Electric car charging point - How easy to install?

[NeilF]

Out of interest, if you want to add an overnight charging point to your garage, how tricky is this to install?

Is it literally just a plug in a socket, or a spur off an existing mains feed to the garage?

Or is it a complete new circuit all the back to the fuse box in the house?

 

[Hyburnate]

Depends if you're after 13A, 16A or 32A.

 

[bloodiedathame]

Ours is on it's own circuit, and has it's own fuse box (16A).

Podpoint installed it (free - covered by grant).

 

[NeilF]

Ours is on it's own circuit, and has it's own fuse box (16A).

Podpoint installed it (free - covered by grant).

I'm just concerned how on earth we'll get a whole new circuit from the garage to the fuse box? We could could get most of the way (garage ---> kitchen) quite easily, but then from rest of the way is tricky (kitchen --> under the stairs).

Or can these guys perform miracles these days running new cables under 10ft of floor boards etc?

 

[NeilF]

Depends if you're after 13A, 16A or 32A.

Worse case can it simply feed off an existing mains circuit? Even if this takes 10hrs to charge a car overnight?

 

[Hawk Tuah]

I just use a 13a socket - extended from an existing circuit. As long as you're not overloading the circuit - so check if there's any other high load devices running off of it. Kettle, heater, hairdryer etc.

 

[NeilF]

I just use a 13a socket - extended from an existing circuit.

And that will charge up your car in how long roughly?

 

[Hyburnate]

Worse case can it simply feed off an existing mains circuit? Even if this takes 10hrs to charge a car overnight?

If you go 13A and as Bug One said, the socket isn't busy then yep you'll be fine.

I just use a 13a socket - extended from an existing circuit. As long as you're not overloading the circuit - so check if there's any other high load devices running off of it. Kettle, heater, hairdryer etc.

And that will charge up your car in how long roughly?

Depends on the size of the battery, but most people will do it when they arrive home from work, whack it on charge overnight so will probably be full by morning

 

[NeilF]

I just use a 13a socket - extended from an existing circuit. As long as you're not overloading the circuit - so check if there's any other high load devices running off of it. Kettle, heater, hairdryer etc.

Oh, in our garage we have washing machine, tumble drier and a freezer... So clearly there is a significant load on that circuit!

However, it's a fairly new build with new wiring to I expect is modern spec?

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Oh, in our garage we have washing machine, tumble drier and a freezer... So clearly there is a significant load on that circuit!

However, it's a fairly new build with new wiring to I expect is modern spec?

Provided it's all done correctly - you won't overload the wiring - but you might trip the fuse. Best way to test is to turn it all on, and add a kettle as well. If that doesn't trip it, charging a car wont.

Mine does just over 10% an hour. I'm usually charging between 30% and 80% - so for the majority of my usage it takes 4-5 hours to charge.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Obviously, this all depends on what electric car you're getting. If it's a Leaf, Zoe, Golf - then you should be fine mains charging. If you're getting a Tesla - then I'd suggest getting a much higher output charger or you'll be waiting for days to recharge it.

 

[NeilF]

Provided it's all done correctly - you won't overload the wiring - but you might trip the fuse. Best way to test is to turn it all on, and add a kettle as well. If that doesn't trip it, charging a car wont.

Mine does just over 10% an hour. I'm usually charging between 30% and 80% - so for the majority of my usage it takes 4-5 hours to charge.

Thanks...

So worse case, if I want a charging pod added to the side of my garage for a Nissan Leaf of Tesla 3, and dedicate wiring cannot be added through the house to the fuse box, it could just come from a spur in the garage?

 

[robj20]

If i was having wiring done, i would be getting 10mm wiring put in for future proofing, would allow for 64A in ideal conditions.

 

[Joe T]

I think the charging point installers usually visit in advance, so that might be of use?

 

[Hawk Tuah]

If you're getting a new Leaf, or Model 3 - then you're talking about a battery at least double the size of mine - so charge times will be a lot longer via a 13a plug. You'd be better getting a proper point fitted with the grant.

 

[blueboy2001]

Installers generally don't like connecting to existing wiring. They will either want to run their own wire to the charge point from a new breaker in the existing consumer unit or a new small consumer unit they fit, or they can split the meter tails with a Henley block and run a small consumer unit in or near the meter cupboard. Mine is like this, meter is next to the driveway so there's no wiring inside the house. There's no room in my meter cupboard due to all the smart meter stuff so I have a consumer unit in an IP housing just below it. This was all covered by PodPoint standard install.

 

[Diddums]

I'm just concerned how on earth we'll get a whole new circuit from the garage to the fuse box? We could could get most of the way (garage ---> kitchen) quite easily, but then from rest of the way is tricky (kitchen --> under the stairs).

Or can these guys perform miracles these days running new cables under 10ft of floor boards etc?

You'd be amazed to see where my electricians can get cabling through. Granted there is often an abundance of profanity but they get it done.