supply), a few screws and wall plugs, and some cable clips. How can labour and materials cost between £405 and over £635 for what looks to me less than 1 hour's work? Does this feel like a rip-off or what?

My own electrician will do the job but he's not OLEV certified so I lose the £350 grant. Does he need anything more than PartP to fit the Zappi?

I'd love to hear what others have to say about this.
Thanks
Phil
Click to expand...
Hi Phil - just wondering if it HAS to be a Zappi? I went to Pod Point and they sorted everything out. They sub-contract to a local electrician so I just waited for Pod Point to come back with a date. After deducting the OLEV Grant and the Scottish EST Grant, the charger ended up costing me just £200 all installed and running.

Whilst I would recommend Pod Point, there are obviously others but quotes of over £1000 before the OLEV Grant does seem a bit excessive to me!

Cheers

Bloggsy
 
I have ordered standard install of podpoint tethered. Cost me 559 all including 32.50 for a key lock(after ozev grant). There are no quotes, it is fixed price. Waiting for installation scheduling. Will post here regarding the install process.
 
LeoRBK said:
I have ordered standard install of podpoint tethered. Cost me 559 all including 32.50 for a key lock(after ozev grant). There are no quotes, it is fixed price. Waiting for installation scheduling. Will post here regarding the install process.
Click to expand...
Yeah - that sounds about right. I went for an untethered unit without a key lock so mines was slightly cheaper (I won't mention the Scottish Grant - again! ;) :ROFLMAO: )

Cheers

Bloggsy
 
i paid £600 for a project ev pro including a small consumer unit in the meter box i do think they all well over priced but what can you do ?
 
Although there’s not much choice in our part of Tasmania, we found a specialist supplier and installer for our Zappi. The install is about $650 AUD (350 pounds) set price which considering the cost of electrical work here, I think is quite reasonable. No subsidies available. Still waiting for my white Zappi to arrive though!
 
TassiedEVil said:
Although there’s not much choice in our part of Tasmania, we found a specialist supplier and installer for our Zappi. The install is about $650 AUD (350 pounds) set price which considering the cost of electrical work here, I think is quite reasonable. No subsidies available. Still waiting for my white Zappi to arrive though!
Click to expand...
The lowest quote I received for zappi was 750 including charger and install. In the end I decided to go with podpoint which came in 200gbp cheaper.
350gbp is the install charges being quoted in UK for zappi, comparable to what you received there.
 
Slightly off topic, but why does zappi get mentioned everywhere?
I don't get its 'celebrity' status.
Would love to hear from fanboys and haters.
 
I've recently had a Zappi installed. Don't have solar and no intention to but may have a house battery at some point.

My electrician persuaded me to have a Zappi as he insisted they are first class quality and come with PEN fault detection (whatever that is).

Have to say, so far so good. Charges the car, handles delayed charging no problems. The app works well.

I guess it was a tad more expensive than other chargers but I don't mind paying a bit extra for a good quality solution (and, being in Scotland, we get an extra £300 grant towards the cost).
 
thanks Jamesie, so [paraphrasing here] 1) recommended by electrician, and 2) PEN fault detection 3) quality seems up to scratch and 4) app does what it's supposed to do.

No other redeeming features ?
[not trying to be rude, simply trying to understand why the zappi seems to have caught the imagination 🤔]
 
Evan Jehlyst said:
thanks Jamesie, so [paraphrasing here] 1) recommended by electrician, and 2) PEN fault detection 3) quality seems up to scratch and 4) app does what it's supposed to do.

No other redeeming features ?
[not trying to be rude, simply trying to understand why the zappi seems to have caught the imagination 🤔]
Click to expand...
I would imagine if the purchaser has solar panels it's an effective way of managing how the electricity generated is used.
 
Support us by becoming a Premium Member

Latest MG EVs video

MG3 Hybrid+ & Cyberster Configurator News + hot topics from the MG EVs forums
Published
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom