"Emergency" weekend project build - EV charger plinth

[Hypnotic Chimera]

Sat 18 Jan 25
This has all happened way faster than I had planned or expected.
Having committed to changing my car for an EV - and having been given a decent trade-in value for my car - I stuck my car on FaceAche MarketScam for a bit more than trade-in value, but at way less than it's actually worth.
First guy to view and after me to taking him for a spirited drive he simply offered a small deposit and said he'd take the car. No negotiation. No offers. Just committed right there on the spot at my advertised price.

I had a charger install sparky over on Tuesday (14 Jan) to do a quote for installing charger. Not an easy one - since my car port is separated away from the house
My car was collected and driven away on Wed (15 Jan).
The charger is ordered and in transit - as is the integrated 6mm plus cat5e SWA cable (££££s).

Install is happening late next week. I should also get the car late next week.

I now have a bit of an emergency to rig up some kind of plinth that the charge point will be attached to.
Problem being that I don't have my car and can't go out to get "long" timber since it wouldn't fit in our other impractical car.

Luckily, kind of, I have at my disposal:

Two 75x75mm treated fence posts (intended to replace a couple of wobbly fence posts - but that'll have to wait...)
Some offcuts of interior T&G softwood cladding.
A few lengths of CLS.

I know this is not an ideal catalogue of materials - especially the interior cladding (although my 10 year old log store has a sloped roof of the exact same cladding and has survived OK after initial coating with fence paint...)
But I also plan that this isn't a permanent fixture - it's just something that is sufficient for the task of supporting a charge point and "safe" in all aspects - I'll plan or replacing it with something more appropriate maybe as early as this summer...

I did a rough sketch of an idea that I came up with:

This needs to be completed by tomorrow sunset...

If anyone has any comments on this, I'd be very grateful to read them.

Either that, or simply wish me luck!

 

[flying haggis]

Check that the charger is allowed to be fixed to a wooden support. It might only be able to be fixed to a non combustible surface ie brick.

 

[Dabop]

Sat 18 Jan 25
This has all happened way faster than I had planned or expected.
Having committed to changing my car for an EV - and having been given a decent trade-in value for my car - I stuck my car on FaceAche MarketScam for a bit more than trade-in value, but at way less than it's actually worth.
First guy to view and after me to taking him for a spirited drive he simply offered a small deposit and said he'd take the car. No negotiation. No offers. Just committed right there on the spot at my advertised price.

I had a charger install sparky over on Tuesday (14 Jan) to do a quote for installing charger. Not an easy one - since my car port is separated away from the house
My car was collected and driven away on Wed (15 Jan).
The charger is ordered and in transit - as is the integrated 6mm plus cat5e SWA cable (££££s).

Install is happening late next week. I should also get the car late next week.

I now have a bit of an emergency to rig up some kind of plinth that the charge point will be attached to.
Problem being that I don't have my car and can't go out to get "long" timber since it wouldn't fit in our other impractical car.

Luckily, kind of, I have at my disposal:

Two 75x75mm treated fence posts (intended to replace a couple of wobbly fence posts - but that'll have to wait...)
Some offcuts of interior T&G softwood cladding.
A few lengths of CLS.

I know this is not an ideal catalogue of materials - especially the interior cladding (although my 10 year old log store has a sloped roof of the exact same cladding and has survived OK after initial coating with fence paint...)
But I also plan that this isn't a permanent fixture - it's just something that is sufficient for the task of supporting a charge point and "safe" in all aspects - I'll plan or replacing it with something more appropriate maybe as early as this summer...

I did a rough sketch of an idea that I came up with:

View attachment 196153


This needs to be completed by tomorrow sunset...

If anyone has any comments on this, I'd be very grateful to read them.

Either that, or simply wish me luck!

What brand charger???

Many need only a single post to attach the bracket to, others may only need a small crossbar added at the top, some may need two small crossbars- there is no 'industry standard' spacing...
(usually the manufacturer has a 'mounting template' supplied, and is also often available on their websites as well as to their requirements...)
eg a Zappi

That's one of their 'pedestal mounts', but I have seen them simply screwed to a wooden carport support with a single screw at the top in the center mount hole, and two at the bottom...

But every manufacturer has their own mounting requirements- so check their website...

