PHEV Charging

[SO8]

Just interested to know how people do it ... '13A' plug lead or via a dedicated 7Kw 'ish charger ?

I just use an outside socket atm without any issues but am not charging every day.  Tempted by a dedicated charger for the 2.5 hours full charge but that is lazy really as I am not doing the miles ... and it costs nearly £1K for an untethered one.

What are people doing ? 

[nlee]

7kw charge point. On a 4 hour cheap rate window overnight so it pays towards it and couldn't get a full charge at cheap rate on a granny charger. And to future proof of I go full EV next time.

[ernieb]

240v granny cable for the last 2 years. I only have a 65A incoming supply so a 7kW charger would be a problem even if I could convince someone to use load balancing. Currently we use gas for heating, hot water and cooking so our use of electricity is relatively low but the low incoming supply is still and issue. That said I've never had an issue using the 240v system which I run via a separate box with a trip and lighenting suppressor. (Materplug)

[IanML]

14 hours ago, SO8 said:

... and it costs nearly £1K for an untethered one.

It doesn't have to.  I spent less than half that, using a QUBEV charger.  It has become more sophisticated and a bit more expensive now, but you should still be able to keep under £500, as it now incorporates PEN protection (for which I had to buy a separate unit elsewhere).  The support I received from the manufacturer when I had a bit of an accident installing it was superb, and they sent me replacement parts without charge, so I strongly recommend them.  Link to QUBEV

[JDK-SL7]

I have a 7kw PodPoint solo 3 tethered. Cost £615 online and a local electrician installed for me for about £100. 
 

Very happy with it. Full charge in 2-3 hours. 

[Lawnmowerman]

British Gas installed wall charger (paid by Toyota).

Does the job within my cheap(er) rate window.

[Nick72]

7.4kW wall box. Cost me a few hundred quid. Mostly got the grant. Make who owns an electrical firm put it in. 6.6kW is I think the max power the PHEV will accept. Takes about 2.5hrs to 3hrs from empty. Depends upon temperature. 

I find it helpful bring able to charge if I'm going somewhere and I haven't planned. Just plug in for a zap.

[SO8]

I was quoted £1380 fit only by an electrician off check a trade !   Err, I think not as Octopus were £975 supply and fit all in !!! 

Add an Ohme epod charger at about £550 ish and it is very very dear … nearly £2k 😳😳

My local electrician who fitted an outside 13a socket for £160 wants £330 to fit a unit where I want it and £60 to change the diameter of the ‘tails’ from the fuse box to the meter from 16mm to I think 25mm which is required.

The issue I am having is that I was with Bulb who were taken over by Octopus.  Octopus need to change the meter and their ‘tails’ before UK power networks will install a 100A fuse.  
 

Octopus say the transition from Bulb for changing meters has not yet happened and they can’t book an appointment even for a site visit to look !  

If, however, I ring their department that supply and instal the home chargers he reckons he can sort it with a phone call and install in 5-6 weeks for a fixed price of £975 all in.  

Now, different departments granted, but that stinks of forcing me to use them, at least if I want it in the short term ,as their meter people have no date for the change over for them to book a site visit 🤬🤬

[Nick72]

2 minutes ago, SO8 said:

I was quoted £1380 fit only by an electrician off check a trade !   Err, I think not as Octopus were £975 supply and fit all in !!! 

Add an Ohme epod about £550 ish and it is dear …

 

My local electrician who fitted an outside 13a socket for £160 wants £330 to fit a unit where I want it and £60 to change the diameter of the ‘tails’ from the fuse box to the meter from 16mm to I think 25mm which is required.

The issue I am having is that I was with Bulb who were taken over by Octopus.  Octopus need to change the meter and their ‘tails’ before UK power networks will install a 100A fuse.  
 

Octopus say the transition from Bulb for changing meters has not yet happened and they can’t book an appointment even for a site visit to look !  

If, however, I ring their department that supply and instal the home chargers he reckons he can sort it with a phone call and install in 5-6 weeks for a fixed price of £975 all in.  

Now, different departments granted, but that stinks of forcing me to use them, at least if I want it in the short term ,as their meter people have no date for the change over for them to book a site visit 🤬🤬

Seems pretty rough. Must be very frustrating to say the least. On the plus side, if you're doing mostly short trips then this time of year I get 50 to 58 miles per charge without having to drive like driving miss daisy. So depending on your mileage you might get away with a Saturday night once a week charge with the granny cable?

There was a golden age about 3 or 4 years ago when it cost next to nothing. I even got a long wall box charger lead thrown in, exactly to my spec. Cost me about 250 to 300 ish I think. All up. That included putting a 30A (I think it was 30) breaker in to the consumer unit. Mates rates and a hefty grant and know how on how to maximise the grant since my mate had just put his staff through a series of courses on installation and how to max out the grant for consumer and business. Got lucky. Had another make of PHEV before the RAV so that set it up nicely.

Part of it is a sort of peace of mind , thinking I'm down to 13 miles now, just a plug in before the next trip.

 

 

[PeterBQ]

I use a Hive 7kW charger installed by British Gas at Toyota's expense. It took a year, as I had to get Listed Buildings permission for the cable to go through the wall, plus an upgrade of the house main fuse and Cable (free from PowerGen) and an Isolator (free from EDF).  Well worth having, as I charge overnight on Economy 7. Did have to pay a local electrician for some work too, but altogether a good offer from Toyota. That was 16 months ago - don't know if they're still doing it.

I also used a Granny Charger for a year, but now only if I want to top up during the day using solar, as the Hive is no good for that.  If the Hive hadn't been free, I think a Zappi would have been the best bet as it will trickle charge from excess solar.