Why is getting an EV charger installed such a slow and painful process? Has anyone had one put in?

Posted by SpaceTimeCapsule89@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 22 comments

We've booked to have an EV charger installed but we're looking at about 3 months before we actually have it installed. Until then, we're relying on public chargers which aren't the best and the apps involved with them are glitchy meaning any time we charge the car, I've to turn my phone off numerous times just to get the app to actually do anything 😫.

Has anyone had one installed and who did you use? Because I've been waiting a week now for the company we've booked to do it to even phone me about something basic and it just seems like this will be dragged out as long as possible.

Thanks

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Brufori@reddit

If you speak to your Distribution Network Operator (DNO), they will be able to arrange the isolator. This will likely be either SPEN or SSEN depending where in Scotland you live.

You can check who the DNO is using the post code tool on this website:

https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator

If you are installing a 7kW unit:

Once the isolator is installed then the EVC installation process should be fairly simple if you have spare capacity in your consumer unit/distribution board. Also worth checking that you have correctly installed electrical bonding as this is likely a check that the installer will perform and may further delay if not in place.

If there is not sufficient space on your consumer unit the installer may add a small separate unit dedicated to the charger unit.

Hope this helps

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Legitimate_War_397@reddit

Also check the fuse rating on your cut out, I work for an energy supplier and we get request for main fuse upgrades for some supplies that are 60 amps. Typically though we advise the customer to contact their DNO to upgrade their main fuse as suppliers that still 60 amps are normally very old and need completely replacing instead of just a fuse swap. If it needs to be 80 amps to 100 amps and the customer doesn’t have a smart meter, we’ll fit a smart meter and put in a 100amp fuse as the smart meter also benefits from the smart meter as they can get our EV tariff for cheap charging.

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mdmnl@reddit

Local company, rep came out to inspect - non-standard install since "fuse box" is closer to the rear of the house than the front, booked appointment about a week later - installed in a few hours. Works fine, install was a bit ad-hoc, not as flawless as the reviews would have had me believe.

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SpaceTimeCapsule89@reddit (OP)

Did you already have an isolator switch? That seems to be the issue we're having. Getting that done is holding things up

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mdmnl@reddit

We had a bog-standard "consumer unit", the easy-to-flip RCDs - our house was built about sixteen years ago, so just the irreducible minimum that Barratt could provide.

Everything else done by the installer, on the day.

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budapest_budapest@reddit

We’ve gone with PodPoint. It’s not been installed yet, but ordering it was a simple process and they’ve given us an installation date 3 weeks from when I ordered.

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SpaceTimeCapsule89@reddit (OP)

We're using Chargeplace Scotland. The RFID card has finally arrived so we can use the screen on-site rather than the app. The charging station is 200m from the house so it's very handy but it does cost 47p per kWh where as at home it would be 7p overnight so we're keen for the charger to be installed asap to take a charge from £9 using the public one down to £1.60 odd at home

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WhiteDiamondK@reddit

Sounds like you’re using a crap installation company.

My brother has had charging points put in at two different homes, always completed within days.

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yolo_snail@reddit

If you have a commando socket installed then you can do whatever you want after it as it's not fixed.

An EV charger is nothing more than a thicc socket after all.

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MrNippyNippy@reddit

Podpoint?

Useless fuckers took months to install mine and even 2 years later it’s not right.

Bought the extended warranty but not to “fix” schedule charging they want me to pay to upgrade to a newer model

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seeyoujim@reddit

The whole reason that there is companies that specifically install charger was to make the getting the grant possible. The grant is now no more. Any electrician can install a charger for you now. Call one and you’ll probably have it installed sooner rather than later.

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On_The_Blindside@reddit

I got a local electrician to so it, didn't take long.

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HankHippopopolous@reddit

Just use a regular plug socket.

It will be slow but if you leave it overnight it will be fine.

It’s also way cheaper than using a public charging place.

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On_The_Blindside@reddit

Yeah don't do this unless it's an outdoor socket with a high current rating for continuous pulling.

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ExtremeTiredness@reddit

Ohme, fitted it within a couple of weeks of ordering my new car.

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amboandy@reddit

same, it took no time at all

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getoffthebandwagon@reddit

Same here.

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BumptheElephant@reddit

We had JST electrical fit one for us a few weeks ago. Less than a week between contacting them and getting it fitted.

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ChaoticCondition@reddit

I got an ohme charger, that was a fun experience. Paid ohme for the charger and install.

Waited a month for the install, bloke comes around with the wrong charger. Told it would be at least two months by the sub contracted installation company before they could fit me in, I complained to ohme. They reduced that wait down to a month.

The same chap comes around. Installation was quick and my car charges just fine, I put the charger inside my garage as it has a remote controlled door opener. Not sure about the wisdom of that.

A few months later, the installation company rings and say that they need to come and inspect the installation.

I play nicely and the chap comes around to have a deep look at what was installed.

Turns out the original installer was fired. No paper work completed by him and the second chap was having to inspect all the installs so that the paperword could be completed so Ohme would pay them!

Loving the EV, octopus intelligent go means I pay less than 2p per mile for the electric.

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