ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: andrewcsp on June 24, 2019, 12:25:15 AM
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How do you charge, or plan to charge your bike? I see four options in the UK.
1. Pay full price for somebody like PodPoint to install a point at your home (I have garage and driveway). Motorcycles are not eligable for the OLEV grant, so that means £859 for a 7kW charger (compared to £359 I'd pay if I had an electric car)
Approx £859. https://pod-point.com/products/homecharge
2. Buy the charging point online and have a professional install. Not sure where to find somebody reliable to do this work.
Approx £335 + installation. https://evonestop.co.uk/collections/wall-mounted-chargers/products/wallpod-ev-charging-unit-type-2-socket-16-32-amp3-6-7-2kw-ip65
Approx £400 + installation. https://evonestop.co.uk/collections/wall-mounted-chargers/products/wallpod-ev-3-phase-type-2-socket-3pole-isolator
3. Use a domestic socket specifically designed for vehicle charging (slow, but I can typically wait overnight for a charge)
https://evonestop.co.uk/collections/home-charging-range/products/wallpod-ev-ready-3pin-uk-domestic-socket
4. Join a public charging network, and charge at my local supermarket for around £8/month
https://polar-network.com/
All of these options also require buying a charging cable I believe. In the region of £150-£250 I believe.
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You've missed "just plug it in to a normal existing socket in your garage". That works fine for me.
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Kettle leaf of an extension cord that goes out of the cat flap. 27,000 miles.
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Garage. + very occasionally charging stations.
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Usually the on-board and two Zero Quick Chargers, all running from a Tesla Wall Connector with a Tesla Tap. I use the QC's even when there is no hurry, so the on-board charger is not on as long.
The same setup at two locations (Auburn, CA & Reno, NV). Here in Cold Springs Valley (16 miles NW of Reno) I just have a 240 VAC outlet and a Mustart J-plug (https://www.amazon.com/MUSTART-Portable-Charger-Electric-Charging/dp/B077D5C86M), but two QC's here also. I usually only charge my Zeros here, but I can also charge my Tesla here at slightly less current than from a Tesla Wall Connector. (https://www.tesla.com/support/home-charging-installation/wall-connector)
Two Quick Chargers at each of three locations, but three at one location. But I normally run two QC's and the on-board from a single 240 VAC source.
I also occasionally charge on the road--or at a casino here in the Reno area.
I rarely use 120 VAC to charge with anywhere, except when charging my DS from my RV Generator or an RV park. I always take the DS on my RV trips, carried on the hitch with a motorcycle ramp. (http://www.addabike.com/HOME.html)
Both of my Zeros have a permanently mounted "Y" cable to make it a lot easier to connect them to the QC's.
-Don- Cold Springs Valley, NV
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You've missed "just plug it in to a normal existing socket in your garage". That works fine for me.
True! Although I have heard stories of sockets melting and electrics exploding. The wiring in my home is fairly new, so probably okay.
I don't need fast charging and certainly not willing to pay close to £900 for it.
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You've missed "just plug it in to a normal existing socket in your garage". That works fine for me.
True! Although I have heard stories of sockets melting and electrics exploding. The wiring in my home is fairly new, so probably okay.
I don't need fast charging and certainly not willing to pay close to £900 for it.
When charging the Zero SR/F Premium with its included Power Pack charger connected to 120 volts, according to the bike's display, it uses 11 amps, not the kind of current that would normally cause a meltdown. (Thou, the cord does get a bit warm)
I have an amp meter and will verify if the display is accurate and if not, will update this posting.
The charger comes with an adapter to plug into a 220 volts outlet but I don't know if the rate of charge will remain the same, cutting the amperage to a half, or if it will charge faster under the new voltage, at the same 11 amps
I haven't had time to install a 220 volt outlet in my garage yet. (Planned for this weekend, thou)
As I understand, European bikes are configured differently in part because there, 220 volts is the standard.
Using 120 volts is slow but works just fine for overnight recharge.
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When charging the Zero SR/F Premium with its included Power Pack charger connected to 120 volts, according to the bike's display, it uses 11 amps, not the kind of current that would normally cause a meltdown. (Thou, the cord does get a bit warm)
I have an amp meter and will verify if the display is accurate and if not, will update this posting.
The charger comes with an adapter to plug into a 220 volts outlet but I don't know if the rate of charge will remain the same, cutting the amperage to a half, or if it will charge faster under the new voltage, at the same 11 amps
I haven't had time to install a 220 volt outlet in my garage yet. (Planned for this weekend, thou)
As I understand, European bikes are configured differently in part because there, 220 volts is the standard.
Using 120 volts is slow but works just fine for overnight recharge.
UPDATE:
Installed a 240 volts, 50 amp outlet right next to the breaker panel and was surprised to see an increase from the mentioned 11 Amps while charging with the supplied Power Pack plugged to 120 volts to 32 amps.
I was expecting doubling from 11 to 22 but it jumped to 32, probably because the 120 outlet is a GFCI wired for 15 amps or less. The charger must have a sensor and reduces the charging power as needed.
The bike charges a lot faster now and I scrapped the plan to buy a 40 amp charging station because spending $550 to gain only 8 amps doesn't make sense: it charges fast enough for me now.