Help & Advice

Some the most frequent queries are covered below but if you still have any questions, please feel free to contact our Customer Services team on 0330 016 5126 or email customerservice@bpchargemaster.com.

I gather there is a £500 grant available from government for home charging units. How do I go about getting this?: BP Chargemaster is an approved supplier under the government’s EVHS (Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme). We handle the application for you and collect the subsidy from the government on your behalf.

Why do I need a Homecharge unit; can’t I just use a 13A plug?

Using a 13A socket is not recommended by the government and car manufacturers and is a very slow way to charge your vehicle. Drawing this amount of current on a continual basis can put too much strain on some wiring systems and can be dangerous and create a fire hazard. The use of an extension leads from a 13A plug is definitely not recommended as this can overheat under the continual load.

Our Homecharge units are wired directly into your consumer board (fuse box) and therefore do not overload your home’s ring main. Our qualified electricians assess each installation on a case by case basis, ensuring that the correct cabling is always used. This means they are completely safe to charge for long periods of time.

Why is the BP Chargemaster unit the most popular unit available?: BP Chargemaster have installed over 30,000 Homecharge units in the UK and across Europe. Our products are reliable and value for money and are approved by EV car manufacturers.

Can my unit be installed quickly as my car arrives imminently?: Our installation and customer service advisers will work with you to ensure your unit is installed as quickly as possible and at a time that is convenient to you. It is worth noting that we can install your charge point up to 4 months prior to receiving your car.

How long does it take to charge at home using a Homecharge unit?: It depends on the speed of the charger you have installed, the battery capacity of the car and your vehicle’s on-board charging rate. For a fully electric vehicle such as a Nissan Leaf we estimate a charging time of 3-4 hours if you have a 7kW and around double that if you have a 3kW charger installed.

I have a plug-in hybrid so why do I need to bother with a Homecharge unit?: The only way to achieve the impressive MPG figures quoted by the car manufacturers is to keep your battery charged whenever and wherever possible. A Homecharge unit is the fastest, safest and easiest way of doing this every time you park up at home in the same way you charge your mobile phone.

How much will the electricity cost me to charge at home?: This can vary with each energy provider, but the average price across the industry is 10.3p per kWh (about £2 to £3 for a full charge on a car such as a Nissan Leaf)

What is the difference between a tethered cable and socketed Homecharge unit?: A tethered Homecharge unit has a built-in charging cable with a connector dedicated to your vehicle type. A socketed unit offers a more future-proof solution – with its universal port, any vehicle can charge using a public charging cable.

Can I have a longer tethered cable?: No, the tethered cables are built to an industry standard of 4.7m and extenders are not available.

How can I monitor the data/electricity consumption?: If you have a unit with data communications you can access your Homecharge data usage at www.chargevision3.com.

I’m moving house and want to take my Homecharge unit with me.

We are able to remove and re-install your charger. Prices start from:Removal of charger and connections £75.00

Survey new property £75

Reinstallation depending upon survey outcome labour cost

Half day £175.00

Full day £300

Plus required materials as per survey

Please contact us for a full quotation.

Telephone	01582 399412
Email	homechargeteam@bpchargemaster.com

What is my MPAN number?: A Meter Point Administration Number, also known as MPAN, Supply Number or S-Number, is a 21-digit reference used in Great Britain to uniquely identify electricity supply points such as individual domestic residences. It is normally shown on your electricity bill. You will be asked for your MPAN number as part of the OLEV grant process.

Do I pay BP Chargemaster for the electricity I’ve used?: No, it comes through your normal electricity supply and you pay for the electricity used on your normal electricity bill. The cost of your charging sessions depends with each energy provider and battery size, but the average price across the industry is 10.3p/kWh (about £1 for a PHEV to £3 for most BEV’s)

If there is a problem with the charger who do I have to contact?: Our units come with a 3 year on-site warranty and are extremely reliable. However if you do have a problem give our Customer Services Team a call on 03300 165 126 during office hours and they’ll be happy to help.

What is a standard installation?: A standard installation includes the cost of a 3.6kW charger with a cable run under 15 meters to be fixed flush to the wall (cable not trenched or hidden behind walls, through joists, under tiles/carpets/floorboards, aerial or subterranean runs), in compliance with wiring BS7671 17th edition regulations and the IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation 2nd Edition. It also assumes that correct electrical connections and protections are available on the property, and that no civil works or electrical remedial works are required.

Are there currently any government grants available for installation of electric vehicle charging facilities at business premises?: The Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) currently provides a grant to organisations looking to install electric vehicle charging facilities – The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS). The scheme offers financial support of £500 towards the up-front cost of each electric vehicle charge point purchased and installed – limited to 20 across all sites.

Do charging points supplied by BP Chargemaster work with all electric cars?: BP Chargemaster Fastcharge products are supplied with the industry standard Type 2 sockets and are fully compatible with every new electric or plug-in hybrid car and light van currently available in the UK. BP Chargemaster is the Official Charging Partner of: BMW, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Renault,Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Toyota and. Kia.

Can I control who uses our charging point?: Yes; you can go for a key activated unit which enables you to leave the unit on for general use, or use the key to control access to authorised users. Alternatively you can have a communicating unit with access controlled by use of an RFID card. This enables you to issue cards to authorised users.

How do I monitor the electricity use and monitor the costs?: On all communicating units we provide you with a login to our industry leading backend system called Chargevision. This enables you to see how much electricity has been used and who is using it. Reports can be downloaded.

