[Thematrix12]

Morning all

We have a ZE50 GT Line on order through a lease. Should arrive in the next 6 weeks. This is our first EV car.

We have had quotes for installing a home wall charger (Ohme) that are all around £600 including the OLEV grant. The only worry I have is that I won't have a granny cable for if we go away and want to charge 3-pin elsewhere. I also don't want to spend £600 and use the grant here as there is a possibility we may move during the next 2 years.

Is the following feasible:

• Have an electrician install 32A commando socket at front of house.
• Buy Ohme (Commando) lead for £199 through Octopus offer.
• Leave Ohme plugged into Commando for general use.
• When going away and needing granny cable, use a 13A to 32A Commando adaptor and reduce the amperage through Ohme down to 10/13A (I am guessing there is this setting in app?)

Thanks in advance 😁

 

[JohnMars]

Yes this is my set up, although I use a normal evse not ohme.

I called ohme as may get one and was told you have to call them to change the charge amps as there is no app setting yet.

I was told while they don’t mind doing this for very occasional use, they would not be looking at changing amps on a regular basis.

 

[proddick]

As above there is NO setting in the app and they would not welcome you asking for it to be changed regularly. It is also a risky strategy as it would easy to accidentally set at 13A which wouldn't blow fuse but could (particularly on untested electrics) be a recipe for disaster. They may even refuse (on grounds of potential liability) if they know what you are doing. My understanding is the downrating facility on commando is really for installs that can't accommodate 32A.

Presumably as a lease you are not entitled to the free charging point in the Renault retail offer?

Bear in mind that fitting the commando safely isn't cheap as you still need Type A RCD (or RCBO) and dedicated circuit, etc. There is a document outlining installation in another thread. I wouldn't skimp on safety...

Personally I would go for a wall charger on the grant and pickup a used portable EVSE for £150 or less.

 

[Kingpleb1]

As above, you cant downrate it in the app.

Your best option is just to buy a granny lead as they are cheap enough, though do the new Zoes really go so far as to not include a granny charger to keep costs down?

if you go with octopus then for the rough cost of £100-150 to fit a commando where you live now and just get two ohmes ordered thru octopus, 1 Commando and 1 3Pin. job done

 

[cah197]

Your best option is just to buy a granny lead as they are cheap enough, though do the new Zoes really go so far as to not include a granny charger to keep costs down?

Zoes have never come with a granny charger, only at Type 2 cable.

 

[Kingpleb1]

Zoes have never come with a granny charger, only at Type 2 cable.

Bargain basement I only remember my two loaners from a dealer i worked at and both had one

 

[cah197]

Bargain basement I only remember my two loaners from a dealer i worked at and both had one

Which EVs are regularly supplied with a granny?

 

[Kingpleb1]

Nissan Leaf
i3
Outlander
225xe/330e/530e/740e
Some tesla's had them(UMC)

the loaners i had were Zoe's, both 40's though

 

[QPRfan]

Morning all

We have a ZE50 GT Line on order through a lease. Should arrive in the next 6 weeks. This is our first EV car.

We have had quotes for installing a home wall charger (Ohme) that are all around £600 including the OLEV grant. The only worry I have is that I won't have a granny cable for if we go away and want to charge 3-pin elsewhere. I also don't want to spend £600 and use the grant here as there is a possibility we may move during the next 2 years.

Is the following feasible:

• Have an electrician install 32A commando socket at front of house.
• Buy Ohme (Commando) lead for £199 through Octopus offer.
• Leave Ohme plugged into Commando for general use.
• When going away and needing granny cable, use a 13A to 32A Commando adaptor and reduce the amperage through Ohme down to 10/13A (I am guessing there is this setting in app?)

Thanks in advance 😁

I believe if you buy a Zoe that Renault will install a home charger for free. Thats what their web site says. It might be worth checking if this still applies if you are leasing the car rather than buying it.

You say that you may be moving in 2 years time. Equally I guess you might not. The OLEV grant has reduced over the years to the now lower figure of £350. In a few years time there may be no grant. So to be honest if Renault do not give you a free charger (due to being a lease not a purchase) it might be wise to get a home charger installed now and take advantage of the grant whilst its still around. Then if you move, pay an electrician to move it for you.

Rolec have a deal where they will install a charger for £450 net of the Grant. Octopus have deals for their customers for both the Ohme 'granny' style cable and also for 7KW Home charger for £605. Electric Car Charging | Octopus Electric Vehicles

The £199 OHME deal is probably the cheapest way to buy a 'quailty' granny cable

As you have mentioned the OHME deal I assume you are already an Octopus customer?

