The Milk Float Thread

We got a Pod-Point.
The Tesla option was not part of a grant as it’s not “smart”. Ruled out on cost.

Of the rest we chose Pod-Point. Enough of them to be tested and reliable. Easy to order. Under 500 fitted as a fixed price quote online. We don’t have solar so didn’t need a charger that can offset your own supply.
The cost of the charger seems a lot but it should be paid back in well under 20 charges using cheap rate leccy.

Just spoke with an electrician chap.

He said for my application I could just get a lockable external socket fitted.

Gonna get a quote for that.

If you can take long charge times. We managed to charge the 50kw Tesla ok by a socket for three months.
Some concern it may damage the wiring on a household socket, due to heat and current, but a properly wired commando plug should be fine?

Won’t cost much either, but the closer to £450 you get the more you should just go for the faster option.

A socket would be fine for a plug in hybrid, it’ll charge the battery in an hour or two.

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Just waiting for the quote for that. Won’t be as convenient as a tethered charge point, but hopefully it will be a lot less than the £500 companies seem to want for them.

I know nothing about EVs / chargers. But, my concern with these chargers is whether they will become outdated as new batteries / chargers / fittings come out. A bit like phone chargers if you like. Your old Nokia charger is now useless, if you follow me.

The charger I have now at work is the exact same one I had when I had a Nissan Leaf in 2013. The only difference is the plug which is easily changed. The design for the charger does date back to 2009.

I wouldn’t really worry, I can’t see home charging going over 32amp for a really long time.

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Home charging is already at 32A. That’s how you get 7kW on single phase.

The normal AC socket (type 2 Mennekes) is a standard, it isn’t going to change any time soon.

Exactly.

If charging was to improve you would need to upgrade your house to three phase at lots of ££. You can do that now and use a charger rated for more power for a quicker charge (e.g. the Tesla charger can be switched to 21 from 7 if you have 3 phase. It is supplied to be capable of both inputs).

If batteries got bigger you just charge longer. It’s the house supply that’s capping everything.

Tesla arrives in Shetland

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Yes and I was using it with my first charger. As I said can’t see it going any higher anytime soon.

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They are not really chargers. The charger is in the car. It’s basically a complicated switch to make sure it’s safe to supply 32A down a long cable without

image

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Alright pedant :laughing:

Plus check the connector is secure, earth is good, work out max charging current etc etc.

:grin:

I have to say, this looks brilliant. Very interesting to see Youtube comments from non-Brits lauding this. Looks like something we’ve actually done well.

Matching Tesla’s Supercharger rates too. That’s going to kick Ionity & co. right in the balls.

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Awesome. :crossed_fingers:

Interesting video on cars and green energy generation.

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Watched it earlier, bit biased no comparison of new petrol vs new electric cars.

But I completely get his point of collecting old cars having naff all to do with climate change.

Yes, it’s through the eyes of a petrolhead, but I didn’t think it was particularly unfair.

It will definitely be interesting how things shape out. I’d like an electric car, but as things stand it would need to be a second car in addition to the toy and that’s not really practical for me at the moment in terms of parking/charging. I’m hoping the future will soon bring EVs which are ore interesting to drive - current ones are a bit of a one trick pony, I think. Sure they (can) have monstrous acceleration but that’s kind of it.