- This topic has 35 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 2 weeks ago by
.
- Topic
After an in-depth discussion with @kezo last year about having an EV charger fitted, it came to light that a recent electrical installation required remedial works, so the EV idea was sidelined. Fast forward to the present day.
In the coming months, I will have a few days in which to order my replacement car before the new Motability rules come into effect on 1 July. If I go down the EV route and Ohme decide they want to charge me an unreasonable amount for what they perceive to be a non-standard installation, then I must decide to stick with the EV and pay for my own charger (if cheaper than Ohms ridiculous costs), or cancel and reorder an ICE under the new rules.
With that in mind, can anyone answer the following questions about their Ohme EV Charger installation:
· As part of the standard installation, did Ohme supply a dedicated consumer unit for the charger, or connect into your existing consumer unit?
· Did they charge you to run the Ultra EV cable through the loft (bungalow)?
- Replies
Hi
I got a Kona electric 2 years ago. Was very sceptical about electric , now I won’t go back to ICE performance wise electric walks all over similar ICE cars (use to own a Porsche 911 turbo) 0- 50 in sport mode the Kona is way quicker, as for economy I charge my car over 2-3 nights(3 in winter sometimes) costing around £3.00 or less and in the summer get 300 miles winter I get around 260 miles ,,,,,,,
How far will £3.00 get you in an ICE ?When I had my Ohme epod installed almost 3 years ago now, the installers did provide a consumer unit for the charger. But I had to pay an extra £250 as it wasn’t considered a standard install.
My consumer unit is at the back of the house and my drive at the front of the house so required an extra 20 metres of cabling around the side of the house.
If you think of the £250 being an advance of the fuelling cost in advance n after the savings you will make
the installers did provide a consumer unit for the charger. But I had to pay an extra £250 as it wasn’t considered a standard install.
That confirms my understanding. Looking at all the weird quotes of up to £2500 from Ohme, I have to price in having my own install carried out.
I must say £250 for the extra cable length seems quite alot, pretty sure that could be less for a custom cable . but I would seriously consider the cost being just 4-5 tanks of fuel on an ICE car
I didn’t think that price was bad for 20 metres of armoured cabling. Was worth it for me saved 100s in the long run, running an EV compared to an ice. Basically paid for itself after 3 years.
We received a ridiculous quote for remedial works. As you know these works are required I would suggest you obtain quotes from local trusted suppliers to run cable from your current consumer unit to the point Ohme can connect easily. Get a small consumer unit put in. I seem to remember Ohme will provide the breaker for unit but not the unit -it was 2 years ago.
Worst case, if that is too difficult or daunting to organise, you will save the cost over the lease. Like most, I was skeptical but would not go back to ICE. We have done 31,000 miles in 15 months including our summer holiday to the south of France…..love electric (although new rules mean we will be buying privately when this lease ends)
The majority of sparks will install a dedicated EV consumer unit
Ohme tend to favour SWA and a seperate cat5e over EV Ultra, as its cheaper.
A standard install consists of upto 15m of cable and one hole drilled
Ohme might be willing to run through a loft (its easier), though there is no specific mention of this on Motability’s website, but there is on Ohms website for general customers.
Ohmes non standard install pricing tends to be on the high side and depending on what work, they deem to be involved, will determine whether its worth getting a quote from your local spark. The benefit of this is, you have a wider range of chargers to pick from that are better than Ohme, whilst still being intelligent tariff/s compatible and a overall better install. There are also decent cheap chargers that don’t cost alot.
You need to refresh my memory to last year 😂
As you know these works are required I would suggest you obtain quotes from local trusted suppliers to run cable from your current consumer unit to the point Ohme can connect easily.
So far, from what I’ve established, for a standard install, the cable has to be installed into the existing CU with clear space around it to make it easy for the installer.
It’s not that simple for me. My current CU is not up to spec and I already have three CUs crammed into a small Kitchen cupboard (2 dedicated to Solar / HP etc.). I would have to replace the current CU, but cannot find one with enough capacity that will fit in the space available.
