Frequently Asked Questions

We strongly recommend that you speak to a qualified and experienced installer before you buy an Alpha7 EV charger.  An installer will be able to advise you on: the suitability and complexity of your installation, the most appropriate type of product, and give you an idea of the total cost involved.  Contact us if you have any concerns.

The Alpha7 needs to be permanently connected to a regular 230V RCD protected supply.  It can be fitted indoors or outdoors, surface or post mounted, and must be fitted at a height of between 0.9 and 1.5m from the ground.  There are no access restrictions.  No WiFi signal or network connection is needed, although a WiFi signal or an EtherNet cable will be needed if you want to access your charger remotely.  The Alpha7 is suitable for private domestic and private workplace locations.  

The Alpha7 has been designed with the installer in mind.  The box insert contains a helpful template to aid in marking out the 4 stainless steel mounting screws (supplied).  High-quality DeWalt fixing plugs are also included.  The supply cable can be fitted from any direction.  Extra finger space in the terminal chamber and extra-large terminal apertures will ease installation.  Simple DIP-switch selection configures the output current limit, dynamic load-balancing option, and load sharing.  You’ll be done in no time!

View the Quick Start Guide >

View the Installation & User Guide >

The Alpha7 has built-in PEN ground-fault protection in accordance with the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations, section 722.411.4.1 iv.  An integral 30mA AC and 6mA DC earth leakage protection device is also included.  An earth rod or an expensive external PME PEN fault protection device is not required.

Installers should consider the main incomer fuse rating, the existing installed load, and whether the addition of an EV charger will likely lead to overloading.  The Alpha7 dynamic load monitoring kit is an easy and inexpensive solution to ensure safe and reliable installations.  Don't forget to select one on your order!

We would very strongly recommend against this unless you are a professional electrician with a current qualification for the 18th edition wiring regulations: BS EN7671: as well as specific training, certification, and experience in EV charger installation.  We recommend that you speak to a qualified and experienced local installer to arrange this work.  FastAmps do not arrange installations but we can recommend an installer: please contact us if you would like more information.

No: differing cable size requirements and a variety of possible cable entry points would mean that we would inevitably supply you product with the wrong size of gland in the wrong place.  The Alpha7 housing helpfully has a number of "dimples" in useful places for correct gland placement, depending on cable configuration.  We do provide a gland with the CT coil which is used for Dynamic Load balancing or for Solar integration.

A qualified installer will be able to answer this question for you, considering the specifics of your installation.  The type of cable also needs to be considered, according installation specifics.  As a guide: for a 16A installation a 4sq mm cable is likely to be required; for a 32A installation a 6sq mm cable is likely unless the installation length is relatively short.

No, it is optional.  The Alpha7 can use a simple BlueTooth connection to your mobile device, fulfilling the Smart Charge Point Regulations 2021.  WiFi and EtherNet connections are available and an optional part of the installation.  The Alpha7 is simple, straightforward, and reliable.

No, the Alpha7 does not have extra components inside that it does not need; components that would make it less reliable and more expensive.  The Alpha7 uses a simple BlueTooth connection to your mobile device, fulfilling the Smart Charge Point Regulations 2021.  The Alpha7 is simple, straightforward, and reliable.

The mounting dimensions for Alpha7 EV charger are simple and straightforward: 4 off holes in a rectangle 215 by 95mm.  High quality stainless steel screws and DeWalt wall plugs are supplied with the Alpha7.  The drill size for the wall plugs supplied is 8mm, drill depth of at least 40mm.

Alternatively you may wish to consider the FastAmps Alpha7 EV charger mounting post: see the Shop for details.

Most simple installations cost around £700, including VAT, including the charger.  FastAmps will help to recommend a local EV charger installer with the appropriate certifications and experience.  Please contact us if you would like more information or are concerned about a quoted cost for an installation: we can give you advice if you need it.

Yes.  The Alpha7 fulfills the requirements of both the domestic and workplace schemes.  The domestic scheme applies to homeowners who live in flats or people living in rental accomodation.  You must have dedicated off-street parking, own an EV, and have not already claimed a previous grant.  Note that not all plug-in hybrid cars are eligible.  The full list of rules, on the government website can be found here.  Please talk to your installer about applying for the grant.

Yes, no problem.  Have a look at our map for our list of installers or please contact us if you would like more information or are concerned about a quoted cost for an installation: we can give you advice if you need it.  

Just now, FastAmps are selling in the UK market.  The Alpha7 is designed to be compatible throughout Europe and the USA.  Please contact us for further information.

The Alpha7 is compatible with all EVs.

The charge time for your car depends on your vehicle’s battery size and on how full the battery is when you plug in.  How empty your battery is depends on how far you have driven and on the electrical efficiency of your EV.

Many people think in terms of “how many miles of range do I get for each hour of charging?” ie miles per hr (mph).  Here are a range of examples:  Tesla 3 (30mph), Mini-electric (29mph), VW ID3 (26mph), Volvo XC 40 (22mph), Jaguar I-Pace (20mph), Mercedes EQV 300 (15mph).  So an 8hr charge gives between 120 and 240 miles of range: more than enough for almost any situation.

In the unlikely event that your battery is empty here are a range of examples of “empty to full charge times”: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (13.8kWh: 2hrs), Mini-electric (35kWh: 5hrs), Tesla 3 (75kWh: 10hrs), Jaguar I-Pace (85kWh: 12hrs), Mercedes EQS 450+ (108kWh: 15hrs).  