 

[Hypnotic Chimera]

It's an Andersen A3 charger.

Just looking at what might be "eye pleasing" dimensions for the backing area that it'll attach to.

 

[Hypnotic Chimera]

Planning on placing the plinth in front of the first inset fence post. Just in front of car port, which is on the left in this photo

 

[Hypnotic Chimera]

 

[Cabinetman]

My immediate thought was that whether or not it needs it I would like a bit of a roof over it, all the pics show it being used on nice dry days. Lol

 

[Hypnotic Chimera]

My immediate thought was that whether or not it needs it I would like a bit of a roof over it, all the pics show it being used on nice dry days. Lol

Was kinda thinking of that too.

 

[Dabop]

View attachment 196186

One thing to watch for, is that there are regs about height etc that also need to be complied with

There's also other requirements about them (minimum distance from the street or footpath etc) that also have to be met...

The Andersen mounting sizes

Installed between 0.75m – 1.2m from ground level...

Taken from https://manuals.plus/andersen/a3-de..._mount_a3_assembly_to_the_permanent_structure

 

[Hypnotic Chimera]

One thing to watch for, is that there are regs about height etc that also need to be complied with
View attachment 196215

There's also other requirements about them (minimum distance from the street or footpath etc) that also have to be met...

The Andersen mounting sizes
View attachment 196216
Installed between 0.75m – 1.2m from ground level...

Taken from https://manuals.plus/andersen/a3-de..._mount_a3_assembly_to_the_permanent_structure

Thanks for all of that.
I did intend to search for the Standards on installation height - sparky mentioned that chargers ought to be 1.0m above ground. But in the A3 this places the lidded top just a bit too high for comfortable access. I'm 6'2" so not a drama for me personally, although I did get the Mrs to test the imaginary lid and reckon that 1.0m is just a bit too much.

I'd settled on a height for the bottom of the unit at somewhere between 80 to 90cm above ground. Which falls exactly within the specs you've copied.

 

[Hypnotic Chimera]

Check that the charger is allowed to be fixed to a wooden support. It might only be able to be fixed to a non combustible surface ie brick.

I asked that very question when the EV charger install sparky was here to check out the layout.

Apparently fixing to a wooden fence is acceptable.

 

[Dabop]

The charger itself is fine on wooden structures (although many 'suggest' a fireproof cladding' on a habitable structure but it isn't a requirement) ie if you have it on the side of the house on a wooden wall, then a sheet of 'fibro'/concrete fiber board, but as this is a standalone post, no worries...

Mostly because it isn't anything more than a 'big switch and box of electronics'- just a 'bigger fancier version of your phone charger'...

Many have them fitted on a wooden fence, just on one of the posts... (you can even clip the armoured cable to the fence itself as that is considered a 'permanent structure'

 

[Hypnotic Chimera]

The charger itself is fine on wooden structures (although many 'suggest' a fireproof cladding' on a habitable structure but it isn't a requirement) ie if you have it on the side of the house on a wooden wall, then a sheet of 'fibro'/concrete fiber board, but as this is a standalone post, no worries...

Mostly because it isn't anything more than a 'big switch and box of electronics'- just a 'bigger fancier version of your phone charger'...

Many have them fitted on a wooden fence, just on one of the posts... (you can even clip the armoured cable to the fence itself as that is considered a 'permanent structure'

Cheers mate.

The cable is indeed intended to be cleated to the bottom rail of the partition fence

 

[Dabop]

One thing to check- hows your wifi connection signal strength there where the chargers going???? if it's weak there, commissioning will take forever (when its first hooked up, it will want to do its updates etc, and a weak wifi signal will slow it down considerably...)

 

[AndyP]

Could you fix it to the carport upright with a couple of cross members to match the fixing holes.
It would be under cover then as well.

 

[gmgmgm]

If you want more time to do it, and aren't doing 200 miles a day, you should be fine using the "granny charger" to charge for a few weeks. Most cars will come with one, and it can run from any normal socket. Or an extension lead if you are lucky (they are only 10 amps).

When our EV arrived, we used the granny charger at first, until we worked out the best place for the EV charger.

Many chargers will also be happy fixed to a substantial post e.g. 8x8 gatepost.

PS from your username, was it a Chimaera? I used to have a 500...