Smart (ish) charger recommendations, that can charge off excess solar only but have a timed boost off grid.

 

Anderdon a2 and zappi seem top of my list with ohme on the sidelines. 

Anyone got any of those installed or have thoughts. 

 

I don't have either, so no comment on choices so far. You might want to add Hypervolt to your list as they seem popular on the ID.4 FB group for solar integration.

Will have a look, but I've just been quoted £1995 for a Zappi, Harvi and Eddi.... which seems quite high to me.

Parts cost is about £1200 and if it's being done at the same time as other work, then I'd expect a labour discount.

 

That's an installed price, inc VAT and obviously without the £350 "grant", but still.

Edited 16 March, 20224 yr by cheezemonkhai

Just a useful update for anyone looking at Zappi or Eddi, the hub is now (for new deliveries) included in both the Eddi and Zappi so no longer required.

Edited 17 March, 20224 yr by cheezemonkhai
Typo

16 hours ago, cheezemonkhai said:

Just a useful update for anyone looking at Zappi or Eddi, the hub is now (for new deliveries) included in both the Eddi and Zappi so no longer required.

I've been watching this with interest as an EV will most likely be my next car but I haven't decided what that will be, let alone what charger!

What's the 'included hub' that you refer to?

15 minutes ago, john999boy said:

I've been watching this with interest as an EV will most likely be my next car but I haven't decided what that will be, let alone what charger!

What's the 'included hub' that you refer to?

They sell a harvi which allows wireless access to the CT clamp output and a hub which allows internet connectivity. I was going to buy the harvi and hub to monitor things, however found out this hub is just a wireless gateway to the net which doesn’t function without a zappi or eddi.

 

I called to ask why it had gone from the website to be told it was now integrated into the zappi and eddi.

I think we will get a zappi charger as the Anderson hardware is good but the app was last updated 8 months ago 😕

 

The zappi also ties in well with the solar diverter and solar.

 

Big question then is tethered or untethered?

One thing I hear about but don’t know about is regards cable theft.

 

Untethered is obviously harder to use and easier to steal in use. Tethered however is always there so a bigger window to nick it and I imagine thieves would probably damage the charger case nicking it or at least require an electrician to replace it.

 

It’s it an issue in reality?

 

Any other thoughts in favour of either appreciated 👍

I chose untethered because Leaf is Type 1 and newer cars are Type 2. No problem with theft because the charger is out of sight and I use a large pad-lock to lock the removable cable with the armoured feed cable. The cable is always attached, and I use it like a tethered unit.

 

There are other goodies you can get with cables on untethered charger, such as a cable with Tesla's port opening / charge stopping button.

 

When plugged in, the cable is lock-able to the car. Once plugged in, the charger should also lock the cable. So theft during use isn't a problem.

48 minutes ago, wyx087 said:

I chose untethered because Leaf is Type 1 and newer cars are Type 2. No problem with theft because the charger is out of sight and I use a large pad-lock to lock the removable cable with the armoured feed cable. The cable is always attached, and I use it like a tethered unit.

 

There are other goodies you can get with cables on untethered charger, such as a cable with Tesla's port opening / charge stopping button.

 

When plugged in, the cable is lock-able to the car. Once plugged in, the charger should also lock the cable. So theft during use isn't a problem.

 

Thanks 👍

Is the lock feature on all cars or just Tesla? Also do you know if the chargers can lock or is that now likely just to get more damage if targeted.

 

Do you have a zappi or another untethered?

 

 

I have a pod-point untethered from 2017.

 

Cable locking feature is standard on all cars. All chargers will lock the cable when the other end is connected, this is also standard.

 

You can see the way it locks, there are cut-outs on the outside of the Type 2 plug. The locking pins would insert into there to prevent removal. So I suspect damage would be either to the charger casing because that would be the weaker point, or saw off the cable itself, with accompany fireworks if the car is charging

So basically, if they decide they are going to nick the cable, then they'll probably write off the charger either way 😕

The value of the copper in them alone suggests you're going to get at least £10-20 at a "specialist" scrap dealer and I have a feeling that things will take off shortly.

 

I assume they don't do cables with suitable padlock points or suitably neat charger cover boxes?

 

Basically it's a case of you're damned if you do or don't and it's really convienience of tethered vs adapatability/neatness of an untethered without the cable in use.

