Volkswagen ID.3 Forum

G43FAN wrote: ↑Fri May 28, 2021 2:28 pm I don't think your word or honesty was being questioned

I disagree.

G43FAN wrote: ↑Fri May 28, 2021 2:28 pm With the £350 grant the installer was charging you less than £200 for the installation!!

He did and made that clear in the quote. He's a local installer on Myenergi's list with plenty of Zappi experience so he gets on with the installation and isn't left scratching his head on what to do next. Really competent and an extremely neat installation.

digital wrote: ↑Fri May 28, 2021 10:53 am You may have read that 'people typically pay £800-900' but that doesn't mean you should sow any doubt on the fact that I paid £600. Calling someone's honesty into doubt on zero evidence is not a good look.

You paid what you paid, I'm sure you're not making it up. You got an amazing deal.

My Zappi cost me over £900. You got a tremendous bargain, well done. And my installer didn't even do a good job, I had to do some remedial work after he finished.

HeidiFlowerpt Driver wrote: ↑Sat May 29, 2021 8:30 pm My Zappi cost me over £900. You got a tremendous bargain, well done. And my installer didn't even do a good job, I had to do some remedial work after he finished.

I did! A local installer who knew what he was doing and left me with a really neat installation with everything set up. He even spent time talking me through the settings and options I might want to change.

I got him back a few weeks later to install an Eddi for me. I could have done it myself but I preferred to support him and give him the job.

Get a Pod Point solo. Don't bother getting a tethered one as your car comes with a type 2 cable anyway and will future proof if newer cars later have a different connection.

It supports scheduled charging (thank god as the timed charge on the car doesn't work) so you can set it, plug it in and then leave it overnight. Just remember to cancel the schedules in advance if you want to charge now as it can take 5 minutes to sync the app with the charger, but I've had one for a few months, works a treat. 7.4kw/h.

No complaints with my Ohme pulling charge at 0030 to 0430 for Octopus GO reduced rates.

Thanks everyone for your responses.

After much investigation I decided on a Zappi. We’re considering installing solar panels to assist charging the car and help heat our hot water tank so a Zappi seemed the best option for us. Received a quote from a ‘myenergi’ approved installer for £750 after the grant. All being well will be installed next week.

Yes I heard a lot of good things about Zappi, especially if you have solar. Only downside is you have to leave your car plugged in all the time, as the charger will decide to divert power to the car when you have excess energy (typically during the day).

To save starting a new thread - about 95% there to giving my deposit for a new ID3 and researching what looks like a complicated home charging market!

Any good places / websites to start? Prefer to use a local person if poss (Manchester based) - and its a fairly simple install (board in cellar - wire 2m along wall and out through wall to exterior).

Looks like some sort of charge timing/sync is a good idea - no need for solar panel integration etc...

Like the look of the Sync EV (as its small) - the OHME one seems great but a bit big/messy looking (cables, holster etc..) for our set up. Podpoint looks decent, but they are quite large - and white - subtle/unobtrusive are a plus...

Had a good couple of hours looking online but it all seems to be sign up here and we’ll give you a quote type type sites...

If you're anywhere near @digital (postings in this thread) his installer sounds great...

HeidiFlowerpt Driver wrote: ↑Sat Jun 12, 2021 3:26 pm If you're anywhere near @digital (postings in this thread) his installer sounds great...

I'm in Yorkshire: the other (right!) side of the Pennines so it may not be economic for my installer to travel.

@digital I am in Richmond N Yorks and wondering if your installer covers up
Here?
I have a 63 amp single phase supply, and the online chap at Octopus is saying I will need to get my supply increased to 100 amp before they can install - does this sound right?

RM1 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 29, 2022 7:04 pm @digital I am in Richmond N Yorks and wondering if your installer covers up
Here?
I have a 63 amp single phase supply, and the online chap at Octopus is saying I will need to get my supply increased to 100 amp before they can install - does this sound right?

If your home has a limit due to a 60 A fuse it's normal to recommend this is upgraded to either an 80 A or 100 A fuse. Our DNO does this for free and it's the job of the installer to request that the DNO do it - in fact it's not even possible to request such an upgrade as a private individual where I live. Some of this does vary around the country though.
It's not actually true that you need a higher rated supply, but if you don't have one then you'll probably need a charger with load balancing capability. If you've chosen a charger already and it doesn't have load balancing then it makes sense that Octupus would mention the fuse.

The home charger will take 32 amps of your 63 amps. Thats ok providing you dont have any other unusual loads like AC or Electrical heating rather than gas. If you chose a home charger with a load monitor (CT) that will reduce charging power to the car to protect your incoming 63 amp from overloading.
I would ask Octopus to explain why 63 amps is not sufficient. Would an increase need a cable upgrade (expensive) or is it a fuse change?

RM1 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 29, 2022 7:04 pm @digital I am in Richmond N Yorks and wondering if your installer covers up
Here?
I have a 63 amp single phase supply, and the online chap at Octopus is saying I will need to get my supply increased to 100 amp before they can install - does this sound right?

My main fuse isn’t labelled but it’s almost certainly 100A due to the age of the house. The installer had to notify the DNO (who apparently is a private provider). My installer said they might come out and change the fuse… they haven’t yet.

I asked why they had to be told and he said it’s so they know what’s happening in the area to manage distribution. “Imagine if everyone got a charger installed, they need to know because it’s new load that wasn’t originally thought of”. That’s not the only consideration though.

If you have a 60A main fuse then you would probably be okay with a 7kW charger but if have an induction hob and an electric shower then try to charge your car you could blow your main fuse. Blowing the main fuse is a pretty big deal as in you could be without power for several hours and someone will have to come out and replace it. That’s going to be expensive and why octopus won’t fit the charger.