EV charger on split phase?

[brianmoooore]

I have a single 7kW EV charger that serves three holiday cottage. The supply to it is E7, with the night rate currently at exactly half the day rate, so most users charge at night, controlling the charge from apps. on their 'phones.
Batteries are getting bigger, so it's becoming difficult to get a full charge completely at the off peak rate, and it's only a matter of time before I get two or more EVs here at the same time, both wanting to charge.
I have a 3 wire, 2 phase supply to my property, (commonly, inaccurately referred to as split phase) which is 230 volt - 0 - 230volt, with a phase difference of 180 degrees between the two phases.
What do those of you out there who have loads of experience with EV chargers think would happen if I swapped the single phase charger for a three phase one, but with only two phases used of course?
14kW charging? The whole thing shut down and refuse to work? A funny burning smell?

 

[Julie.]

It's nothing to do with the "charger" as you call it.

The usual 7kW/22kW charge points, are charge points NOT chargers!

All they do is communicate with the car's internal charger as to the rate/current they are rated for, and switch on the 230/400V supply to the vehicle when the vehicle requires it.

So in reality if the charge point is 7kW it will tell the vehicle it can take up to 7kW single phase. If it's a 22kW then it will tell the vehicle it could take up to 22kW over three phases.

It is then up to the vehicle, if the in-built charger is 7.5kW, then it would charge at 7kW on the 7kW charge point, and 7.5kW on the 22kW charge point.

Some vehicles will require either a single phase or true three-phase supply for the charger to work correctly. Others would accept either single phase or two or three single phase supplies (could be 2 at 180 degrees or 120 degrees or whatever) This is down to the design of the charger within the vehicle.

I would think that none of the vehicles would be damaged by two out of three phases, irrespective of the phase angle; but I would expect that some would not charge at the higher rate (more than the single phase rate) and some may shut down charging completely until a single phase or full three phase supply is obtained.

 

[PeakSteve]

I have a single 7kW EV charger that serves three holiday cottage. The supply to it is E7, with the night rate currently at exactly half the day rate, so most users charge at night, controlling the charge from apps. on their 'phones.
Batteries are getting bigger, so it's becoming difficult to get a full charge completely at the off peak rate, and it's only a matter of time before I get two or more EVs here at the same time, both wanting to charge.
I have a 3 wire, 2 phase supply to my property, (commonly, inaccurately referred to as split phase) which is 230 volt - 0 - 230volt, with a phase difference of 180 degrees between the two phases.
What do those of you out there who have loads of experience with EV chargers think would happen if I swapped the single phase charger for a three phase one, but with only two phases used of course?
14kW charging? The whole thing shut down and refuse to work? A funny burning smell?

Most likely the charge point wouldn't care (it is probably just 3 single phase units under a single control system) but the vehicle would! If the vehicle can take a 3-phase (22kW) supply, that is exactly what it is looking for!

Perhaps your better bet would be to supply a second single-phase 7kW unit on the other phase.

 

[EricMark]

I am told if a phase is lost with the one where I work it auto closes down. Had a customer query why not charging at 22 kW so wondered if we had lost a phase, and was told no, as it would close down, yet is seems happy to charge cars at 7 kW when the car not wired for three phase.

 

[brianmoooore]

I am told if a phase is lost with the one where I work it auto closes down. Had a customer query why not charging at 22 kW so wondered if we had lost a phase, and was told no, as it would close down, yet is seems happy to charge cars at 7 kW when the car not wired for three phase.

That suggests that my idea wouldn't work, then.
Becoming irrelevant now, anyway. The daytime rate charged on an E7 supply has become so much higher than the standard 24 hour tariff, that I'm actively seeking to have the E7 tariffs replaced by 24 hour ones. Won't need to worry about charging cars in 7 hours then, although it will double the cost, but won't be my problem.
With the second phase unused, I could fit the second charge point I have in stock.

 

[slartybartfast]

es down. H

I have a single 7kW EV charger that serves three holiday cottage. The supply to it is E7, with the night rate currently at exactly half the day rate, so most users charge at night, controlling the charge from apps. on their 'phones.
Batteries are getting bigger, so it's becoming difficult to get a full charge completely at the off peak rate, and it's only a matter of time before I get two or more EVs here at the same time, both wanting to charge.
I have a 3 wire, 2 phase supply to my property, (commonly, inaccurately referred to as split phase) which is 230 volt - 0 - 230volt, with a phase difference of 180 degrees between the two phases.
What do those of you out there who have loads of experience with EV chargers think would happen if I swapped the single phase charger for a three phase one, but with only two phases used of course?
14kW charging? The whole thing shut down and refuse to work? A funny burning smell?

Just install 2 x EVSEs, with each hanging off a different phase. EVSEs are cheap, and for you, fully tax deductable.

Or pay for 3 Phase upgrade.

 

[DPG]

Just install 2 x EVSEs, with each hanging off a different phase. EVSEs are cheap, and for you, fully tax deductable.

Or pay for 3 Phase upgrade.

Could be a fair old cost to upgrade to 3 phase though.

 

[brianmoooore]

Cost a neighbouring business (who had no option if he wanted to expand) around £50,000 about 20 years ago. I wouldn't expect much change from £10,000.
The clever way to do it, is to get a wind turbine approved near (but not too near) your property. My neighbour managed this just before the Tories banned new onshore wind, and his 15kVA single phase supply was replaced by 50kW three phase at no cost too him.