BLINK HQ Charger

[maheshn]

Hi,
VW dealership recommends BOSCH EVSE for home charging @ 240V.

Has anyone used a BLINK HQ 240V Charger with an eGolf. They are on sale for $499 until 12/31/2014 (http://shop.blinkhq.com/Blink-Electric-Charger-Includes-Charging/dp/B00IOT4RSA) and includes a $100 Charging Credit on Blink Network.

BTW, any info on installation charges one can expect to install an EVSE at home

 

[LAeGolf]

I've received quotes from $1,000 to $1,500 - just for installation, not including the charger. But I have a detached garage, so we have to dig a trench thru the back yard, and lay about 50 feet of conduit and wires. What is the distance from your main electrical panel to where your charger will be? And is it indoors or outdoors?

 

[cove3]

It's only an 18' cable. If you have a two car garage with 2 bevs/plug ins or want to charge when the car is in the driveway, 18' is cutting it too close for comfort. The Clipper Creek at 590 is only 100 more, gets good reviews, comes with a 25' cable, and is the 110v charger that comes with the car, so I went with them.

Ron

 

[in2insight]

I went with the Siemens plug in. 20 foot cable.
The cost to get the plug installed (including upgrading the sub panel) was $1000.00 and the charger was on sale on Amazon.com for just under $500.00

 

[SfEvR]

I went with the Siemens plug in. 20 foot cable.
The cost to get the plug installed (including upgrading the sub panel) was $1000.00 and the charger was on sale on Amazon.com for just under $500.00

I went with Siemens too, though haven't actually installed it yet. Reason I went with it rather than Clipper Creek or Bosch, was because it has buttons that allow you to delay the start of charging for 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours, which will let me set the car to start charging after the off-peak charging rates kick in at 11pm here in CA. In addition to the fact that the Car-Net app doesn't seem to work very well, it has no option in the U.S. to set a charging start time (i.e. start at 11pm) and instead works backward from a departure time which is less ideal. The Siemens solves that issue and makes it so I don't need to rely on the Car-Net app, which thus far seems super buggy. I'm not convinced the Car-Net app will ever be reliable, at least not anytime soon.

 

[in2insight]

Same here! The app is buggy, and the online version, even with the update, makes little sense. (Online all times are Eastern, yet not so on the app...)
When I used the app, some days the car would charge as it should, other, no charge at all. Talk about charge anxiety.
Having the delayed charge come from the charger fixed all of that.

 

[GadgetGav]

The Blink, Bosch and Legrand all look to be using identical outer housings... does anyone know if they're all the same inside too? Are they all badge-engineered versions of the same charger? If so, does anyone know who the OEM is?

 

[cove3]

<<<Reason I went with it rather than Clipper Creek or Bosch, was because it has buttons that allow you to delay the start of charging for 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours, <<<

Does your meter record usage by time of day? Here in NY, Con Ed would have to replace my meter to do that. There's a $20 monthly fee plus instrad of paying a flat 30 cents/kwh, I'd pay higher from 8-2 an something like 1.20 from 2-4. Although thr 12-8 rate is 11 cents, I can't use any other power at that time except the bev. I concluded my bill would skyrocket doing that, and therefore there was no advantage in going with Siemens to get that delayed function

The other thing is I'm sure VW will get the bugs out of Car Net and the e-Manager so that you can do delayed charging assuming you have the meter from either your i-phone or from the screen in the car

Which brings up a point. How does VW upgrade the software in the car? You take it in for service, they send you a cd rom or sd?

Ron

 

[cynandvinecar]

Same here! The app is buggy, and the online version, even with the update, makes little sense. (Online all times are Eastern, yet not so on the app...)
When I used the app, some days the car would charge as it should, other, no charge at all. Talk about charge anxiety.
Having the delayed charge come from the charger fixed all of that.

Ditto...Carnet is a huge disappointment, completely unreliable. As commuter vehicle, getting up to find the car hasn't charged is a major problem. We went with the Bosch unit because it has a small footprint and fit the location, it works fine, has never tripped.... but doesn't have the timer function.
Not sure where we go from here, we love the car but not being able to charge when we want is like have an ICE vehicle with a locked gas cap.

Only hope is the Volkswagen understands that their reputation will suffer even though Carnet is a third party product, and will force a fix.....soon!