Energy Supplier can't install an EV Charger

You do not need to use Henley blocks to fix the immediate issues with that 6mm cable. But yes is the answer.

It just needs to be put into a 40A MCB within the existing consumer unit, it even has a spare way available to do it. The cables probably need to be extended as they don’t look long enough. It boggles the mind as to why it wasn’t done in the first place. A 40A MCB is the biggest they make which you can put on a 6mm cable.

You would only need to split the tails if the electrician installs the charger on a brand new supply. That would be my suggestion anyway as a 6mm cable is hasn’t got the headroom to run a charger and other loads you may want to plug into the sockets at the same time. You also need to run a cable back to the main supply for the CT clamp.

A 4mm and a 32A breaker is sufficient to run a 32A device if it’s working to specification. However, many charger manufacturers are asking for a dedicated 6mm feed with 40A breaker these days. I guess most smart chargers technically draw more than 32A as they deliver 32A to the car and they have to run their own electronics and in the case of a hypervolt, a load of RGB LEDs in addition to this.

The installer will probably want to put it on a new supply because of all the reasons mentioned above. If they touch the existing installation (which is a bit ropey), they become responsible for it and they probably don’t want to touch it unless they are specifically there to fix it.

Either way, it’s not something you need to worry about as you’ll need to get someone competent in to install it so it’s their issue to think about.
 
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Appreciate all the help on this.

I mocked up a diagram. I should have the shed squared away in a few days (as shown below). After that, would the rest of the diagram be acceptable (ignoring ev charger for now I'm just would like to get the shed correctly sorted). So in my head from what i've been told so far....

Electrics.jpg


Thanks again.
 
Firegod said:
Appreciate all the help on this.

I mocked up a diagram. I should have the shed squared away in a few days (as shown below). After that, would the rest of the diagram be acceptable (ignoring ev charger for now I'm just would like to get the shed correctly sorted). So in my head from what i've been told so far....

Electrics.jpg


Thanks again.
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Do not do that. It’s even worse that what you had before. The above is a disaster waiting to happen.

Seriously, call an electrician before you kill yourself or someone else.
 
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b0rn2sk8 said:
It just needs to be put into a 40A MCB within the existing consumer unit, it even has a spare way available to do it. The cables probably need to be extended as they don’t look long enough. It boggles the mind as to why it wasn’t done in the first place. A 40A MCB is the biggest they make which you can put on a 6mm cable.
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That would sort a lot of the existing mess out however there would be an issue in doing that an expecting to put an EVSE on the sub board in that the existing board has a type AC RCD as an incomming device

Do not do that. It’s even worse that what you had before. The above is a disaster waiting to happen.

Seriously, call an electrician before you kill yourself or someone else.
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I agree, the 6mm of the henley blocks is no improvement over it dogged in the main switch, and the fact that its before the main switch and therefore without means of isolation as well as without overcurrent protection, mean it is infact worse. and not sure how hes going to make the armoured off. Not sure why hes got a separate isolator at the far end instead of going straight into the board, which if its got RCBOs on all the ways does not want the RCD incommer and he needs to remember that the one for the EVSE needs to break the neutral.
 
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@Adam_151 I'll be honest, I purposely refrained from explaining what's wrong because (and I do not mean to cause offence when I type this) @Firegod doesn't know what they are doing and they shouldn't be touching this with a barge pole. I'm all for encouraging people to have a go at changing a socket face plate or doing a new light fitting but this goes well beyond that.

This stuff can be really dangerous and there is a reason why an electrician has to do an accredited training, know the electrical wiring regulations back to front and be a member of a professional body who periodically inspects their work.
 
I've popped on checkatrade to get some people out, but the diagram was born from the one shown here - https://learntechnique.com/technical-guide-henley-blocks-isolation - the one titled "suitable layout". :confused:

Like I say, I'm not an electrician but I do like to try and understand these things. And no I certainly wouldn't be fiddling with this. I'm fine with fitting a consumer unit, wiring lights and sockets. I will admit it is hard, a lot of the lingo being used is confusing, as are some of the comments. I have Adam_151 saying in one post that a separate small consumer unit with a 40A/45A MCB (You'd need to split the tails with henleys to feed the new unit) and b0rn2sk8 saying Is that armoured just stuffed in with the main tails? That’s ropy as ****, no offence intended if you installed it, it’s just not to code, and dangerous. But now, the 6mm of the henley blocks is no improvement over it dogged in the main switch. So....

I'll proceed to get some advice from electricians and go with what they suggest. Happy days.

