Toyota Home Charge

[philip42h]

On 6/12/2024 at 2:55 PM, Graham1969 said:

According to the online training it was supposed to be integrated into the MyToyota app but that doesnt work, or rather doesnt allow the addition of the charger to "My Garage" within the app as per the instructions.

Do you have the latest version of the My Toyota App installed?

It might be worth going to the Google Play Store / Apple App Store to check ... I didn't but do now - there was an update at the end of May (but it makes no difference to me). I'm clutching at straws ...

[Graham1969]

8 minutes ago, philip42h said:

Do you have the latest version of the My Toyota App installed?

It might be worth going to the Google Play Store / Apple App Store to check ... I didn't but do now - there was an update at the end of May (but it makes no difference to me). I'm clutching at straws ...

I do have the latest yes even tried deleting and downloading just in case. Thanks though 👍 

[SpenToy]

4 hours ago, Graham1969 said:

Quick update, still no joy have to wait again for British Gas but I checked last night the box is on, the power is fine, it just doesnt lock the cable in place and start charging. I have made sure there are no schedules either on the box or the car. 

British Gas called me today and said the Toyota box is only visible to Toyota not them, so yet again the finger pointing started. Still no answers on what is wrong from Toyota but seems they cant manage their own boxes. 

Thanks for all the useful suggestions I assume I am the only person in the UK with a Toyota homecharge box! I will come back once they have found a solution and let you all know what it is.

In that case, I will be the 2nd person to have a Toyota Homecharger come July.  Will update you all.

[Graham1969]

An update from British Gas/Hive.....
They are arranging to come and remove the Toyota homecharge because "Toyota do not have the software ready at their end for their boxes to work" was the explanation.

They are going to fit one of their favoured chargers instead which I will be able to control from the Hive app. Still not heard anything from Toyota. Dont have a date yet for when they are coming but hopefully it will be soon.

[Cyker]

Oh that's hilarious... did nobody check these things before hand!? It really feels like we're still in the beta-testing phase with all this stuff, except the customer is the beta-tester!!

Then again that's basically how Windows 10 and 11's QA is done so I guess this is the new normal...  

[Graham1969]

7 minutes ago, Cyker said:

Oh that's hilarious... did nobody check these things before hand!? It really feels like we're still in the beta-testing phase with all this stuff, except the customer is the beta-tester!!

Then again that's basically how Windows 10 and 11's QA is done so I guess this is the new normal...  

Spot on we really are testing it for them. Worse than that Toyota have spent months blaming British Gas for this rather than admit it, if they had been honest the installer could have installed the correct charger, he had one that would have worked in his van!

[DavidinDerbyshire]

On 6/11/2024 at 6:49 PM, Graham1969 said:

my advice is don't hold your breath!  

MY ADVICE IS “DON’T BELIEVE A WORD AND NEGOTIATE A DIFFERENT DEAL”.  It took 5 weeks for British Gas to arrange a “survey” which was done on my smartphone clarifying the detail I’d given in the first contact form.  I knew mine would be a non standard fitting since my car port is at the bottom of a tiny 7 metre garden and I do not want to reverse in on dark nights so the car charge point would be in the middle.  (It is a sturdy slate roofed shared car port) THat meant a 25 metre run from our electricity meter. During the eventual survey the guy on the other end said they would not run the cable down the garden fence, it would need a half metre deep trench. The only other route would be a charger on the conservatory wall with a 10 metre cable (but that would mean reversing in). Asked when it woiuld be fitted he replied 2 to 5 weeks but some areas are busier than others.  Cost of the trench ? Over £500 and probably higher. Cost of the 10m cable ? £180. meanwhile I asked a local supplier Go Electric Ltd for a quote. Got a same day survey, no problems with routing, several other savings, and a final quote for Ohme charger with 5m tethered cable in the middle of the carport: £1270 and as firm fitting datea week on Monday.  I will be writing to British Gas and Toyota UK explaining why I am rejecting their offer. Yes, I know I have paid over the odds but Peace of mind and escape from British Gas devious and unreliable clutches is everything…..and I won’t be upsetting my neighbours with a trench down our shared passageway.    I wish I had done my home work but the deadline for the offer was 31 May and I had no choice.  Be warned!  I have no connection with Go Electric Ltd except as a potential customer but their “can do” attitude is impressive. 

