If you’ve got an electric car, nothing beats the convenience of charging your car at home, and you can save on the cost of charging fees by charging your EV at home.
So we’re taking a deep dive into one of the Best Selling British Solar EV chargers, zappi, to help you find the unit that’s right for you. We’ll look at all the key specifications, cost, user-friendly features and the all-important warranty to help you make the right decision.
About zappi EV Chargers
As electricity costs much less than petrol or diesel, you’ll see significant savings when you switch to an electric car and even more if you have solar panels or a wind turbine to power it.
zappi is an innovative home charger, it can either work as a standard EV charger or completely charge your electric car using green energy generated from your Solar PV or wind generation. This way you will be driving greener and cheaper. But don’t worry if you don’t have solar panels installed, because zappi will still work as an ordinary home EV charger getting power from the grid.
What Makes zappi EV Charger Different?
Most EV chargers use electricity generated from the National Grid to charge your car.
As EV chargers are high-powered (usually 7kW), the typical EV charger will get most of its electricity from the grid. Although it’s cheaper than a petrol or diesel car, it’s still costly and carbon-intensive. That’s why greener sources of electricity such as solar or wind are always better.
zappi EV Charger can charge your electric car using green energy generated from your Solar PV or wind. Alternatively, it works as the standard EV charger if you don’t currently have solar panels installed.
zappi Home Charging Units
Zappi charging units come in a variety of types and sizes;
- 22kW 3ph Type 2 Tethered (Black/White)
- 22kW 3ph Untethered (Black/White)
- 7kW Type 2 Tethered (Black/White)
- 7kW Untethered (Black/White)
zappi Car Charging Modes
ECO
This mode is a blend of green energy and grid energy.
By selecting Eco mode, you’re minimising the use of the energy imported from the grid.
This mode aims to fully charge your car using 100% green energy; hence, the charging power will continuously get adjusted in response to changes in generation/power being used elsewhere in the home.
The minimum charge rate is 1.4kW, so if the power surplus generation drops below that, zappi EV Charger will draw power from the grid to top it back up.
ECO+
Like ECO, zappi ECO+ will control the power going to your electric car to match the surplus generation.
Charge power is constantly modified in response to changes in a generation or power consumption elsewhere in your home. Your electric car charging will pause if there is too much-imported power, continuing only when there is surplus free power available.
Fast
As soon as you plug in your EV, it’ll start charging. Your electric car will be charged at maximum power as fast as possible.
This power can come from a renewable energy source like wind or solar or from the grid. The cost of charging will also depend on numerous factors including mode and the car model.
zappi EV Charger Specifications
- 3 charging modes (Fast, Eco and Eco+)
- OLEV approved
- Solar PV/wind turbine desired but not required –you can still use zappi like a standard charge point
- Boost function – keeps the battery at a minimum charge level
- Economy Tariff sensing to maximise savings
- Integral RCD for earth leakage protection
- Energy data logging
- Graphical back-lit LCD screen for ease of use
- Adjustable charge current limit – allows installation with smaller circuit breakers (e.g. 16A)
- Adjustable import power limit – The maximum import limit can be set to limit power drawn by the house when charging
- In-line mounting holes for easy fixing to brick or timber stud walls
- Through-wall or surface mount cable entry options for easy wiring
- 3-year warranty
- Compliance: BS 8300:2009+A1:2010, BS EN 61851, BS EN 62196
Electrical Specifications
- Rated power: 7kW (1-ph) or 22kW (3-ph)
- Rated Supply Voltage: 230V AC Single Phase or 400V AC 3-phase (+/- 10%)
- Supply: 50 Hz
- Rated Current: 32A max
- Standby Power Consumption: 3W
- Integral Earth Leakage Protection Integral: 30mA Type A RCD + 6mA DC protection (EN 62955)
- Economy Tariff Sense: Input 230V AC sensing (4.0kV isolated)
- Tethered Cable Length: 6.5 Meters
Mechanical Specifications
- Dimensions: 439 x 282 x 122mm
- Protection Degree: IP65 rated enclosure suitable for outdoors (weatherproof)
- Enclosure Material: ASA
How much does it cost to install a zappi charger?
