upgrading home charger

[Peterch]

Hi Ive "currently" got a rolec 32amp non tethered home charger which was fitted when I got my first ev some 7 years ago, Its worked absolutely perfectly but I think that if I want to take advantage of reduced costs at off peak tariff would need a smart charger. Is it possible to upgrade my current unit or would I need a new charger. Recommendations please

 

[Jomarkh]

Making my dumb Rolec charger a smart one for under £20

I've seen a few comments on posts which have suggested using a Shelly 1 Switch to upgrade a dumb charger to allow timed charging. Well now I've done it and I can confirm: 1. It works 2. It's relatively easy to install (I’m no genius and I did it) 3. Cost me under £20 and saved £800 on...

www.mgevs.com

Have a look at this?

 

[Ozzie1989]

Also be aware if you're not already on an EV/Smart tariff you may struggle to actually switch to one at the moment.

Octopus have an offer on for a smart OHME lead that could plug into your existing charger to make it smart here.

 

[Lovemyev]

Making my dumb Rolec charger a smart one for under £20

I've seen a few comments on posts which have suggested using a Shelly 1 Switch to upgrade a dumb charger to allow timed charging. Well now I've done it and I can confirm: 1. It works 2. It's relatively easy to install (I’m no genius and I did it) 3. Cost me under £20 and saved £800 on...

www.mgevs.com

Have a look at this?

I did a similar mod using a Sonoff Wi-Fi relay in my dumb Rolec wall box about two years ago.
Controlled from an App on my phone.
Brilliant for carrying out delayed charging on cheaper off - peak electric tariffs.
The original ZS EV had no provision built into the car, in order to carry out delayed charging.

 

[Peterch]

Thanks for response not sure I would be happy /confident in doing a mod myself, anyone local that could do it?

 

[MG5]

Contactors and timers in the consumer unit if you get an electrician in, you can then set it to come on off peak hours, or a WiFi timer at 40 amp rated off AliExpress if you're feeling brave, probably still need the electrician though...

 

[Peterch]

As an after thought can i use a granny charger and a simple timer that would start charging when off peak tariff kicks in?

 

[MG5]

Yeah you could use something like a 3kw immersion timer but granny take long time do her thing!

 

[Jomarkh]

The granny is about 2.2kwh, so in four hours it will add 10kw which is a 1/5th of my SR battery.

 

[sido]

At present I don’t think the off peak offer/s with rates charged for normal use warrant buying a dedicated charger. An avaerage charger installed costs about £700 with the grant. My latest attempt to get off peak tariff with Octopus returned about 40p per kWh for normal use to get the 5p per KWh reduced rate from 12.30 to 4.30 am. My current tariff costs 24p per kWh without off peak reductions.I don’t think I need to do all sums to explain that currently unless you already have an overnight tariff reduction buying a smart wall charger does not make sense. If like me you can plug your granny charger in from about 4 .00 pm until 7.00am pretty much everyday you can more than rejuvenate power used. It will be different if overnight tariffs become competitive again, but for now I would not waste money on one. I use about 3000 kwh normally excluding my car. assuming I did 8000 miles a year and assuming that would use with 80 % of my charge being at home I would need to get back the extra cost of 3000 kWh at the difference between 40 p and 24 p per kWh ( £ 480) and the saving (based on 8000 miles a year and 80% charge at home equalling approx 6400 miles and achieving 3.1 miles per kWh gives about 2060 kWh per year based on @ 5p per kWh and comparing that with my current tariff means approx £390 is saved on car journey costs at the reduced rate. So at present I reckon It would cost me £90 a year more to use a smart charger with the latest quote I have from Octopus over my granny plug. Please take into account I am retired, most of my mileage is taking grandchildren to school and my maths aren’t what they used to be.

 

[bwanamdevu]

At present I don’t think the off peak offer/s with rates charged for normal use warrant buying a dedicated charger. An avaerage charger installed costs about £700 with the grant. My latest attempt to get off peak tarrif with Octopus returned about 40p per kWh for normal use to get the 5p per KWh reduced rate from 12.30 to 4.30 am. My current tariff costs 24p per kWh without off peak reductions.I don’t think I need to do all sums to explain that currently unless you already have an overnight tariff reduction buying a smart wall charger does not make sense. If like me you can plug your granny charger in from about 4 .00 pm until 7.00am pretty much everyday you can more than rejuvenate power used. It will be different if overnight tariffs become competitive again, but for now I would not waste money on one. I use about 3000 kwh normally excluding my car. assuming I did 8000 miles a year and assuming that would use with 80 % of my charge being at home I would need to get back the extra cost of 3000 kWh at the difference between 40 p and 24 p per kWh ( £ 480) and the saving (based on 8000 miles a year and 80% charge at home equalling approx 6400 miles and achieving 3.1 miles per kWh gives about 2060 kWh per year based on @ 5p per kWh and comparing that with my current tariff means approx £390 is saved on car journey costs at the reduced rate. So at present I reckon It would cost me £90 a year more to use a smart charger with the latest quote I have from Octopus over my granny plug.Please take into account I am retired, most of my mileage is taking grandchildren to school and my maths aren’t what they used to be.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the Wallbox that I am scheduled to have mounted at the end of January. The estimate is around £700 and like you, my mileage is not enormous, probably a thousand or so less than you mate!

