Specific EV Questions

[bkknirvana]

EV owners are mugs.

[motdaeng]

12 minutes ago, bkknirvana said:

EV owners are mugs.

 

ah, such a sharp and profound insight, truly impressive ...

 

as we always say, electric cars aren't for everyone! good to know you've already ruled yourself out ...

[yankee99]

Second line = Second meter ?

 

i thought this wasn't available anymore ?

[Yodarapper]

Good question!

 

so, are you allowed to install a second line? I’d like to know before going back to my landlord.

 

also, is it crazy to buy without having the wall charger at home?

[richard_smith237]

16 hours ago, mikebike said:

17 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

A recent report from someone with a Tesla & 200k Km… battery was still functional to 80 % which is inpressy…

(although it’s difficult to believe anything on social media) 

 

Also - reports suggest keeping LFP fully charged as often as possible prolongs life rather than the former understanding of batteries to to run them through a full charge cycle. 

I don't own a Tesla for god's sake 😅

 

Thats irrelevant - the point is about the longevity of the battery.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

4 hours ago, yankee99 said:

Second line = Second meter ?

 

i thought this wasn't available anymore ?

 

There's no need for a 'second line' at all. 

 

The Home Charger taps into the mains junction box of the home (assuming the electrical supply is sufficient).

The Home Charger installation company will visit your home and run an assessment. 

 

For example: Our mains charger is in the kitchen at the back of the house.

The cost of the charger and Installation was all included in the price of the car. 

Some work was involved to run a conduit from the junction box, inside the ceilings and out through an external wall to the charger box.

 

We had to get a separate company in to 'repair' the holes that were cut in the ceiling to run the conduit - which cannot be seen until it exits the house at the front.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

20 minutes ago, Yodarapper said:

Good question!

so, are you allowed to install a second line? I’d like to know before going back to my landlord.

 

No need for a second line at all - they will just tap in to the mains junction box inside your house.

 

 

20 minutes ago, Yodarapper said:

also, is it crazy to buy without having the wall charger at home?

 

Personally, I want to follow the advice I was given and avoid using the granny charger as the primary charging source, though this thread already highlights that a number of people are doing just that.

 

If purchasing an EV it makes sense to plan to have a Type 2 Home Charger installed - I wouldn't buy an EV if I couldn't have the type 2 charger.

 

 

If waiting for the Type 2 home charger to be installed its not unfeasible to rely on the granny charger... 

 

Better still, you can go to a shopping mall and plug in there while walking around.

Or, go to a petrol station and use their CCS2 charger (you should get decent 'chunk' of power in about 30mins.

 

[UWEB]

51 minutes ago, Yodarapper said:

Good question!

 

so, are you allowed to install a second line? I’d like to know before going back to my landlord.

 

also, is it crazy to buy without having the wall charger at home?

Why not just ask PEA what you can do? As per latest policy they will not install a second Meter, but may be replace the existing one for a bigger size. Or if you and your Landlord agree change to a TOU Meter.

[Yodarapper]

It seems like there is no second line needed but a second circuit. This is what they said:

Here are the steps.
1. After the payment is made. Our installation team will install both the charger and the 2nd circuit, but not connected to the power yet.
2. Your landlord must contact with electrical authority to ask for upgraded meter.
3. Electrial authority will check your house and change the meter and connect the power.
 

they say electrical authority charges like 700 baht - does this sound correct?

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, Yodarapper said:

It seems like there is no second line needed but a second circuit. This is what they said:

Here are the steps.
1. After the payment is made. Our installation team will install both the charger and the 2nd circuit, but not connected to the power yet.
2. Your landlord must contact with electrical authority to ask for upgraded meter.
3. Electrial authority will check your house and change the meter and connect the power.
 

they say electrical authority charges like 700 baht - does this sound correct?

 

Yes, that sounds correct.

 

Also note: You may not need an 'upgraded meter' if the existing meter and power supply fall within spec.

The 'inspection team' will be able to make that evaluation. 

 

For example: When we purchased our EV - the inspection team visited our house and checked a few things (multi-meter stuff) to evaluate the incoming power supply which highlighted that no alterations were necessary. 

The installation team returned a few days later.

About two hours were wasted in discussion as they wanted to 'install / route' the conduit in the laziest way possible... i.e. the easiest way for them, while I insisted on it being hidden.

Once they finally accepted that I wasn't going to budge on the routing, they got to it, which took them the remainder of the day.

 

 

 

[JBChiangRai]

My advice is post a picture of your electric meter, if it's 15/45amp or larger...

 

Don't buy the charger they are offering you, if it's free, take it and keep it in the box) or sell it.

 

Pay a local electrician to fit the 32amp socket (I posted a picture of) on the wall where you want your charger and use a 40 amp breaker.

 

Buy the device in the picture or similar.  Choose one with a 32 amp plug pre-fitted and ideally switchable from 32 amps down to 8 or 10 amps.

 

Unplug it and take it with you when you leave.

 

We did that at both our houses.

