Guide & Pictures: Setting up Charging Infrastructure at Home for your EV – Part 3

Join Date: Jul 2021

Location: Kottayam,Kerala

Posts: 90

Thanked: 608 Times

Hi guys,
It’s been 1 and a fractional years since I bought my MG ZS EV.
I had antecedently explained successful item astir mounting up EV charging infrastructure astatine your location (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/elect...ctric-car.html (Guide & Pictures | Setting up an AC Fast Charger astatine location for your electrical car)). I volition beryllium continuing connected that topic, successful this article.
Ever since our MG ZS EV came home, our energy measure has accrued exponentially. Our depletion comes to 1000 – 1200 units per billing cycle, of which the car uses astir 600-800 units (Our EV has consistently averaged astir 2500 km/ period of driving). The energy measure comes to astir Rs.10,000 – 12,000, each 2 months. This is inactive mode little than what it would outgo to tally an ICE car (Our Ignis needs astir Rs. 10,000 worthy of petrol, every month). So, portion I was not excessively disquieted astir the hefty energy bills (it was much oregon little expected), I was ever looking for options to trim the expense.
Installing a star works is simply a bully mode to bring down your energy bill. We yet got it done, this June. Our location being a spot connected the older side, it had capable rooftop abstraction lone for a 5Kw plant. This star works volition make astir 20 Units/day, depending connected the clime (less during monsoons & much during summers). That would mean a procreation of astir 600 units/month, which would wholly screen the energy expenses of our location & bring down the remainder of the energy measure to manageable limits (As you each know, the much units you consume, you spell to a higher slab of depletion and the tariff per portion increases. As I americium consuming much than 1000 units each billing cycle, I americium presently being charged astatine Rs.8/unit).
The star works was commissioned by a VGuard dealer, adjacent our home. While I was discussing the details with him, helium mentioned that the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had precocious started providing home connections, solely for EV charging. The user volition beryllium charged astatine a level complaint of Rs.5.50/unit, careless of the fig of units used. This was a cardinal authorities scheme, tally by POWERGRID Corporation. He besides mentioned that the strategy was not being advertised arsenic of present and I volition person to cheque with the KSEB bureau for details.
This was an absorbing spot of information. I looked up the net but could not find anything. I called up the KSEB Overseer whom I knew and asked him astir the details. He confirmed what the trader told me. The exertion process was the aforesaid arsenic that of obtaining a caller connection. I went to the KSEB Office, purchased a signifier for Rs.10 and went home. I wasn’t readying connected applying immediately. The star enactment was going connected and I thought I would revert to this, erstwhile the works was commissioned and aft checking however the resultant energy expenses came down to. But then, thing happened.
At the extremity of June, my wife's car, a Suzuki Ignis, had to beryllium sent to the store owed to an unfortunate incidental of waterlogging. The Ignis had clocked 90,000+ kms but was moving well. We had been reasoning astir a caller car to regenerate the Ignis but the readying had not reached the progressive signifier yet. Both of our cars bash a batch of moving and 2 cars were a necessity astatine our home. Since the Ignis would beryllium retired of committee for astatine slightest a month, we needed a caller car each of a sudden.
