Recommendation? EV wall unit 7.4kw?

[Murph7355]

In the year I’ve had my car I was 6 months on a 32A socket before moving to the Ohme.

I wouldn’t go back to 32A because:
1. Ohme fully integrates with car, so you don’t have to use any of the car timers.
2. On the correct tariff, I only get charged 7p / kWh whenever the car is charged. This is saving me £50-£75 per week. So the Ohme is easily paying for itself

If you go with someone like Octopus, they also integrate with the car. So you don't need an EVSE that does,

I've been using the Porsche supplied EVSE with a 32A commando outlet for 18mths and it works fine.

If you have mutiple EVs, a different EVSE would probably be the right choice, and get the EVSE to integrate with the provider (our other non-full ICE car is a PHEV...the extra outlay on a different EVSE wouldn't pay for itself). BUT as you're renting, I'd 99% certainly go for the 32A socket.

Will the outlet be in a garage or on the street?

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[phild]

Thanks for the reply. It will be on a private driveway part of the house.

 

[D00notD00d]

If you already have the Porsche charger, and the 32a commando plug which replaces the 13a plug, all you need is your electrician to ensure you have a 32a supply and matching ‘industrial’ socket.
’Smart’ chargers are unnecessary. Dumb is fine.
The Taycan itself is compatible with Octopus and OVO.
If you find their ‘intelligent‘ demand related scheduling is unreliable, just turn off ‘smart charging’ in their app and rely on the Porsche App/PCM profile and timer settings. Set the profile for the cheap overnight period. That approach has worked 100% reliably for me for over 2 years.
If the 32a socket is outside it will need to be waterproof.
Your electrician will advise. There’s a government approved list https://www.gov.uk/electric-vehicle-chargepoint-installers
Electricity providers such as Octopus will try to upsell you to a complicated charging solution that you don’t need. Rely on a decent electrician.

 

[D00notD00d]

This may help, your landlord may want to take advantage
https://www.gov.uk/electric-vehicle-chargepoint-grant-landlords

 

[bn8959]

Also, to install an EVSE you have to do a DNO (electric network operator) notification. I believe (but not 100%) you won’t need to do that with a simple 32a commando, as it’s just a simple power outlet (as long as it’s installed by a NIC approved electrician who can provide the paperwork to the landlord).

 

[phild]

Ok thanks again, so you’ve just run off. 32a on your Taycan, how long to charge from say 10% to 80%, didn’t I read about fire hazards with running charge from outdoor sockets as opposed to EV wall chargers. Sounds like a silly q (this is my first EV) why isn’t everyone just using commando sockets as opposed to all these wall chargers.

 

[bn8959]

Convenience mainly, particularly a ‘tethered’ type, where the cable is attached to the EVSE - just uncoil and plug in.

An EVSE must also have a current detector (‘CT clamp’) which monitors your overall house use and can scale back the charging rate to prevent overloads (eg if you turn on coolers, kettles and heaters etc).

They can also have smart features like PIN activation and monitoring from an app etc.

Charging at 7.2kW gives an approx battery charge rate of 6.8kW (due to losses of things like cooling running) - so that’s roughly 12% added per hour.

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