 

[JohnMars]

I paid just over £200 for a commando granny box, it’s selectable between 16 and 10 amps, and when on 16 charges brilliantly! Much faster than my original Nissan evse.

Not the best for build quality but with a 12 month warrenty even if it does you for 2 years it’s cheap and cheerful.

My commando was £95 to fit I th8nk.

 

[Mike Etchells]

I have a 32a commando socket and use with the OHME commando charger. I phoned OHME and asked if it would work with a 13A to 32A Commando adaptor. I was told that the OHME WOULD NOT auto adjust the current, and therefore is not suitable with this option.
I paid my local electrician £200 to fit a dedicated circuit, interlocked socket, and mini consumer unit. I didn't go with the Octopus offer as it wasn't competitive in my circumstances.
Octopus is not the be all and end all for everyone!
I disconnect store inside when not required, as this offers more protection for the unit.

 

[mrdr_ev]

Nissan Leaf
i3
Outlander
225xe/330e/530e/740e
Some tesla's had them(UMC)

the loaners i had were Zoe's, both 40's though

Plus all the VWs come with 10A granny chargers. I was baffled that BMW didn't offer a type 2 cable for free last year, but they do now; and they still come with the granny.

 

[JohnMars]

I have a 32a commando socket and use with the OHME commando charger. I phoned OHME and asked if it would work with a 13A to 32A Commando adaptor. I was told that the OHME WOULD NOT auto adjust the current, and therefore is not suitable with this option.
I paid my local electrician £200 to fit a dedicated circuit, interlocked socket, and mini consumer unit. I didn't go with the Octopus offer as it wasn't competitive in my circumstances.
Octopus is not the be all and end all for everyone!
I disconnect store inside when not required, as this offers more protection for the unit.

Maybe because you mentioned the adapter, the 13amp socket would not charge at 16 or 32 amps due to the limits of the spec.

But they can definitely alter the amps remotely.

 

[Johnny Read]

I phoned OHME and asked if it would work with a 13A to 32A Commando adaptor. I was told that the OHME WOULD NOT auto adjust the current, and therefore is not suitable with this option.

I saw a it mentioned by @donald in another thread that he did get OHME to adjust the limit on the current on his charge cable. Apologies if I misunderstood!

read through this thread: My oh my, my Ohme.


It would be really good if they have the option to change the current limit in the App - ideas why they wouldn't allow it? Many cars have the option to limit the current. I believe Teslas can set it from 1-32A in 1A increments. In the ioniq you only have the option as Max, Med, Min.

 

[JohnMars]

I saw a it mentioned by @donald in another thread that he did get OHME to adjust the limit on the current on his charge cable. Apologies if I misunderstood!

read through this thread: My oh my, my Ohme.


It would be really good if they have the option to change the current limit in the App - ideas why they wouldn't allow it? Many cars have the option to limit the current. I believe Teslas can set it from 1-32A in 1A increments. In the ioniq you only have the option as Max, Med, Min.

The man I spoke to said it’s something that they are working on so are hoping to enable this functionality in the future.

 

[Johnny Read]

The man I spoke to said it’s something that they are working on so are hoping to enable this functionality in the future.

That would be fantastic. Let users set the current the charger will deliver, rather than letting the car control it. Did they mention anything about the App?

 

[JohnMars]

No just said that it’s all new etc.

One thing I did quiz them about was in the manual it speaks about “helping us out” in areas of poor sim cover, but he said that’s just some legacy print, they are not running any trials of WiFi calling etc.

There was one bug he told me about, something like if you set up charge timers while in a area with signal then go on holiday remote with no signal, some units apparently default to timed operation and not anytime operation, so could be a sister if going away.

He said to temporarily disable the timers before going away.

 

[Johnny Read]

I can't use mine at the moment, but does it have a soft touch button on the front? Or perhaps they could do what some security lights do; if you power on, power off, power on it reverts to no timers/dumb mode until next powered off.

 

[donald]

May I say 'obviously' it won't auto adjust if you connect it to your own adapter?!

You phone them up and ask them to set your lead to a limit, and they oblige.

The charge limit then appears on the charger itself.

 

[JohnMars]

May I say 'obviously' it won't auto adjust if you connect it to your own adapter?!

You phone them up and ask them to set your lead to a limit, and they oblige.

The charge limit then appears on the charger itself.

Ive been sat here this afternoon thinking trying to work out how a evse can safely auto adjust! Greedy lil thing will just gobble what it can!