We’re considering installing a charger at our house. Will either of the chargers Ovo install work with any type of electric car? Are there any drawbacks with Ovo installing a charger as opposed to a local specialist electrical outfit?
Answer
Car chargers - which if any to choose?
Best answer by BobTom
As mentioned I installed an Indra charger in my garage to fuel my Kona EV. With hindsight I find it strange that the Hyundai dealership did not mention the cheap charging tariffs offered by OVO or Octopus. It would have been a good selling point and a gentle steer in the right direction would have been appreciated. Instead they referred me to a company that was on my back trying to sell me a charger which is not recognised by either electricity supplier.
So I went on the forums and Indra emerged as the company with a decent local customer helpline. When I set up Charge Anytime they helped me set up an Kaliza which worked well but is no longer supported. I migrated to the Indra app in March when they had perfected the technology and this works fine. I did not need customer support for this. It was easy.
I did not compare the Indra with other approved chargers. The driver for me was that the location of the charger has a poor cellular signal and I did not want to go to the expense of extending the Ethernet cabling. The wifi signal is strong in my garage so I wanted the Indra connected to my home network. The only problem I had was that the set up instruction involve the use of the WPS button on a router. This was going to happen as my router is on the aerial on my roof. I told OVO about this in advance so their technician could find a work around and he connected the device to my WiFi network, no problem. In fact it’s dead easy. Like other network devices such as a smart speaker it has a viewable web page and once located, it is easy to join the device to the network. It is worth discovering the address of the device web page (you go there on your browser) in case you have a power outage. If the Indra is disabled by an outage a purple light on the display case flashes. This means it has lost the internet connection. If it is not restored by turning off the circuit breaker switch then manual access to the device web page will restore the connection.
So perhaps too much information but in response to the question put to me as to why I chose the Indra I can summarise as follows…a) good local support, b) it works and has never failed to charge (apart from the power outage referred to above) c) its on the OVO supported list of chargers, d) it connects to my network in a location unreachable by a cellular signal.
OVO installed the device and did a good job. Perhaps I paid a bit more for the service but so be it.
+1- Plan Zero Hero
Hi
Given that pretty much every new EV and Charger in Europe (and this includes the UK) has now standardised on CCS/CCS2, you should be able to use almost any Charger with almost any EV. But it’s worth checking anyway - both Chargers that OVO offers do run on CCS/CCS2 so you will ideally want to get an EV that runs on that as well.
Currently, I recommend you go down the Hypervolt route if you want to use Charge Anytime - out of the two on offer, it’s proven itself to be far more reliable for this purpose and would be the better choice.
Charger installs require specialist installers - since OVO offers this as part of the deal anyway, I STRONGLY recommend you make use of that service rather than using a “normal” electrician. There’s no drawbacks other than maybe paying for extra stuff if needed - but it’s worth it.
That’s a very helpful reply, thanks. Are you an actual person or a bot? Don't mean to be rude but your profiles a bit ambiguous!
+1- Plan Zero Hero
I am a Blastoise, so I’m neither Human nor AI since I’m effectively a turtle with water cannons on my back. :D
However, there is a human who directly controls me. He is known for being Neurodiverse and has a unique posting style that you don’t see very often. The AI Powered Evil Genius thing is just a joke he puts into the forum signature to remind folks that the Blastoise you see before you isn’t a member of OVO Staff.
He’s just a bit of a shy type who doesn’t like to reveal himself directly, so Blastoise186 is also his online identity. It’s quite clever when you think about it. ;)
+1- Plan Zero Hero
There is the difference between AC and DC charging. CCS chargers are the large, commercial, three-phase, DC chargers that are scattered around the country. The chargers at home (single phase) are called AC Type 1 (rare), Type 2 (common) and sometimes called Menekes rated up to 7kW.
+1- Plan Zero Hero
As a simple guide if you dont have solar then you can chose to control either the car (needs to be compatible) or a charger.
If you have solar then you need to control a compatible charger. All of that will become clear in the set up process.
+1Not sure where this thread is going.
OVO have a list of compatible chargers. Amongst them are Ohm Anderson and Indra
I have the Indra. It works perfectly and I have benefitted from the cheap rate offered by Charge Anytime. OVO fitted my Indra and they did a good job. I monitor the usage data and cost. Charge Anyrime is a good product and works for me.
if you haven’t already twigged the advise given about the installation of a CCS charger at home is misconceived.
At a standard rate of 7p per kWh I chose to use Charge Anytime to fuel my EV. My solar my panels reduce my electricity consumption from the grid. I dont recognise the argument for charging my car with solar but if I had a bank of batteries and zero home grid consumption my view might change.