Thanks again.
 
b0rn2sk8 said:
@Adam_151 I'll be honest, I purposely refrained from explaining what's wrong because (and I do not mean to cause offence when I type this) @Firegod doesn't know what they are doing and they shouldn't be touching this with a barge pole. I'm all for encouraging people to have a go at changing a socket face plate or doing a new light fitting but this goes well beyond that.
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True enough, I tend to go in, explain why something is **** and ask what they were ever thinking and hope that they catch on that they Don't have enough knowledge to understand why what they proposed was no good.... I guess its probably not always the best way!
 
Firegod said:
I've popped on checkatrade to get some people out, but the diagram was born from the one shown here - https://learntechnique.com/technical-guide-henley-blocks-isolation - the one titled "suitable layout". :confused:
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The issue with that diagram is it skips over a bunch of other regulations which you have to apply in relation to sub mains and the formation of meter tails which apply in the application you are proposing to implement.

Firegod said:
And now I have one electrician messaging me saying a 40A breaker is too high for 6mm and needs to be 32A.
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It depends, the current carrying capacity of a cable depends on the scenario in which it is deployed. If its in an insulated wall, that is correct its under 40A so you need a 32A breaker. If its clipped direct, it's higher and you can use a 40A breaker. Usually armoured cabled are used externally and its going out to a shed, I assumed it wasn't in an insulated wall for any material length. To note my post also says maximum, that didn't mean it couldn't be less.

You are doing the right thing getting someone in by the way - as much as it hurts the wallet.
 
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b0rn2sk8 said:
It depends, the current carrying capacity of a cable depends on the scenario in which it is deployed. If its in an insulated wall, that is correct its under 40A so you need a 32A breaker. If its clipped direct, it's higher and you can use a 40A breaker. Usually armoured cabled are used externally and its going out to a shed, I assumed it wasn't in an insulated wall for any material length. To note my post also says maximum, that didn't mean it couldn't be less.

You are doing the right thing getting someone in by the way - as much as it hurts the wallet.
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Yeah not in any insulated walls. Just in ground. Edited last post, it should be good for 44A.
 
Shed all sorted.

I think reading back this is what you guys were saying would be the way to do it on the main consumer unit; just move it to the spare way and fit with a 40A fuse. :)

Shed-Fuse.jpg


I also showed him the stuff in the shed and he was happy with what we have in there, he said probably way overkill, but absolutely nothing wrong with it at all.

Happy days!
 
You got that sorted quickly!

Good stuff and thats exactly what I had in mind with my suggestions to fix it. The shed end looked all good, it was always the CU end that was the issue.


Have you managed to find someone to install the EV charger yet?
 
b0rn2sk8 said:
You got that sorted quickly!

Good stuff and thats exactly what I had in mind with my suggestions to fix it. The shed end looked all good, it was always the CU end that was the issue.


Have you managed to find someone to install the EV charger yet?
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Cheers.

Yeah I couldn't believe it when he text yesterday saying he'd come take a look today! Had a good chat about it all. And yeah he managed to source a suitable schneider replacement for the old square d unit. Came straight back and did it within the hour.

Yes aye, EV charger is being done by Smart Home Charge. Seem to get good reviews. The unit and other bits arrived today via dpd. :) And they notified the dno yesterday. All seems to be progressing nicely.
 
Had a slight issue with the smart meter install though. Not enough space. Got some new flame retardant meter board which arrived today from cef electrical. Gonna fit that in the cupboard so that we can get the bloke back out to try again. New unit is much bigger.
 
so - evidently enough slack to put the armoured cable into the spare right position on cu -
can we be nosy on the electrician cost for that and ev charger install ?
 
jpaul said:
so - evidently enough slack to put the armoured cable into the spare right position on cu -
can we be nosy on the electrician cost for that and ev charger install ?
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Yeah thankfully had enough slack on it.

I don't mind, sure. To fix the shed issue this morning was £110. The EV charger with install, I paid ~£1,200 (I opted for the longer 8m cable as well on the charger). Is that bad?

I do wonder what happens if they arrive and there is less work required than initially quoted, do you get a rebate?
 
Not usually, sounds like a standard install price as putting it on the house near to the existing supply will be a standard install. They’ll install a small consumer unit for the charger and not touch your existing installation.

Whether you need 3m of cable or 10m, it doesn’t really change the amount of work needed or the cost of materials.
 
b0rn2sk8 said:
Not usually, sounds like a standard install price as putting it on the house near to the existing supply will be a standard install. They’ll install a small consumer unit for the charger and not touch your existing installation.

Whether you need 3m of cable or 10m, it doesn’t really change the amount of work needed or the cost of materials.
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Brill thanks :)
 
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