Dallas installs of the Blink charger

[DallasVolt]

Has anyone in the Dallas/Fort Worth area had a Blink charger installed through SPX? SPX is sending a gentleman named Conrad (I think) out on Friday to do the site inspection. Just wondering what kind of experience others may have had in the area since the reviews are pretty mixed in general.

[joshili]

Don't have that answer, but I am interested in hearing any opinions and how this goes with you. I am considering the free DFW blink charger as well, if I pulled the trigger on getting a Volt.

[magnushawk]

Just for the record, I have a Blink unit at home in VA and it's been performing really well.

[vette0067]

I am in the DFW area and had SPX install the Blink charger. If I recall correctly, that may actually be the same guy who did my install. My setup was pretty easy as I have pleny of space on my circuit breaker and the attic above my garage is wide open. The only issues I have had are related to the charger itself. Initially, I had it connected to my wireless network and it would drop connection quite often. I ended up changing to a hard wire but Blink has released a new firmware that supposedly fixes the wireless connection issues so make sure you have them update the software. The only other thing I can think of is that they didn't really show me anything about the charger. Just installed and tested it and left. It would have been nice for them to show me how to update the Kwh charge rate, how to access the charger on the network and how to setup the Blink online stuff but hey, they are electricians.

[DallasVolt]

Vette,

Thanks for the information. It sounds like your install was within the $1,200 allowance. My biggest concern right now is an enormous quote for the installation. I have a new house with plenty of room on the breaker box and an easy installation in the garage, the only problem is a long run from the breaker box to the detached garage. There is installed conduit for the existing wiring so I shouldn't be too hard, but I guess we'll see on Friday.

[vette0067]

Actually, I did have to pay about $300 out of pocket so it was over the $1200 allowance. I don't do electricity so I had no issue paying the money. Yes, I know the electrical installation is cheap but I figured at least I get the 3-year warranty and support.

[EZ Volt]

I'm in Frisco and had the SPX/Blink installation last November. I'll look up the technician's name when I get home (I think I have it?). No problems here. Unit has worked fine. Very easy to input your electric rate. It's basically like having a separate meter, since it tracks everything. Gives your current month stats and the total from the previous month. Nice touch screen. Mine is hooked into my home wireless. Installation is right next to the main breaker panel in the garage. He did it as a plug into a 240V "drier" outlet (rather than straight hard-wire, so I can easily take the unit with me if I move after the DOE period. Friendly and answered all my questions while I watched what he was doing. He had to buy a new breaker. I was about $200 over the $1200 allowance, but that included the $180 permit fee from City of Frisco. I have some photos, I'll add another post with them when I get home tonight.

If you have a Volt, and are considering getting a 240V EVSE at home, absolutely do it. Especially if you are within one of the "free system" areas sponsored by the DOE or your local utility. 240V is definitely the way to go. I know most people are fine with an overnight 110V charge, but it is so much easier to have a permanently mounted unit. And I've utilized the 240V a number of times where 110V wouldn't have gotten me back up to a full "tank" for quick-turnarounds.

[EZ Volt]

Conrad Alverez from Energy Conservation Assoc (contracted by SPX) installed mine on November 16th. Like I said, friendly, and he didn't mind me pestering with questions. I really do like the unit. Just enter in your utility rate (mine is flat 24/7 at 10.9 cents per kWh with the local Co-op, CoServ), and it displays your kWh used and calculates the running cost each month. It can handle variable schedule pricing also, just input the rates and times of day. Tracks a couple other stats as well, but those above are the ones I care about. There is also an online account that gives some graphs showing hours plugged in per day, kWh history, barrels of oil saved, etc.

Attached are photos of the installation. Yes, I think $1200 is expensive for this very simple install. But I can't complain with only having to put $200 out of pocket for the whole thing.

[justindal]

I'm in Dallas and I also had the Blink unit installed. I'm pretty sure Conrad was my electrician as well. My installation is almost identical to EZ Volt's. They had to double up a couple of breakers to make room for the unit in my electrical panel. But the unit was installed a foot from my panel and with the dryer outlet rather than hard-wired. I like the unit. The touch panel is nice. And I have no trouble accessing it over the network. It does lock up about once a month but I just turn the breaker off and back on again and it works just fine.

My experience with SPX was ok. Even though it's hard to imagine an easier install than what I had, I still had to pay about $250 out of pocket even with the $1200 grant from the DOE. But that's less than what it would have cost for me to buy a EVSE and have my own electrician install it. But there's no way this install would have cost over $1400 if someone other than SPX did it. I feel like they are taking advantage of the government and us. Several people here on the board have asked SPX to reduce the quote and have been successful in getting them to come down some. So keep that in mind.

[DallasVolt]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll let you know what Conrad says on Friday.