Cutout fuse size

[AndyPRK]

4.5 hours doesn't seem long to me to charge a hybrid.

Anyway, The quicker you charge, the more damage you do to the battery life, so compromises to be had, unless your lifestyle doesn't allow

 

[Murdochcat]

A proper EV charger running at 16A would be a good compromise

 

[EFLImpudence]

Consumer unit photo below:


Interestingly, it appears that someone has soldered the earth to the incoming supply. I assume that is not normal.

Picture?

 

[Rodders53]

RR Evoque PHEV has a 7.4kW (32A) on board ac charger according to Mr Google's AI.

So a full 7.4 kW evse (charge point) will be fully usable... but at around £1k installed is it worth it for the charging time difference? (Compared to a 10 A, 2.4 kW granny lead). For 15kWh of battery.

My 69 kWh (66 usable) EV battery can take longer that the EoN Drive 7-hour cheap rate to charge if I run it low and want to do Volvo's recommended 90% level, or to 100% for a long (holiday) journey next day. Many EV makers / user experts will only charge to 80%. It's not rocket science to plan things so the vehicle is on two nights in a row to fill er up properly if necessary.

A 15 kWh EVSE would likely need plugging in most nights to top up after use? (15 kWh might on a good day go 60 miles, much less in winter)? Some sums are needed on what the petrol/diesel engine recharging costs are cf the home energy pricing (if the vehicle can be set to charge the traction battery from the motor).

EVSEs can all nowadays be set to consume less than their max rated and automatically reduce the vehicle charge current is house load exceeds the install preset (if a 60A cutout fuse exists for example) via a whole house current clamp monitor. But the DNO may also change the fuse (some will only provide 80 A max, others still do 100 A) if asked/they deem it necessary.

EVSE installers will split the meter tails with Henley Blocks and fit a new CU for the EV only with all the required gubbins. Or you could fit a new CU with all RCBOs and then have a suitable RCBO for the new EV circuit. The latter would cost more than the former of course.

 

[ericmark]

To get a double pole switching, single module width, RCBO for that consumer unit is likely to be expensive. So likely only cost-effective way will be a new consumer unit, there are many methods, but the problem is working out what is cost-effective.

To get some of the tariffs, the charge point needs fitting by the supplier. My son has this problem, he fitted a new consumer unit with space for the EV charging point, but the suppliers rules say to get the lucrative tariff, their installers must fit it, and their installers are told to fit a dedicated consumer unit for the EV charge point. The fact that like myself he is an electrical engineer and could fit a charge unit with one hand tied behind his back, does not help, he has to pay Octopus to fit the charge point, their way, if he wants the lucrative tariff.

I think he pays 5p/kWh, where I pay 8.5p/kWh for off-peak. It is not as simple as this will work, it is what it costs.

 

[flameport]

Would the whole consumer unit need replacing, or can an additional unit be installed?

If there is space, then an additional consumer unit for the EVSE can be installed. It will need surge protection as well as the RCBO / RCD & MCB of the appropriate type.

There are no suitable options for the existing consumer unit, as it has no space for RCBOs, but even if it did, the only RCBOs available for it have a permanently connected neutral.

 

[Lower]

Picture?

Earth soldered to incoming supply

 

[Lower]

Picture?

Google AI tells me this is a wiped earth joint onto the lead sheath of the paper insulated lead covered cable, so maybe not as bad as i thought it potentially was.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I couldn't make out what it was. Normally a clamp is used.

 

[Vicario]

Just wondering if that leaking tar/pitch would compromise the connection to earth.

 

[morqthana]

Google AI tells me this is a wiped earth joint onto the lead sheath of the paper insulated lead covered cable, so maybe not as bad as i thought it potentially was.

That's what mine looks like. IHNI what the cable is, but the earth connection is definitely a lead wiped thing, not solder, and not a clamp.