Disilusioned before I've even started!

[whistleworm]

My BEV is due for delivery week 50 (in BMWspeak) and I am excited but need to get the following off my chest.
Getting my home charging sorted here in UK is proving a real mission. Sorry non-UK members this is a bore.
British Gas successfully installed the Polar charger (the upgraded £99 30amp deal) but would not connect it as they could not pull the sealed house fuse and I had no isolator switch. I contacted EoN my supplier who eventually came and fitted an isolator switch. British Gas came back today and say they still cannot connect me as the main house fuse is 60amps- this is not enough to take the EV charger and all domestic use. This is actually ridiculous as we have no major electricity loads -we cook with gas. So I phone EoN to ask why when they fitted the isolator switch they didn't think to check the fuse capacity only to find that house fuses are dealt with by another agency - UK Power Networks. I contact them and I am directed to their website where there is a form to complete in order to have my fuse upgraded. This asks me to state what my existing power is in kVA or kW and what the maximum power I require is in kVA or kW - single phase or Three phase. I have to get help on this and find I have 14kVA but need 24kVA. I also have to print the forms and draw a diagram of the house and its location.
I do all this and scan it and send it off to UK Power Networks who say that the next step is for somebody to give me a quote and send out for a site survey. All this for a bigger fuse which is probably unnecessary anyway?
Why doesn't somebody provide a checklist for those wanting to install a charger for an EV
1. you need up-to-date modern wiring
2. you need to be able to isolate the supply to connect the charger
3. you need a house fuse of at least 80amps

or are they all just making it up as they go along?
Most people would just prefer to stick with their ICE - but not me for I am a patient early adopter!

 

[elptex]

Sorry to hear you're having a hard time getting an EVSE at your house sorted. Thankfully none of this has to do with the i3 itself

The details you're talking about standard, however. We got our EVSE installed on the same scheme and on the initial phone call they asked me about a dozen questions that all related to what you're talking--isolated fuse, 100amp board. The big reveal here: I didn't use British Gas, we used Charge Point. Virtually every person on here that has talked about British Gas has been a negative experience. You haven't received good customer service, simple as that--poor communication, no expectation setting, no ongoing updates, etc. Blame goes to EoN, too, one of the 'big 6'--its obvious why everyone hates them.

Switch to Ecotricity, pay the same amount as before, and get better service is what we did.

 

[PhilH]

You may have seen the problems I had with getting Britich Gas to turn up at the house at their appointed time. This led to my suing them for the total install cost (£125) plus court costs (£25) which they settled out of court. So they definitely leave much to be desired.

That said, I now have my level 2 charge point and my i3 delivered on October 17. However, I've never used the charge point yet - I've got a very long cable on order and am awaiting its delivery. So I use the 13 amp charge point, and so far that's been perfectly adequate. You might qant to consider getting the i3 delivered and seeing how you get on without an EVSE before further expenditure.

 

[MikeS]

You could look here and add your thought - http://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=612&hilit=lessons+identified