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Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2026
We might be relocating, and our potential new digs won't have a power outlet.

Ours is a vintage oval Chargemaster from before the BP takeover. The website for checking charges and other details has been inoperable for a long time, and I don't believe it complies with the current regulations to be moved.

While researching possible substitutes, I noticed that nobody appears to produce either a charger with an integrated battery or a battery with an integrated charger.

The car only needs charging a couple of nights a week, so a slim charger similar to the Tesla power wall would be a much more elegant solution than having a battery and charger in separate locations. It could also charge from solar PV, which is something I'm also considering.

The fact that there isn't something similar just seems strange. Does anyone have any idea why?
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Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2026
Get EVSE for a low price. The parts used to charge batteries using alternating current are not.
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Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2026
It seems to me that the market doesn't really have much of an intersection there. Those interested in smart chargers have a few options: they can purchase devices like the Zappi, which works with the majority of residential solar systems, or they can build their own using software like Predbat. On the other hand, it would be an eyesore on a wall and cost thousands to manufacture (10kWh battery, inverter, plus EVSE= easily £5k).
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Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2026
The convenience of always having a spare battery pack for the car is justification enough for me to consider purchasing an additional BMW i3 battery pack to power my home.
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This seems like it would be a simple problem, but I think you'll find that it's actually rather challenging. At the very least, you need to figure out how to cool it, how to earth it, how to synchronise its frequencies with the grid, and how to convert 250 volts AC to and from 400 volts DC. Everything is doable in the same manner that constructing a helicopter in one's garage is doable.
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Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2026
A battery is an integral part of many charging solutions.

Naturally, you shouldn't seek for these by looking for chargepoints that have batteries integrated into them, but rather batteries that have chargepoints built into them.

A major issue is the price tag.

The most practical alternative, in my opinion, is the Sigenergy (is that the right spelling?). They offer an accessory for their battery pack system, which is basically a 5 kWh battery with an integrated charging point.

It seems to make sense if solar panels are both abundant and inexpensive and the batteries are installed at the parking spot.
On the other hand, there is alternative equipment that can easily charge the battery and solar panels during the day.

As far as I remember, Cory from Oh My! has two sets of batteries installed and, in one of his videos, brought up the chargepoint add-on. Though I'm uncertain about his actual use of one.
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Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2026
I find the post's premise to be somewhat ridiculous.

Investing in a battery solely for electric vehicle trickle charging is a waste of money.

Installing the battery less than 5 meters from the car's charge port is necessary if you intend to use the battery for other purposes and have the EVSE integrated into it.

That's why a separate electrical grid is installed in every house. It is possible to possess power in one location and put it to use in another. My goodness, it's absolutely brilliant.
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