Electric cars.

Nicks90 · Friday at 7:56 PM

I would never charge directly from the solar panels anyway - not just for the reason you say - but the car is at work during the day 5 days a week!

I haven't had the solar long, so no idea what excess generation I'll have in summer, but even then selling to the grid will earn me more per k/w than I pay for EV charging by OVO. So doesn't make sense financially to use it myself.
I think the feed in tariff is 14p k/w or there about and I pay 7p for the EV per k/w.
Add in the extra stress and full discharge cycles on the battery - which will shorten its life - I just can't see a case for ever doing so

Alastair70 · Friday at 8:39 PM

Nicks90 said:
Now I have solar and a battery, but I went the other way and had the charger installed independently of the battery and solar
The solar panels cope with my day time demand and charge the battery (if it's not cloudy) and my house uses the battery in the evening and overnight. OVO controls the car charging via direct connection to the grid and I only pay 7p k/w for EV charging. So why would I waste my solar battery capacity charging the car and then using leccy at 24p k/w for the house?

I do things the same way, makes the most sense with my setup and needs.

JockyBrewer · Saturday at 6:21 AM

Northern_Brewer said:
Autoexpress user survey of home chargers - overall winner is Hypervolt (but almost bottom for build quality and ease of use), second is Easee (but almost bottom for reliability), just behind is Zappi, which is consistently pretty good across the board. It would seem that Rolec is one to avoid, despite being cheap.
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/features/361708/best-home-wallbox-chargers-what-do-owners-think

Doh! I’m getting an Easee installed in the next week after reading a different survey of home chargers (https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-home-ev-chargers/n25830) and discussion with a trusted sparky who’s doing the install.

Considered the Hypervolt, but the glowing lightning bolt on the front of my house would have been an eyesore.

JockyBrewer · Saturday at 8:54 AM

Does anyone with an EV get any use out of a three pin ‘granny’ charging cable?

My car came with one but it’s only 5 metres long. So even with a socket a couple of metres from the front door I basically need to park the car in my porch to make any use of it.

Tempted to just take it out of the car and use the space for something useful.

Old Fart At Play · Saturday at 1:17 PM

JockyBrewer said:
Does anyone with an EV get any use out of a three pin ‘granny’ charging cable?

My car came with one but it’s only 5 metres long. So even with a socket a couple of metres from the front door I basically need to park the car in my porch to make any use of it.

Tempted to just take it out of the car and use the space for something useful.

Used mine on self-catering holidays (with owners permission) when in remote locations (including abroad with adapter)

Alastair70 · Saturday at 2:37 PM

JockyBrewer said:
Does anyone with an EV get any use out of a three pin ‘granny’ charging cable?

My car came with one but it’s only 5 metres long. So even with a socket a couple of metres from the front door I basically need to park the car in my porch to make any use of it.

Tempted to just take it out of the car and use the space for something useful.

Once or twice in 5 years, I could easily survive without it. As the network improves the need for a backup charger is diminishing all the time.

old dog new tricks · Monday at 10:15 AM

Had to use the granny charger whilst waiting for my home charger to be installed ouch painfully slow, but i keep it in the neat little bag it came in for emergency or if away etc.

Home charger i got an Ohme Home Pro, not the cheapest but its a smart charger so works with all the energy companies as frustratingly my Hyundia Kona is not! Good app that works with Octopus and the Hyundia app, small and neat and hopefully future proof having solar compatibility.

Brew_DD2 · Monday at 12:08 PM

My wife uses granny charger for her PHEV. It's perfect for that usage. I wouldn't bother with it for my EV.

Benfleet Brewery · Monday at 1:14 PM

old dog new tricks said:
Had to use the granny charger whilst waiting for my home charger to be installed ouch painfully slow, but i keep it in the neat little bag it came in for emergency or if away etc.

Home charger i got an Ohme Home Pro, not the cheapest but its a smart charger so works with all the energy companies as frustratingly my Hyundia Kona is not! Good app that works with Octopus and the Hyundia app, small and neat and hopefully future proof having solar compatibility.

