Smart charger or not?

[Rg5]

Now that grants for homeowners are gone. Having missed out due to lack of slots available when ordering my 5 a week before the 31st March deadline. I'm looking into get a home 7kwh charger installed now.

I've been quoted £620 for a basic untethered 'dumb' charger or £950 for a smart hypervolt charger. I'm on economy 7 so get my night rate is 7p cheaper than day rate which strangely is the same price as the anytime rate with my electric supplier.

If I'm charging on average between once and twice a week is it worth the extra outlay for the smart charger? I'm leaning towards this mainly as its tethered so no faff getting my type 2 cable out every time I charge

 

[Lguk]

The general consensus is that it will take several years to recoup the cost of a charger vs paying to charge at the daytime rate.

Personally had one installed for convenience and before the price went up, I factored it into the cost of my car so don't really think of it as an on-cost.

Ironically my smart charger is only working dumb because chargedEV are a bunch of clowns and Octopus are having trouble getting it sorted as they've dropped them as an installer for being clowns.

 

[Rg5]

Probably take much longer to recoup my costs as we only have 3 options of supplier and cheapest night rate is 14p currently and increasing 1st July. Only 7 p cheaper than daytime date.

I'll probably spend the extra 300 anyway as I also factored in the cost when changing on the smart charger price and for a non tethered I'd probably end up wanting a second type 2 cable which would like be at least £150 and at risk of theft as I don't know if you can lock the cable to the dumb charger

 

[Lguk]

Cables lock in both ends. I went untethered and use a 10m cable (like to reverse on the drive) for both home and work. Theft would require damage to car/charge point/cable. Which if its going to happen is going to happen regardless of type.

 

[Rg5]

From what I can see the box I was offered at 620 doesn't lock the cable at the charger end. So when car is not connected cable would be a quick grab and go for someone but see your point about if it was locked. At least with tethered connection if someone tried to steal it they'd have to cut and risk death to do so.

Suppose trying to justify over cost payback is a long game. And comes down to preference handiness to make decision. In previous times I probably wouldn't have even thought about the non smart options but got my gas bill today and hits home how tough the coming months and years are going to be. Just glad I'm not filling up at £90 a tank anymore

 

[jackois]

I agree with Lguk that convenience often trumps savings... and have an OHME pro home charger being fitted on Monday with an Octopus go tariff lined up...

 

[Rg5]

Yea I'm inclined to agree with you both to go with what suits best. From what I understand the hypervolt will suit my needs best being tethered and I can tie it in to the timings of my night time electricity rate over the next few years it will eventually even out the cost yet give me what I'll find convenient over that time

 

[BugEyed]

Personally I'd go tethered rather than untethered for security and convenience unless I have a regular need to charge the increasingly small proportion of cars with a Type 1.
I would not bother with a "smart" charge point unless you want to go onto a time of use tariff (such as Agile) - it's simple to modify a dumb one to run to fixed times.
I'd recommend a dumb charge point with discrete components such as Viridian as the life of some of the "smart" ones is not as good as the cost justifies, and there's too many suppliers in the market to guarantee the survival of any one. Others like PodPoint charge so much for a callout that repairs aren't economic.

 

[Rg5]

How do you modify the dumb ones to run at fixed times?

 

[BugEyed]

Add a timer switch such as a Shelly to the CP line.

 

[Rg5]

Had a search there and found more info. Thank you. Will look a bit more into that

 

[manictomb]

I have seen some time ago that all home ev chargers are and have to be smart so I say go for it no

 

[manictomb]

Ops now

 

[johnd973]

All chargers installed after 30th June have to be smart! I think I would be asking for a big discount from anyone offering to put in a non-smart charger as I'd be doing them a huge favour taking it off their hands.

Go for the smart charger, I think we are going to see an increasing number of electricity tariffs that require them to enable electricity suppliers to manage load.

 

[5teep]

Was going to say go dumb, I'm dumb (wink wink) and have no issues.
But johnd973 is correct, you have no choice but to buy smart from the end of this month.

/edit - Unless you live in NI.

 

[Rg5]

I do live in NI. But no doubt smart chargers will be mandatory shortly.

Great points and input from all. Definately think tethered will suit me best so going smart charger will also future proof things although may be worth holding off to see how cheap dumb chargers become if the need shifted

 

[5teep]

If you go tethered try to get a long cable. I started with 5mtrs but changed it for 10mtrs which is much easier for me.

 

[BugEyed]

I don't disagree with @5teep 's point for his circumstances, but longer than necessary cables are more difficult to handle particularly for less strong or able people.

 

[Gomev]

If you go tethered try to get a long cable. I started with 5mtrs but changed it for 10mtrs which is much easier for me.

I don't disagree with @5teep 's point for his circumstances, but longer than necessary cables are more difficult to handle particularly for less strong or able people.

Length of cable needed is purely down to your own location.
In my case I managed to place the 'box' centrally, i.e. halfway down, my drive so that I can drive in forwards or backwards and put the car in a position that the 5m tethered cable can reach.
Also if I change car then depending on where the socket is on the car it will reach so long as I put the car on the drive the right way.
Work out your own best place.

 

[Rg5]

My house is also a 1970s build and the fuse box and electric supply are under the stairs in the middle of the premises. Does anyone know what way this is wired through the house? Is it under floorboards or will I have an armoured cable running along some walls?