Hi Peter and BobTom
Thanks for your help. BobTom do you mean this Andersen outfit: https://andersen-ev.com. They have a wider range which might suit our property better than the ones featured on the Ovo site.
+1- Plan Zero Hero
Just a heads up regarding Andersen. Only the Andersen A2 and A3 are currently listed as enabled for Charge Anytime. I would advise against the Quartz at this time if you’re planning to use that integration, just until it gets officially added to the list.
Full list at https://www.ovoenergy.com/electric-cars/charge-anytime-cars-and-chargers
But it appears that Ohme has been removed from the list.
Hey
Great question to ask the community! I’ve added an EV badge to your profile.
Which EV do you drive, so we can give you the best advice? 😄
We have received excellent feedback thus far, and I would like to ask
Hi Chris, I have not actually got an EV yet. I am contemplating installing a charger in our UK property, which is rented out while we live abroad, in order to attract a wider choice of tenants when the current ones leave.
I’m obviously interested in installing a charger that will work with almost all cars as I have no idea what EV if any future tenants might have, and I would wish to ensure that any charger installed will be compatible with any EV we do buy when we return to the UK.
Tell me: I appreciate that Ovo supply and install the chargers featured on your site; is there any problem with my getting an alternative quote from a local EV charger specialist?
+1- Plan Zero Hero
The only thing I can say there is that OVO only offers the Chargers on a white-glove service basis where you have to take the installation service as part of the deal, otherwise your order won’t be accepted.
You may be able to purchase elsewhere and get the Charger only, but you’d then have to arrange your own install. Given the complexities, it’s generally advisable to either let OVO do it, or purchase via the manufacturer and have them hook you up with one of their approved installers. The most critical thing is that it’s ultimately done by an installer who has manufacturer approval - otherwise your warranty is dead.
That’s sound advice, thanks. I presume that either of the chargers Ovo install will work with most EVs?
+1- Plan Zero Hero
Yup! Pretty much all EVs have the required charge ports on them to work with these chargers.
It’s only in places outside of Europe where things get a bit funky… But in Europe it’s all standardised these days.
Thanks. I’m waiting hear back from our letting agents whether it’s a good idea to install a charger, and if they think it is I’ll book an assessment with Ovo. Bank holiday where you are - not here!
Hey
I was just having a nosey through all the fine print on https://www.ovoenergy.com/electric-cars/smart-charger#choose
I did find this in relation to the installs: “4 90% of installations are completed by OVO engineers. If we can’t install in your area, our trusted partners ChargedEV will fit your charger. Prices may vary. “
Bank holiday for us and hoping it’s sunny where you are haha! Enjoy.
+1As mentioned I installed an Indra charger in my garage to fuel my Kona EV. With hindsight I find it strange that the Hyundai dealership did not mention the cheap charging tariffs offered by OVO or Octopus. It would have been a good selling point and a gentle steer in the right direction would have been appreciated. Instead they referred me to a company that was on my back trying to sell me a charger which is not recognised by either electricity supplier.
So I went on the forums and Indra emerged as the company with a decent local customer helpline. When I set up Charge Anytime they helped me set up an Kaliza which worked well but is no longer supported. I migrated to the Indra app in March when they had perfected the technology and this works fine. I did not need customer support for this. It was easy.
I did not compare the Indra with other approved chargers. The driver for me was that the location of the charger has a poor cellular signal and I did not want to go to the expense of extending the Ethernet cabling. The wifi signal is strong in my garage so I wanted the Indra connected to my home network. The only problem I had was that the set up instruction involve the use of the WPS button on a router. This was going to happen as my router is on the aerial on my roof. I told OVO about this in advance so their technician could find a work around and he connected the device to my WiFi network, no problem. In fact it’s dead easy. Like other network devices such as a smart speaker it has a viewable web page and once located, it is easy to join the device to the network. It is worth discovering the address of the device web page (you go there on your browser) in case you have a power outage. If the Indra is disabled by an outage a purple light on the display case flashes. This means it has lost the internet connection. If it is not restored by turning off the circuit breaker switch then manual access to the device web page will restore the connection.
So perhaps too much information but in response to the question put to me as to why I chose the Indra I can summarise as follows…a) good local support, b) it works and has never failed to charge (apart from the power outage referred to above) c) its on the OVO supported list of chargers, d) it connects to my network in a location unreachable by a cellular signal.
OVO installed the device and did a good job. Perhaps I paid a bit more for the service but so be it.
Hi BobTom, that’s helpful, thank you. Our house is listed and I’ve just discovered that we’ll need planning/listed building consent to install a charger, so it may be some time before it happens. Sounds like the Indra is the way to go. Cheers
Hey
Thanks for sharing your experience with
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