Hmmm, I had the Ohme Home Pro charger installed in December 2021 partly on the basis that solar compatibility was “coming soon”. Alas, almost three years later there’s still no sign of it being solar compatible. Aside from that, yes, it does the job well.

old dog new tricks · Monday at 1:35 PM

Benfleet Brewery said:
Hmmm, I had the Ohme Home Pro charger installed in December 2021 partly on the basis that solar compatibility was “coming soon”. Alas, almost three years later there’s still no sign of it being solar compatible. Aside from that, yes, it does the job well.

Mine shows its ready to accept solar strange?

Benfleet Brewery · Monday at 1:56 PM

old dog new tricks said:
Mine shows its ready to accept solar strange?

It’s very misleading. The Solar option they offer only limits the rate of charge to 1kw on the assumption that if you have solar it will be using that. Other chargers monitor your solar output and your home usage and then direct any excess energy to the car. The Ohme doesn’t yet have this integration, but it is coming soon

old dog new tricks · Monday at 4:08 PM

Benfleet Brewery said:
It’s very misleading. The Solar option they offer only limits the rate of charge to 1kw on the assumption that if you have solar it will be using that. Other chargers monitor your solar output and your home usage and then direct any excess energy to the car. The Ohme doesn’t yet have this integration, but it is coming soon

Ah ok I do not have a solar installation yet so not aware

Northern_Brewer · 2024-11-21T19:24:54+0000

https://www.theaa.com/about-us/newsroom/range-anxiety-should-be-a-thing-of-the-past
The proportion of electric vehicles running out of charge this year in the UK has dropped to the lowest ever, according to new AA statistical analysis...The figures show ‘out of charge’ EV breakdowns, which are calculated as a percentage of all EV breakdowns, are at a record low in 2024 of less than 2% (1.85%)...In 2015 the proportion of ‘out of charge’ EVs was running at 8.26% and has been on a downward trend...The UK trajectory for EV breakdowns for the UK’s leading breakdown organisation remains very similar to The AA’s equivalent, NAF in Norway, which has the highest penetration of EVs in Europe. New battery technology, better range, improved charging performance and reliability, charge post support and better driver and dealer knowledge have all helped. Ultimately, The AA expects the figures to drop to 1% which is roughly the proportion of ICE cars running out of petrol or diesel. The AA deals with approximately 8,000 breakdowns each day across all vehicle categories but only deals with 5 or 6 out of charge vehicles per day. Often the vehicles are not actually ‘out of charge’ but are low on charge, or not able to charge due to technical problems, leaving the driver worried about getting to the next charger.

Chippy_Tea · 2024-11-21T20:50:03+0000

What is causing this?

old dog new tricks · 2024-11-21T21:01:38+0000

Sounds like incorrect loading on the tyres or fitting tyres not rated. I see some manufacturers to combat the lack of grip on high efficiency tyres are fitting premium rubber.
Weight of course is an issue beemers are known to be portly

Larse · 2024-11-21T21:43:51+0000

Or tyres underinflated. This would be an issue with EVs (and other cars) with low profile tyres. They take much higher pressures >40psi in a lot of cases, very easy for them to lose a bit of pressure and not be noticed. And with the weight, the belt heats up and the tread delaminates.

old dog new tricks · 2024-11-21T21:46:15+0000

Larse said:
Or tyres underinflated. This would be an issue with EVs (and other cars) with low profile tyres. They take much higher pressures >40psi in a lot of cases, very easy for them to lose a bit of pressure and not be noticed. And with the weight, the belt heats up and the tread delaminates.

Yes very try but most have the very annoying tps warning systems so that just neglect from drivers says me who is ignoring my Kona ( in sub zero is says under inflated but clears when up to temperature)

Larse · 2024-11-21T21:59:03+0000

old dog new tricks said:
Yes very try but most have the very annoying tps warning systems so that just neglect from drivers says me who is ignoring my Kona ( in sub zero is says under inflated but clears when up to temperature)

A lot of cars switching back to using ABS sensors because the tyre sensors are proving problematic, especially in extreme weather conditions leading to over and under inflating of tyres.

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