EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) for Home Use

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167 posts

Master Geek

#2994408 10-Nov-2022 16:16

lchiu7:

I am still in two minds about installing one of these units. I presume they have to be connected to the main switchboard? I can't work out how to do that is my house. In the laundry there is a panel with a bunch of circuit breakers but no wiring that I can see. Then outside the house on the well is the smart meter and associated wiring to connect to the mains supply. Where do these devices get connected to?

The charger gets connected to the "panel with the circuit breakers" in the laundry but they need a much bigger circuit breaker than your usual powerpoints/lights... usually at least a 32AMP circuit for 7kW. The wires running from the board to the charger are also bigger than your usual household wiring to cope with the extra current. It is definitely a job for a registered electrician, not a DIY. :-)

SomeoneSomewhere

1804 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2994465 10-Nov-2022 21:22

Walls are hollow :)

lchiu7

6476 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#3009085 12-Dec-2022 16:22

I don't want to overboard with installing an expensive charget for my ATTO3. I was thinking if I could supply 16A then I could use one of these instead of the granny charger that came with the car.

https://smartevchargers.co.nz/shop/plug-in-ev-chargers/16a-ev-charger-blue-cee/?fbclid=IwAR3GANuBsa0qfvm6zQW_P9skREpBIWfvjvL5DoOFghWJh-IBOnWwnBmAmrc

Then I am going to need a caravan plug like this I guess?

https://theshopsite.co.nz/products/16-amps-caravan-male-inlets-ip44?variant=38150887309487&

My circuit breakers are all rated at 20A so the wiring to the garage should be okay. At the moment I only have to twin outlets in the garage. One powers the garage door opener and the other I use to charge a vacuum cleaner. Am I allowed to install this socket myself by tapping into the current socket or do I need a sparky?

everettpsycho

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3009240 12-Dec-2022 20:28

I'd definitely get a sparky to sign off on any works you want to do, these things need to deliver sustained load for very long periods, you'd be looking at over 13.5 hours to recharge a full 50kwh at this rate and that's full 16A for the entire duration which could get quite toasty.

Personally if it was me in your shoes I'd be considering getting a 32A load balanced one. The Atto can take the extra power if you deliver it and it will half your charge times meaning if you were to shift to an ev plan you could get all 50kwh in the off peak time period reducing your charging bill. Pricing wise smartevchargers and OEM audio do have some for not much more than the cable you are looking at and I think it's worth that outlay over a caravan socket, unless you have other uses for the caravan socket of course. Now you're getting an ev I wouldn't imagine you'll be going back to ICE anytime soon so it's a long term thing you'll have for many years so worth getting it right now.

timbosan

2159 posts

Uber Geek

#3009252 12-Dec-2022 20:57

So SLIGHTY off-topic, I have a 16amp Halo charger for my 40kw Leaf, works fantastic and can charge to full in around 10 hours.

However on the weekend I was down in the 'Tron and happened to need a fast charge. I usually use the charger at Pak n Save but it was in use, so went to the Z at Rotokauri. 100kw charger! Wow, that thing is fast! And it's actually cheaper than ChargeNet (69c vs. 80c+ depending on location), and the Pak n Save chargers are only 50kw. Took around 25 minutes to get from approx. 40% to 85%

App was easy to sign up for, it works by topping up your account (I did $20), then debits from there. The one at Z Rotokauri can take 4 cars, 2 CHAdeMO and 2 CCS at the same time, vs. 1 car at time at the ChargerNet.

lchiu7

6476 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#3009338 13-Dec-2022 09:27

everettpsycho: I'd definitely get a sparky to sign off on any works you want to do, these things need to deliver sustained load for very long periods, you'd be looking at over 13.5 hours to recharge a full 50kwh at this rate and that's full 16A for the entire duration which could get quite toasty.

Personally if it was me in your shoes I'd be considering getting a 32A load balanced one. The Atto can take the extra power if you deliver it and it will half your charge times meaning if you were to shift to an ev plan you could get all 50kwh in the off peak time period reducing your charging bill. Pricing wise smartevchargers and OEM audio do have some for not much more than the cable you are looking at and I think it's worth that outlay over a caravan socket, unless you have other uses for the caravan socket of course. Now you're getting an ev I wouldn't imagine you'll be going back to ICE anytime soon so it's a long term thing you'll have for many years so worth getting it right now.