How do I connect to my BP Chargemaster charging point using an RFID card?: A: Connecting:Connect your cable to your car
Present your card to the reader and hold for a few moments while authentication is in progress
Only when the unit invites you to, connect to the charge point, where your cable will lock in to place. It may take a few moments for a charge to initiate
A: Disconnecting:Present your card to end the charge (only the card that started the charge can end it)
Wait for the unit to respond and ask you to disconnect, ensuring your charge has fully ended
Push the cable in to the unit and pull to release. If the cable does not release easily(or you need help at any point in the process), please contact our Customer Service team
Disconnect your cable from your car. Your vehicle may require you to perform an action to ‘unlock’ the cable from the car
Close the door or replace the socket cover

Can BP Chargemaster provide installation services across the United Kingdom?: Yes we do. BP Chargemaster has its own installation company (100% owned subsidiary) GB Electrical. All staff are company employed, we do not normally use any sub-contractors. Our installation company are not only qualified Electrical Engineers but also have their own groundworks and civils team, which ensures a complete installation service covering all aspects of any given project.

Does BP Chargemaster offer a warranty on all charging points?: All our charge points come with a comprehensive 3 year parts and labour warranty as standard. We have a dedicated Customer Service team to look after you for any warranty related issues. Each issue is then assigned a unique ticket number which ensures the fastest resolution possible for our charging equipment.

Can BP Chargemaster provide ongoing safety and preventative maintenance?: Each charging point can benefit from an annual Maintenance/Care package which includes 24/7, 365 days a year Engineer support and two on-site maintenance inspection.

Where are BP Chargemaster charging points manufactured?: Our ethos is driven by exceptional British craftsmanship, with all products designed and manufactured in our facility in Bedfordshire, UK.

What is BP Chargemaster’s back office and data management facility?: ChargeVision is our in-house back-end office and management facility. This gives any operator web based, real-time access to all of the charge points within their private network. Authorised users will have access to the ChargeVision system giving visibility and data as to which charge point was used, when it was used, how long it was used for and importantly how many kWh of energy was consumed per charging event.

Is BP Chargemaster compliant with Open Charge Point Protocol?: Yes. All BP Chargemaster charging points communicate over OCPP including ChargeVision, BP Chargemaster’s own back-end system or any OCPP compliant back-end system.

Is BP Chargemaster part of any nationwide public charging networks?: BP Chargemaster own and operate the Polar network, the United Kingdom’s largest charging network of over 6,500 publicly available points across the United Kingdom. Please visit: www.polar-network.com.

What is the recommended height to install a wall mounted charging point?: Your recommended height is between 750mm and 1200mm.

Are there any public sector grants available for charging points?: Yes. However these are complex and charge from time to time. BP Chargemaster works closely with the Office of Low emission vehicles (OLEV) and we can advise you if there are currently any grants to help you install charging points.

I don’t really know what type of charging point I need. Can you help?: There are two ways to access our public charging points. If the customer is a frequent user then they can look towards our Polar Plus scheme, which is subscription free for the first three months. For more information, click here.We understand that some customers will only charge at public locations now and then, which is why we also offer a pay-as- you-go app for Android and Apple phones.

Can BP Chargemaster provide installation services across the United Kingdom?: Yes we do. BP Chargemaster has its own installation company (100% owned subsidiary) GB Electrical & Building Services Limited. All staff are company employed, we do not use any sub-contractors. Our installation company are not only qualified Electrical Engineers but also have their own groundworks and civils team, which ensures a complete installation service covering all aspects of any given project.

Does Chargemaster offer a Warranty on all charging points?: All our charge points come with a comprehensive 3 year parts and labour Warranty as standard. We have a dedicated Customer Service team to look after you for any Warranty related issues. Each issue is then assigned a unique ticket number which ensures the fastest resolution possible for our charging equipment.

What is BP Chargemaster’s back office and data management facility?: ChargeVision is our in-house back-end office and management facility. This gives any operator web based, real-time access to all of the charge points within their private network. Authorised users will have access to the ChargeVision system giving visibility and data as to which charge point was used, when it was used, how long it was used for and importantly how many kWh of energy was consumed per charging event.

Can I charge my electric car on any public charging point?: Our Polar schemes will provide access to all of our 6,500+ Polar public charging points. You can see where the charging points are on the map provided on www.polar-network.com

How do I know which network a charging point belongs to?: To find out where our chargers are, view the live map.

How long does it take to charge?: This depends on the power of the charging point and your vehicle’s battery size and on-board charging capacity.

How much does it cost to charge using a public post?: To access our network you need to become a Polar plus member. This is free for the first three months, then only £7.85 a month (with no long term contract; cancel any time). Once you’re a member, around 80% of our network is free to use as often as you like. For the other charging points, you just pay for the electricity consumed at only 9p/kWh – less than the typical cost of charging at home. Please visit www.polar-network.com for details.

How do I join a public charging network?: To register for our Polar Plus scheme, simply click here and fill out your details, including your Direct Debit information. We will then get your card in the post to you within 2 working days.

I’ve lost my Polar plus RFID card. What should I do?: If you lose your network access card or believe it has been stolen, please call our Customer Service team weekdays between 8:30am and 5:30pm on 03300 165 126. We will immediately disable your lost Polar Plus network card and send out a new one to your registered address. Please note that a service fee of £10 will be charged.

How can I cancel my Polar Plus subscription?: If you decide for any reason to cancel, you can do so through your account or by e-mailing us at info@polarnetwork.com.

Do I need my own charging cable?: Unless you’re using one of our rapid chargers, you will need to bring your own charging cable. We always want our customers to know they’re in safe hands, so all of our chargers have locking mechanisms to protect your cable while you’re away.

Can't find your query?

Here are some useful tips on buying and operating charging points.

Some the most frequent queries are covered here but if you still have any questions, please feel free to contact our Customer Services team on 03300 165 126 or email customerservice@bpchargemaster.com.