 

[JBChiangRai]

8 hours ago, bkknirvana said:

EV owners are mugs.

 

A well thought out, well qualified post, do you even know what day it is?

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, JBChiangRai said:

8 hours ago, bkknirvana said:

EV owners are mugs.

 

A well thought out, well qualified post, do you even know what day it is?

 

Don't feed the c*ckwomble... erm I mean Troll....  

[Yodarapper]

6 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

My advice is post a picture of your electric meter, if it's 15/45amp or larger...

 

Don't buy the charger they are offering you, if it's free, take it and keep it in the box) or sell it.

 

Pay a local electrician to fit the 32amp socket (I posted a picture of) on the wall where you want your charger and use a 40 amp breaker.

 

Buy the device in the picture or similar.  Choose one with a 32 amp plug pre-fitted and ideally switchable from 32 amps down to 8 or 10 amps.

 

Unplug it and take it with you when you leave.

 

We did that at both our houses.

 

im sure this is sound advice, however im renting and don’t think I can do that.

Attached is my house meter 

 

[JBChiangRai]

Just now, Yodarapper said:

im sure this is sound advice, however im renting and don’t think I can do that.

Attached is my house meter 

 

 

Can you take a photo of your PEA meter outside the property?  60amp breaker like that is fine, typically they are 63 amp breakers on a 15/45 amp meter.

[Yodarapper]

Just now, JBChiangRai said:

 

Can you take a photo of your PEA meter outside the property?  60amp breaker like that is fine, typically they are 63 amp breakers on a 15/45 amp meter.

I live in a big Moobaan, not sure where the meter outside would even be!🤣😂

[richard_smith237]

Just now, Yodarapper said:

im sure this is sound advice, however im renting and don’t think I can do that.

Attached is my house meter 

 

 

That looks like a Main breaker...    most likely placed above the mains circuit breaker.

 

I'm guessing it will look something like this....  (photo below).

 

The team who install a Type 2 EV Charger will tap into this breaker IF there are spare points and route the power through the house, based on your input of where you want the electrical conduit routed to the outside Type 2 EV Charger.

 

 

[JBChiangRai]

It is probably on a concrete pole.

 

In any event, an electrician would check this before installing a 32 amp socket and refuse to do it if it's a 5/15 amp meter.

 

Your landlord should be pleased that you are leaving a 32 amp socket for future tenants to plug in an EV charger.  Hopefully, he will give his permission.

 

Before we bought a home in Chiang Mai we rented for 2 months and the landlord was very happy I fitted a socket at my own expense.  

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, Yodarapper said:

6 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

Can you take a photo of your PEA meter outside the property?  60amp breaker like that is fine, typically they are 63 amp breakers on a 15/45 amp meter.

I live in a big Moobaan, not sure where the meter outside would even be!🤣😂

 

Valid point - our electric meter is not in front of our house... its at the entrance to the Moo-baan (I've never actually seen it).

 

BUT - the installation team (type 2 charger installation) don't need to see the meter - they can asses your system directly at the mains breaker.

(If you are going to go the route of Type 2 Charger installation).

Edited 8 hours ago by richard_smith237

[JBChiangRai]

12 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

Before we bought a home in Chiang Mai we rented for 2 months and the landlord was very happy I fitted a socket at my own expense.  

 

Incidentally I paid 2,500 baht labour plus a few hundred baht for parts to the electrician to install a 32 amp socket at our landlord's home.  The socket was only a cable run of about 2M from the breaker panel and these plug in chargers charge at the same speed as a wall box.

Edited 8 hours ago by JBChiangRai
Spellification

[Yodarapper]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Valid point - our electric meter is not in front of our house... its at the entrance to the Moo-baan (I've never actually seen it).

 

BUT - the installation team (type 2 charger installation) don't need to see the meter - they can asses your system directly at the mains breaker.

(If you are going to go the route of Type 2 Charger installation).

Yep, I sent them the images lf the mains breaker and the one here and they send needed another circuit.

 

I’ve got there phone, will pass on to landlord and hope for the best.

 

its gonna cost another 43k all in I think so I’m gonna wait and if I pull the trigger I’m gonna granny charge and use a fast charger at the petrol station. Hope can get the wall charger at home though!

 

 

[UWEB]

1 hour ago, Yodarapper said:

I live in a big Moobaan, not sure where the meter outside would even be!🤣😂

How do you check your monthly Consumption if you don't know where you Meter is? Just rely on the PEA Bill?

[Yodarapper]

Thank you everyone for your help, you have all offered some sound advice.

 

unfortunately I still have some doubts. 
 

1. They are refusing to come out until after payment.

2. My landlord wants details which I guess we don’t have until after they survey.

3. Not sure exactly if the portable charger that comes free would be ok to use until we have a wall charger? Is the portable charger that comes free the granny charger? This charges like at 1.2 kw right?

4. Would it be feasible to buy even if in the end I can’t get the wall charger at home or is this CRAZY?

 

thanks.

[JBChiangRai]

Is there a wall socket where you want to charge?

