UK Do I need three phase or not? Your advice appreciated.

[Spinball]

Hello folks.
I am about to complete on a (detached) house purchase and I want to ask your advice whether to have three phase connected to the house and possibly whether I can have it connected for free.
I plan to have two Zappy EV chargers installed with them both charging at the same time overnight when electricity is cheaper.
I also want solar panels and a battery solution and I could potentially be charging the battery at night as well.
I know that there are load balancers for EV charging, but it’s probable that I will want to charge both EVs at the same time in the 4 hour Octopus Go cheaper tariff window.
I am thinking that I probably need three phase to cope with this load. Have I got this right?

Also the house is looped.
What I am hoping is that an application to install the two car chargers and battery will mean that the DNO consider that I will need three-phase and will install that FOC while delooping the house. What, in your experience, are the chances of this happening?

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Hello moderators. Please move this thread to a more appropriate form if this is not the right place for it.

 

[James]

Free of charge supply upgrades are only considered between 08.35 and 08.52 on the morning of April 1st, so if you have not had your application accepted this morning, you have to wait until next year.

 

[snowhead]

There's no guarantee that you'll even be able to have 3 phase, it may not be laid in your road / street and even if it is there may not be enough spare capacity without you having to pay possibly thousands to have it upgraded or installed.
You'll need to enquire with the DNO to see what's available.

It's most unlikely you'll get it cheap, let alone free.

 

[Spinball]

There's no guarantee that you'll even be able to have 3 phase, it may not be laid in your road / street and even if it is there may not be enough spare capacity without you having to pay possibly thousands to have it upgraded or installed.
You'll need to enquire with the DNO to see what's available.

It's most unlikely you'll get it cheap, let alone free.

I called my DNO to discuss it (that's how I know the property is looped) and he said that it would cost about £4k to upgrade to 3 phase. I'm trying to avoid that expense.

 

[pc1966]

I called my DNO to discuss it (that's how I know the property is looped) and he said that it would cost about £4k to upgrade to 3 phase. I'm trying to avoid that expense.

That is actually cheaper than I feared!

If you plan EV fast charges and/or large heat-pump based building heating for the future then 3-phase really is the way to go, but it will cost you obviously.

 

[westward10]

Agreed £4k sounds like a bargain.

 

[nicebutdim]

'About' £4k over the phone, could run into significantly more when/if a firm quote is produced.

 

[Spinball]

Is it possible that, when the company installing the system (12kw solar, 20kw batteries, 2 Zappis and an Eddi) apply to the DNO, that the DNO will look at the system, and agree that we need delooping and 3-phase and decide to do both FOC? Or at least discounted since they are digging up the road/drive anyway?

 

[timhoward]

Is it possible that, when the company installing the system (12kw solar, 20kw batteries, 2 Zappis and an Eddi) apply to the DNO, that the DNO will look at the system, and agree that we need delooping and 3-phase and decide to do both FOC? Or at least discounted since they are digging up the road/drive anyway?

No

 

[Spinball]

No

What’s the best case scenario?