The price will vary based on your location and the job, but here’s a rough estimate; the unit cost starts from £692 (without installation).
zappi Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause | Solution |
| Display is blank | There is no power to the unit | Check for correct supply voltage at the supply screw terminals (220 – 260V AC) |
In ECO+ mode, the charge does not start, the display is always showing Waiting for Surplus and the export power is 0W |
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| In ECO+ mode, the charge does not start, the display is always showing Waiting for Surplus, yet the export power is showing correctly | Export Margin set too high | Check Export Margin setting (default is 0W) |
| Generation power is always 0.0kW | Generation sensor not installed |
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zappi Fault Codes
| Displayed Message | Description | Action |
| Unknown Cable ! | zappi has detected an unknown EV cable (untethered units only) Make you are using genuine IEC 62196-2 compliant plugs. Range supported : 32A, 20A and 13A. | zappi will automatically retest the cable after 5 seconds. If the issue persist, remove the plug and try again. |
| Pilot problem ! | zappi has detected an issue with the “Control Pilot” signal, fed to the vehicle. | zappi will automatically retest the cable after 5 seconds. If the issue persist, remove the plug and try again. |
| Lock Failure ! Fault code 23 | The socket lock actuator couldn’t lock/unlock the inserted plug as expected. (untethered units only) | This message can happen when the plug is not fully inserted or twisted or pulled from the socket. Unplug and press and hold the menu button to reset the unit. |
| PE Fault ! Fault code 25 | zappi has detected a problem with the main earth connection to the unit. The earth is either disconnected or the impedance of the earth connection is too high. | Unplug the EV, check the earth connection to the zappi and then hold the menu button to reset the unit. |
| Coms Fault ! Fault code 26 | zappi has detected an issue with the built-in protection components. | Unplug the EV, press and hold the menu button to reset the unit. |
| SelfTest Failed ! Fault code 27 | The built-in protection devices couldn’t be tested or failed the test prior to a charge. | Unplug the EV, press and hold the menu button to reset the unit. |
| Contactor Fault ! Fault code 28 | The relay inside the zappi has a welded contact. The secondary relay is open to make sure that the supply to the EV is isolated. | Unplug the EV, press and hold the menu button to reset the unit. |
| RCD Tripped ! Fault code 29 | The internal Earth leakage protection has tripped. | Unplug from the EV and press and hold the menu button to reset the unit. |
| PEN Fault! Fault code 29 | The internal protection against the loss of the PEN conductor on the electricity supply has tripped. | Unplug the EV, make sure that the fault has been removed and hold the button to reset the unit. |
| Output Fault ! Fault code 24 | zappi has detected a wrong output voltage. e.g : a voltage has been detected when it should be off. | Unplug from the EV and press and hold the menu button to reset the unit. |
| Overload ! Fault code 30 | The EV is drawing too much current – the output is switched off. | Unplug from the EV and press and hold the menu button to reset the unit. |
| Bad Voltage Range ! Over Voltage! Under Voltage! Fault code 31 | zappi has detected that the supply voltage is too high/low and has disconnected the EV to protect it. | Unplug the EV, make sure that the fault has been removed and hold the menu button to reset the unit. |
| Overheating! | The zappi unit is too hot – the output is switched off. | Make sure that the zappi is properly ventilated (eg has not been covered) Charge will resume once the unit has cooled down again. |
| Voltage Mismatch ! Fault code 32 | The output voltage detected by zappi and the built-in protection components is not the same. | Unplug the EV, press and hold the button to reset the unit. |
zappi Warranty
zappi charing unit is protected for three years from the date of purchase against defects in material and workmanship. Please read the warranty T&Cs to find out more.
myenergi App
The app is a must-have! It lets you to keep an eye on your set of myenergi devices (such as your zappi charger).
The app allows you to monitor real-time energy data, and compare it to historical data in an easy to read graphical form.
myenergi App features
- View current household power distribution and consumption at a glance
- Intuitive animated display showing import/export, generation, power diversion and consumption
- Live and historic Self-Consumption and Green Contribution indicators
- Data is updated in real-time
- Remote boost control, both manual & programmable
- Priority setting of different devices.
myenergi APP is available on Google Play and the App Store.
Is a zappi EV charger right for you?
The short answer is YES!
You can use any excess energy you generate to charge your electric car if you have solar panels instead of sending it back to the grid. This will reduce your carbon footprint, reliance on the grid, and energy bills.
On the other hand, if you don’t have solar panels or wind turbines installed yet, don’t worry! The zappi EV charger will also be a great solution for your home. Thanks to its outstanding e-sense functionality, it detects when economy tariffs become available.
You can programme zappi to switch to the best tariff or use its programmable timers when set tariffs like Octopus Go are available. This way, you will save plenty of money on bills by significantly reducing the cost of charging your electric vehicle.
zappi is a dynamic device and can, therefore, alter its charge rate when appliances in the home are switched on and off. This will improve home safety and bring balance to your property’s energy usage, preventing fuse damage caused by power surges and any shocking rises in energy bills.
*Average boiler prices were taken from an online retailer on 13/5/22. Prices are for the charging unit alone and may be subject to change.