The adjacent 1 week was spent successful a whirlwind signifier of test-driving. We drove virtually each car nether Rs.25 lakhs. And each car felt sluggish & under-powered (The lone car which we some agreed to beryllium adjacent worthy considering was the Maruti Fronx). After driving an EV, my woman simply could not judge going backmost to an ICE car. I had to hold (We trial drove the apical spec Hyundai Creta Turbo Petrol DCT, Suzuki Grand Vitara and Honda Elevate but nary of them were a lucifer for our MG ZS EV).
We went to the Tata showroom to trial thrust the Nexon EV, but it was not available. The salesperson promised to telephone erstwhile the trial thrust car became ready, but helium ne'er called america backmost (We had checked with them 2 months backmost regarding the Punch EV trial thrust and they ne'er got backmost to america then, either). Tata should amended their dealership acquisition (This was successful nonstop opposition to Toyota erstwhile we went to cheque the Taisor. They did not person the car but kept successful interaction mundane till the trial thrust car became available).
Somehow, Mahindra was not considered. MG ZS EV was readily disposable but we wanted to effort different EV. It was astatine this clip that BYD announced the facelift of Atto3. The Premium Variant acceptable each our needs and the terms had travel down by astir 4.5 lakhs (ADAS Features were not available, astatine this terms constituent but we were OK with that). We contacted BYD and they came from Kochi with their trial thrust car. We some drove it. We some liked it. Booked the car. For an EV, scope is important and truthful we went for the Premium variant with the 60 kw battery.
So suddenly, we were going to person a 2 EV garage. And since some EVs would beryllium with america for the adjacent fewer years, that meant their charging needs required a semipermanent solution. The star panels were up & moving by then. I felt the KSEB transportation for dedicated EV charging would beryllium a worthwhile semipermanent investment. Decided to proceed with it.
On checking with KSEB, they asked maine to instal each the indispensable instrumentality and past use for the connection. Our electrician took immoderate clip to travel but arsenic usual, did a precise bully job. The outgo of the instrumentality and his services came to astir Rs.15k.
The things specifically needed were
1) 3 signifier connection
2)Service ligament – 16 Sq mm Aluminium(If you usage the accustomed 10 Sq mm Copper cable, determination is simply a hazard of occurrence portion utilizing the 7.2 Kw charger)
3)HRC 63A fuses (Avoid the 32A Porcelain fuses, again owed to hazard of fire)
4) 10 Sq mm Copper wires to link the Fuses to the Energy Meter
5)Adequate earthing (10 Sq mm Copper Earthing Cable)
These upgrades were required successful presumption of the 7.2 Kw AC Fast charger. Since determination would beryllium 2 EVs successful our garage, a 7.2 Kw charger makes consciousness (Our location already had it). If you are not readying to instal the Fast charger, items 2 & 3 are not necessary. But if you bash it the due way, you are aboriginal proofing your charging infrastructure and tin debar hassles aboriginal on.
After completing the instillation, my electrician gave maine the indispensable insubstantial enactment (He was besides preparing the documents for an EV Charging transportation for the archetypal time). I submitted it astatine the KSEB bureau and paid a interest of Rs.60. I got a SMS saying that Inspection volition beryllium completed wrong 1 week.
Nothing happened successful the adjacent week. Followed it up with the office. They yet did inspection aft 9 days. After different 4 days, they sanctioned the connection. The connected load was 8.5 kw (It included the 7.2 Kw AC Fast Charger and the 16A charging plug).

I paid a full magnitude of Rs.14,478 astatine the bureau (Cash. Still nary POS machine/UPI facility). The KSEB Officials came aft 6 days and completed the installation process.

Post installation, I got a SMS saying that my transportation process is complete. My transportation was categorised arsenic LT – 10 (the accustomed 3 signifier home transportation is LT-1/three). I searched ‘LT – 10’ online and yet managed to get the details regarding home transportation for EV Charging, which I person fixed below.

So, that’s it astir the upgradation of charging infrastructure astatine my home. This is however it is going to enactment unless I upgrade the AC accelerated charger to a higher spec. I whitethorn nexus this caller transportation to the existing star grid successful aboriginal but that whitethorn instrumentality a while.
I spent astir 30k successful upgrading my charging equipment. There volition beryllium those who volition beryllium wondering if this was really necessary. After all, the star grid would really trim my energy bills, without the request to spell done this full rigmarole.
I would similar to explicate the reasons wherefore I felt this was a bully option.
- During this summer, the energy depletion was astatine a grounds high. It got to the constituent wherever KSEB really issued a nationalist connection asking EV owners not to complaint their cars astatine location astatine night. It was not enforced but successful consequent summers, the concern whitethorn change.
I pointed retired earlier that we were funny successful the Maruti Fronx. When I told the NEXA guys that we volition beryllium going for a BYD, the elder enforcement was not precisely happy. He wanted to discourage maine by talking astir scope anxiousness and different EV shortcomings. He besides claimed that charging EVs astatine nighttime causes grid issues & affects energy proviso to the public. I understood that helium was disappointed but it was quality to maine that radical had a antagonistic presumption astir EV charging and its effect connected voltage & proviso grid issues and blaming it for powerfulness outages. I knew it was nonsense but Public Perception is simply a antithetic thing. People person nary issues operating aggregate ACs astatine location during highest load hours but frown upon EV charging astatine night.
When you instrumentality a home transportation for EV charging, nary of these things matter. If anybody objects, we tin ever accidental that a dedicated transportation has been taken for a precise circumstantial purpose. Peace of caput is important!
- In the past 1 year, KSEB has started applying antithetic tariff rates for antithetic times during the day. During highest load times (6PM to 11PM), they person raised the rates for customers whose usage exceeds a definite bounds (250 units) each billing rhythm (or per month, not sure). The period earlier our star works was installed, the metre scholar idiosyncratic said that our energy metre volition person to beryllium changed to a TOD (Time of Day) meter, owed to accrued depletion astatine night. TOD Meters disagreement the time into assorted slots and complaint higher rates astatine highest load periods & debased tariff rates astatine different times. Since EV owners cannot debar overnight charging, the energy bills volition spell up adjacent more.
When you instrumentality the LT-10 connection, this contented is not determination arsenic it is simply a level tariff (Rs.5.50/unit), careless of your usage astatine immoderate clip of the day.
- So far, the authorities has been supportive of EVs with reduced Road Tax and different freebies. But arsenic the fig of EVs spell up exponentially and the Electricity Grid starts feeling the pinch, the concern whitethorn change. As of now, nary curbs person been imposed connected location EV charging. But conscionable similar EV manufacturers person started charging hefty sums for Charging cables & AC Fast Chargers (they utilized to travel escaped with the car), things volition beryllium antithetic successful future. EV owners whitethorn beryllium compulsorily asked to instal star plants oregon instrumentality dedicated EV charging connections (May beryllium conjecture connected my portion but it doesn’t dependable excessively far-fetched). We volition person to hold & see.
- Regarding the other outgo of the caller connection, this is simply a one-time expense. I volition not person to walk thing other for maintenance. If my calculation is right, adjacent with 2 EVs, my energy measure should beryllium astir 1000 -2000 rupees little than the contiguous billing cycle. If you person lone 1 EV, the savings volition beryllium adjacent more. I should interruption adjacent wrong 2 years and aft that, the savings volition support connected adding up. So, it is simply a win-win situation, whichever mode I look astatine it.
- It is precocious clip we did our spot for Mother Earth. I cannot power the root of energy which I use, but I surely person a power implicit reducing my Carbon emissions. With 2 EVs, I americium doing my portion successful helping the environment. It whitethorn not beryllium much, but it is something.

- Cost. 30k is not a tiny amount.
- The hassle of moving astir for the connection. The energy section was successful nary hurry whatsoever to bash the indispensable steps.
- Our location was built astatine a clip erstwhile star vigor was a novelty and the conception of EV/EV Charging was unheard of. There was nary proviso for adding each the other instrumentality arsenic such. Thankfully, we had conscionable capable abstraction to accommodate everything, without it being an eyesore. It volition not beryllium imaginable for everyone. It whitethorn oregon whitethorn not beryllium an contented for Apartment owners who privation to instrumentality an idiosyncratic LT-10 transportation for their EVs.
- We installed our star works nether the subsidy strategy (Rs.78,000 volition beryllium refunded erstwhile each the formalities are over). This subsidy is lone applicable for home connections. If you are readying to instal a star works for the LT-10 connection, you volition person to opt for a non-subsidy scheme. However, you tin nexus your LT-10 transportation to an existing star plant, taken for a home connection.
- If you look astatine the LT-10 tariff calculation for my connection, I volition person to wage a fixed complaint of Rs.1700 each 2 months (if my calculation is correct; I person not received the energy measure yet for the caller connection) which is decidedly connected the higher side. For my home LT-1/three connection, Fixed Charges travel to astir Rs.400-500.
That’s it for now. The intent of this nonfiction is to fto EV Owners cognize that they person different enactment disposable for EV charging.
I wanted to decorativeness my nonfiction by including a representation of our 2 EV garage. But our Ignis is inactive successful the workshop, the MG ZS EV had to beryllium sent to the work centre for 2 weeks for a rear instrumentality suspension contented and the BYD Atto 3 has not arrived yet.
Life tin beryllium strange, astatine times!

Last edited by sushanthys : 21st August 2024 astatine 22:25. Reason: impervious reading