PodPoint (or equivalent) installation

[Bitpipe]

Taking the leap into EV world (Audi E-Tron) and will be getting a free 7KW PodPoint installation.

 

Won't be arriving until October at the earliest (may even be as late as Feb 22), however want to get ahead of the curve on install options.

 

As ever, nothing is simple

 

Our electric main comes into an external kiosk, non smart company meter from which there are 3 main circuits - house (on an isolator)  garage and external socket on inside of the main wall next to the Kiosk (both on a RCD panel). The latter used to feed the container so just re-purposed the cable run. Kiosk also has RCD circuits for the gates and driveway lights.

 

The garage feed is chunky as it used to supply the caravan and now just runs a few sockets and lights in the garage but there is provision to take it from the rear of the garage to the bottom of the garden if we go ahead with a cabin etc, sparky said that it could support a small house if needed.

 

Main circuit comes into house basement plant room (adjacent to garage) where it meets the PV circuit (4KW system).

 

Now, from a convenience point of view, the preferred location would be to the side of the house where we actually park the cars. It would be difficult to get new power from inside the house to a new external location, however there are a set of external 13A sockets on the wall currently so no idea if that could be re-purposed.

 

The armoured feed leaving the rear of garage could be split and a new run put across the lawn to the preferred location - would really be the cost of new cable and hassle of burying it.

 

It would be easy to put the Podpoint on the front of the garage itself and it could probably also be put adjacent to the kiosk socket on the wall also but that would not be ideal. It should be possible to join into the cable that currently powers the wall/kiosk external socket and run that cable back to our preferred location using some ducting that's used for driveway lights.

 

My main question though is can I avail of my PV generation benefit outside of the house circuit (i.e. from garage or kiosk) or would I need to have the PodPoint somehow connected back inside the house supply?

 

 

 

[MikeSharp01]

Although it feels odd I think it may work as long as the PV and the pod point are the same side of the meter. If you think about it how else would the PV feed the fridge the podpoint is just a 7Kw Fridge. Jeremy Harris explained the technical stuff a couple of years back. But I cannot find the link right now.

[TonyT]

The charger will need its own circuit, depending on the equipment maybe a type a RCD, if protection is build into the charger an earth rod may not be required.

 

lots to decide. It you really need the existing installation surveyed with the specification of the charger available to make a proper engineering judgement 

 

 

[HerbJ]

We have a Podpoint 7kW  EV charging point, which was installed by Podpoint as part of a subsidised deal. The installers were fairly efficient and professional.

 

The  EV charging point was installed in our garage and it was easy for us, only 1 metre from our Plant Room and main distribution board. The installation includes the necessary  RCD, a clip on CT and other protection equipment built into the charging point. You will needs decent internet wi-fi signal at the charging point to use the Podpoint telephone app to manage charging remotely. ( something they do not tell you),

 

I attach the  Podpoint Installation Guide and Data sheet.  The Installation Guide is fairly detailed.

PP-D-130012-14-Instalation-Guide-Solo.pdf Solo-Smart-Charger-Domestic-Datasheet_191118_133212.pdf

 

It has been drawn to the forums attention by the manufacturers that the above guides are now out of date and should not be used as patterns for new installs. Editors

Edited July 25, 2023 by MikeSharp01
Report from manufacturer

[Bitpipe]

41 minutes ago, HerbJ said:

You will needs decent internet wi-fi signal at the charging point to use the Podpoint telephone app to manage charging remotely. ( something they do not tell you),

 

That's useful to know - wifi likely not that strong near the garage, best at the preferred parking location.

 

Will have a read - thanks Herb!

[severnside]

We got pod point installed at two houses. They split near the main meter and their fixed charges include a fixed length of cable. They charge extra for long cable or non standard installation. 

 

If we were to do it again we would look at Zappi as it can take advantage of solar generation. 

Regarding WiFi, our is slightly out of range but we don't use app for pod point. We use timer in car to charge during night. 

[Bitpipe]

9 hours ago, severnside said:

If we were to do it again we would look at Zappi as it can take advantage of solar generation. 

 

So this is what I'm trying to understand. 

 

We have a PV diverter  that detects export and diverts it to DHW generation (until DHW is at max and then export continues).

 

If the PodPoint is connected to the garage circuit then do I still benefit from PV (assuming the iBoost is not diverting to DHW)?

 

From @MikeSharp01 I think the answer is yes, so interested in what advantage the Zappi gives over the PodPoint - does it have it's own equivalent of a PV diverter?

 

[PeterW]

Correct - anything pre-meter will use the PV generation. 

[severnside]

19 minutes ago, Bitpipe said:

what advantage the Zappi gives over the PodPoint - does it have it's own equivalent of a PV diverter?

Yes, it works like PV diverter. I am not sure you can use a normal diverter to power pod point because it might not work for short busts of power, there is some handshake protocol between charger and car.

https://myenergi.de/produkte/zappi-wallbox/  Page 5 of instruction manual has a diagram for connection and it include Eddi in parallel

[HerbJ]

The  PV diverter only switches power to a selected source when it detects export of electricty. In my case, I have set up the diverter to switch on the  HW immersion heaters , independently top and then bottom, if the top reaches the set tempertaure. This makes sense,  as we are not charging the car every day. I could set the PV diverter to switch to  battery  or anything else I choose....

 

If you are charging your car, the any spare PV power available, after other standing loads on the house, will  be used by the EV charger supplemented by imported power. The Podpoint EV charger is rated at 7 kW and my PV provides 3.5 to 3.5 kW maximum on the a very good day, so we only ever get a contribution from PV, but it all helps....

 

The PV diverter will not power the immersion heaters during this period. just the same as on dull days when there is insufficient PV to supply the house standing loads.

 

Edited May 14, 2021 by HerbJ

[Bitpipe]

Thanks all, makes sense. Looks like garage is the place then, initially anyway. I expect I could relocate the PodPoint at a a later date if I really want to .

 

Just need to get the car delivered - lead-times are shaky, may be October, may be Feb22!!

[Bitpipe]

Podpoint was installed yesterday, very straight forward as there is a RCD fuse box in garage already connected back to a 40a RCD in the supply kiosk - was about a 7m run of cable between it and the unit.

 

Nice and fast, means that i should be able to do a full charge of the eTron while the sun is shining.

Just need an excuse to go somewhere now!

[Dan F]

On 13/05/2021 at 15:55, Bitpipe said:

Won't be arriving until October at the earliest (may even be as late as Feb 22),

 

Did you look at Tesla Model Y?  There are arriving next month..

 

On 14/05/2021 at 09:38, Bitpipe said:

what advantage the Zappi gives over the PodPoint - does it have it's own equivalent of a PV diverter?

 

That is my understandng yes.  Any charger pre-meter will use PV, but they'll be on/off, vs zappi which adjusts charge based on excess PV I beleive.

 

EDIT:  Oops, I thought we were in 2021 and e-Tron was still 1yr out, in which case MY wasn't available when you ordered.

Edited January 22, 2022 by Dan F