[Graham1969]

Update!! 

I noticed that the app had changed today and had the ability to add the charger to "My Garage" so I have now been able to add the charger and get it working as of 1 hour ago. Predictably not a single word from Toyota to let me know, doesn't surprise me though but delighted I have been able to get this working and the car is now charging finally.

Hopefully this means anyone else going though this will have more luck from today onwards.

[SpenToy]

Had my video call with BG engineer today to talk about installing charger and look at the electrical box etc.  That went swimmingly and next few weeks will get charger installed. 

Will be nice to have it charge in a couple of hours rather than 6 on the granny charger with cable running out the front room window.

[ColinB]

14 hours ago, Graham1969 said:

Update!! 

I noticed that the app had changed today and had the ability to add the charger to "My Garage" so I have now been able to add the charger and get it working as of 1 hour ago. Predictably not a single word from Toyota to let me know, doesn't surprise me though but delighted I have been able to get this working and the car is now charging finally.

Hopefully this means anyone else going though this will have more luck from today onwards.

I have the option to add a charger as well - but I have a RAV4 HEV with a Yaris Cross on order.... 🤔

[philip42h]

1 hour ago, ColinB said:

I have the option to add a charger as well ...

as do we all - the App has been updated!

... and many of us won't have a charger (or new car) to add just yet ... 😉

[Nick72]

So glad I got a wall charger over 4 years ago. 7.4kW. Chinese thing called Project EV. It's been perfectly fine apart from when the PRC shuts it off 😂. Mate who owns an electrician firm sent one of his guys to fit it. He had sent a few of them on the training courses. Filled all the grant forms in for me. Even got a 10 or 12m cable thrown in. Cost me a couple hundred quid in total.

Now I'm reading there's all kinds of shannigans with delays, confusion over who is responsible for what, stupid apps and more.

The App on the Project EV thing works fine but I never use it any more. 

Only trouble I've had is my wife constantly complaining it looks like a phone box attached to the corner of the house. 🤦

[DavidinDerbyshire]

On 6/12/2024 at 4:31 PM, Graham1969 said:

You can, assuming you have a 13A socket close enough to the car for the supplied lead to reach which I don't unfortunately. 

When our car was new and we faced a long wait for a charger I went to GO Outdoors and for 20 quid bought a 15 metre camping cable supply with built in trip/isolator which with a caravan type adaptor (£5) kept my car charged every night with no problems over a 12 metre distance. As mentioned elsewhere, I lost interest in the "included" British Gas charger when they insisted on a 20 metre 47cm deep trench for the cable down our shared footpath. Instead I got an Ohme fitted, set up and running in just over a week from goelectricltd.co.uk in Derbyshire for £1225. 

[Draceula2]

I have had my Toyota charger recently installed and works well, my only query is if anyone has managed to turn off “Allow access for all” so that it only works when enabled with the rfid tags? When I try it just says unable to save settings and to try again, which I have a few times over a few days with same result, am asking here before raising to Toyota. 

[Graham1969]

6 hours ago, Draceula2 said:

I have had my Toyota charger recently installed and works well, my only query is if anyone has managed to turn off “Allow access for all” so that it only works when enabled with the rfid tags? When I try it just says unable to save settings and to try again, which I have a few times over a few days with same result, am asking here before raising to Toyota. 

Yes I was able to turn this off

[GBgraham]

On 7/9/2024 at 12:51 AM, Nick72 said:

So glad I got a wall charger over 4 years ago. 7.4kW. Chinese thing called Project EV. It's been perfectly fine apart from when the PRC shuts it off 😂. Mate who owns an electrician firm sent one of his guys to fit it. He had sent a few of them on the training courses. Filled all the grant forms in for me. Even got a 10 or 12m cable thrown in. Cost me a couple hundred quid in total.

Now I'm reading there's all kinds of shannigans with delays, confusion over who is responsible for what, stupid apps and more.

The App on the Project EV thing works fine but I never use it any more. 

