EV Home Charger?

[airbus330]

My wife, in a fit of uncharacteristic spending, has bought a nearly new Mini Electric EV
I've been asked to get a suitable charging point installed at the hosue, which has off street parking.
I know nothing about this!
Any pointers please.
New or Used.
Any product to avoid.
What to look for?
Help!

[genou]

My wife, in a fit of uncharacteristic spending, has bought a nearly new Mini Electric EV
I've been asked to get a suitable charging point installed at the hosue, which has off street parking.
I know nothing about this!
Any pointers please.
New or Used.
Any product to avoid.
What to look for?
Help!

Who is your electricity provider? They very likely have at least one charger that they prefer/ will discount to you through their relationship with the manufacturer. They will have an explanation on their website. Also consider who you want to be your provider - you will want a cheap overnight window in which to do the bulk of your charging.

Do you know what your supply is fused at ? If it is less than 100A, you have a problem, as you will need to upgrade to at least that, which means involving your Distribution Network Operator.

In the meantime, check out what chargers are in the local supermarkets, so that you can use the car at all, and charge it while you are shopping ( e.g. Tesco link to PodPoint , so you would need a PodPoint account) If you are in Scotland, get a Chargeplace Scotland account - https://chargeplacescotland.org/ , and that would probably cover you.

[GrahamPlatt]

Earlier thread on the topic here viewtopic.php?f=9&t=41785&p=635725#p635715

[airbus330]

My wife, in a fit of uncharacteristic spending, has bought a nearly new Mini Electric EV
I've been asked to get a suitable charging point installed at the hosue, which has off street parking.
I know nothing about this!
Any pointers please.
New or Used.
Any product to avoid.
What to look for?
Help!

Who is your electricity provider? They very likely have at least one charger that they prefer/ will discount to you through their relationship with the manufacturer. They will have an explanation on their website. Also consider who you want to be your provider - you will want a cheap overnight window in which to do the bulk of your charging.

Do you know what your supply is fused at ? If it is less than 100A, you have a problem, as you will need to upgrade to at least that, which means involving your Distribution Network Operator.

In the meantime, check out what chargers are in the local supermarkets, so that you can use the car at all, and charge it while you are shopping ( e.g. Tesco link to PodPoint , so you would need a PodPoint account) If you are in Scotland, get a Chargeplace Scotland account - https://chargeplacescotland.org/ , and that would probably cover you.

Thanks for the info, very helpful.
How do I know/check that I have a 100amp power supply in the house? Its an old house.
cheers

[9873210]

How much does your wife drive?

It is possible that you could get by with a level-1 charger and a 3-pin plug.

I've seen different specs for different mini EVs but by and large if she typically drives less than 100 miles a day you can level 1 charge overnight and never need more.

[Urbandreamer]

How much does your wife drive?

It is possible that you could get by with a level-1 charger and a 3-pin plug.

I've seen different specs for different mini EVs but by and large if she typically drives less than 100 miles a day you can level 1 charge overnight and never need more.

This is the way that ALL EV's were charged a while ago.
I don't have one so can't comment about the practicality, but here are the sums.

Assuming 10 rather than 13A for 8hr, that's 18kwh.
I've just checked and the Mini's battery is 32.6kwh, which they claim as 100 miles.

So 100 miles every day is out of the question doing that
Drive every other day, less than 50 miles a day, or charge for longer and she could be golden. I calculate a full charge from flat to take about 16hr at 10A.

Ps, it's easy to check the incoming fuses, less easy to check the capacity of the wires. I suspect that in the OP's case the fuses will be stamped 60 for 60A.
A 7Kw charger, 32A circuit is a possibility. That would easily charge overnight, though you might have to consider other electrical loads if half your capacity is dedicated to charging the car.

[BullDog]

FWIW my Podpoint charges a PHEV by 10kwhr in about 3hrs 20min. Though the Podpoint can charge at double that, the PHEV itself I currently have is limited to half that. That's quite comfortable on the Octopus EV tariff between 00.30 and 04.30 each day. I will soon be getting a BEV that will charge off the Podpoint at it's maximum rate.

[9873210]

How much does your wife drive?

It is possible that you could get by with a level-1 charger and a 3-pin plug.

I've seen different specs for different mini EVs but by and large if she typically drives less than 100 miles a day you can level 1 charge overnight and never need more.

This is the way that ALL EV's were charged a while ago.
I don't have one so can't comment about the practicality, but here are the sums.
Assuming 10 rather than 13A for 8hr, that's 18kwh.
I've just checked and the Mini's battery is 32.6kwh, which they claim as 100 miles.

So 100 miles every day is out of the question doing that

You're being pessimistic on everything. I'm being optimistic on everything. MINI claims a range of 110 miles from a useful battery capacity of 28.9 kWhr. Charge at 2.7kW for 10 hours. Round a bunch of numbers up or down by 10% before multiplying and the uncertainty quickly reaches a factor of 2.

In any case there are situations where a plug-in charger works. The OP should consider his situation. 50 miles per day is a lot more than I have ever driven, so perhaps I'm biased. But the average driver does less than 7,000 miles per year.

If he needs somewhere between 50-100 mile per day he could run the experiment, depending on the tolerance of his wife to a possible failure. The type of failure also depends on his wife -- could be stranded on the road in a bad neighbourhood, calmly charging at a supermarket, or having to involuntarily work from home occasionally.

