SPX "Free" EVSE?

[capitolvolt]

OK, so I have applied to SPX for the Home Charging station, and was SHOCKED yesterday when I got their Quote: $1750 labor to install (not counting the unit itself). So that means they want $550 from me, after the $1200 government credit. Now I know you folks have not seen my garage, but it's a 12-year old house, with the electrical box about 40' from where I want the EVSE, and they are planning on running conduit (not tearing walls up and concealing the wiring). There's plenty of room in the box for two more breakers. When I whined to the electrical contractor today about the price for labor, he said his bid was considerably below that $1750, and that SPX marked it up a "substantial" amount.
Now I know I can't install my own EVSE, unit and labor, for less than $550, but I'm still thinking that SPX is getting quite a bit of our money here. They actually tell me the unit itself is another $1700, so they claim I'm getting $3500 worth of stuff for $550.
Has anyone had any luck negotiating with SPX on that labor price? Of course, they are threatening me, saying the program will be reduced in available amounts on August 1st.

[918bones]

Ask SPX for a second quote. I had the same overage price quoted for my install. The second quote came back where I only had to pay $250.00. I was told SPX ups the price due to paperwork the are required to do. I had the same thought- It was still cheaper to have them do it and install it than doing it myself.

[bonaire]

There are approximately 220 threads on this same subject here going back a year or more...

The electricians seem to say they overcharge on these SPX deals because of "all the paperwork they need to do" to get paid. So, the install is 60% work, 40% paperwork. At much of taxpayer expense.

My electrician installed this (your install sounds much easier):
- 220V breakerbox.
- ran 70' of Romex #6-3 (I bought for ~$225)
- Installed a 220V 50A outdoor socket for my inlaws RV
- installed 2 120V sockets for the Volt EVSE (one inside, one outside)
- PV conduit, drilling and wire routing run through basement.

Two guys, about 3 hours.

Total - $840 + Romex ~$225

[k9frog]

For the last 2 months ive been following all the spx installation fees, what a bunch of thiefs.I ran all the wiring ,breakers,boxes whatever, The 120volt box cost me around 60 bucks to install. The 240 volt box was even cheaper,
I can see that everyone needs to make a profit, But spx seems to be out doing that.

[solar_dave]

I have 2 SPX Voltecs installed by my electrician. The first one was done by us because SPX didn't have an electricians lined up in AZ as of May 2011, the Volts didn't get released here until fall of 2011. I had them come and quote a second install for "Free" the line was prewired with 10 gauge by my electrician, pretty much mount on the wall, attache the wiring and add the breaker to the panel, it was still over the free price. I told them to get lost.

I had to LMAO as I got an e-mail from Meghan Chamberlain of SPX for a Blink home install:

Dear Chevrolet Volt Driver,

ACT NOW to secure a free Blink 240V charging station and up to $1,200 towards installation through EV Project, offered by ECOtality.

SPX Service Solutions was recently notified that effective, August 1, 2012, the $1,200 towards installation of the free Blink 240V charging station will be reduced to $400.

To take advantage of the $1,200 towards installation! You must be qualified and approved by August 1, 2012 and installation of the Blink 240V charging station must occur within 60 days.

Please call SPX Service Solutions at 877-805-3873 to start the process today!

The Electric Vehicle Solutions Team
Service Solutions U.S. LLC
28635 Mound Road
Warren, MI 48092
www.evse.spx.com

Think I will just call them to screw with them. Hell if they will do it for free, I will just pull the SPX and shelve it for future reference.

[SMBoss]

I went through the same thing as SPX came in with an original quote that would have cost nearly $900 out of pocket for a 'special' installation, even with the DOE allowance. Eventually, they knocked it down to below $500 and I bit after running the calculations.
As many in the various threads have speculated, what they may do is build in the costs for the 3-year warranty on the installed components, in addition to the alleged mandatory rates they must charge for the contractor work and additional paperwork. Depending on where you live, the problem may be all the extra cash you'd have to lay out for materials and electrical permits on your own that'd allow the SPX contractor to wire up a subsidized install. I suspect SPX has calculated what it'd cost to get a 'Non-Free' EVSE installed and hovers their estimates just close enough to snag people who might otherwise get the work done on their own.

[solar_dave]

Well they are coming between 11 and 1 tomorrow. The install should consist of pull the SPX off the wall, attach the Blink, swap out the breaker for a 30amp one in the sub panel. There is absolutely no way that should cost more than the $1200 installation.

If it does then my congressman and senators will hear about it.

[awm]

I have mentioned my ordeal with SPX in a number of other threads. They will flag the installation as "special" whenever they can which will exceed the $1,200 by around $600-700 even if the breaker panel sits in the garage, has an empty spot and the required cable length is less than 50'. I challenged the original quote and was able to reduce it from $approx. $1,750 down to $1,350. My challenge was probably successful because the initial quote listed 85' of conduit whereas the actual distance is approx. 35'. Even so, it took multiple phone calls and emails until it was down to $1,350. Needless to say that $150 out of pocket is a bargain but there is no doubt that SPX, Ecotality and/or the local installer significantly gouged the price at the expense of us tax payers. Not surprisingly, they are quick to point out how complicated and time consuming the compliance with DoE requirements is.

At the end of the day, they play the game perfectly: They know that even $700 out of pocket cost is still cheaper for a consumer than hiring a local electrician and purchasing a charger. And with the installation credit apparently dropping from $1,200 to $400, they now have even less of an incentive to lower the installation quote: Accept our inflated price now or you will pay even more out of pocket after August 1st...

[gadgeTT]

All this discussion on how much over the "free" cost to install the charger, and I'd be happy to have any assistance. Where I live in South Florida, we get no assistance and I have to fork over 100% of the costs if I want an L2 charger. I'll probably end up buying the Voltec for $500ish and installing it myself.

[solar_dave]

All this discussion on how much over the "free" cost to install the charger, and I'd be happy to have any assistance. Where I live in South Florida, we get no assistance and I have to fork over 100% of the costs if I want an L2 charger. I'll probably end up buying the Voltec for $500ish and installing it myself.

Call them up at the above number and see what they say about your zip code.