[BarryH]

This topic goes back to November 2019 does anyone think that Rolec or Podpoint will ever do timed charging as MG on ZSEV will not, I purchased a PP 4 months ago and the engineer who fitted it said timed charging is eminent which turned out to be rubbish, any comments.

When I had my PodPoint fitted early in 2020 and asked the installer to demonstrate the delayed char using the PP App he laughed and said PP App doesn't do that your car timer does. P had been told by MG Dealer that it would. So I immediately called PP Customer Service number and they said there were no plans for that so I drove directly to the dealler and confronted them and asked them to show me how they though the PP App delayed charge. They fumbled around with and said that everyone else was doing ok with it. Further phone calls and emails uncovered that each party thought the other controlled delayed charging and although PodPoint nearly a year ago said they would "Make it a priority for their development team" there is no update available still. The fault lays a the door of MG Motors in de-spec'ing the car on the assumption that SMART HOME CHARGERS would handle the scheduled charging. unfortunately that isn't the purpose of SMART wall chargers. The PP has a Total Premises Current sensor which will suspend the vehicle charging if the total household load is approaching the Main Fuse limit to enable other domestic requirements to be fully meet (withing the main fuse limits). And secondly to link the charger via the SIM Card and 'Machine to Machine' (M2M) GSM back to PodPoint and the Local Distribution Network Operator (DNO) so the Home Charge Point can be turned off to manage local power network loads.

Now to my mind it would have been helpful to that load management requirement if the SMART Spec had included a requirement for Home Charge Points to allow users to schedule their charge to off peek and to take some responsibility for load balancing but it doesn't put that requirement on the providers like PodPoint to do so.

This is why I took it upon myself to add a WiFi Relay to interrupt the control signal from the car to my Wall Charge Point which schedules my charging time to the 4 hours Octopus Go charge me 5p/kWh.

For 5p/kWh rate and £50 credit for each of us use referral code Octopus Energy

 

[Lafree]

When I had my PodPoint fitted early in 2020 and asked the installer to demonstrate the delayed char using the PP App he laughed and said PP App doesn't do that your car timer does. P had been told by MG Dealer that it would. So I immediately called PP Customer Service number and they said there were no plans for that so I drove directly to the dealler and confronted them and asked them to show me how they though the PP App delayed charge. They fumbled around with and said that everyone else was doing ok with it. Further phone calls and emails uncovered that each party thought the other controlled delayed charging and although PodPoint nearly a year ago said they would "Make it a priority for their development team" there is no update available still. The fault lays a the door of MG Motors in de-spec'ing the car on the assumption that SMART HOME CHARGERS would handle the scheduled charging. unfortunately that isn't the purpose of SMART wall chargers. The PP has a Total Premises Current sensor which will suspend the vehicle charging if the total household load is approaching the Main Fuse limit to enable other domestic requirements to be fully meet (withing the main fuse limits). And secondly to link the charger via the SIM Card and 'Machine to Machine' (M2M) GSM back to PodPoint and the Local Distribution Network Operator (DNO) so the Home Charge Point can be turned off to manage local power network loads.

Now to my mind it would have been helpful to that load management requirement if the SMART Spec had included a requirement for Home Charge Points to allow users to schedule their charge to off peek and to take some responsibility for load balancing but it doesn't put that requirement on the providers like PodPoint to do so.

This is why I took it upon myself to add a WiFi Relay to interrupt the control signal from the car to my Wall Charge Point which schedules my charging time to the 4 hours Octopus Go charge me 5p/kWh.

For 5p/kWh rate and £50 credit for each of us use referral code Octopus Energy

 

[Lafree]

Thank for reply, so my only option is to fit a relay and forfeit the PP warranty as they are not bothered as most EV cars have a connection as I need to time charge with Octopus at 5 p per kwh.

 

[BarryH]

Thank for reply, so my only option is to fit a relay and forfeit the PP warranty as they are not bothered as most EV cars have a connection as I need to time charge with Octopus at 5 p per kwh.