I have enough Henley blocks fitted in the meter box and kitchen units to supply them at trade price. So I’m limited to two choices:
Replace the current CU and then risk Ohme saying there is not enough space to fit the EV Ultra cable through the top of the unit (let alone going through the loft). Or pay Ohme ‘their’ price for an IP66 EV CU to fit on the outside wall (£46.80 from TLC, so christ knows what Ohme would charge).
Moving away from the technical to the practical ownership of an EV is another story, but not for this thread.
Most installations don’t involve the consumer unit. They fitted a new EV CU to the outside wall connected directly to the meter box on mine and most others I’ve seen as part of a standard installation.
Most installations don’t involve the consumer unit. They fitted a new EV CU to the outside wall connected directly to the meter box on mine and most others I’ve seen as part of a standard installation.
Was that part of the standard installation though? As noted above, that arrangement cost someone £250.
Yes, standard installation. Fortunate as I still have an old style house CU with fuses.
That is encouraging. In the past hour, Ohme have also alluded to a dedicated EV CU included in the standard installation. Ohme wasn’t specific on it being outside, although they acknowledged it would be close to the DNO box, so I assume so.
I paid an extra £300 but it was complicated, had to go up into the loft across the loft space, and then down the other side, needed to drill holes and ducting needed to, did a lovely job and soon got the money back. It was an all day job just about.
the meter is at the front of the house but the park is at the back and it’s a mid terrace house.
Bz4x fwd vision in silver
I paid an extra £300 but it was complicated, had to go up into the loft across the loft space, and then down the other side, needed to drill holes and ducting needed .
What were the complications of going across the loft space? Or was it the extra cable and ducting?
Not charger related but EV related.
Have a Nissan Ariya on MB. My wife had to drive it whilst I was in hospital, recovering from 2 mild heart attacks. She loved it so much that she was willing to trade in her beloved Nissan Juke ICE for a new (used) electric Mini and there is no way she would ever go back to petrol again.
I paid an extra £300 but it was complicated, had to go up into the loft across the loft space, and then down the other side, needed to drill holes and ducting needed .
What were the complications of going across the loft space? Or was it the extra cable and ducting?
he had to take the cable up onto the first floor across the floor under the floor boards to get it up the side if the wall and into the loft, then across to the back wall then down to the charger, was an extra 15 metres of cabling but a lot of labour.
To us it was worth it, he did a great job, can’t see the cabling.
Bz4x fwd vision in silver
Dude, if you have to spend 250 to get a local sparky to run a cable to the location an fit a small CU before the Ohme is fitted. Do it. You get that money back in not using fuel. Its getting to the stage recently where £250 will cover one tank fill up.
The local sparky will know what can and cant be done according to the regs and make it simple for the Ohme engineer to fit the charger.
@doughnut Dude, if you have to spend 250 to get a local sparky to run a cable to the location an fit a small CU before the Ohme is fitted. Do it. You get that money back in not using fuel. Its getting to the stage recently where £250 will cover one tank fill up. The local sparky will know what can and cant be done according to the regs and make it simple for the Ohme engineer to fit the charger.
None of that is the issue. My concerns are based upon other peoples experience with Ohme (cases on this forum and elsewhere of Ohme charging £2500 above the standard installation). It’s the delay it will cause if that scenario is acted out. I live in a rural area with no nearby charging facilities and none of the EV’s I’m considering come with a granny charger, so I need charging facilities in place when the car arrives. My concerns are around taking a risk with an EV and Ohme, and it going south. I will then come under the new rules by having to cancel the EV and go back to ICE. The only guarantee that I can have charging in place is to skip Ohme and arrange my own installation. However, money is tight at the moment due to private medical bills.
You have to send multiple photos of how you want the installation before Ohme do anything and they’ll do a survey if it looks challenging. Get the survey done and decline the work if they’ve added extra bits you don’t agree with.
