Thinking of getting an EV

charging fast or slow it's generally not recommended to leave the battery at 100% for a long time to prevent battery degradation. Not a problem for you if you will be changing the car on a lease - that's the next persons problem right! **** em etc :)

For day to day keep below 80% unless it's going to be used straight away.

Yeah I was thinking that but they will offer me the car to buy in 4 years time so if it's a good price and been a good car I might take it.

I was thinking let it charge to 85-90% rather than 80%
 
FYI charging fast or slow it's generally not recommended to leave the battery at 100% for a long time to prevent battery degradation. Not a problem for you if you will be changing the car on a lease - that's the next persons problem right! **** em etc :)

For day to day keep below 80% unless it's going to be used straight away.

My sister and bro-in-law both have EVs and only charge using an outdoor 3 pin mains socket, and EV charging at services when on holiday. I would do the same but I don't have a drive and usually only charge using Tesla Superchargers for non-Teslas. I had my first charging issue last week (7 months) but may have been caused by me not plugging in correctly, the just was slow and then stopped. I just parked to the next one (all 6 chargers were free). I just got back from my weekly charge, had also had an issue this morning, but turned out to be user error, I left the 'engine' on and the flap wouldn't open :rolleyes:
All depends on the battery tech. NMC/NCA it's more to do with how slow they charge from 80-100%. LFP batteries are fine to 100%, in fact Tesla recommend it.
 
All depends on the battery tech. NMC/NCA it's more to do with how slow they charge from 80-100%. LFP batteries are fine to 100%, in fact Tesla recommend it.


Charge to 100%, not leave it at 100%. It’s still lithium iron, it still accelerates the degradation if you leave it at 100%.

It’s also fine to charge an NCA or NMC battery to 100% when you need it.

What does an MG5 have?
It doesn’t matter, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
 
Charge to 100%, not leave it at 100%. It’s still lithium iron, it still accelerates the degradation if you leave it at 100%.

It’s also fine to charge an NCA or NMC battery to 100% when you need it.


It doesn’t matter, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

I was about to make an autocorrect smart-arse comment about lithium ION batteries, but thought I’d best check first.

Turns out I’d have looked like an *******. You learn something new every day! :D
 
Had my EV charger fitted today by Octopus. Done a nice job of it.

Consumer unit is inside a kitchen cupboard so quite tight. No room for another CU in here so they severed the meter tails and fitted another CU outside.



Outside CU is black metal IP rated. My only complaint about this is its not lockable.


Surge protector and 40A RCBO.


And the Zappi itself on the front wall of the house.
 
Last edited:
Had my EV charger fitted today by Octopus. Done a nice job of it.

Consumer unit is inside a kitchen cupboard so quite tight. No room for another CU in here so they severed the meter tails and fitted another CU outside.



Outside CU is black metal IP rated. My only complaint about this is its not lockable.


Surge protector and 40A RCBO.


And the Zappi itself on the front wall of the house.
Is this on their salary sacrifice scheme? I've just ordered a car through it last week and will need a similar setup. I'm thinking a Henley block between the meter and the main consumer unit to an outside consumer unit, the reason being I don't want my hybrid solar inverter to see the load and discharge the home battery. Out of interest, what do they charge for the Zappi? They'll install an Ohme charger free of charge on the scheme but I imagine it's more for the Zappi?
 
Last edited:
yes would be intereting to know if outside CU was part of the package price (they channeled mortar a bit for the outside bend, versus other protection ?)
 
Personally I'm not a big fan of outside C.U.s and to be honest that one seems a little weird when the incomming supply itself is inside the house (I would link to a youtube video of someone having a bit of a rant about it all and making good points, but its full of swearies, so I don't think I can on here). Personally with just six circuits in use on your board I'd have probably recommended changing that Crabtree SB6000 board, and incorporate the EVSE supply it on the consumer unit, yes it would have cost a bit more, but it'd have been a nicer job and you'd have ended up with everything on RCBO and have a board thats suitable for any other additions you might need. But the big EVSE installers don't do stuff like that, they just want to have 'standard installs' where they bang and extra board whereover and move on
 
Is this on their salary sacrifice scheme? I've just ordered a car through it last week and will need a similar setup. I'm thinking a Henley block between the meter and the main consumer unit to an outside consumer unit, the reason being I don't want my hybrid solar inverter to see the load and discharge the home battery. Out of interest, what do they charge for the Zappi? They'll install an Ohme charger free of charge on the scheme but I imagine it's more for the Zappi?
No, my workplace scheme is Tusker (where Ive ordered the car from), but that doesn't include the EV charger so I had to pay for this myself. Octopus was by far the best price I could find out of all the big installers. I didn't try a local electrician, but the Zappi unit itself seemed to be around £600+ so I doubt I'd have got the whole package much cheaper (paid £1050 total).

yes would be intereting to know if outside CU was part of the package price (they channeled mortar a bit for the outside bend, versus other protection ?)
Yep £1050 total for everything. They would have fitted it internally if there was space, but there isn't.

Personally I'm not a big fan of outside C.U.s and to be honest that one seems a little weird when the incomming supply itself is inside the house (I would link to a youtube video of someone having a bit of a rant about it all and making good points, but its full of swearies, so I don't think I can on here). Personally with just six circuits in use on your board I'd have probably recommended changing that Crabtree SB6000 board, and incorporate the EVSE supply it on the consumer unit, yes it would have cost a bit more, but it'd have been a nicer job and you'd have ended up with everything on RCBO and have a board thats suitable for any other additions you might need. But the big EVSE installers don't do stuff like that, they just want to have 'standard installs' where they bang and extra board whereover and move on
Ideally yes you're right but the existing install as you can see is inside a kitchen cupboard and its a bit of a mess in there. When I eventually refurb the kitchen I would like to try and tidy things up but it will be difficult, the gas meter is in there too and various plumbing. Maybe in a few years when I do get the kitchen done I can look at replacing the consumer unit and the outside one with a combined unit.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom