Charging

[Franksie]

Yet to purchase a PHEV, just doing the background research and finding this forum very helpful. I appreciate most of the findings regarding the difference between the 2.0 and 2.4 ltr models, however I do intend to go for the 2.4 purely down to the deals at Motorpoint 23k for a late 2018 4h.
My question is with regards to charging, my son-in-law is an electrician and has already offered to install a charger. Fortunately my driveway and electrics are in close proximity so no issues there.
1.Will there be a big advantage installing a charger
2.What wattage 7.5w -22w etc do i go for
3.Buying used are you entitled to the grant for intallation (I have read the infor but find it confusing).
4.Is there a preferred model to go for.

So sorry for all the questions, your help is appreciated.

 

[ChrisMiller]

A 16A charger reduces the ~5 hrs needed to reach a 'full' battery from 'empty' down to ~3½ hrs. For me, this advantage is not enough to justify the cost of a charger, I just plug my PHEV into a traditional 13A socket. If your normal usage pattern is to drive the car during the day and recharge it overnight, you'll find little benefit from a dedicated charger.

Installing a higher capacity charger won't make any difference to the PHEV, but will future-proof you if you eventually change to an electric car capable of accepting a higher rate of charge (32A or ~8kW is generally the next step up).

 

[Franksie]

Many thanks, I take it 3 1/2 hrs is the minimum charge time no matter what charger you use.

 

[littlescrote]

Yes, unless you install a DC Rapid Charger which I doubt that your domestic supply is up to ;-)

You can get secondhand tethered Type 1 chargers fairly cheaply these days as Gen 1 Leaf owners are getting rid of them. That is what I went for (PodPoint), not to benefit from faster charging than the granny charger, but for the convenience of having just one plug to put in and out and a dedicated pace to coil the cable rather than taking something out of the car, putting it in wet when it's raining etc etc. Well worth the £100 to me.

 

[Franksie]

Thanks for the info, makes sense to me. I will have a look out for one...ebay?
I have yet to purchase the car but think i am going to setttle on a 2018 4h 2.4ltr from Motorpoint £22999.
I have been reading more and see a lot on here about SOH, should I ask for a print out? I know many people can get a wee bit paranoid.

Sorry for all the questions

 

[STS134]

Many thanks, I take it 3 1/2 hrs is the minimum charge time no matter what charger you use.

Well, no. The charger you're using, and more importantly, the voltage you're using, matters a lot.

The charger that comes with the car (Level 1, 110-120V) takes around 8 hours @ 12A and 12 hours @ 8A. I have never seen a Level 1 charger that can deliver 16A, because NEMA 5-15 sockets are limited to 15A (12A continuous, due to the 80% continuous current (longer than 3 hours) rule).

Level 2 charging is around 3-3.5 hours, depending on voltage. The car seems to draw a consistent 14-15A when it charges, but the power it's drawing depends on the voltage. Take 2 phases of 3 phase power, like in many commercial and large residential buildings, and feed them into the OBC, and you get ~208V RMS, and charging power of around 3 kW. Take the two hot phases of single phase power like you have in most houses to run ovens, dryers, stoves, and air conditioners, and you get ~240V RMS, and charging power of around 3.5 kW, and a slightly lower charge time. At 208V, charge time is typically around 3.5-4 hours, while at 240V, it's closer to 3-3.5 hours.

Or you can use CHAdeMO, which will top off the battery in about 20 minutes. You'd definitely need full 3 phase power for that to run the CHAdeMO charger, and you wouldn't want to use it too often either.

 

[ChrisMiller]

European home chargers can deliver up to 8kW (32A 240V), and the PHEV can use 4kW (16A) - standard domestic sockets are generally restricted to 3kW (13A).

 

[Franksie]

I am in the uk, I think I will suck it and see with the domestic wall plug charger before deciding if I need / want a tethered type.
Also looking at public chargers in the area are all type 2 how do I get round this

 

[Bloggsy]

I am in the uk, I think I will suck it and see with the domestic wall plug charger before deciding if I need / want a tethered type.
Also looking at public chargers in the area are all type 2 how do I get round this

Hi Frankie - ChrisMiller basically sums it up well. I use my granny charger and leave it plugged into my garage socket with the cable running underneath the door. I charge it up overnight but have to remember to unplug the granny charger and take it with me if I'm going elsewhere for the night, or my journey is going to deplete my battery and I will have a socket to recharge at my destination (and I will have enough time!).

Or, I use a public charger for which I have bought a type 2 to type 1 cable - these are very common and it came with a carry case, so it sits in my boot until I need it. I've used it 3 times in 10 months of ownership, but it's quite satisfying to know it's getting charged up for free when I'm shopping or doing some errands!

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Bloggsy

 

[ThudnBlundr]

Type 2 chargers can supply up to 43kW, depending on the setup: each is different so check the info on ZapMap or PlugShare. But the PHEV will never take more than 3.6kW and will therefore take 3-4 hours to charge. If you use a popular public charger, you might find some irate BEV drivers who have no ICE as backup and could add over 100 miles per hour while you're adding 7 miles per hour.

The Chademo charger can deliver over 20kW for the PHEV, but only charges to 80% taking 20-25 minutes

 

[Franksie]

Many thanks for the info, I need to get this right do i need type 1 to type 2 or other way around

 

[Bloggsy]

Many thanks for the info, I need to get this right do i need type 1 to type 2 or other way around

Hi Franksie - you will need a type 1 for your car and most of the public chargers are type 2, so a cable with type 1 connector on one end and a type 2 connector on the other end!

The Chademo chargers are tethered (i.e. they have the connector connected to the cable) so you don't need a cable for these chargers.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Bloggsy

 

[Kesto]

Hi franksie, it is entirely my opinion, I see no point in installing a wall charger for a PHEV , This is my second Outi .2016 then 2019
1. 2.4 lit outi is a much better car.
2. Destination charging is the key. You charge at home or at work. But to keep the engine healthy you must run it as well.
3. I travel everyday 30 miles , for work. I get about 150 mpg , 93-97% on battery. I am happy.

 

[ThudnBlundr]

At the moment you get an OLEV grant for fitting a charge point in the UK. So you could say it's worth getting one fitted while the government is giving you free money. But the rules now state you have to fit a smart charger, so the grant-aided install can be more expensive than a plain-vanilla charger, and far more than a secondhand one.

We had one fitted for our ZOE back when the install only cost a couple of hundred pounds with the grant. Initially I didn't use it for the PHEV, but I noticed the plug on the granny charger getting very hot in summer. So I bought a type 1 to type 2 cable and now share the charge point with the ZOE. We now keep the granny charger for occasional use on trips away.

 

[littlescrote]

We now keep the granny charger for occasional use on trips away.

Which is all that it is intended for, hence the name. It's for charging when you visit your granny.

 

[ThudnBlundr]

Seriously!? Why is that the only cable that Mitsubishi supply for charging the car?

 

[Regulo]

A plug-in car supplied without a charging cable for permanent use is not fit for purpose. Of course you can use the supplied charger on a daily basis. I have for 5 years.

 

[greendwarf]

Interesting point - where did the term "granny" come from?

 

[Regulo]

Probably someone's idea of comparing it to a granny - weak, compared to a dedicated charger. They obviously hadn't met my Granny Rose!