EV general discussion

[Deleted User 298457]

That is pretty clever. How do you control whether it charges at 10A or 13A? Is there an option on the charger?

Just buy the one I suggested (or similar reputable brand). This thing could burn your house down. Good luck chasing AliExpress for damages if that happens.

The Masterplug only works at 10amp AFAIK.

 

[Penfold101]

That is pretty clever. How do you control whether it charges at 10A or 13A? Is there an option on the charger?

There may be an option in the car itself - my Polestar has one where you can vary the AC amperage rate from 32 amps (7kw wall charger) down to 6 amps. Under 10 is best for a granny charger, but the lower you can set it the better.

When I was using one regularly and wasn’t going anywhere for a few days, I’d just set it to the lowest and leave it. In theory it would mean a full charge from 0-100% would take the best part of 3 days straight…

 

[SexyGreyFox]

That is pretty clever. How do you control whether it charges at 10A or 13A? Is there an option on the charger?

My charger is the official MG one and only charges at 10A.
People on here warned me about the 13A charge so just passing it on.

 

[jpaul]

mechanical relay in that timer socket - I'd need to very confident of its quality before switching 10A potentially under load,
( charge becomes less efficient at low /6A level you have overhead load of the car being in wake-up mode & may not be optimal for invertor )

 

[nsmalley]

I see a Russian general is the latest victim of EV battery fires

 

[Deleted User 298457]

In theory it would mean a full charge from 0-100% would take the best part of 3 days straight…

On this point though - I'd suggest a behaviour change. I plug my EV in as muscle memory when I pull up. Two reasons - it keeps the car topped up on charge at low rate 0030-0530; second reason - it locks the charger into the car for security.

I've never had to "go and charge the car" - that's petrol talking

 

[SexyGreyFox]

On this point though - I'd suggest a behaviour change. I plug my EV in as muscle memory when I pull up. Two reasons - it keeps the car topped up on charge at low rate 0030-0530; second reason - it locks the charger into the car for security.

I've never had to "go and charge the car" - that's petrol talking

Yes, never have to worry when you're an EV owner with a charger.
Yesterday I plugged my charger in around 10am and Octopus worked out we could have cheap electric from 10 to 11, 1 to 2.30, 3 to 4.30 and then 9.30 to 5.30.
Excellent.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

That is pretty clever. How do you control whether it charges at 10A or 13A? Is there an option on the charger?

An outdoor socket would have been smarter.... The BG units like that have a dedicated app, on and off control and set timer windows so would work for 11:30-5:30 generic and days where you want more you could manually overide once Intelligent Go does its thing and also will work with Alexa voice command. I'm using one for Xmas lights at the mo but ill use for our Evoque PHEV when it turns up and charge same time as IPACE on Octopus IG. Spurred from a not in use socket with 2.5mm cable so will be fine.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Yes, never have to worry when you're an EV owner with a charger.
Yesterday I plugged my charger in around 10am and Octopus worked out we could have cheap electric from 10 to 11, 1 to 2.30, 3 to 4.30 and then 9.30 to 5.30.
Excellent.

Is that an app that works it out? Probably worth switching to octopus?

 

[Penfold101]

On this point though - I'd suggest a behaviour change. I plug my EV in as muscle memory when I pull up. Two reasons - it keeps the car topped up on charge at low rate 0030-0530; second reason - it locks the charger into the car for security.

I've never had to "go and charge the car" - that's petrol talking

Indeed - it’s only a thing when destination charging. At home each night there’s usually one of our two cars plugged in - very rarely are neither of them needing at least some juice! Either mine becuase I drive 60 miles round trip to work each day; or hers because it’s an EQC and efficiency is not its strong point

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Is that an app that works it out? Probably worth switching to octopus?

Octopus Intelligent Go, it's brilliant.
Cheap electric is always 23:30 to 05:30 but plug the car in and a schedule will come up on the Octopus app when you can have cheap electricity.
So yesterday at 3pm the car was topping up while the wife had got the washer and tumble dryer on.
Because of iGo I've now decided not to have solar panels or a house battery.

I'll just add that OVO Energy is 7p/Kw at any time of the day for the EV but you don't get your household on the cheap electric.

 

[crazyDAJT]

My wife's last car was a Ford B-Max which is small so we had to find a small EV.
She chose an MG4 and loves it.

I just picked up a less than 1 year old SE long range for 45% off new, can’t beat it for value and drives great!

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Is that an app that works it out? Probably worth switching to octopus?

Definitely switch to Octopus. You can do it how our luminary SexyGreyFox does it - where Octopus turn your car on and off; or I do the one where it's just cheap between 0030 and 0530 (similar to old school Eco7, but the regular rate is the same).

You need a compatible car or charger for how he does it. For me, I just use a BG plug that has an app and set a timer.

Edit: he uses Intelligent GO. I just use Intelligent.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Edit: he uses Intelligent GO. I just use Intelligent.

other way round, he uses intelligent go, you have regular go.

Eon drive next is cheaper than regular Go if all you want is a flat rate. It’s 7 hours at 7p, 00:00 to 07:00. 16p export with Eon also.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

other way round, he uses intelligent go, you have regular go.

Eon drive next is cheaper than regular Go if all you want is a flat rate. It’s 7 hours at 7p, 00:00 to 07:00. 16p export with Eon also.

Ah thanks always mix that one up. More to smart tariffs than just price - I have zero confidence eon have the competence. Also octopus offers power ups, free electricity periods etc.

 

[Simon]

That is pretty clever. How do you control whether it charges at 10A or 13A? Is there an option on the charger?

It’s not. It’s using a plug into a socket. Something permanent like that should be hard wired. Even off a DP fused spur would be better.

A hole then I guess cut the cable to feed through a wall then rewired the plug seems a huge bodge.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

It’s not. It’s using a plug into a socket. Something permanent like that should be hard wired. Even off a DP fused spur would be better.

A hole then I guess cut the cable to feed through a wall then rewired the plug seems a huge bodge.

It was really easy though.
I only used it for two weeks until my Zappi arrived.

 

[Relentless81]

Only just ventured into my first "self charging" hybrid so still a long while before I consider a fully electric car, just can't get interested with the current range and the only viable option in my price range was the Ionic 5

 

[CaptainRAVE]

It’s not. It’s using a plug into a socket. Something permanent like that should be hard wired. Even off a DP fused spur would be better.

A hole then I guess cut the cable to feed through a wall then rewired the plug seems a huge bodge.

Will probably get a company to install it. Just need to decide on older vs newer now and to see whether the current car can be fixed/sold easily.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Is that an app that works it out? Probably worth switching to octopus?

My wife has just plugged the car in and Octopus Intelligent Go works out the cheap rates.
I can guarantee that if we unplug and plug back in around 8pm it will give us from 21:30.