ConnectDER EV Meter Socket Adapter

[TaxmanHog]

@tommolog

l traveled to Starksboro, Vermont to record the first ConnectDER EV meter socket adapter installation in the state. This device will allow many people to install an electric vehicle charger at home who otherwise couldn't, due to the capacity constraints of their home electric service.

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[Runaway Tractor]

Very slick. The simplicity of this is right up there with the Generlink meter socket generator ATS. No messing with any wiring in the house. No messing with the main panel. No core drilling holes through the walls. If the meter happens to be where you park, the only material needed is a few feet of liquidtight!

This unit has a 100 or 125 amp main breaker built into the bottom. This effectively gives you an outside main disconnect. Added benefit is you can now completely deenergize the house and main panel without having to pull the meter.

For those of us who have a 200 amp+ main panel, this will not work since 125 amp is the highest main breaker the unit has. Yes we typically won't "need" it due to having enough capacity on the main panel. But we do lose the convenience factor.

Getting this adopted by power companies nationwide will be the slow train unfortunately.

 

[ScubaSteve_TheReal]

Super slick and very promising; Especially like the coming soon technology in the way of the bidirectional charging and home backup integration solutions rolling out in the not so distant future. So the down the road 200amp model I’ll be waiting and watching for. Definitely pretty ingenious looking at the meter socket as just a big power socket and power plug.

 

[21st Century Truck]

Silly question I know but... theft? I do see the lock ears on the device... yet once this thing is popularly known and generally utility-accepted, it seems IMHO to be an easy theft-and-resale item as currently configured for night fingers and unscrupulous stolen item fences. After all, as far as I can see the removal of the device will not stop the current supply to the main house panel, so the owner would not necessarily notice until the next morning, or even until the next charging session. How often do we look at our house meter in detail instead of just walking right by it?

On the positive side, kudos to the inventors for looking at an emerging problem and producing an ingenious and easy modification.

 

[The Weatherman]

I don’t think that’s exactly right. The meter would have to be removed to dismantle the unit. That would definitely take down the whole house.

 

[21st Century Truck]

I don’t think that’s exactly right. The meter would have to be removed to dismantle the unit. That would definitely take down the whole house.

Fair enough. Hard(er) to tell without a hands-on. Videos are good but not great for such things.

 

[Howard_Scott_Warshaw]

On the positive side, kudos to the inventors for looking at an emerging problem and producing an ingenious and easy modification.

Fun fact. This hardware originated as a way to interconnect PV systems without ripping up the existing service. The 'DER' part stands for Distributed Energy Resource, aka, PV.

Sad fact. Most utilities hate solar and have strict prohibitions about allowing any customer owned "equipment" interfacing with their hardware (they consider the meter and meter socket as 'theirs'), so the Connect DER has been shuffling since inception.

Glad to see it gaining new life.

 

[Maquis]

Fun fact. This hardware originated as a way to interconnect PV systems without ripping up the existing service. The 'DER' part stands for Distributed Energy Resource, aka, PV.

Sad fact. Most utilities hate solar and have strict prohibitions about allowing any customer owned "equipment" interfacing with their hardware (they consider the meter and meter socket as 'theirs'), so the Connect DER has been shuffling since inception.

Glad to see it gaining new life.

They don’t “hate solar”. They hate anything that interferes with their revenue stream.

 

[Howard_Scott_Warshaw]

They don’t “hate solar”. They hate anything that interferes with their revenue stream.

This is true. when they own PV, they can't build it fast enough. when a customer wants to bundle a solar farm, good luck and here's a $1M bill to upgrade the substation

 

[21st Century Truck]

Silly question I know but... theft? I do see the lock ears on the device... yet once this thing is popularly known and generally utility-accepted, it seems IMHO to be an easy theft-and-resale item as currently configured for night fingers and unscrupulous stolen item fences. After all, as far as I can see the removal of the device will not stop the current supply to the main house panel, so the owner would not necessarily notice until the next morning, or even until the next charging session. How often do we look at our house meter in detail instead of just walking right by it?

On the positive side, kudos to the inventors for looking at an emerging problem and producing an ingenious and easy modification.

My apologies all - I was thinking of the tophat rectangular plug-in EVSE device when I wrote the above post. Of course, the main component = the round back-of-meter piece... grrr.

 

[Grease Lightning]

They don’t “hate solar”. They hate anything that interferes with their revenue stream.

Which is why I am so surprised they have not gotten on board with one bill financing so they still get their money and they get to do 10,000 mini capital projects rather that a few large ones that take forever in reviews.

 

[Maquis]

Which is why I am so surprised they have not gotten on board with one bill financing so they still get their money and they get to do 10,000 mini capital projects rather that a few large ones that take forever in reviews.

Change is difficult. Especially for entrenched, stodgy industries.

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