Only trouble I've had is my wife constantly complaining it looks like a phone box attached to the corner of the house. 🤦

I charge perfectly well through one of these along with the cars own timer . . . . . https://www.geekbuying.com/item/ANDAIIC-32A-7-4KW-Type-2-Mode-2-Portable-EV-Charger-EU-508458.html?Currency=EUR&source=googleads&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwt4a2BhD6ARIsALgH7Dqj8GTLY98PHR5mgAY3b7RKb1ayhpHCy7qyxBExDhNYdc2W8oZNawQaAmwiEALw_wcB

I can easily choose what charge rate I want, any of five settings I think. I'm at present on 20A/4.6kw because it suits the night time tariff without stressing anything to much.

[Draceula2]

18 hours ago, Graham1969 said:

Yes I was able to turn this off

Thanks for confirming, I will get it raised with Toyota to see if they have any ideas why I am not able to, if you get a second could you check what firmware version you are using, I tried it on both 1.6.3 and 1.8.0, also are you using the Android App or Apple?

[Graham1969]

6 hours ago, Draceula2 said:

Thanks for confirming, I will get it raised with Toyota to see if they have any ideas why I am not able to, if you get a second could you check what firmware version you are using, I tried it on both 1.6.3 and 1.8.0, also are you using the Android App or Apple?

I am on 1.8.2 using the app on an android phone.

[Draceula2]

11 minutes ago, Graham1969 said:

I am on 1.8.2 using the app on an android phone.

Thanks @Graham1969 for responding so quickly with the additional info, I can only upgrade to 1.8.0 currently and am on Apple so couple of potential explanations for me to work through while I wait for Toyota to respond. 

[Graham1969]

15 minutes ago, Draceula2 said:

Thanks @Graham1969 for responding so quickly with the additional info, I can only upgrade to 1.8.0 currently and am on Apple so couple of potential explanations for me to work through while I wait for Toyota to respond. 

No worries if you know someone with an Android phone maybe get them to install the my Toyota app and allow you to login from there and make the change then they could remove it all afterwards.

[SpenToy]

And so the day arrives, well arrives next Friday for the charger install.  Let's see what happens. That will be a June to September timeline from paperwork to install.  

[DavidinDerbyshire]

3 hours ago, SpenToy said:

And so the day arrives, well arrives next Friday for the charger install.  Let's see what happens. That will be a June to September timeline from paperwork to install.  

Do let us know how it goes.  And how much it cost you in “extras”.   Meanwhile my Ohme is now giving me 7p/kwh charging in daylight hours as well as overnight with Intelligent Octopus Go.  I have almost forgotten what it is to fill up with petrol twice a month. If you aren’t with Octopus give me a shout and we can do a deal where we each get £50 credit!!! 😀. 

[Graham1969]

5 hours ago, SpenToy said:

And so the day arrives, well arrives next Friday for the charger install.  Let's see what happens. That will be a June to September timeline from paperwork to install.  

I'm sure it will all be fine now, my experience was that British Gas/Hive were excellent, the fitters really worked hard to make it a successful install. Toyota seem to have sorted things out at their end too now so hopefully you'll be fine 👍

[SpenToy]

19 hours ago, DavidinDerbyshire said:

Do let us know how it goes.  And how much it cost you in “extras”.   Meanwhile my Ohme is now giving me 7p/kwh charging in daylight hours as well as overnight with Intelligent Octopus Go.  I have almost forgotten what it is to fill up with petrol twice a month. If you aren’t with Octopus give me a shout and we can do a deal where we each get £50 credit!!! 😀. 

I'm with BG at the moment on their variable tarrif.  Will check if Intelligent Go works with the Toyota charger.  Then will look at Octopus and pm you for the deal.

[philip42h]

19 minutes ago, SpenToy said:

I'm with BG at the moment on their variable tarrif.  Will check if Intelligent Go works with the Toyota charger.  Then will look at Octopus and pm you for the deal.

Just to set expectations ... I rather doubt that it will. As I understand from lurking etc., in order to benefit from an intelligent tariff, you need to invest in a charger that is compatible with the specific supplier's systems. In practice that means buying one of the chargers sponsored by the supplier.

The Toyota supplied charger will work with any suppliers 'dumb' EV tariff - i.e. one where the rate varies by time of day. You then pay the rate that is in effect at the time you charge the car.