C-Class 350e - Your charging experiences

[350e]

In order to reduce pressure on that other thread, the size of which is now getting silly, I am reporting my experience of charging, Chargers and all related stories.

Charged mine today via a Chargemaster point and after the initial faff associated with the connectivity to the post I charged the car for about 90 minutes. Received email from Mercedes telling me the charge had got to 100% but in fact it continued to accept more.
Good news is that the cost was just £1.50 but that was the standard car park fee.

Discovered yesterday that Milton Keynes Council allow charging for just £1.50, debit my Chargecard account, and there are no further charges. So, instead of paying the usual £2.00 per hour parking fee now if I plug the car in I save £2.50 on the usual 2 hour stop. Result

Have you a story relating to charging, Chargers etc ?

 

[quonker]

Chargemaster are due to install my home charger on the 17th of November which would cost £195.

I'm not sure whether to proceed with the installation though, wondering if I should just install an external waterproof 13A socket on the side of my garage.

For those of you that have pukka charging boxes, do you think they are worthwhile?

 

[wivenhoe]

Chargemaster are due to install my home charger on the 17th of November which would cost £195.

I'm not sure whether to proceed with the installation though, wondering if I should just install an external waterproof 13A socket on the side of my garage.

For those of you that have pukka charging boxes, do you think they are worthwhile?

I have a Rolec and as it is 'tethered' I don't have to faff about with getting the Merc cable out of the boot - drive in, plug in and charge then unplug and put the cable around the Rolec. The Chargemaster will charge quicker than a socket but to be honest that is not an issue as I charge overnight. The other benefit, if you have a company car, is that to get the grant they will fit a meter which shows the electricity used charging the car so you could use that to claim the cost back from the business.

I've stowed the cable and first aid kit in the side compartment, it's a tight fit to close the flap - I wouldn't bother to take it out each evening and re-stow it in the morning so it would end up rolling around in the boot.

 

[350e]

I have a Rolec and as it is 'tethered' I don't have to faff about with getting the Merc cable out of the boot - drive in, plug in and charge then unplug and put the cable around the Rolec. The Chargemaster will charge quicker than a socket but to be honest that is not an issue as I charge overnight. The other benefit, if you have a company car, is that to get the grant they will fit a meter which shows the electricity used charging the car so you could use that to claim the cost back from the business.

I've stowed the cable and first aid kit in the side compartment, it's a tight fit to close the flap - I wouldn't bother to take it out each evening and re-stow it in the morning so it would end up rolling around in the boot.

Slovenly man

Know what you mean about it being a tight fit but that is if you leave everything in the compartment that Mercedes provided at the outset. I have removed the high visibility jackets and other bits and pieces from the compartment and put them in the case provided for the cable and now the cable justs pops in the compartment without difficulty.

 

[350e]

How satisfying is this image on your phone

99.9 mpg indeed

 

[quonker]

I have a Rolec and as it is 'tethered' I don't have to faff about with getting the Merc cable out of the boot - drive in, plug in and charge then unplug and put the cable around the Rolec. The Chargemaster will charge quicker than a socket but to be honest that is not an issue as I charge overnight. The other benefit, if you have a company car, is that to get the grant they will fit a meter which shows the electricity used charging the car so you could use that to claim the cost back from the business.

I've stowed the cable and first aid kit in the side compartment, it's a tight fit to close the flap - I wouldn't bother to take it out each evening and re-stow it in the morning so it would end up rolling around in the boot.

Two really good reasons to charge at home as mine will be a company car so could claim the electricity back and having not to faff with getting the cable from the boot.

Cheers

 

[Saxon6]

Chargemaster are due to install my home charger on the 17th of November which would cost £195.

I'm not sure whether to proceed with the installation though, wondering if I should just install an external waterproof 13A socket on the side of my garage.

For those of you that have pukka charging boxes, do you think they are worthwhile?

Had the same debate, but went with a tethered 16a Rolec. Definitely the right decision whilst the grant is available as you save £700, this won't be around for long. It also means I can monitor the cost of the car charging as the units are recorded separately on the adjoining meter rather than lost in the home bill.
I also took the same view as Wivenhoe, having a thethered charger is so easy and saves going into the boot every time. I know thats not a great hardship, but everyday for years to come seemed like it would start to become a bore!
This also means I can leave the 13amp cable at work to charge off the a 13a socket.

 

[Driver15]

If ordering a ROLEC, order the 32amp version for the tiny bit extra it costs (when i checked it was £20) to future proof, plus i in the event of further firmware updates and other cars in the future.

 

[Saxon6]

350e, following on from post regarding charging in other thread.

I have a 4m wide pavement in front my office door to the car. I run the cable under a low rise bright yellow ramp. This is the link to the company I used below.
Rubber Cable Covers - The Ramp People
I researched several options, but the key was finding something with a very low gradual rise to avoid it being a trip hazard. P
I have a clear view from where I work so that can see exactly what is going on outside whilst it is charging, I certainly wouldn't leave it unattended as you never know what people might do, or claim!
The cover comes in 1m lengths, so I have screwed two together so I only have one joint that comes apart.
The pavement in front of my office has a low pedestrian foot fall during the week, especially first thing in the morning, would I do this if it was busy, probably not.