Thanks, that is what I was going to do anyway.

I am happy charing the car every second night so I don't think I need to invest in a 32 Load balance unit. I signed up for the Genesis EV plan which is half price from 9pm to 7am so I am just plugging the car in every second night using the Granny charger and the car starts charging between those hours. But if I let the charge get below say 50% then it can two dahs to charge the car :-( When that occurs I sometimes drive over to the Chargenet chargers near me and take advantage of the Genesis/Chargenet plan.

My idea was if I had a 16A charger I could potentially halve the time it would take to charge the car with only a modest outlay in cost.

mkissin

391 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#3009414 13-Dec-2022 10:31

lchiu7:

I don't want to overboard with installing an expensive charget for my ATTO3. I was thinking if I could supply 16A then I could use one of these instead of the granny charger that came with the car.

https://smartevchargers.co.nz/shop/plug-in-ev-chargers/16a-ev-charger-blue-cee/?fbclid=IwAR3GANuBsa0qfvm6zQW_P9skREpBIWfvjvL5DoOFghWJh-IBOnWwnBmAmrc

Then I am going to need a caravan plug like this I guess?

https://theshopsite.co.nz/products/16-amps-caravan-male-inlets-ip44?variant=38150887309487&

My circuit breakers are all rated at 20A so the wiring to the garage should be okay. At the moment I only have to twin outlets in the garage. One powers the garage door opener and the other I use to charge a vacuum cleaner. Am I allowed to install this socket myself by tapping into the current socket or do I need a sparky?

It's super illegal to do this yourself, and dangerous by the sounds of your familiarity with electrical things in general.

Get a sparky in to scope the job and get you some cost options.

If you do end up doing this yourself (which I strongly discourage) you need an electrical inspector to sign the work off (NOT a sparky) before you live it up.

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cthombor

81 posts

Master Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3009448 13-Dec-2022 11:53

mkissin:

lchiu7:

I don't want to overboard with installing an expensive charget for my ATTO3. I was thinking if I could supply 16A then I could use one of these instead of the granny charger that came with the car.

https://smartevchargers.co.nz/shop/plug-in-ev-chargers/16a-ev-charger-blue-cee/?fbclid=IwAR3GANuBsa0qfvm6zQW_P9skREpBIWfvjvL5DoOFghWJh-IBOnWwnBmAmrc

Then I am going to need a caravan plug like this I guess?

https://theshopsite.co.nz/products/16-amps-caravan-male-inlets-ip44?variant=38150887309487&

My circuit breakers are all rated at 20A so the wiring to the garage should be okay. At the moment I only have to twin outlets in the garage. One powers the garage door opener and the other I use to charge a vacuum cleaner. Am I allowed to install this socket myself by tapping into the current socket or do I need a sparky?

It's super illegal to do this yourself, and dangerous by the sounds of your familiarity with electrical things in general.

Get a sparky in to scope the job and get you some cost options.

If you do end up doing this yourself (which I strongly discourage) you need an electrical inspector to sign the work off (NOT a sparky) before you live it up.

Q: What could possibly go wrong with a charge from a 16A socket?

A: My car MELTED my 16A socket!

GV27

5897 posts

Uber Geek

#3009453 13-Dec-2022 12:31

Err so I bit the bullet and bought an EV Power branded single phase wall unit. Now I have to find somewhere to install it that will give it sufficient shelter. TBH my main concern is the sun damage that having it right at the top of the driveway will do.

