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Main fuse cut out upgrade needed for electric vehicle (EV) charger installation - how do I arrange this?


I had an electrician round this afternoon to discuss fitting a EV charge point and he said that we need an upgraded fuse cut out, the house was built in the 1930s and it's probably the original fuse cut out (the fuse element is just a piece of copper wire!).
I need this upgrading to something safer and with at least an 80A fuse.

The electrician was also asking what earthing facility is at the property and how the earth is provided in the street.  There doesn’t seem to be a DB earth terminal.

Who do I contact?  (I live in Staffordshire, distribution ID 14)

 

Many thanks

Steve
 

 

Best answer by Blastoise186

Updated on 14/02/24 by Emmanuelle_OVO:

Hiya!

That’ll be National Grid AKA Western Power Distribution. Try this one: https://www.nationalgrid.co.uk/contact-us/contacting-national-grid-electricity-distribution/ways-to-contact-us

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Blastoise186
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Updated on 14/02/24 by Emmanuelle_OVO:

Hiya!

That’ll be National Grid AKA Western Power Distribution. Try this one: https://www.nationalgrid.co.uk/contact-us/contacting-national-grid-electricity-distribution/ways-to-contact-us


BPLightlog
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  • Plan Zero Hero
  • April 14, 2023

You may have a TT system rather than PME if you live outside a conurbation. A TT system uses a local earth with an earth rod but there should certainly be an earth connection somewhere. 


Tim_OVO
Community Manager
  • Community Manager
  • April 17, 2023

All good with your next steps then, @SteveDoddsMTB

 

Keep us updated on your journey to getting an EV charger fitted. You’re probably not alone in needing this sort of work done so it will be handy to have it documented here for anyone coming after you.


juliamc
Carbon Catcher***
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  • Carbon Catcher***
  • November 27, 2023

I have an EV charger and a heat pump. I also have a 60 Amp main fuse. Should I get this upgraded to 100 Amp before I get solar installed ? I hope to get battery storage too in due course. The thermal image shows the main fuse was warm when both the charger and heat pump were operating.

 


BPLightlog
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  • November 28, 2023

I’m surprised that your main fuse is 60A. It’s obviously only when you’re using everything together that this comes into play (apart from a fault) but mine was upgraded when I had solar (to 100A) and I don’t yet have a Heat Pump or EV. 
The thermal image doesn’t necessarily show a fault  as it will depend on what was ‘on’ at that point. You normally use a Thermal Camera to look for hot spots (or cold spots) and yours is just showing a general glow on the active parts. The indicated temperature is also not excessive but if it were me, I would suggest an increase on fusing


juliamc
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  • November 28, 2023

Thanks @BPLightlog that’s confirmed what I was thinking. The EV charger was installed first, then the heat pump on the government EoH trial. It’s been like this for 2.5 years. It’s only now the solar company advised upgrading that I’ve started to think about it.
I’m on the Cosy tariff with Octopus which has a 3 hour afternoon cheap rate so it’s possible I’d have ev, dishwasher, washing machine and heat pump running. What would happen if I then switched on the kettle 💥‼️ Better not push my luck… Octopus have the meter tails upgrade request so I’ll just have to wait for them before I get anything else installed. 


juliamc
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  • November 28, 2023

Having said which, I think the PodPoint charger pedals back if there’s a heavy load detected on the line. Can’t remember where I got that impression??


Tim_OVO
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  • Community Manager
  • November 29, 2023

@Soo P @Chris78 @ScottC27 @CWM all have the PodPoint charger - have you heard of this dynamic charging based on current load?


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  • Carbon Catcher**
  • November 29, 2023

Ive not seen it happen. the only time ive seen the charge reduce down to 4Kw was in the summer on a very hot day the car was in direct sunlight but it was the car responsible for the change due to temperatures not the charger 


juliamc
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  • March 24, 2024

I now have the main fuse upgraded to 100 Amps 🥳 

Do I need to update my PodPoint charger with this information somehow? Was originally installed when the main fuse was 60 A


BPLightlog
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  • March 24, 2024

I don’t think so, it should be automatic depending on the kW rating of your charger 

 

 


hertsevaddict
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juliamc wrote:

I now have the main fuse upgraded to 100 Amps 🥳 

Do I need to update my PodPoint charger with this information somehow? Was originally installed when the main fuse was 60 A

EV charges have a max of 32 amps on single phase, so can´t see why you would need to change anything. 

Mine had a sensor installed to potentially limit it, but, with 100amps and still on gas, I cannot see it ever limiting the output until we have a second car charger and a powerful heat pump installed. 


juliamc wrote:

I now have the main fuse upgraded to 100 Amps 🥳 

Do I need to update my PodPoint charger with this information somehow? Was originally installed when the main fuse was 60 A

Hiya, When I contacted my DNO UK power network to upgrade the cutout fuse to 100 Amps, they are saying its chargeable as it requires power line to be upgraded from phase 1 to phase 3. Have your power line upgraded to phase 3 before they changed fuse to 100 Amps?


Blastoise186
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Usually you can go up to an 80A (or sometimes 100A) service with Single-Phase just fine, but it could be that there’s constraints in your area that means it’s not possible right now. I’ve seen that happen in a handful of cases.

If your DNO is saying to go Three-Phase, that could be a sign there’s not enough capacity to upgrade your service at this time without going Three-Phase.


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