Charging from a granny lead, dangers?🔥🤔

[Rolfe]

That's nice, but it doesn't mention how much they're charging during the rest of the day.

 

[Deleted member 10041]

That's nice, but it doesn't mention how much they're charging during the rest of the day.

Which tariff are you asking about?

 

[Rolfe]

Which tariff are you asking about?

The one being discussed in the article linked in the previous post.

 

[KH11]

If you want it in black and white...

Octopus Energy EV tariff and zappi partnership | myenergi GB

Octopus Energy has a new EV tariff aimed at drivers which could make electric vehicle charging 70% cheaper than the typical Big 6 rates

www.myenergi.com

Thanks for that but that is talking about the GO tariff and not the Intelligent one. Go gives 4 hours at a cheaper rate whereas Intelligent gives 6 hours which isn’t currently compatible with the Zappi charger.

 

[CarlMG4]

The one being discussed in the article linked in the previous post.

Intelligent Octopus

The UK's most awarded energy supplier. We're doing energy better - for you and the environment.

octopus.energy

Click 'check rates in my area'

They differ slightly depending on geolocation.

My area is now at 38p day and 7.5 night

 

[Deleted member 10041]

The one being discussed in the article linked in the previous post.

You will be 7.5 and 38 I'd imagine

 

[Rolfe]

You will be 7.5 and 38 I'd imagine

OK, I found it. I'd need to do some sums to see whether it would be worth it to me.

 

[siteguru]

60p standing charge too. And what about dual fuel?

 

[Rolfe]

I'm not sure it's worth it for me. I have quite a high electricity usage during the day, and I don't have a huge regular mileage.

 

[siteguru]

In our case there's no way Mrs. Guru would agree to time-shifting washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher etc. to periods when we'd be asleep, so such time-of-day tariffs are pointless for us.

 

[Rolfe]

I could think about it, but since I haven't really analysed my electricity usage until now it's going to take some time to collate all the data.

 

[Lovemyev]

I'm not sure it's worth it for me. I have quite a high electricity usage during the day, and I don't have a huge regular mileage.

This being the case and your EV mileage is classed as “Low User Case” then I don’t think a time of day tariff ( off peak ) is going to be more cost effective TBH.
We cover roughly 10,000 miles per year and have pushed a lot of usage into the “Off Peak” rate.
Therefore our night time usage is higher than our day time usage, so to this end I do consider the time of day tariff works in our particular case.
Our day time rate is almost 40p / KWh but the night rate is super cheap at 4.5p / KWh.
But as I have stated before, no two cases are ever the same.

 

[Rolfe]

I can see how that would work for you. I need to look into it a bit more, but even if I made a habit of leaving the washing machine and the dishwasher until bed-time and turning them on after 11.30, I'm not sure it would offset the higher daytime rate.

There is also a free charging point quite near me (although I don't know how long that will last for) and I also mean to look into going to that point sometimes. (Not entirely free. I would have a coffee and cake in the café it's attached to.)

 

[Tigger]

I'm considering the following items:

View attachment 16902

When I went to France recently I purchased an extension lead from Tough Leads to enable me to convert from a French socket to my Granny charger. I used this regularly at the house I was staying at (day and night) also overnight at a hotel. The charge rate was typically 2kw, and there was never any issue with the electrics - the extension cable seemed robust enough.

Note that French sockets are generally rated at 16 amps, so significantly more than the UK 13A. I agree with getting the socket you are going to use checked, and having it on a ring main. Good luck!

 

[Ian Key]

French sockets are wired different. They don't have ring mains as each socket is wired individually to its own fuse in the consumer unit. Also the live, neutral and earth wires are separate cables and run inside a conduit.

 

[tsedge]

French sockets are wired different. They don't have ring mains as each socket is wired individually to its own fuse in the consumer unit. Also the live, neutral and earth wires are separate cables and run inside a conduit.

Exactly. It uses much more cable but is inherently more capable. Weirdly though the French traditionally supply a far lower max current than in the UK and many older properties have to be upgraded to run modern appliances let alone EVs.

 

[Ian Key]

Exactly. It uses much more cable but is inherently more capable. Weirdly though the French traditionally supply a far lower max current than in the UK and many older properties have to be upgraded to run modern appliances let alone EVs.

I only know because my brother had a barn conversion done in Brittany as a holiday home

 

[tsedge]

I only know because my brother had a barn conversion done in Brittany as a holiday home

And me because my parents have a property in Lot-et-Garonne

 

[Rolfe]

I was being a bit flippant, but if these things were as dangerous as some people are making out, there should be daily or at least weekly local newspaper stories about people's houses going up in flames, and more to the point, vendors should be required to provide purchasers with explicit warnings and instructions for safe installation. If it's not possible to operate a granny charger safely they should be banned.

I'm all for the safe installation part, and the good advice as to how to use a granny charger properly. However, I think "get a wall box or your house will catch fire" is a tad over the top.

To be absolutely fair to MG, I finally found the bit in the manual that goes on about this. It's on page 166. Quite a bit of reading before you get there, even with Sloucher's excellent hard-copy manual. Just how anyone would realistically find it on a digital copy I'm not sure.

They describe the granny lead as "an emergency home charging kit" and state that it is essential to get an electritian to check that the infrastructure of the property will support it. They then go on to talk about installed charging points and only using a qualified reputable supplier and installer.

So it is there, but it's buried. Certainly my dealer (who knew I'd only started looking at EVs days before I drove off in my new car) didn't say a word about it. It hasn't changed my general thoughts on the matter, but I absolve MG themselves of over-complacency.

 

[Lovemyev]

They describe the granny lead as "an emergency home charging kit" and state that it is essential to get an electritian to check that the infrastructure of the property will support it. They then go on to talk about installed charging points and only using a qualified reputable supplier and installer.

Right there is what they call the "Covering your arse" statement.
Like I said in my post above, almost everybody in the U.K. has access to a three pin socket outlet at their property or place of work.
So, this COULD be misinterpreted ( by some ) as implying that the provided Granny unit, is suitable for use in every single one of these properties !.
Any liability issues that could arise by incorrectly using it on a NONE suitable electrical system, are counteracted by including the wording :- "It is essential that the user has their home electrical system is checked first for its suitability, by an electrician prior to it's use ( or worded in similar fashion ).
The term 'Granny' lead gets its "slang" name for two reasons really.

1) As the unit charges at a fairly slow SOC.

2) Because it was promoting the idea that charging your EV was SO simple, it could even be used to charge your EV when visiting your Granny on a Sunday afternoon.

One of the advantages of having a wall box installed is that the home electrical system's suitability has been checked at that fixed SINGLE property.
The system will have been fully checked PRIOR to the install and any issues ( like earth bonding of the gas or water supply ) have been highlighted and rectified.
It is a fixed device at that property and therefore there is no risk of it being used on another persons system, unlike the portable Granny of course.
The portability of a Granny unit is fantastic, but remember it makes no allowance for the condition of the electrical system that you intend to use it on !.
No two houses / electrical systems are every going to be at the same level of compliance.
The age of the property is not a full 100% indication of the state of the electrical system.