 

You may like to forget buying a wall charger and buy one of these, it’s switchable 8, 10, 13 and 16 amps. Choose the 16 amp version with 5 or 10 meter cable.

 

You should be able to charge at 13 amps (2.9kw) and maybe full the full 16 amps, 3.6kw.

 

A 10 hour overnight charge is going to put over 25kwhrs in the battery at 13 amps, that’s about 200km depending on car.

 

I have one of these we take away with us when we go and stay in hotels.

[motdaeng]

24 minutes ago, Yodarapper said:

Thank you everyone for your help, you have all offered some sound advice.

 

unfortunately I still have some doubts. 
 

1. They are refusing to come out until after payment.

2. My landlord wants details which I guess we don’t have until after they survey.

3. Not sure exactly if the portable charger that comes free would be ok to use until we have a wall charger? Is the portable charger that comes free the granny charger? This charges like at 1.2 kw right?

4. Would it be feasible to buy even if in the end I can’t get the wall charger at home or is this CRAZY?

 

thanks.

 

i recommend first clarifying what type of pea meter you have. only then can the possible options be considered.

the landlord should know which meter it is. he receive the billing, and with that, it should be possible to identify the correct meter.

 

take a picture of the meter; there are a few members who know what they’re talking about, and i’d trust them more than your car

salesman or the  somchai  electrician who’s not been on-site yet ...

Edited 6 hours ago by motdaeng

[JBChiangRai]

You have a fairly decent sized breaker panel, I would be very surprised if your meter is anything less than a 15/45 amp meter which IMHO is adequate.

 

A lot of installers want to see a dedicated 15/45 amp meter just for the EV or a larger meter if just the one for house and car.

 

The reason I wouldn't let BYD install their wall box was because I didn't want to change my meter.  I have a nice spinning disk meter and I don't want a digital one (those with solar power will know why).

 

I used a plug-in charger of 32 amps 7Kw and later installed the BYD ABB box myself on a 32 amp plug so I will take it with me when I leave, the ABB wall box is a superb device.

 

 

[Yodarapper]

I get the bill, it’s just one of those orange slips….i get it and pay. Not sure meter type. I live in a big Moobaan, most houses have wall chargers.

 

i have 2 plugs outside the front driveway image attached:

 

 

[Pib]

56 minutes ago, Yodarapper said:

I get the bill, it’s just one of those orange slips….i get it and pay. Not sure meter type. I live in a big Moobaan, most houses have wall chargers.

 

Until you identify your meter size you are just spinning your wheels in trying to nail down what "service amperage" you currently have.    Assuming the mooban houses are fed via power poles & lines running up and down the sois vs no electric poles in your moobaan and all electrical wiring is underground your meter should be on a pole "very, very" close to your home...and from that meter wires run to your home via above ground lines or underground lines to connect to your home/main circuit box.    Now if your home is really a townhouse physically connected to other townhouses then the meters for your complex of townhouses could be on the back/side of the complex all side by side.

 

The picture of your main breaker box shows a  60A main breaker which means your meter could very well be a 30(100)A meter.   Typically when you have 100A service (a.k.a., 30(100)A shown on the meter) you will have either an 80A or 100A main breaker vs the 60A you currently have.   For you to have a 15(45A) meter (a.k.a., 45A service) the builder shouldn't be putting a 60A breaker in your main circuit box because 60A exceeds the meter's 45A meter capacity/rating. 

 

Maybe the builder installed a 60A main breaker for another reason like maybe the size of the wires running from the meter to the main breaker box can not handle 100A.   Then again maybe the builder just figured no one will need more than 60A of power and a 60A breaker is cheaper to install than a 100A breaker.

 

Go outside your home and look for the electric meter...it should be on a pole very, very close to your home.  You electric bill would reflect the meter's long number and you will find that number also on the front of the meter.  

 

But if you do have a 15(45A) meter upgrading to 30(100)A meter may "not" be a simple meter swap because the wires that run from the electric poles on the soi to the meter and the wires running from the meter into your home would probably be different physical/amperage sizes.  If the current wiring is say for a 15(45A) meter, well, PEA is not going to swap the meter until you pay to upgrade the wiring "to" the meter and "from" the meter "to" your main circuit box"....and possibly even a main circuit box upgrade if the box is not rated for 100A or more.  The electric company has to ensure wiring all the way to your main circuit box is of adequate size for the electrical service you want....that is, 100A service.

 

Go outside and find your meter...see what size it is...is it a 15(45A), a 30(100)A, etc.  And also look at the wiring going "to" and "from" the meter....if the wiring is approximately the diameter of your thumb then it's probably 100A wiring....if the wiring is a little smaller than the diameter of your pinky finger then you probably have 45A or less wiring.

 

Edit: and size you said most of the houses already have wall chargers well that's a good sign that maybe each house has 100A service capability with a simple meter swap and main circuit breaker swapout to 100A....both not costing much, quick, and easy.

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Pib

[Yodarapper]

Finally is it crazy to buy an EV if charging at home is not possible? Anyone do it?