NX450h+ Wallbox installation

[rayaans]

On 5/30/2022 at 3:19 PM, PaulWhitt20 said:

Are BG fitting the Hive charger and is the App any good?

I am looking at getting a charger installed for a non Lexus and wondered what the best options are. There seem to be a lot of different makes out there.

Thanks

Paul

I did a lot of research into it before the UXe arrived.

I went for the Zappi V2 in the end due to the raving customer service reviews. I did use the warranty for a faulty solenoid and they came out within 2 days and replaced it. No issues since then and its been used quite well.

Luckily it was at a time when the £350 grant was still available to homeowners so it worked out quite well

[Caspa]

2 hours ago, AlanDL said:

I am having a Hive EV charger installed by British Gas as the installation is free as part of my purchase of the 450H.  BG have been fine, and I did a virtual survey which showed that I had to upgrade my meter with an isolation switch. Unfortunately I am a customer of EON, and even though I contacted them in March, I have still not had an electrician out. As the energy supplier, they are the only ones who can touch the meter. I can't even get a smart meter upgrade. Their so-called energy experts seem to have no control over the activities of their electricians, and have to fill out long forms and send emails.  The first person didn't even send the forms off, the second sent the forms off but it was "rejected" as they didn't know why the meter tails needed to be replaced, and now the third attempt has gone into a black hole of no-one looking at it.  This week I am now making a formal complaint and going to ring every day until I get someone to come out.  How difficult is it to explain that I need the meter upgraded to take the load of an EV charger.  If I could switch to British Gas I would just to get all the work done under one company, but no-one is allowing switching at the moment.

Does anyone have experience of using EON, and have any useful advice to get this moving quicker>

I'm with EON but didn't need anything prior to install. 

I thought that any required works would be via the DNO rather than the energy supplier, in the same way the install needs to be approved by the DNO if the overall draw is above a certain level?

A number of members on this thread have had works done for sure, so I'm sure they'll chip in with something more tangible. 

[Ken R]

4 hours ago, AlanDL said:

I am having a Hive EV charger installed by British Gas as the installation is free as part of my purchase of the 450H.  BG have been fine, and I did a virtual survey which showed that I had to upgrade my meter with an isolation switch. Unfortunately I am a customer of EON, and even though I contacted them in March, I have still not had an electrician out. As the energy supplier, they are the only ones who can touch the meter. I can't even get a smart meter upgrade. Their so-called energy experts seem to have no control over the activities of their electricians, and have to fill out long forms and send emails.  The first person didn't even send the forms off, the second sent the forms off but it was "rejected" as they didn't know why the meter tails needed to be replaced, and now the third attempt has gone into a black hole of no-one looking at it.  This week I am now making a formal complaint and going to ring every day until I get someone to come out.  How difficult is it to explain that I need the meter upgraded to take the load of an EV charger.  If I could switch to British Gas I would just to get all the work done under one company, but no-one is allowing switching at the moment.

Does anyone have experience of using EON, and have any useful advice to get this moving quicker>

I had to deal with and coordinate BG, my energy supplier and my DNO so know how frustrating it can be. Wasn't getting much response from the DNO but managed to track down an email address for my local area manager and that certainly got things moving. Uprated fuse and new tails were fitted by them and this in turn allowed the energy supplier to fit an isolator and smart meter.

BG then completed the installation. 

All was completed FOC.

Process started in March with a thorough 3 hour survey by BG and install completed in May.

[Lairdie]

Had a surveyor visit from BG but was useless. First words out his mouth was “I’m going to disappoint you mate. You can’t have a wall box because the cable will pass over a walkway”.

I asked if a post charger could be installed at my off street parking spot. Reply “that would need a trench and be very expensive, besides we don’t do that”

in the meantime I’ve had four approved local installers offer an installation. 
hence cannot recommended BG. 

[Caspa]

So after picking up my car on the 27th and charging it up a couple of times, charger has packed up and seemed to do so mid charge. 

Won't turn back on as the power switch doesn't stay in place so assume something blew or a safety feature kicked in. 

We did have family over at the time so lots of load including the oven, hence my thoughts. 

Reported to BG and told I'd get a call back, but it's been two days so just called again and went through the same process of reporting... Not hopeful...