 

[Saxon6]

If ordering a ROLEC, order the 32amp version for the tiny bit extra it costs (when i checked it was £20) to future proof, plus i in the event of further firmware updates and other cars in the future.

I would have gone for the 32a as agree this would have been the best future proof option, however it meant an expensive upgrade to our electrical circuit in the garage and main consumer unit that wouldn't have been covered by the grant, hence stuck with 16a.

 

[350e]

350e, following on from post regarding charging in other thread.

I have a 4m wide pavement in front my office door to the car. I run the cable under a low rise bright yellow ramp. This is the link to the company I used below.
Rubber Cable Covers - The Ramp People
I researched several options, but the key was finding something with a very low gradual rise to avoid it being a trip hazard. P
I have a clear view from where I work so that can see exactly what is going on outside whilst it is charging, I certainly wouldn't leave it unattended as you never know what people might do, or claim!
The cover comes in 1m lengths, so I have screwed two together so I only have one joint that comes apart.
The pavement in front of my office has a low pedestrian foot fall during the week, especially first thing in the morning, would I do this if it was busy, probably not.

Thanks for link and comments. I had decided to do exactly the same and I will get some ramp as soon as I can tie the electrician down to a date.
Mine will be in front of my home and because I am retired and have the flexibility I plan to charge my car when everybody else is toiling away or in school. I figure the occasional mum pushing her precious cargo along the path will be able to cope with the ramp given that the bigger hazard today is wobbly paving slabs and tree roots etc

 

[wivenhoe]

Slovenly man

Know what you mean about it being a tight fit but that is if you leave everything in the compartment that Mercedes provided at the outset. I have removed the high visibility jackets and other bits and pieces from the compartment and put them in the case provided for the cable and now the cable justs pops in the compartment without difficulty.

Slovenly man indeed - perhaps you have more time and don't need to unplug and re-stow a cable at 5:00am

 

[spookie321]

I get my C350e estate on 11 Jan, so am thinking about charging set up for home. Was just going to get a 13 amp external weather proof plug installed, but interested to hear that there could be tax advantages to getting the grant funded version????
What is the tax advantage? How do we go about claiming monies back from HMRC.?
Thanks all
Spookie321

 

[wivenhoe]

I get my C350e estate on 11 Jan, so am thinking about charging set up for home. Was just going to get a 13 amp external weather proof plug installed, but interested to hear that there could be tax advantages to getting the grant funded version????
What is the tax advantage? How do we go about claiming monies back from HMRC.?
Thanks all
Spookie321

The installer claims the grant so you pay the discounted price. Chargemaster are advertising installations from £ 190. The grant is 75% of the cost up to £ 700.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...charge-scheme-guidance-for-customers-2015.pdf

https://www.chargemasterplc.com

 

[350e]

I get my C350e estate on 11 Jan, so am thinking about charging set up for home. Was just going to get a 13 amp external weather proof plug installed, but interested to hear that there could be tax advantages to getting the grant funded version????
What is the tax advantage? How do we go about claiming monies back from HMRC.?
Thanks all
Spookie321

Just to be clear, there is not a tax benefit connected with HMRC.

 

[Chappers1]

There is an HMRC link to home charging

If an employee has a fuel card or similar to claim for petrol or diesel and the employer funds the charger installation as a business expense then the employee can claim the electricity for charging and it is not a BIK

If just plugged in to an extension the levy rusty cannot be claimed

In the same ruling, charging at work for free is not seen as a taxable benefit so is tax free and hopefully cost free too

 

[spookie321]

Thanks guys that clears that up. On top of the £5000 grant it would have been far too much to expect more government assistance with the cost of electicity!
Will weight up whether the 16amp is worth the extra over the standard 13amp socket. Ease of use may swing it in favour of the 16.
J

 

[350e]

Thanks guys that clears that up. On top of the £5000 grant it would have been far too much to expect more government assistance with the cost of electicity!
Will weight up whether the 16amp is worth the extra over the standard 13amp socket. Ease of use may swing it in favour of the 16.
J

My electrician when surveying to fit my Rolec pod using a 13amp plug mentioned the need for a 16 amp trip on the consumer unit. There is a spare one so he is fitting the pod, fingers crossed, next Wednesday.

 

[350e]

Chargemaster RFID cards

I have the Polar instant App on my iPad and it woks well enough in terms of identifying a charging post but then it seems to take a number of attempts to connect with the post and start charging. Similarly after charging, it again is required to wait for a connection before having the cable released.

I have read that some people have been sent a card by Chargemaster without signing up to the £7.00 per month deal. Has anyone got one, if so is it any better than the App at connecting ?

 

[Saxon6]

350e, when you have your Rolec installed your installer should give you an access code. This code allows you one years free membership to the 'charge your car' network when you apply on line.