Check that the Alpha7’s blue LED is on: this means it is ready.  Plug one end of the cable into your car and the other end into the charger.  Press the "now" button.  The green LED will show and that’s it!  The car and the charger will talk to each other and sort everything else out.   It is simple, straightforward, and reliable. 

This very much depends on the price of electricity and the EV that you own.  At the current average price of 34p/kWh, to charge the average car battery (62kWh) from empty to full (an average of 200 miles of range) would cost around £19. 

Switching to a specialised EV tariff (eg EOn Next Drive / British Gas Electric Driver or Octopus Intelligent Go) could reduce the unit cost to less than 7p/kWh overnight.  The integration of solar panels can reduce the cost still further.

Prices correct as of December 2024

You can charge your car as often as you like.  Most drivers “top-up” every day, when their car is not being used, most often overnight.  In this way you are always ready to go!

A blue LED means that the charger is “ready” for you to plug your car in to the Alpha7 charger.  A continuous green LED means that the car is charging.  A pulsing green LED means that the car has finished charging.  A yellow pulsing LED indicates that the lock has not engaged or disengaged correctly.  A red LED indicates that a fault has occurred.  More LED information can be found in the Installation & User Guide >. 

The Alpha7 does not come with a cable: it is an “untethered” EV charger.  This gives you the flexibility to choose the length and type of cable that is most suitable for your needs.  The tethered version of the charger comes with a 5m cable: an 8m cable is available as a special order.

View the Installation & User Guide > 

A “type 2” cable: this is normally supplied with your EV: a charging cable is not supplied with the charger.  Either a 1ph or a 3ph cable will work equally well.  A 32A cable is recommended: a 16A cable will work but will automatically limit the charging current to 16A. 

The Alpha7 dynamic home balancing kit works by using a small cable clamp attached to the input cable of your electricity meter.  The cable clamp measures the total current being supplied to the meter.  Settings, made by your electrician inside the Alpha7 charger, makes sure that the supply current never exceeds the fuse rating.  It does this by reducing the charge rate to the vehicle and only increasing it again when there is enough supply capacity.  Users never need worry about switching on the shower and the cooker whilst the Alpha7 is charging!

Yes, this is possible: but it is slow!  It will take 2.5 times longer than using the Alpha7 EV charger.  Most EVs come with such a lead included in case of emergencies. 

The FastAmps mobile App includes a handy feature to disable the charger when owners would like to stop other EV owners from using the charger.  The LED will be "colour changing" when this feature is enabled.  FastAmps App

Many cars will allow you to turn on interior electrics whilst the car is charging eg radio, satnav.  Some cars will allow you to turn on the heating or air conditioning.  No cars will allow you to drive the car (even a very small distance) whilst charging.  Consult your vehicles user manual for further details.

Yes, the Alpha7 and charging cables have a weatherproof design allowing charging, whatever the weather.

The Alpha7 will attempt to unlock a number of times before showing the fault LED.  The most likely reason for this to happen is because the cable connector is not quite inserted correctly into the Alpha7 unit.  A wiggle of the cable connector should free things up.  A power cycle of the Alpha 7 (switch it off and on again in the distribution board) may ultimately be required to unlock if a "wiggle" does not work.  Please let us know if you experience this issue, using our Contact Us page.

The Alpha7 is offered with a 3 year warranty.  In the unlikely event of a malfunction, please contact us.

The Alpha7 has been designed to last well beyond the warranty period of 3 years.  The simple, staightforward design has been engineered to give many years of reliable operation.  Design parameters have been selected to yield a minimum 10 year lifetime under normal operating conditions.

The Alpha7 is designed to be completely maintenance-free.  There are no maintenance or service schedules that need to be observed.  Keeping your charging cable connector free from dirt will help ensure trouble-free operation.  The plastic enclosure can be cleaned using a non-abrasive sponge and a pH neutral cleaner.  Please contact us if you have any specific concerns.

In the unlikely event, Contact us and we will do our very best to make sure that you are back charging as soon as possible.

Whilst we don't expect that you will need any spare parts for your Alpha7 charger, please contact us in this instance.

All Alpha7 chargers are pre-programmed to charge only during off-peak hours.  This helps the UK electrical grid avoid overloading at peak times (07:00 - 11:00, 16:00 - 22:00).  This is a requirement as part of the Smart Charge Point Regulations 2021.  The charging hours can be over-ridden at any time by pressing the "now" button.  Alternatively, the user can set different hours, perhaps to synchronise with variable price tariffs.  This functionality is offered through the FastAmps App

Downloading the Mobile App is easy.  Search for "FastAmps" on the Google or Apple store or click on the link here.

This information is available on the "History" screen of the FastAmps App

Usage data, suitable for OZEV grant reporting, can be emailed as a .csv file by using the FastAmps App 

Yes.  Contact us if you re regularly buying Alpha7 chargers or if you need larger quantities: we would love to meet up with you.

FastAmps are happy to arrange accounts and terms for regular customers.  Contact us for more information.

Enabling the Solar Integration with your Alpha7 EV charger has the potential to significantly reduce your electricity bills.  A current clamp is fitted to the output of your solar array.  When connected to the Alhpa7, the current clamp gives a signal informing the Alpha7 charger how much power the solar array is producing.  The Alpha7 charger can use this signal, 4 times per second, to match the EV charging output to the power generated by the array, up to a maximum of 32 amps.  Pressing the solar button enables this function.  The green LED above the solar button is lit when this function is active.  When the LED is lit, the maximum current drawn from the mains will be 6 amps.  The Alpha7 will operate as a normal charger when the solar button LED is not lit.  It is set to "inoperative" as default, to avoid unintentional operation.  This function (if required) is enabled using the Fastamps App.