I do few early morning runs and collecting grandkids for school rarely. Most lengthy runs will be in summer - if we get one - and then I’ll need to use public chargers. I can make use of free supermarket chargers to ‘top-up’ a bit and when I visit my family in Worksop, can use the free-to-use rapid chargers at Asda! They are 22 and 50 kw!
Reckon I will cancel the install and just use my old Granny!

Thanks, you have convinced me, especially as I am too lazy to do those calculations myself!

 

[geobanc7]

At present I don’t think the off peak offer/s with rates charged for normal use warrant buying a dedicated charger. An avaerage charger installed costs about £700 with the grant. My latest attempt to get off peak tarrif with Octopus returned about 40p per kWh for normal use to get the 5p per KWh reduced rate from 12.30 to 4.30 am. My current tariff costs 24p per kWh without off peak reductions.I don’t think I need to do all sums to explain that currently unless you already have an overnight tariff reduction buying a smart wall charger does not make sense. If like me you can plug your granny charger in from about 4 .00 pm until 7.00am pretty much everyday you can more than rejuvenate power used. It will be different if overnight tariffs become competitive again, but for now I would not waste money on one. I use about 3000 kwh normally excluding my car. assuming I did 8000 miles a year and assuming that would use with 80 % of my charge being at home I would need to get back the extra cost of 3000 kWh at the difference between 40 p and 24 p per kWh ( £ 480) and the saving (based on 8000 miles a year and 80% charge at home equalling approx 6400 miles and achieving 3.1 miles per kWh gives about 2060 kWh per year based on @ 5p per kWh and comparing that with my current tariff means approx £390 is saved on car journey costs at the reduced rate. So at present I reckon It would cost me £90 a year more to use a smart charger with the latest quote I have from Octopus over my granny plug.Please take into account I am retired, most of my mileage is taking grandchildren to school and my maths aren’t what they used to be.

hi
I managed to get onto Octopus Go beginning of October my tariff is 5p between 00.30 and 4.30 and just under 26p rest of the time.We find by putting on dishwasher , washer and drier on with their timers during cheap rate save a fortune

 

[smokie]

I shifted my 4 hour 5p window from 00:30 start to 20:30 start (when you could do that!) so much of my evening use is cheap too, which is handy.

 

[DON]

Only do 5000 miles per year had a few quotes for smart chargers cheapest so far approx. £700 after grant, thinking now to get a commando socket fitted and buy a commando to type 2 lead, and just set car to charge between 11pm and 7am as I have economy seven any thoughts.

 

[Jomarkh]

Hi, you will still need an EVSE as you can't just plug your car via a type 2 cable and commando into the mains

 

[Cocijo]

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the Wallbox that I am scheduled to have mounted at the end of January. The estimate is around £700 and like you, my mileage is not enormous, probably a thousand or so less than you mate!

I do few early morning runs and collecting grandkids for school rarely. Most lengthy runs will be in summer - if we get one - and then I’ll need to use public chargers. I can make use of free supermarket chargers to ‘top-up’ a bit and when I visit my family in Worksop, can use the free-to-use rapid chargers at Asda! They are 22 and 50 kw!
Reckon I will cancel the install and just use my old Granny!

Thanks, you have convinced me, especially as I am too lazy to do those calculations myself!

Yes, it depends on your requirements. If you intend to stay EV for a long time a home box is an investment. Bear in mind you will only get max 7kw/hr from the AC 22 and 50 chargers.

 

[DON]

Hi, you will still need an EVSE as you can't just plug your car via a type 2 cable and commando into the mains

EVSE ?

 

[Jomarkh]

Electric vehicle supply equipment. The car does the charging the box is just a switch to manage the supply and tells the car what current can be drawn

 

[DON]

Electric vehicle supply equipment. The car does the charging the box is just a switch to manage the supply and tells the car what current can be drawn

Thanks jomarkh i thought if just plug in I will pull about 2.kw which I would be happy with is that not correct ?‍

 

[Ozzie1989]

If you have a 32a commando socket fitted and buy a commando to type 2 charging lead it will be fine, lots have done it. If you get the OHME one you can program it too (cheaper if you're an octopus customer).