 

Anything else I'm missing?

 

Not missing anything. Might be worth try to keep the charger out of sight.

 

Ours is near front door behind a decorative bush. It's also where I've put my parcel box, for parcels. We also live in a closed road.

 

Doesn't Anderdon charger have a cable channel for neatly tucking away the cable?

For smart features, Zappi does have a better record of keeping things up to date. But I personally don't trust any of them, as with all my smart home integrations, I prefer locally controlled hardware so I'm not relying on a third party server.

Avoid chargers with fancy LED lights or illuminated screens, as these advertise its presence to thieves. As mentioned above keep it out of sight if possible. I don't think any kind of lock will work on a cable, they will cut it and slide it out of the lock. 

 

You might also consider the amount of cable feeding your charger. If a long run is on display they will try to take that too.

1 hour ago, wyx087 said:

Not missing anything. Might be worth try to keep the charger out of sight.

 

Ours is near front door behind a decorative bush. It's also where I've put my parcel box, for parcels. We also live in a closed road.

 

Doesn't Anderdon charger have a cable channel for neatly tucking away the cable?

For smart features, Zappi does have a better record of keeping things up to date. But I personally don't trust any of them, as with all my smart home integrations, I prefer locally controlled hardware so I'm not relying on a third party server.

 

Yes the Anderson does, but at least for now, we were thinking of doing the Zappi route.

 

We are getting:

 

 - approx 6kWp 

 - approx 10 kWh of battery

 - Eddi Solar diverter

 - Probably a Zappi as it can just work with the Eddi.

 

The Zappi also seems to be better at doing solar only charging and quicker at fixing issues/working with manufacturers to identify them.

 

Sadly we don't have a garage for the charger, so it will be by the front door/bin store etc

As you say the Anderson is very discrete and the Zappi isn't fancy, but could probably be covered up with a suitable "post box" or similar.

 

1 hour ago, Luckypants said:

Avoid chargers with fancy LED lights or illuminated screens, as these advertise its presence to thieves. As mentioned above keep it out of sight if possible. I don't think any kind of lock will work on a cable, they will cut it and slide it out of the lock. 

 

Yes I noticed many are super flashy, which seems totally pointless and as you say an advertisment to anyone wanting to "borrow" the cable on a permanent basis.

When you say cut it and slide it out of the lock, I assume you mean regardless of tethered or untethered, live or off, they'd just use some insulated wirecutters.

The socket locks would not really change much as they'll just leave you with a potentially live socket and as little copper as they can leave behind.

 

1 hour ago, Luckypants said:

 

You might also consider the amount of cable feeding your charger. If a long run is on display they will try to take that too.

 

You mean the SWA? I was debating if this should be from behind, in trunking or something else.

If we can't go from behind (Which is TBC), would you suggest a short run of SWA or normal (6mm??) T+E in trunking?

Edited 25 March, 20224 yr by cheezemonkhai

1 hour ago, cheezemonkhai said:

You mean the SWA? I was debating if this should be from behind, in trunking or something else.

If we can't go from behind (Which is TBC), would you suggest a short run of SWA or normal (6mm??) T+E in trunking?

Yes I mean the armoured cable. I'm not qualified to suggest anything electrical, so I won't. My Wallbox has a very short run of normal cable from it's connection run in trunking into the bottom of the box. done by a Wallbox installer so should be fine. I would suggest rear entry would be best, no cable on show to tempt the light fingered brigade.

3 hours ago, Luckypants said:

Yes I mean the armoured cable. I'm not qualified to suggest anything electrical, so I won't. My Wallbox has a very short run of normal cable from it's connection run in trunking into the bottom of the box. done by a Wallbox installer so should be fine. I would suggest rear entry would be best, no cable on show to tempt the light fingered brigade.

 

Sorry I should have clarified, if we can't go from behind, then I'll be looking at the shortest visible run possible.

The question I was asking was more do you think the SWA or the cable ina conduit is less attractive to them.

 

Ta

Probably cable in a conduit, especially metal conduit. 

They’d probably nick the conduit 😂😂

Oddly with the VAT change I don’t think a car charger counts as energy saving equipment, but eddi/harvi/hub do…

 

Now debating doing them separately to save the VAT…