[Charlie_C]

Hello everyone!

I run Rightcharge (www.rightcharge.co.uk). We were featured recently on Fully Charged's Maddie Goes Electric series.

If you've owned one of the chargers listed on the site, would you be happy to leave a quick review? In return you can call me on 0808 164 1045 any time if there's anything charging related I can help with.

Hundreds of new drivers are comparing chargers every day and it would be great if they could draw on more experience from early adopters like members of SpeakEV.

(By the way, the reviews should be about the product, as opposed your installation experience if possible).

Here are direct links to the charger pages:

MyEnergi Zappi
Pod Point Solo
Tesla Wall Connector
EO Mini Pro
EO Mini Smart Home
Chargemaster Homecharge (branded ChargedEV)
ChargedEV Smart+
ProjectEV EVA-07S-S
Andersen A2
Andersen P1
Wallbox Copper
Wallbox Copper S
Wallbox Pulsar Plus
EVBox Elvi
NewMotion Home

A quick note on the absence of the Rolec Homesmart - the way Rightcharge works is we help drivers compare chargers and then connect them to one of the 20+ installers that we work with. We do want to have every charger available on display, so drivers can see all options. However, we've had difficulty finding enough Rolec installers to give us the ability to help customers anywhere in the UK. If anyone has the ability to help us here get in touch. If there are any other chargers that you would like to see on Rightcharge, please let me know.

Thank you for your help and reach out if I can help with anything.

Thanks,
Charlie

 

[GerritBijlsma]

I bought this portable charger for my MG ZS EV for only about US$ 260.- from Aliexpress.

US $247.0 24% OFF|Mobile EV Charger Wallbox 32A Fast EV Charger IEC62196 Type 2 CEE 3 pins Electric Car Charger EVSE Cargador Auto Electrico|Chargers & Service Equipment| - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

This charger replaces both my 2200 Watt "on board" charger and my wall mounted 7000 Watt home charger from MG.

It can charge at 220V from 10, 13, 16, 26 to 32 Amps (or from 2200W to 7000W)
I simply set the max Amps after plugging it in to the wall socket and before plugging in to the car depending on the wall socket limit.

The only thing needed at home or at work is a CEE 32Amps 3pin female wall socket for the maximum 7000W charging.

At my work I use it at 32 Amps and at home I use it at 10 Amps from my solar panels with an adapter cable (CEE-female-to- 2pin-plug-male).

It has no brand but it looks and feels well-build.

 

[phproxy]

Pod-point Solo listed on your site as:

"What is Smart Charging?
This charger will schedule your charge overnight to make the most of an off-peak electricity tariff like Go from Octopus Energy."

Pretty sure mine can't do that..

 

[Charlie_C]

I bought this portable charger for my MG ZS EV for only about US$ 260.- from Aliexpress...

That's an interesting solution Gerrit. How much was the installation of the 32amp 3-pin wall socket? I'm wondering how it compares to the total cost of the install + charger with the OLEV grant - while the grant is still in place...

 

[Charlie_C]

Pod-point Solo listed on your site as:
View attachment 129754

"What is Smart Charging?
This charger will schedule your charge overnight to make the most of an off-peak electricity tariff like Go from Octopus Energy."

Pretty sure mine can't do that..

Thank you phproxy, good spot. The Pod Point meets the government's definition of smart because it's got an internet connection, but you're right that it doesn't match an off-peak tariff, which is how we've defined it. We've just updated the site to reflect that - thanks for your help

 

[freddym]

I bought this portable charger for my MG ZS EV for only about US$ 260.- from Aliexpress.

US $247.0 24% OFF|Mobile EV Charger Wallbox 32A Fast EV Charger IEC62196 Type 2 CEE 3 pins Electric Car Charger EVSE Cargador Auto Electrico|Chargers & Service Equipment| - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

This charger replaces both my 2200 Watt "on board" charger and my wall mounted 7000 Watt home charger from MG.

It can charge at 220V from 10, 13, 16, 26 to 32 Amps (or from 2200W to 7000W)
I simply set the max Amps after plugging it in to the wall socket and before plugging in to the car depending on the wall socket limit.

The only thing needed at home or at work is a CEE 32Amps 3pin female wall socket for the maximum 7000W charging.

At my work I use it at 32 Amps and at home I use it at 10 Amps from my solar panels with an adapter cable (CEE-female-to- 2pin-plug-male).

It has no brand but it looks and feels well-build.

Careful. What certification does the unit have?

If it doesn't detect DC leakage at 6mA, there is a risk of blinding upstream RCDs and hence removing protection from risk of electrocution.

The OHME equivalent is probably a much safer bet!

 

[mrdr_ev]

The UK market is focussed on connected "smart" charge points at the moment because that's what the government will provide grants for (and, arguably, that's what the installers can make most money on). There's upsides both ways so for most consumers it's probably worth it. Once the grants go away you can bet there's be more focus on dumb chargers and bringing the cost of the installs right down. However, given the number of different types of RCDs the regulations require, it seems unlikely to ever be as cheap as people would like ...

 

[freddym]

Thank you phproxy, good spot. The Pod Point meets the government's definition of smart because it's got an internet connection, but you're right that it doesn't match an off-peak tariff, which is how we've defined it. We've just updated the site to reflect that - thanks for your help

The government's definition of smart is NOT that it has an internet connection.

