Pod Point

[Deleted member 7514]

Does anyone have a Pod Point installation ?

I’m looking to get this Installed on a holiday let i have (i don’t have parking at my home address sadly).

The plan would be that i can use the charger while there and then i can charge people a fee who want to use it to cover the electricity and towards the infrastructure.

The payback would be many many years but I’m doing this on the basis it might make the unit more lettable and get more bookings.

I think the only way I’m going to able to police this is by putting a lock on the charger and then a charge for the usage perhaps.

I’m surprised there isn’t a provider that allows this payment by card and then taking a percentage. Don’t think there is any other way round.

I’m curious as to whether i do this or i just stick in a cheaper option of a commando switch. Most people will be there for a few days and only doing local driving so don’t need a fast charger and i go for a week so happy to have a trickle charge.

any suggestions gratefully received !

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[WuffvonTrips]

Yes, installed 7 mths ago inside my garage, very happy with it.
EDIT- the tethered version.

 

[BigBob]

Ive got a 'Wallbox' EVSE. You can lock/unlock it on the app. Happy with it and it's very compact if that matters to you.

I'd check if pod point has similar lock on its app (i assume it has an app?).

 

[Deleted member 7514]

Ive got a 'Wallbox' EVSE. You can lock/unlock it on the app. Happy with it and it's very compact if that matters to you.

I'd check if pod point has similar lock on its app (i assume it has one).

Pod point said there are two options :

1. lock with a key +£29
2. use app to schedule when it gets power

I’m wondering if that’s the best option - put my contact details and someone texts me to unlock it and makes a payment ? It’s so crude though I’d rather a company was able to take a percentage of the revenue!

 

[BigBob]

Pod point said there are two options :

1. lock with a key +£29
2. use app to schedule when it gets power

I’m wondering if that’s the best option - put my contact details and someone texts me to unlock it and makes a payment ? It’s so crude though I’d rather a company was able to take a percentage of the revenue!

Hmm. I didn't do a lot of research, but the wall box can be:
locked/unlocked remotely.
You can schedule times for it to be on (eg off peak etc).
You can easily increase/decrease the output.
The app shows you how much electric you've used for each charge (You can associate a unit cost with it as well, so could use that to bill your customer).

I sound like a wallbox rep! I'm sure there are other choices just as good, but does seem like the pod point isn't going to give to a very slick solution.

The whole unlock/lock with a key or tell the tenant to flip the breaker on to use is an option. But bet you most will turn it on and when they leave forget to lock/turn off.

I think you need a different product.

 

[Andy S]

Yep,

Had one (tethered version) installed for over 2 years now and no problems

 

[kempez]

I've got a PodPoint. Installed very quickly and efficiently and actually when we needed some support (after our solar installation), their support was excellent. We have the tethered version, because I honestly don't know why you wouldn't (in the UK and Europe anyway).

I'd give them a ring about your situation. The PodPoint app itself is pretty good and I think it would give you a nice way of getting it managed for you, but I don't know how it works in terms of charging for electricity used and switching it to your own use etc.

 

[simcity]

I'm in a holiday let as we speak. I've stayed in other lets with chargers and never been charged a fee. Its just a bonus / nice to have.

Otherwise I keep a long water-proof extension reel in the bottom of the boot and then just run it to the car to use with my Tesla granny charger. On a normal 13A domestic socket its automatically current limited at 10A (by the car and charger) with an RCD built-into in the reel so safe.

 

[Deleted member 7514]

I'm in a holiday let as we speak. I've stayed in other lets with chargers and never been charged a fee. Its just a bonus / nice to have.

Otherwise I keep a long water-proof extension reel in the bottom of the boot and then just run it to the car to use with my Tesla granny charger. On a normal 13A domestic socket its automatically current limited at 10A (by the car and charger) with an RCD built-into in the reel so safe.

Thank you - the issue that i have is that the holiday let company take a 40% cut of what the customer pays. However, they don’t tell you what the customer has paid so you get told what the income is….

I’m sure people are paying a premium in the rent these days for the property having an EV charger too. Either i put a small premium in or an optional usage charge…. I’d prefer the later so i didn’t penalise people who don’t have an EV.

On this basis, i know they will most likely let other EV users use my space to charge up as there are NO EV points on the holiday park and i will not get any extra premium over the other units AND i pay the electricity costs still on top.

It’s such a big cost so I’d like to get the a higher rent compared to another similar unit for providing it.

As they are static homes they don’t like people using cables to charge cars given the fire risk. Especially with a Porsche charger that should never be used with an extension cable - i tried it at a friends and it was dangerously hot.

The alternative is that i install the commando unit and just have it available for myself or anyone who wants to charge using the adaptor…

The Porsche granny has a commando but my tesla one (lighter and doesn’t overheat) doesn’t but i can buy an adaptor for £40 From tesla..,..

 

[Midlifecrisis]

The only problem with any unit that locks in the app is that if you know what you are doing, you can almost certainly reset it on site. There may be a hidden button to press a number of times or turn off/on in the fuse box. But they must be resettable somehow without recourse to the app in case the internet link or app goes down and you need to enable it to charge. The Andersen (obviously you can't have one of those now) can be reset by a button that is hidden and is pressed a number of times - instructions on the website. It then comes back to life turned on and can be set up via Bluetooth on your phone. So if you want it to be locked so that some clever tenant can't hack it to turn it on then you probably need physical security i.e. a key.

 

[SteveMc]

No idea if it's any good or not, but JustPark have a community charging option:

https://www.justpark.com/ev/justcharge

 

[ineedanoriginal]

I've got a Pod Point Solo 3 tethered for use at home with our 2 EVs. It comes with keys that you can use to turn it off at the unit (the keys turns it off regardless of what the app tells it to do). You could keep a key in your letting and allow people who rent your property access to the key to unlock the charger. I don't think that Pod Point have a way to set your charger up so that anyone can pay to use it though and for you to bill people direct will no doubt be complicated. That said, looking on Zap Map, there are ways to set up as a "Zap-Home" (essentially allowing other people to use your EV charger at a cost). As SteveMc says above:

No idea if it's any good or not, but JustPark have a community charging option:

https://www.justpark.com/ev/justcharge

there is a JustCharge option offered by JustPark that might be a way to remove the complexity. I don't use it so can't comment on how good it is, but it would seem to offer what you are looking for.

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