[Ken R]

Not so good as I have found BG to be very efficient when an issue occurs. I had initial problems involving the charger going offline but turning the Matte:e switch off and on again along with remote intervention from BG cured this. Sounds possible that yours may be a circuit overload. 

[Caspa]

3 pin FTW!

[Harrier Man]

I had a similar problem with my first charge with the BG supplied charger. Phoned BG and my experience similar to Ken's. Used the domestic wall charger yesterday, no problem, but tonight my car is again plugged into the BG charger with a charge scheduled to be complete by 8:20 tomorrow morning. We will soon find out if all has gone well or whether tomorrow's run will be completed using mainly the petrol engine.

[Harrier Man]

10 hours ago, Harrier Man said:

I had a similar problem with my first charge with the BG supplied charger. Phoned BG and my experience similar to Ken's. Used the domestic wall charger yesterday, no problem, but tonight my car is again plugged into the BG charger with a charge scheduled to be complete by 8:20 tomorrow morning. We will soon find out if all has gone well or whether tomorrow's run will be completed using mainly the petrol engine.

Morning update. At 6:55, car was charging, about half full, which seemed reasonable given that I had scheduled the charge to be complete by 8:20. Checked again at 7:40 - no additional charge added. App notification said the charge had been interrupted, about 6:55. Coincidence?

Checked the matte, which had tripped (same issue that I had with my first charge). Reset it (push blue toggle down before lifting it to upper position) and the car is now charging. I doubt that it will reach full charge before I leave but I'll report back later.

[AlanDL]

Just to update you all.  My survey required a new isolation switch.  However, Eon were terrible at getting anyone out.  First you have to give them an hour of your time to describe the meter (they have the information about my old meter, even though it was Npower before they took over).  They kept asking me questions about it.  After waiting a couple of weeks, after all that, the guy didn't put the order through.  So I had to go through that again, and this time after about a month their engineering dept rejected the request, as they did not know what it was for! Even though I kept telling them it was for an EV charger installation. So then I demanded escalation of the issue, kept being told their manager was sorting it out with the engineering dept, but nothing happened.  Throughout this time British Gas kept contacting me to see if I still wanted the charger, and what was happening with the isolation switch.  After 3 months of getting nowhere I went full Putin, and threatened to contact every board member, make a complaint to Offgen, papers etc!  After a week or so they got back to me and suggested the only way forward was to install a smart meter (which I had suggested 3 months earlier), and then got an installation appointment a couple of weeks later.  So with the meter changed and the isolation switch installed, I could send a photo to British Gas, who arranged the EV installation. That all went well, although took longer than I thought it would: seems a lot of electrical work!.  In the end EON reimbursed me for the isolation switch (£97) and gave me £50 compensation for all the hassle.  The outcome is that I have a free charger, plus £50.  I have no idea whether the charger is going to work properly as I am awaiting my car: I have been informed last week that it has been built and left the factory.  I should get it in time for electricity to be so expensive that I might not bother with the charging.  However, I have the charger for the next car, which probably be all electric.

[Gurdeep]

Hi. I finally had the British Gas survey, and then received a quote for £940. What is the standard process? Do I pay, and claim back via Lexus? Or, should the quote be £0 in the first place?

[Ken R]

36 minutes ago, Gurdeep said:

Hi. I finally had the British Gas survey, and then received a quote for £940. What is the standard process? Do I pay, and claim back via Lexus? Or, should the quote be £0 in the first place?

As far as I am aware if it is a straightforward installation the quote should be £0 and BG will automatically invoice Lexus.

[RXtoNX]

42 minutes ago, Gurdeep said:

Hi. I finally had the British Gas survey, and then received a quote for £940. What is the standard process? Do I pay, and claim back via Lexus? Or, should the quote be £0 in the first place?

Assuming that you are eligible for the free offer, (there was a cut off date of 31/3/22 for car to be ordered by, unless it was extended) then standard supply & installation was FOC.

Look at the t&c’s and compare the quote to establish if yours is a standard installation. 

[Addh]

I couldn't get a free charger because my 450H+ is leased. Got a Wallbox from Evolution Solutions,  approx £899 with interest free credit. Good service from the installer and charger works fine.