Car port is looking like a winning option.

richms

28191 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3009461 13-Dec-2022 13:02

lchiu7:

I don't want to overboard with installing an expensive charget for my ATTO3. I was thinking if I could supply 16A then I could use one of these instead of the granny charger that came with the car.

https://smartevchargers.co.nz/shop/plug-in-ev-chargers/16a-ev-charger-blue-cee/?fbclid=IwAR3GANuBsa0qfvm6zQW_P9skREpBIWfvjvL5DoOFghWJh-IBOnWwnBmAmrc

Then I am going to need a caravan plug like this I guess?

https://theshopsite.co.nz/products/16-amps-caravan-male-inlets-ip44?variant=38150887309487&

My circuit breakers are all rated at 20A so the wiring to the garage should be okay. At the moment I only have to twin outlets in the garage. One powers the garage door opener and the other I use to charge a vacuum cleaner. Am I allowed to install this socket myself by tapping into the current socket or do I need a sparky?

My sparky said that any of those blue sockets are no longer general purpose outlets so need a dedicated run and breaker for them at their capacity. If its put in with the intention of charging EVs was supposed to be put in with the fancy breaker they make you use, but if its installed as a caravan socket and I just happen to use for charging the EV was happy to put in a normal breaker for it. Going to 32A was a no go for me when I was going to just get the aliexpress 32A charger, even tho it was going to go on the end of the old run that did the old cooker for the kitchen or the old run that did the absurdly powerful spa that the house came with.

I can swap the outdoor outlet for a 15A and get a slightly more powerful charger (12A instead of 8A) but that means that charger is useless anywhere else

Richard rich.ms

lchiu7

6476 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#3009479 13-Dec-2022 14:09

My sparky said that any of those blue sockets are no longer general purpose outlets so need a dedicated run and breaker for them at their capacity. If its put in with the intention of charging EVs was supposed to be put in with the fancy breaker they make you use, but if its installed as a caravan socket and I just happen to use for charging the EV was happy to put in a normal breaker for it. Going to 32A was a no go for me when I was going to just get the aliexpress 32A charger, even tho it was going to go on the end of the old run that did the old cooker for the kitchen or the old run that did the absurdly powerful spa that the house came with.

I can swap the outdoor outlet for a 15A and get a slightly more powerful charger (12A instead of 8A) but that means that charger is useless anywhere else

I contacted a sparky who will be making an appointment to come around. I was looking at seeing if I could ask him to install something like this

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/building-renovation/electrical-lighting/other/listing/3905973810

I don't plan to be running the charger more than 8 hours overnight and there is no other equipment in the garage drawing power. But 16A is a lot power at 230V so who knows if the plug can take it. The description says it can

mkissin

391 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#3009489 13-Dec-2022 14:25

That socket at least says it has an SDoC available so it should run at 16A absolutely 24/7.
Still, it’s also minimally cheaper than an actual branded version (Voltex ones are about $25) so I personally would have gone with a brand. Should be fine though.

lchiu7

6476 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#3009494 13-Dec-2022 14:42

mkissin: That socket at least says it has an SDoC available so it should run at 16A absolutely 24/7.
Still, it’s also minimally cheaper than an actual branded version (Voltex ones are about $25) so I personally would have gone with a brand. Should be fine though.

Thanks that is good to know. I will just ask the Sparky to provide one for me.

mkissin

391 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#3009497 13-Dec-2022 14:46

richms:

My sparky said that any of those blue sockets are no longer general purpose outlets so need a dedicated run and breaker for them at their capacity.

That's not correct. It may be his standard practice, but isn't required by the regulations (NZS 3000: 2007)

I have a 32A circuit run in my garage with a standard RCBO (not the DC sensing type B) on it, and a 16A caravan socket for my EV charger. Perfectly compliant.

lchiu7

6476 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#3009523 13-Dec-2022 15:42

mkissin:

richms:

My sparky said that any of those blue sockets are no longer general purpose outlets so need a dedicated run and breaker for them at their capacity.

That's not correct. It may be his standard practice, but isn't required by the regulations (NZS 3000: 2007)

I have a 32A circuit run in my garage with a standard RCBO (not the DC sensing type B) on it, and a 16A caravan socket for my EV charger. Perfectly compliant.

I guess my question will be, if I only want to draw 16A as from this charger, will the existing wiring in the wall be okay? There is one dedicated circuit breaker for the two sockets (4 outlets) and I only use one outlet to power the garage door openener so the wiring is not exactly taxed.

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