None of that is the issue. My concerns are based upon other peoples experience with Ohme (cases on this forum and elsewhere of Ohme charging £2500 above the standard installation). It’s the delay it will cause if that scenario is acted out. I live in a rural area with no nearby charging facilities and none of the EV’s I’m considering come with a granny charger, so I need charging facilities in place when the car arrives. My concerns are around taking a risk with an EV and Ohme, and it going south. I will then come under the new rules by having to cancel the EV and go back to ICE. The only guarantee that I can have charging in place is to skip Ohme and arrange my own installation. However, money is tight at the moment due to private medical bills.
Soon as you place an order, you will be contacted by Ohme in a day or two, to carry out a self survey and to upload photo’s and sketch of cable route with approx measurements. The survey is relatively straight forward. Once uploaded to Ohmes system, you will then get notification if its a non standard install along with the addirional amount to pay or an install date if its within a standard install. You will get plenty of time to decide whether to except or go elsewhere.
Every install on here, has included a EV consumer unit and the large majority of install companies including myself install a seperate CU, as your not then having to take responsibilty of the consumers CU and wiring or chase around for an obsolete circuit breaker/RCD or incompatible split boards/wrong RCD Types.
What size is your main cut-out fuse?
https://ohme-ev.com/support/how-do-i-complete-my-online-home-survey/
What size is your main cut-out fuse? https://ohme-ev.com/support/how-do-i-complete-my-online-home-survey/
100 amp.
As noted in my above post, I have 3 x CUs. An earlier plastic item that is now defunct (you cannot get Type A RCDs for it), and two metal 3 way units feeding PV and HP. The meter (DNO) cupboard is full to the brim (Smart Meter, Isolator, Two Henley blocks). The kitchen unit holding the 3 CUs and more Henley Blocks doesn’t have enough space to store a pencil in it. The two options were (until Ohme got back to me) was change out the Main CU or fit an IP66 outside mini CU. Ohme have said via email (which I know could change) that an IP66 mini CU would be fitted outside next to the meter box (no doubt meaning another bloody Henley Block !). If Ohme stick with their suggestion, then it should be fine.
What size is your main cut-out fuse? https://ohme-ev.com/support/how-do-i-complete-my-online-home-survey/
@Kezo 100 amp. As noted in my above post, I have 3 x CUs. An earlier plastic item that is now defunct (you cannot get Type A RCDs for it), and two metal 3 way units feeding PV and HP. The meter (DNO) cupboard is full to the brim (Smart Meter, Isolator, Two Henley blocks). The kitchen unit holding the 3 CUs and more Henley Blocks doesn’t have enough space to store a pencil in it. The two options were (until Ohme got back to me) was change out the Main CU or fit an IP66 outside mini CU. Ohme have said via email (which I know could change) that an IP66 mini CU would be fitted outside next to the meter box (no doubt meaning another bloody Henley Block !). If Ohme stick with their suggestion, then it should be fine.
The Henley blocks in the meter cupboard have any space left in them? If not there are different types of Henley blocks, that have the capacity for 5 circuits.
Only if you have a the latest 18th edition CU, with enough space, for double pole RCBO, MCB and single or Double pole Surge device (SPD), or up to 5 ways spare and the CU is not a split board with Type AC RCDS, will some connect to an existing CU, but like I said most won’t want to do that, as they would have to take responsibility and would prefer to opt for a seperate CU.
I don’t know anyone that has not had a seperate CU included as a standard install on here or by anyone contracting to these national EV outsources.
You should be OK with a HP & charger on 100A single phase supply, as long as your HP isn’t huge, which I doubt.
Doe
You will not know anything and give yourself an ulcer worrying about possible scenarios.
As Kezo says, the minute you order your ev, you are contacted by Ohme within a day or two to arrange the self assessment, or in your cas an engineer callout to determine the state of your system.
Most likely it will be a standard install. If nott you deal with that when it comes.
If it does not work out for you then its an ICE car.
You will not know anything until you place the order.
Your assertion that money is tight and £250 is too much.
If you spend £200/month on petrol or diesel is not a problem?
Or pay £12 / month on electricity for the same miles IS a problem for you?
It doesnt make sense.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.