Of the many SONOFF devices out there you ideally should use one with a Relay which isolates the output and input. Most SONOFF have mains supply voltage which they switch to the outpout - these you do not want.
The PodPoint has a 12v supply which is accessible on two pins on the main circuit and the module i used operates from DC 5v-32v with it's own onboard voltage regulator. The output is a relay with 3 screw terminals a common, a Normally open and a normally closed. I chose to connect the CP "White" wire from the Type 2 Cable into the Common and a short length of new wire from the Normally Open (NO) terminal back to main board terminal block marked "CP". I programmed the module before fitting it with the 4 hours a day and also set it to power on when the power is restored just so you also have som simple manual control should you need it by cycling the main switch to the PP.

I used the "MHCOZY Updated WiFi Wireless Smart Switch Inching Self-locking Relay Module" from Amazon. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QZQGJB1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For 5p/kWh rate and £50 credit for each of us use referral code Octopus Energy

 

[terryya]

I'm already on Octopus (waiting to move to Go once the meter connects) and have a 5 year old dumb PodPoint that I use on my e-Niro. I'm looking to get a new one that I can time to charge during the cheap period and have read this thread and I'm now more confused than ever. What chargers can I get that I will be able to control to charge when I want it to? Thanks

 

[shikoku14]

I'm already on Octopus (waiting to move to Go once the meter connects) and have a 5 year old dumb PodPoint that I use on my e-Niro. I'm looking to get a new one that I can time to charge during the cheap period and have read this thread and I'm now more confused than ever. What chargers can I get that I will be able to control to charge when I want it to? Thanks

Have you considered one of these and save yourself some money on a new charger (the £199 type 2 - type 2 Ohme, Octopus offer) , I've been using mine with my dumb untehered ChargeEV (rebadged Chargemaster) 7kW charger since September. Not sure what setup your PodPoint has if its tethered or untethered.

 

[terryya]

Have you considered one of these and save yourself some money on a new charger (the £199 type 2 - type 2 Ohme, Octopus offer) , I've been using mine with my dumb untehered ChargeEV (rebadged Chargemaster) 7kW charger since September. Not sure what setup your PodPoint has if its tethered or untethered.

I've been looking at that but my charger was a tethered type 1 which I changed to a type 2. If it was untethered I'd have probably just got the ohme and made do with one charger between us.

 

[Neilew]

I've been looking at that but my charger was a tethered type 1 which I changed to a type 2. If it was untethered I'd have probably just got the ohme and made do with one charger between us.

Doesn't the Niro have charge timing in the cars setup?

It's a problem for MG owners, because SAIC thought the words, Smart Charger, meant that the charge point could do the timing (which it can't) and didn't include it in the UK versions (although versions for other countries can).

Edit: It's done through the app we don't have.

 

[Neilew]

 

[terryya]

Doesn't the Niro have charge timing in the cars setup?

It's a problem for MG owners, because SAIC thought the words, Smart Charger, meant that the charge point could do the timing (which it can't) and didn't include it in the UK versions (although versions for other countries can).

Edit: It's done through the app we don't have.

Yeah, I'm fine with the Niro but we've now added a ZS as a second EV so looking for something that works well for timed charges with that. Maybe I could have been clearer.

 

[Neilew]

Yeah, I'm fine with the Niro but we've now added a ZS as a second EV so looking for something that works well for timed charges with that. Maybe I could have been clearer.

Ah, sorry. (removes foot from mouth)

 

[BarryH]

Yeah, I'm fine with the Niro but we've now added a ZS as a second EV so looking for something that works well for timed charges with that. Maybe I could have been clearer.

TBH your least expensive option is to get the OHME charge cable #shikoku14 suggested and order the Type 2 to Type 2 version. Then just as you had the Type 1 changed to Type 2 gey the OHME cable, with the plug removed from the short input side, wired in to replace the Type 2 tethered cable. You can then leave the Dumb PodPoint in situ.

However, since the PodPoint is now just a further link in the chain, you could order the Comando Version of the OHME and replace the PodPoint smply with a waterproof junction box and have the OHME and after removing the Comando Plug "hardwire" its L, N and Earth to the L, N and Earth which currently supplies the PoPoint.

For either of the options above the EVSE Brick in the OHME cable can be secured to the wall as the EVSE Brick has the same fixing lugs as the unsubsidised version supplied for wall fixing at twice the price direct from OHME.

 

[terryya]

That does sound like the best option to be honest. I'd just have to make sure that the MG charges on days I don't want to precondition the Niro. And yes, I do know how ridiculous that sounds.