Car EV charging point advice

Joined
25 Sep 2010
Messages
37
Reaction score
0
Location
Worcestershire
Country
United Kingdom
I will be getting a new car soon, its going to be an Electric Vehicle.

I can get a free PODPoint installed, this requires a 32a supply.
My house is on a modern estate (12 years old), with the garage adjoining a couple of others in a shared car park (for 4 cars) at the end of my garden.
The garage currently has a 16a supply via SWA, fed from the main Consumer unit in the house. A small consumer unit in the garage supplies a couple of 13a sockets and a lighting circuit.

The existing cable will not be suitable to run an additional 32a EV charging point from, so I accept I will need to run a new SWA cable to the garage.

As the main electricity meter is along the side of the house, the easiest and shortest route to the garage is from that box, rather than going right back to the consumer unit on the opposite side of the house. I already have a 100a main supply fuse and PME earthing.

With this in mind, I have installed 2 henley blocks, ready for when the Smart Meter Engineer installs the meter on Friday. I will ask him kindly to fit the existing tails into the blocks and run new short tails to the incoming supply. This will make it very simple to add an extra supply for the garage.

Onto my questions:-

  1. What sort of breaker should be fitted between the henley blocks and the new garage SWA cable?
  2. Should I plan to keep the existing garage consumer unit (It is already a metal unit with RCD etc) in place on the existing SWA cable and install a 2nd unit, on the new SWA? or instead cap off this supply and put a new larger consumer unit in with capacity for each of the existing garage circuits plus a spare 32a for the EV charger?
  3. Based on the answer to (2), continue using house PME, or should the garage become TT isolated and have a local earth rod?
At the moment, I'm only planning the install. I will run the SWA cable, but will rely on the electrical contractor installing the EV charging point to terminate and test everything.

The charge point will probably be mounted inside the garage as there isn't really a suitable wall outside to mount it on. However, the vehicle will remain outside when being charged (cable run under the garage door)

I'm just trying to budget and plan as much as possible in advance.

Thanks for advice and suggestions :)
 
Sponsored Links
I will ask him kindly to fit the existing tails into the blocks and run new short tails to the incoming supply
If you want any moderate chance of that happening, you will need to supply the extra tails yourself.
Don't be surprised if they refuse to do it - meter installers are paid next to nothing and have very little time allocated to each job.

The other questions:
1 - One suitable for the cable size and expected load. Note that you are not supposed to install extra equipment into meter boxes, they are intended for DNO/metering equipment only. Smart meters are typically much larger than other types.
2 - Doesn't matter, EV points typically would have their own specific type of RCD/MCB anyway.
3 - Likewise. The EV installer will deal with that.
 
You might do better to supply and fit a 100A DP Isolator after the meter, as a Main Switch for the installation.

Get 25mm tails.

If you prefit the Supply side tails, it will be trifling work for the fitter.

it would be unsafe to work on Henley blocks when they are live.

Whatever it says on the incoming 100A fuseholder, it might not contain a 100A fuse.
 
Out of curiosity which EV did you go for? I've been thinking about this for a while.
 
Sponsored Links
Thanks both, I already have a DP 100a isolator after the meter, kindly installed by the DNO when they borrowed power to feed next door, during a cable issue.
So isolating the henley blocks is not an issue.
I also have already purchased spare tails, 25mm, can't cut them to length until the DP isolator switch cover is removed to determine length. But i can install the one end of each, in preparation :)

So the general suggestion seems to be, run the cable and let the EV installer worry about a new consumer unit at the garage end?
 
Out of curiosity which EV did you go for? I've been thinking about this for a while.

Having tried a Leaf, BMW i3 & Toyota C-HR Hybrid, I went for a Hyundai Ioniq EV. For the mileage I do, it seems like it should fulill my needs and both save me some money on fuel as well as do my bit for the environment.

There are some amazing deals around for 30Kw Leaf's at the moment, from £199 deposit and £199 per month!
 
So what do you need the meter installer for?


For how long, is that purchase or rental, what happens at the end?

While he has the power off, only take him a couple of mins to install the cables, while he is at it :) I will provide drinks and biscuits :) :)

PCP I think, so you can just give it back.
 
Only locally by transferring your pollution elsewhere.
It's good to know that the grid is now getting more electricity from windfarms than from coal.

It's also (and today is a dull wintry day) currently getting more from Solar than from coal.
 
It's good to know that the grid is now getting more electricity from windfarms than from coal.
That is because most of the coal power stations have closed and the few that are left are only used when other sources are unable to meet demand.

The vast majority of electricity used in the UK is generated from gas and nuclear.
 
I know.

but

It's good to know that the grid is now getting more electricity from windfarms than from coal.

It's also (and today is a dull wintry day) currently getting more from Solar than from coal.

Which is very relevant to pollution.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top