Hello Everyone,  I may be being dim here but I want charge the car at a cheap rate /overnight but it's not obvious about the best way to do this. I'd like to charge 11,30 -5.30.

I can see that I can set a departure time in the car but I'm not sure this helps me much.

My thinking at the moment is to buy a long granny lead (type 2 one end and 3 pin plug the other) with a built in timer....

Anyone got a better idea?
Thanks

Edited 26 January, 20251 yr by Kt1966

Do you have a home charger but just no Timer setting?

 

I charge my EV on a 3 pin plug but my start time in midnight and i set my alarm and switch the extension on, and i get to 7am & am up before then.

I could use a timer.  The cars setting for Offpeak charging never works. 

I do have an EV charger but that's used on the other car so for this one I'll need to use a granny charger (which is ok). I think I'll need a long granny charger with a built in  timer and a 3 pin plug but I've not found one....

I got a cable with a timeswitch from Toughleads. There are a range of options for timers: I got one that is WiFi controlled and links back to my home automation system so it is easy to adjust times for off peak or free electricity periods.

 

The departure timer in the Infotainment system also works. Set it for Monday to Sunday recurring and your off peak electricity times as the preferred charging time and set the departure time for midday with no climate control. This means that the car always recharges to 80% off peak, and I can boost the charging to 100% if I know I am going to be setting off at a particular time.

 

Even better, the Skoda integration in Home Assistant is now working well, and I can set charging, climate settings and departure times there, so if I create a calendar entry called "Warm Car", it will turn on the climate control 30 minutes before departure time so the car is nicely defrosted. I also have an automation that runs at 10pm each evening and uses Alexa to annouce a reminder to plug the car in if the charge is below 50% and it is not plugged in.

If you set a departure time then the car will charge and be ready at that time.  It also takes around 6 hours to charge from a 10A supply.  If you set delayed charging then when you plug it in the car will immediately charge to a stated minimum and then wait till departure time - estimated charge time before starting to charge.

 

I would set the minimum level to a low number (in eManager settings) and then activate delayed charging with a departure time of 5:15 (I find it takes slightly longer to charge than it calculates).

 

My PHEV came with a type 2 cable and a 13A to type 2 cable which is the one I use.

2 hours ago, jay982bea said:

I got a cable with a timeswitch from Toughleads. There are a range of options for timers: I got one that is WiFi controlled and links back to my home automation system so it is easy to adjust times for off peak or free electricity periods.

 

The departure timer in the Infotainment system also works. Set it for Monday to Sunday recurring and your off peak electricity times as the preferred charging time and set the departure time for midday with no climate control. This means that the car always recharges to 80% off peak, and I can boost the charging to 100% if I know I am going to be setting off at a particular time.

 

Even better, the Skoda integration in Home Assistant is now working well, and I can set charging, climate settings and departure times there, so if I create a calendar entry called "Warm Car", it will turn on the climate control 30 minutes before departure time so the car is nicely defrosted. I also have an automation that runs at 10pm each evening and uses Alexa to annouce a reminder to plug the car in if the charge is below 50% and it is not plugged in.

That's an impressive set up! I'm going to try the in car departure times  tonight because if that works then ill not need a timer (although i didnt realise that will only go to 80% - is that correct? )  Thanks very much

1 hour ago, RobL50 said:

If you set a departure time then the car will charge and be ready at that time.  It also takes around 6 hours to charge from a 10A supply.  If you set delayed charging then when you plug it in the car will immediately charge to a stated minimum and then wait till departure time - estimated charge time before starting to charge.

 

I would set the minimum level to a low number (in eManager settings) and then activate delayed charging with a departure time of 5:15 (I find it takes slightly longer to charge than it calculates).

 

My PHEV came with a type 2 cable and a 13A to type 2 cable which is the one I use.

Thanks Rob, yes sounds like what I'm planning. If I set minimum charge to zero then I guess it'll just charge to 100% when I set it to charge between 11.30 and 05:30 ? (That's what I'm aiming for) . Thanks

37 minutes ago, Kt1966 said:

Thanks Rob, yes sounds like what I'm planning. If I set minimum charge to zero then I guess it'll just charge to 100% when I set it to charge between 11.30 and 05:30 ? (That's what I'm aiming for) . Thanks

That should be fine although I would set the departure time to 5:15. You can see from the lights on the charger when it stops charging