He may or may not benefit from a level 2 charger, but he does not need one, nor a public charging station, to use the car at all.

[didds]

The more I read these threads the more I am convinced Ill continue with my 2010 diesel T28 (passed its MOT today without even any warnings) and my wife's 2012 diesel Clio.

It frankly seems too much of a fraff - multiple charging apps/accounts, upgrades to 100A supplies, 10 hours to charge a vehicle to get to the nearest large town and back....

Others' mileage varies of course (especially on a 10 hour charge...) .

Good luck one and all with EVs.

Do breakdown policies cover tows home/the nearest town for running out of power?

[Tedx]

I think for power, torque and simplicity, then electric motors are definitely the future.

It's the fuel tank that lets the whole show down.

[servodude]

I think for power, torque and simplicity, then electric motors are definitely the future.

It's the fuel tank that lets the whole show down.

How' about big tracks on the street that you drop brushes on?

[Tedx]

Well funnily enough I was watching a 2008 episode of top gear. In this episode Clarkson was testing the original Tesla electric car (the one based on the Lotus Elise) and James may was in California testing the hydrogen fuel cell powered electric Honda clarity.

Clarkson was impressed with the speed acceleration and handling of the Tesla although it was heavier than the Lotus. He was less impressed with the claimed range of the Tesla, with it running out of juice after 40 miles of track use. Tesla had claimed 200 miles of normal use at the time. The main issue was the recharge time.

James may however was convinced that hydrogen fuel cells were the future of motoring. The problems of hydrogen production were no worse than drilling oil out of the ground and producing diesel or petrol from that. One problem that he didn't mention was that it is extremely difficult to store hydrogen without it leaking out all over the place.

Since then of course we have heard little of hydrogen fuel cell cars and batteries have improved substantially.

[Tedx]

I think for power, torque and simplicity, then electric motors are definitely the future.

It's the fuel tank that lets the whole show down.

How' about big tracks on the street that you drop brushes on?

It might be an option for say supermarket car park charging?

[servodude]

How' about big tracks on the street that you drop brushes on?

It might be an option for say supermarket car park charging?

I've seen suggestions of that kind of thing via induction

[Tedx]

It might be an option for say supermarket car park charging?

I've seen suggestions of that kind of thing via induction

I've seen it suggested a few times on this very website. As I mentioned before if my oral B toothbrush can have induction charging then surely the average Chelsea moms range rover Vogue can do the same

[Urbandreamer]

10 hours to charge a vehicle to get to the nearest large town and back....

I take it that you live in a car and are constantly on the move. Myself, I sleep some of the time.

I confess that sleep was the reason that I picked 8 hr, rather than 10 hr. Though of course other people may eat in addition to sleeping.

Come on didds, be sensible. Sure, you could have argued about problems driving from Lands end to John o groats. Instead you chose traveling from home to the nearest town and back.

It's simply unplug, drive, do stuff, drive home, plug in. Such an effort!

Filling your tank in the UK is harder. In other countries there is a latch and the pump will run until the tank is full. Here you need to hold the nozzle. Refueling is something that you ACTIVELY do, rather than something that happens while you sleep, eat or watch TV.

I get that you don't want an EV, but that argument why others shouldn't just doesn't hold water.

[DrFfybes]

Well funnily enough I was watching a 2008 episode of top gear. In this episode Clarkson was testing the original Tesla electric car (the one based on the Lotus Elise) and James may was in California testing the hydrogen fuel cell powered electric Honda clarity.
[...]
James may however was convinced that hydrogen fuel cells were the future of motoring.
[...]
Since then of course we have heard little of hydrogen fuel cell cars and batteries have improved substantially.

I don't think James may is entirely to blame for that though

Paul

[Tedx]

Well funnily enough I was watching a 2008 episode of top gear. In this episode Clarkson was testing the original Tesla electric car (the one based on the Lotus Elise) and James may was in California testing the hydrogen fuel cell powered electric Honda clarity.
[...]
James may however was convinced that hydrogen fuel cells were the future of motoring.
[...]
Since then of course we have heard little of hydrogen fuel cell cars and batteries have improved substantially.

I don't think James may is entirely to blame for that though

Paul

No, I'm not suggesting he was to blame. Hydrogen fuel cells might be okay for space shuttles but they are too difficult to make work in everyday personal transport (although I think they work well on public transport - i.e. buses).

Would the likes of hydrogen canisters work in fuel cell cars (rather than petrol pump style refilling?)

[didds]

10 hours to charge a vehicle to get to the nearest large town and back....

I take it that you live in a car and are constantly on the move. Myself, I sleep some of the time..

???

No? Swindon is 25 miles away. That's a 50 mile return trip eg dropping someone off at GWH (hospital), and coming staright home - like I did my son last week.

Posts above have suggested a 10 hour charge on a domestic 13 amp plug would give a 50 mile drive.

didds

[didds]

Come on didds, be sensible. Sure, you could have argued about problems driving from Lands end to John o groats. Instead you chose traveling from home to the nearest town and back.

because Im likely to do that. Swindon and back is a 50 mile return. Like what others have suggested a 10 hour (OK, 8 hours!) charge would provide on a domestic supply.