Posting stuff like that just spreads misinformation, it's better to be accurate.

 

[[email protected]]

This is from the latest edition of the EVHS guidance.
A ‘smart’ chargepoint is one which can receive and transmit
communications, and can automatically shift its charging pattern depending on external signals, such as changes in price.

 

[freddym]

This is from the latest edition of the EVHS guidance.
A ‘smart’ chargepoint is one which can receive and transmit
communications, and can automatically shift its charging pattern depending on external signals, such as changes in price.

Yeah and it needs to incorporate OCCP communication protocols for TWO WAY data exchange or an equivalent acceptable protocol...of which there aren't any.

That's. NOT an internet connection!

 

[GrahamS]

Hello everyone!

I run Rightcharge (www.rightcharge.co.uk). We were featured recently on Fully Charged's Maddie Goes Electric series.

If you've owned one of the chargers listed on the site...

Hundreds of new drivers are comparing chargers ...

Here are direct links to the charger pages:

...we help drivers compare chargers ...

want to have every charger available on display...

...If there are any other chargers that you would like to see...

FFS. They're NOT chargers. These things are electric supply sockets with (basic or slighly better than basic) control electronics.

 

[freddym]

FFS. They're NOT chargers. These things are electric supply sockets with (basic or slighly better than basic) control electronics.

Is there consensus around the term EVSE?

 

[Gibsonmb]

Careful. What certification does the unit have?

If it doesn't detect DC leakage at 6mA, there is a risk of blinding upstream RCDs and hence removing protection from risk of electrocution.

The OHME equivalent is probably a much safer bet!

However you could fit a Type B RCD that is not blinded by the residual DC to overcome this. Currently £114 on ebay from a UK company

 

[Gibsonmb]

FFS. They're NOT chargers. These things are electric supply sockets with (basic or slighly better than basic) control electronics.

True but they do have a charge controller fitted within them (e.g. Bender CC613 or Viridian CC, and many other non-descript Chinese charge controllers). The newer models may also have wifi/RFID switching, RS485 (MODBUS) to TCP MODUS RTU servers and 6mA residual DC detection plus a LAN connection. The charger itself is in the car.

 

[freddym]

However you could fit a Type B RCD that is not blinded by the residual DC to overcome this. Currently £114 on ebay from a UK company

A critical safety piece of kit should not be purchased from eBay, discuss!

Does the suggestion to purchase a type B RCD come with any advice on how to properly test the DC trip function?

 

[Charlie_C]

Yeah and it needs to incorporate OCCP communication protocols for TWO WAY data exchange or an equivalent acceptable protocol...of which there aren't any.

That's. NOT an internet connection!

Hi Freddy, you're completely right - the spec includes using OCPP. I wonder if synthesising 'the need to exchange data via OCPP' into 'having an internet connection' helps consumers understand the decision - then hopefully it isn't too dangerous. Unless a company is basing the design & build of a new charger from these threads, which would seem a bit odd.

 

[Charlie_C]

Careful. What certification does the unit have?

If it doesn't detect DC leakage at 6mA, there is a risk of blinding upstream RCDs and hence removing protection from risk of electrocution.

The OHME equivalent is probably a much safer bet!

Agreed

 

[Charlie_C]

FFS. They're NOT chargers. These things are electric supply sockets with (basic or slighly better than basic) control electronics.

Just easier language for the mass market.

 

[Mike Schooling]

Careful. What certification does the unit have?

If it doesn't detect DC leakage at 6mA, there is a risk of blinding upstream RCDs and hence removing protection from risk of electrocution.

The OHME equivalent is probably a much safer bet!

also the reason an EVSE needs to have a dedicated (not shared) upstream RCD.

Sent from my SM-N976B using Tapatalk

 

[Mike Schooling]

FFS. They're NOT chargers. These things are electric supply sockets with (basic or slighly better than basic) control electronics.

A couple of years ago, with dumb charging I would have agreed with you. The technology has moved on quite a bit since then...

Just a few things that make a fully featured smart charger a bit more than a dumb supply socket. Chosen from our own product (ChargedEV Smart+ is most popular incarnation) as that is what I am most familiar with, not necessarily relevant for all 'smart' EVSE.

Type B / DC leakage features built in - saves £90-£120 on the cost of an external RCD

Load curtailment - We call this loads limiting. with dumb, You'll need the maximum current capability of the EVSE available on the house fuse. with ours, just 6A. most houses are 60-100A fuses. Start adding electric ovens, heat pumps, showers and even a second charger and you'll not be able to install.

Protection against external faults - dumb sockets dont provide this, Earth faults, PEN faults, over/undervoltage, surge protection, phase imbalance, overheating, etc.

Track energy/carbon - This is a cost / carbon saver. a dumb socket will simply charge the car at full power as soon as you plug in (or to a vehicle timer). We optimise for price/carbon, delay the start of charge and balance this with a ready-by time, in turn protecting the cars battery (less time at 100%)

Monitoring/history - Nice to be able to see a historical view, how much energy is consumed by the car, how much does it cost, etc.

Solar diversion/home energy management - Ability tonoptimise local renewables into the car and even integrate with third party devices, e.g. avoid dumping the contents of a home battery into the car as soon as it plugs in.

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